Investigation on the Behaviour of New Type Airbag

This research a new type airbag system (NAB) was developed in this study which consists of two flat layers and a middle layer with tube-type structure. The objective of the new airbag system is to enhance the occupant safety in passenger car collisions with reduction of injury risks for small and OOP occupants. A prototype of the airbag was built up with volume 40 litters. The performance of the prototype airbag was investigated using static deployment test and sled crash test with Hybrid III dummy. A FE model of the airbag was developed and validated using results from the airbag deployment test and sled crash test. In order to determine the potential for occupant protection, computer simulations of the OOP occupant with NAB and the normal driver-side airbag (DAB) are carried out using HYBRID-III FE model. Results indicated that the NAB airbag need less gas than the DAB to get the same load and displacement curve, and the leading velocity of NAB is lower than that of DAB. In the OOP simulation, the acceleration of dummy head using NAB is smaller than that using DAB.