Dynamic characteristics of an airbag subjected to impact loads

摘要

One of applications of the airbag is as a deceleration device for an impact load. In this study, the equation of motion and the energy equation of the airbag system subjected to an impact load were derived. The characteristics of a small-scale airbag with a fixed outlet area was experimentally tested and numerically analyzed. Good agreement for the results between the calculations and the experiments were obtained. The results of this study reveal that an airbag with a small outlet orifice, loaded with a solid mass, behaves like a simple mass spring system. As the outlet area increases, the behavior of the mass spring system is rapidly diminished. In an airbag with a fixed outlet area, impact by a constant solid mass with an initial velocity. The velocity of the solid mass approaches a constant terminal velocity. Results also demonstrate that the area of the gas outlet plays a major part in influencing the characteristics of the airbag. If the time rate of change of the outlet area is designed properly, the airbag can be used to decelerate an impact load within a desired distance and way of motion.