INTELLIGENT VALVE FOR PERSONALIZED SAFETY AIRBAG

Project Information

I-VALVE

Grant agreement ID: 763024

DOI

10.3030/763024

Project closed

EC signature date 29 January 2017

Start date 1 February 2017

End date 31 July 2017

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

MANUFACTURAS GOMA SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - I-VALVE (INTELLIGENT VALVE FOR PERSONALIZED SAFETY AIRBAG)

Reporting period: 2017-02-01 to 2017-07-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

According with the World Health Organization (WHO) every year approximately 1.25 million people dye as a result of a road traffic crash and between 20 and 50 million more people suffer non-fatal injuries. Automobile airbags have been a critical advance in driver and passenger safety, but they can cause injury or even death if not used properly (special to shorter people and children). If the occupant deviates from an ideal posture, airbag deployment may pose additional injury risk during an impact event. For example, trauma to children and small female occupants from frontal airbag systems has been well documented in the literature.
The objective of phase 1 project was to analyze the market viability of an innovative membrane to be integrated in airbags that has the ability to customize its occupant protection function to the shock conditions and specific characteristics of the occupant .The project conclude with the positive viability of the idea.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the project of phase 1, several tests had been performed to ensure the integrity of the product before the definition of the sled tests. After it, the definition of the technical requirements for the sled tests to be done in phase 2 has been gathered. It has been analysed different material to look for the possibility of using a low-cost material that could reduce the cost of the product. In parallel, we have done a deep study of the market. Based in it the commercialisation strategy and the business plan have been further detailed. .
During the project, the coordinator has disseminated information of I-VALVE to several potential customers and other relevant stakeholders to pave the way for the second stage and exploitation of the results trough the upcoming commercialisation.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Today most of the airbags for protection against frontal collisions are designed with cuts in the fabric of the bag called vents or “vent hole”. Its function is to distribute and to release and manage the energy created by the generator within the airbag. The occupant applies pressure against the airbag and the airbag restrains the occupant displacement. Subsequently, the airbag reduces the injuries risk and the vent hole makes the airbag work more efficiently.
The two concepts developed, tested and patented by MAGOM are:
1. Ventilation control airbag component and
2. The variation of the energy absorption capacity of the airbag depending on its pressure, through the dynamic and reversible modification of the effective venting area.

Figure 1 I-VALVE membrane prototype

Figure 3 Test of an I-VALVE prototype integrated in an airbag

Figure 2 I-VALVE membrane prototype integrated in an airbag