Over the years, airbag technology has demonstrated its effectiveness in providing protection and safety for its users.
Originally developed for the mass-production automotive sector in the 1980s, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that companies such as Helite, ABS and Hit-Air began deploying this technology in new niche markets.
Over the last few years, nomadic airbag technology has been developing in new sectors and has become an indispensable tool for motorcyclists, horse riders and off-piste skiers.
This technology, once reserved for very large markets, is now becoming widespread and accessible to many other sectors.
Over the next few years, we’re going to see a real democratisation of these inflatable solutions.
1. THE BENEFITS OF AIRBAG TECHNOLOGY
The main advantage of the airbag is that it offers significant volume and protection when deployed, compared with a small, flexible volume when retracted.
Depending on the technology used, this safety solution can be deployed in just a few tens of milliseconds.
The advantage of this is that, in the event of a rapid accident, the inflatable protection is triggered even before the user has had an impact with an external element such as the steering wheel, the vehicle or even the ground….
This technology is also a highly advantageous solution for complex configurations. In fact, when designing a protection product, if you are short of space or want to retain flexibility and comfort, it is the ideal solution.
As you will have realised, this safety solution offers a multitude of protection options for its users, such as absorbing an impact and reducing its energy, limiting displacement, moving an object and even allowing you to stay on the surface of an avalanche…
At Eweave, we’re used to advising our customers on the potential of an inflatable solution for their project, so don’t hesitate to come and discuss it with us!
2. WHAT IS AN AIRBAG?
Like all inflatable systems, an airbag is made up of several sub-systems : an activation/detection system, a gas generator system and an inflatable volume:
The detection/release system
An airbag is designed to be deflated when used in a ‘normal’ situation. So for it to be deployed, it obviously has to be activated, triggered.
To do this, we can divide existing systems into two categories: manually triggered systems and automatically triggered systems.
Manual systems are generally mechanical, meaning that a cable has to be pulled to activate the system. This is the case for avalanche airbags, where you have to pull on the handle, or for riding airbag jackets, which are fitted with a cable linking the jacket to the saddle and which is pulled to activate the system when the rider ejects.
Automatic detection systems generally require an on-board electronic system equipped with sensors to detect a fall, an accident or any other situation requiring protection. Whether using standard algorithms or artificial intelligence engines, the real challenge is to detect a fall before it’s too late.
The gas generator
Once the fall has been detected and the system activated, the airbag needs to be inflated.
A gas generator is used to supply the inflatable with gas. There are several types of gas generator :
- Pyrotechnic gas generators enable a large volume to be inflated very quickly. This goes hand in hand with a very high gas temperature (>800°C), and very high deployment energy. This type of generator is generally found in car airbags.
- Pyrotechnically triggered cold gas generators : a small explosive charge is used to pierce a pressurised gas reservoir, generally CO2, helium, argon, nitrogen, etc. The advantage of this system is that it is easy to trigger electronically without being as dangerous as a purely explosive gas generator. This is what we find today in mobile airbags with electronic detection..
- Mechanically triggered cold gas generators : the principle is the same as above, but instead of using an explosive system to open the gas cartridges, a mechanical spring/needle system is used.
The choice of generator and gas depends of course on the protection requirements we are looking for and the type of product.
The volume of protection
The protection volume is the part that will inflate to protect, move… It generally consists of two layers, an airtight layer, often made of polyurethane, and a protective outer layer, usually made of textile.
The main difficulty lies in correctly dimensioning this volume and its inflation pressure to meet the need for energy absorption, mechanical strength, fluid dynamics and space requirements.
3. THE LIMITS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY
As you will have realised, an airbag is actually a stack of several complex building blocks that all have to work together for the overall system to be effective.
So you need to bear in mind that an airbag solution will inevitably require a specific design for your application. What’s more, certain standards have to be met, and the use of gas cylinders, explosives and electronics is highly restrictive from a legislative point of view.
The Eweave team will be delighted to discuss all aspects of these inflatable solutions with you.