An investigation of improved airbag performance by vent control and gas injection
Abstract
Airbags are currently being investigated as an impact energy absorber for U.S. Army airdrop. Simple airbags with constant vent areas have been found to be unsatisfactory in yielding high G forces. In this paper, a method of controlling the vent area and a method of injecting gas into the airbag during its compression stroke to improve airbag performance are presented. Theoretical analysis of complex airbags using these two methods show that they provide lower G forces than simple airbags. Vertical drop tests of a vent-control airbag confirm this result. Gas-injection airbags are currently being tested.
- Publication:
-
Joint U.S./Japan Conference on Adaptive Structures
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991adst.conf..455L
- Keywords:
-
- Air Bag Restraint Devices;
- Airdrops;
- Drop Tests;
- Gas Injection;
- Parachute Descent;
- Inflatable Structures;
- Soft Landing;
- Vents;
- Engineering (General)