Airbag

From ArticleWorld

An airbag is an inflatable membrane that expands and fills with air or gas in the even of a collision. Airbags are sometimes referred to as a Supplemental Restrain System (SRS) and as an Air Cushion Restraint System (ACRS), these restrain systems are most commonly used in automobiles to protect the occupants in the event on an accident.

History

Airbag lie devices began to appear in some aircraft as early as the 1940s, however the first patents were not filed until the 1950s. One of the primary components needed for automotive use was developed by Allen Breed, the American inventor who created the ‘’ball in tube sensor’’. He first approached Chrysler with this new technology in 1967. Chrysler, knowing that most Americans frequently did not wear seatbelts, saw the value of this new technology. In 1971 Ford built a fleet of experimental cars that were equipped with airbags. The first production car to have an airbag was the 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado. In 1974, many manufacturers offered dual airbags on many of their full size vehicles. In 1984, the U.S. government mandated that all vehicles must have a driver’s side airbag or automatic seatbelts by the year 1989.

Design

An airbag system has three main components; the airbag module, the diagnostic unit and the crash sensors. The airbag module includes the lightweight fabric airbag and an inflator unit. The crash sensors are usually found in the front of the vehicle, however they may also be located in the passenger compartment. The diagnostic unit monitors the system, it is activated by turning on the ignition switch. The system is triggered when the crash sensors detect forces equivalent to those generated in a near frontal impact. This deploys the airbag that protects the occupants by distributing the impact forces more evenly across their bodies.