Airbags

Abstract

In recent years, safety systems such as seat belts and airbags have been one of the fastgrowing sectors within the automotive industry. Seat belts and airbags have made driving substantially safer since their introduction. Airbags are safety systems used to cushion the driver or passenger during a collision and reduce bodily injuries. The technology involved in the manufacturing and working of airbags is complex. Since the early stages of development, airbag technology has been undergoing continual evolution in terms of design, materials and performance. Airbags are typically made from woven fabric, which may be coated or uncoated but must be impermeable to gases and flame resistant. In terms of their operation, modern airbags are smart restraint systems, which can tailor the deployment of the airbag according to the crash severity, body size of the occupant and proximity of the occupant to the airbag system prior to deployment. The future of airbags is extremely promising because there are many diverse applications ranging from motorcycle helmets to aircraft seating. In this article, an outline is given of the historical development of airbags and their value in saving lives is illustrated by supporting statistical data. The essential parameters required for airbag yarn and fabric components are discussed in detail. In addition, the processes involved in the manufacture, assembly and testing of airbag systems are explained. The mechanisms and chemical reactions involved in the deployment of different types of airbags are also discussed, and recent developments in airbag design and their possible future applications are reported.

New coordination complexes-based gas-generating energetic composites

“…Alternatively, gas-generating energetic materials could effectively provide high-energy and high-power actuation within a reduced volume (< 50 cm 3 ) thanks to the large amount of stored chemical energy they can release quickly. In the context of personal protection, they have to meet severe requirements including good performances, moderate temperature (< 300 °C) [9,10], nontoxicity of gaseous species, reliability [11], safety when handling and during storage, and low energy ignitions. Gas-generating mixtures developed for automobile airbag inflation are mostly based on a propellant, such as sodium azide (NaN 3 ) and potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) that thermally decomposes into gases and residues when they are ignited and they have been used for a long time [12].…”

An automatic air inflated tubeless safety jacket for motorbike riders

“…Adequate amounts of N 2 gas are produced by the reactions given in equations (9) and (10). In the subsequent reaction of equation (11), SiO 2 converts all the by-products (K 2 O and Na 2 O) into alkaline silicates, which is a safer, harmless and neutral compound (Nayak et al , 2013). …”

“…Honda announced the commercial availability of an airbag system with their 1800 cc motorcycle in which airbag deployment decision is based on collision judge logic triggered by sensors (“Honda Gold Wing Motorcycle Airbag System Explained - auto-evolution”, 2021; Kuroe et al , 2004; Nayak et al , 2013). Aikyo et al (2015) analyzed the application feasibility of using an airbag system to motorbikes without a sufficient reaction structure based on seven impact configurations specified in ISO 13232.…”

Brexit: Analysing Britain’s political and geostrategic considerations

“…I must conclude that the British society at-large and its fractional political elite must realize the advanced German automobile technology whose fruitful harvests are not limited to Germans or Germany only. It is to be remembered here that the research spearheaded by German engineers and Mercedes-Benz regarding the installation of Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags in automobiles was made available for all without any charge (Nayak et al, 2013;O'Neill, 2009). It is in larger British interest to reap the rewards of its European partners.…”