Air Bags

Introduction Air bags are designed to keep occupants head, neck, and chest from slamming into the dash, steering wheel, or windshield in a front-end crash in a fraction of second. Air bags are most effective in protecting vehicle occupants who are properly belted. Air bags have vents, so they deflate immediately after cushioning you.

PURPOSEAir bags are inflatable cushions that protect occupant from hitting the interior parts of car, or in some cases objects outside car (i.e. other vehicles or trees).About 60% car accident death are minimize. Air bags are designed to limit head and chest injuries.

NEWTONS LAW To study an auto accident, it is necessary to study the changes in momentum that a car faces during the collision. "A body in motion will stay in motion until it is acted up by an outside force."

CONSTRUCTION Airbags are consists of following main units. 1. Control Unit. 2. The Inflation Unit. 3. Airbag Unit. 4. Impact Sensor.

CONTROL UNIT The control unit includes the following circuits :Crash sensors and their associated wiring harness.Diagnostic module with readiness indicator. Electrical System. Airbag Modules With Inflators.

2. THE INFLATION UNIT

Chemistry behind airbagsNaN32Na+3N2

10Na+2KNO3K20+5Na20+N2

K20+Na20+siO2Alkaline silicates (Glass)

3. AIRBAG UNIT Typical driver sides airbags are constructed of light weight nylon fabric measuring 714 mm in diameter are 152 mm deep and fill volume of 65 liters. Passenger side airbags may be as much several times larger, and are designed to hold 100-300 liters.

4. IMPACT SENSORS Typically several sensors are mounted in remote frontal areas of the vehicle, wired in series or parallel combination with a safing sensors located with the system diagnostics.

ACTUAL WORKING

Airbag Before Collision

Airbag After Collision

TYPES OF AIRBAGDRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG PASSENGER AIR BAG

HOW TO AVOID INJURIESThe first step in preventing the injuries from inflating airbags is to wear one's seat belt and maintain a proper seating position.

What you can do for your Airbag System.

When you get in your vehicle and turn the key, look at the dash to find your Airbag or SRS light. It should come on for 7-10 seconds and then go out. This tells you all is well with the Airbag System. If the light does not come on, HAVE IT CHECKED. After all, it could just be a burnt out light bulb. If the light does not go off after this period usually (7-10 seconds) there is a problem If the light comes on while you are driving, it also needs attention. You need to take it to a repair shop that has the equipment to diagnose and repair the problem.

CONCLUSION The airbags help keep people's heads and chests from hitting the steering wheel, instrument panel, or windshield.energy-absorbing buffers between people and the hard interior surfaces of vehicles.

Reference

Leonard Evans Traffic safety and driver 1997William Cruise Automotive mechanismAutomotive Technology Asia 1999Internet : www.airbagsystem.comwww.nhtsa.comwww.airbagservices.comwww.howstuffworks.comwww.sae.org.www.airbagsafety.comwww.indicars.comwww.highwaysafety.com

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