INFLATABLE STRUCTURES FOR ENHANCED SIDE IMPACT CRASH PROTECTION

THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES A SIX-MONTH PROGRAM FOR THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF A DEPLOYABLE, DOOR-MOUNTED PAD FOR ENHANCING THE PROTECTION LEVEL AFFORDED FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS BY VEHICLES STRUCK IN THE SIDE DOOR AREA. THE CONCEPT PROPOSED FOR INVESTIGATION IS AN INFLATABLE STRUCTURE INTEGRATED INTO A PRODUCTION-CONFIGURED SMALL CAR DOOR. UPON IMPACT OF THE DOOR A STORED GAS OR PYROTECHNIC GAS GENERATOR WOULD BE CRASH-ACTIVATED TO INWARDLY DEPLOY A PADDING-TYPE STRUCTURE INTO THE VOID BETWEEN THE NEAR-SIDE OCCUPANT'S LATERAL OUTBOARD BODY SURFACES AND THE DOOR INNER PANEL, THIS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING VEHICLE "RIDE-UP" FOR BOTH NEAR AND FAR-SIDE OCCUPANTS. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS DESCRIBED AS A MULTI-TASK EFFORT AIMED AT DEMONSTRATING A MOCKED-UP SYSTEM IN FIRST A DYNAMIC BENCH TEST (DROP TEST) AND, IF RESULTS WARRANT AND RESOURCES PERMIT, A SIMPLE FULL-SCALE CRASH TEST.