A study was conducted to examine the inflation characteristics of several production driver's side air bag systems relative to factors which may be important to the likelihood of injuries occurring as side effects of the inflation process. The study was limited to deployment of the air bag systems in a static, non-crash environment. Two phases of tests were conducted: (1) deployment of the air bags to determine inflation characteristics, and (2) deployment of the air bags with a 5th percentile female dummy positioned in front of the restraints to observe the interactions between dummy and air bags. Four distinct air bag folding patterns were observed among the systems tested. Peak air bag velocities were similar for tethered and untethered systems. Distinct differences in the maximum displacement of the leading edge of the air bags were observed between tethered and untethered systems. The air bag folding pattern and the presence of tethers appeared to have significant effects, both singularly and in conjunction with one another, on the observed interactions with the small female dummy. The removal patterns of the powdered chalk from the dummy's face by the air bags' contact appeared to be primarily dependent upon these two factors.
Sled tests were performed using a driver-only air bag system in conjunction with various belting systems to determine injury criteria using 5th, 50th,...
Sled tests were performed using a driver-only air bag system in conjunction with various belting systems to determine injury criteria using 5th, 50th,...
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