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Chapter-1
INTRODUCTION
Current automobiles are equipped with an 'active' restraint system of lap and shoulder
belts. A system is termed as passive which automatically protects the occupant. One of
the most advanced system is the 'Air Cushion' system commonly called the "Air Bag".
In accidents, occupant can get in contact with the interior of the car. By
putting an Airbag a direct contact can be avoided. The large area and low contact pressure
(about 8 bar) of "Air Bag" results in low contact forces occurs avoiding greater head
rotation and neck forces are lowered. It is seen that a "Three point Passenger safety belt in
combination with 'Air Bag' system gives the best protection that is obtainable.
Chapter- 2
SYSTEM FUNCTIONING
'Development threshold' and 'BEV are the two terms which are used in
i) Deployment - The gas fills in the air bag and the air bag deploy when it is required.
ii) No Deployment - The gas does not fill in the air bag as the 'development threshold' is
iii) May deploy - This is the zone of the development threshold in which it is not certain
1) Sensors
2) Diagnostic Unit.
4) Initiating devices.
5) Gas generator.
6) Bag.
7) Cover.
8) Warning lamp.
3) Gas generating composition gets activated by the booster composition and produces
When following the crash signal path, we first come to the sensors that
registers the acceleration time history of an accident. The diagnostic or control unit has
the task of checking entire air gas system during operation of the car on one hand and of
triggering the air bags. The trigger in signal is transferred to airbag modules by an a
signal transmission device i.e. slip rings or contact coil for the driver side air bag and a
wiring harness for the passenger side system. The airbag models consist of a gas
Depending upon the sensor systems, there are two basic configurations of
air bag system as shown in fig. Air bag system with central sensor or with external
sensor, electromechanical systems are use for external sensors. While electronical
Chapter- 3
The sensor system must detect the driving situation and give the signal to
the initiator mechanically by releasing firing pin. One of the most accepted system is the
"ball in tube" developed by Breed. No electrical energy wiring harness is needed. They
are located in the steering wheel or dashboard, far away the first contact.
moves against the spring or the and closes a contact in the EMS system and activates the
initiating device.
acceleration of car. These sensors use piezoelectrical capacitive or strain gauge effects to
measure acceleration.
less wiring installation expenditure, less number of parts, less weight and hence lower
cost. Additionally with low algorithms, it is possible to detect low speed and /or angled or
offset crash situations also in the central position in the passenger compartment.
These units are used in all electrical airbag systems. They are the links
These units are used in the system which have external crash sensors.
Their main task is to check the entire airbag system during car operation. If failures are
indicated, the unit signals the driver that he has to go to a repair shop.
The diagnostic unit often has a memory to store the faults of the systems.
It also has a non - erasable memory to store the data about the functioning of the airbag
system during crash. Some systems have a time delay electronic to trigger the second gas
make it sure that the system will work even if the battery or some wirings are destroyed.
These are the main components of an air bag system with central
In most of the cases, the analog sensor signal has to be converted into a
digital signal by an A-D converter. Some control units use parallel computers to calculate
All additional features that are found in the diagnostic unit are also parts
of most control units as safety sensors, energy reserve, time delay electronic, memories,
These units are important because the bag should not delay under severe
Since the gas generator and air-bag are stored in the steering wheel, it is
important to have facility to transfer through this area Naturally, reliable, high quality
permanent contact is required. Slip rings are used where entire system is integrated into
the steering wheel and a simple power connections are required when the sensor
In EMS the initiating device consists of two electrodes insulated from the
composition. When activated, it gives a flash (heat) of sufficient intensity to set off the
booster composition.
In AMS the initiating devices uses a fixing pin which is designed to fire at
certain energy.
Gas generators have the task to produce gas to fill the airbag in sufficient
time. In a frontal crash of about 50 Kmph the bag filling time has to be about 3 minutes.
Generally pyrotechnic gas generators are used to produce such an amount of gas in a
short time.
The bags at the driver side have volumes between 50 lit to 80 lit. The gas
mechanical or mechanical way. The propellant at a very high temperature (about 1500 0c)
should be cooled by filtering device which also holds back some burning products. The
mass of the driver inflator should be as low as possible. Hence aluminium is generally
used. Gas generators for passenger side has an air-bag ranging between 100 lit. to 240 lit.
Most propellants for gas generators are not easy to recycle. Today, the
common possibility of disposal it to ignite inflators. The idea in this is to substitute most
of the propellant by pressed gas such inflators are called hybrid gas generators.
They use argon at about 200 bar. An electrically activated ignitor drives a
hollow pin forward to break a burst disc to let the compressed Argon to flow. The pin
travels further and ignites the propellant which heats the Argon, this reduces icing of
All these generators with compressed gas need pressure switch to assure
the pressure over the entire lifetime of car. Compared with the standard gas generators
hybrid gas generators have a lot of tow environmental risk, low recycling problems,
avoiding of misuse, no smoke, low temperature of the gas and the inflator.
may be silicon impregnated. In some cases, the bag is woven in a single piece thus
3.7) COVER
This cover is not only the lid which conceals the system but also as integral part of the
steering wheel. The cover is required to open when the bag is deploying.
3.8)WARNING LAMP
This is in most cases usually a LED which is incorporated into the system,
steering wheel or instrument panel. It is connected to the diagnostic electronics with the
Chapter- 4
composition. It has a high calorific value (1800 cal/gm) and high temperature stability
to possibility of formation of CO, as it is toxic, All propellants are based on the use of
alkali metal oxides as oxidants. Other additives are added to slag out the product of
reaction. Sodium and potassium azides are there, but sodium axide is the preferred source
N2.
Potassium and ammonium, nitrates of sodium, potassium and calcium Oxides of Mn, Fe,
clays like kaoline and Bantonite have been suggested. Propellant is housed in a sealed
slag formed.
Chapter- 5
TESTING
5.1) TANK TEST
airbag, with a steel tank substituting fabric bag. it has probes to measure the tank
substituting fabric bag. It has probes to measure the tank pressure, exit gas pressure and
temperature. It also has ports for sampling the generated gas. Data from the test provides
airbag with a steel tank substituting fabric bag used in real system. It gives information
This test is exactly simulates a crash using airbag systems and dummy in
place of a driver, passenger it can simulate crash conditions upto 30 C angle on either
side using vehicle made up of interior of the car but with mechanical changes to enable it
to use it in multiple tests and ability to accelerate it as in collision it gives p-t profile. This
data coupled with the tank test and mathematical modeling studies forms the basis of
A steering wheel airbag where loads act on the upper body but
not on the lower extremity
The combination of lap belt and airbag giving polvic and
upper body restraint
The energy absorbing steering system and knee bolster and
passenger restrained by
C.O.E. & T.,Akola 14
A lap belt in the rear seat
A lap-shoulder belt in the right-front seating position.
Air Bag Resistance in Passenger Car
Chapter- 6
* That the occupant has the closest possible coupling to vehicle shell.
In first case close coupling is ensured by the use of seat belts which ensure
close coupling to the occupants seat and also avoids chest injuries.
In the second case, the main problem is striking of head This is usually on
the steering wheel in case of the driver. Such striking gives rise to unacceptably high HIC
(Head Injury Criteria ) values in the crash testing Facial injuries even of are not
The incident of the head injury can be avoided by the use of an airbag. The
inflated bag cushions the head. The forward movements is arrested in a controlled
manner thus avoiding striking injury. The back absorbs the energy and in this way any
bounce back with resultant neck injury is avoided. Thus airbag meets the requirement
Chapter- 7
crash. Some crashes are too severe that safe devices cannot effectively prevent a fatal
injury.
Also sometimes it is possible that the car occupant wants the bag to deploy
In some cases the occupant do not want the airbag to deploy and the
In fact relative minor injuries such as abrasions from contact with the
deploying airbag can occur to a properly scented occupant even in a crash of moderate
severity, Also some smoke ( visible particular matter of powder) is produced in all the
airbag developments- like minor side effect of the countermeasure. Some abrasions
which are 'rug burns' from the airbag fabric abrasions on the skin may be there.
contains corn starch or talcum powder as lubricant and sodium compounds like
baking soda accompanied by minute deposits of sodium hydroxide. The powder residue
If you are not seated in a normal riding position with your back
against seat back, the air bag may not protect you properly and may possibly hurt you as
it inflates.
Chapter - 8
2) Reducing the size of airbag system by combination with automatic restraint belt
3) Engineering development to cater to impact form the side and the behind portion.
avoid that the contact an air bag system is best solution. Due to the seat belt usage, the
lower part of the body is well protected and the airbags are necessary only to protect the
head from contact with that knowledge smaller airbags can be used. Where the airbags
has to absorb entire energy of the occupants upper body. These are called facebages or
headbags.
Chapter- 9
CONCLUSION
Airbag systems are found today in many cars in the upper price category
specially in U.S.A. Airbags are found as the standard equipment in many cars. The
number of cars with airbags is steadily growing and therefore the prices will decrease and
With the development of so called Eurobags the airbag has got a new
quality.
The observations show that the safety and air-bags can provide the greatest
overall reduction in the risk of injury and death in traffic erases but only if these devices
are use properly. While the usage of the airbag is continuously increasing there is
obviously room for the further progress. But the critical need to promote the proper use of
Chapter-10
REFERENCES
1. V.E.WEZEL - Airbags Systems - Actual Status and Outlook for the Future Safety
TheVehicle and The Road Vol.2, FISITA 92 FISITA No. 925217, page no. 1
Experience'. Frontal impact protection seat belts and airbags, 1993, SAE - SP - 947
Page No. 95
5. David C.Viano - Effectiveness of Safety Belts and Airbags in preventing Fatal Injury,
Frontal Crash Technologies of 90 's Feb 1991 SAE SP 852 page no 159
6. H.A. Lupker and W.E.M.Bruijis - Gas jet Model for Airbag inflator's Frontal impact
Protection Seat and airbag's March 1993 SAE SP 947, SAE 930645, Page No. 85.