MODELING TOOLS FOR DESIGN OF AIR CUSHION RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

This paper is an attempt to establish systems analysis tools which are not only effective in evaluating current systems, but which also possess growth potential as new sensor, inflation and cushion concepts are developed. The paper summarizes an air cushion restraint study. The vehicle crash simulation is an effective means of obtaining vehicle deceleration curves. The crash sensor simulation permits an accurate estimate of the effect of sensor design parameters on trigger time. The air cushion model gives reasonable values for pressure, temperature and mass in the supply reservoir as well as in the air cushion. The revised occupant kinematics model is a useful tool for evaluation of alternate air cushion restraint systems. All of the models individually and in combination provide a comprehensive design analysis capability useful in the evaluation of air cushion restraint systems. This capability permits parameter studies of a wide range of vehicle, sensor, inflation and occupant combinations, thus reducing the time and number of hardware tests required to converge on the most optimum system configuration. Improvements in cushion pressure and temperature measurement techniques are needed to permit more accurate correlation of the air cushion model. (MW)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the International Automotive Engineering Congress, Detroit, Michigan 11-15 Janarary, 1971.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Irish, F J
  • Potter, R A
  • McKenzie, R D
• Publication Date: 1971-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 22 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Crash injury research; Crashes; Kinematics; Research; Retraining; Simulation; Systems analysis; Temperature measurement
• Old TRIS Terms: Air cushion
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00144389
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 710016
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1977 12:00AM