Braided Inflatable Tubular Structure Technology in Crash Safety

Most innovations may account for the use of non-conventional tools in current situations or the use of current tools in non-conventional situations. This paper describes the relationship of braided structure technology to the implementation of air bags in crash safety technology. The first introduction of the Inflatable Tubular Structure (ITS ^® ) to the crash safety community was in March 1995. Then, in early 1997, (ITS ^® ) was implemented in the automotive industry as a side-impacted head protection device. In several real-world side-impact crashes of vehicles equipped with the ITS, it reportedly “saved the lives of the vehicle passengers.” The same principle of the ITS in side-impact head protection devices has been extended to several other restraint devices, as well as new environments. This paper briefly describes design parameters of braid technology and various applications of braid structures for the development of inflatable restraints for enhanced vehicle occupant protection.