The present invention relates generally to the field of airbags and methods of folding such airbags. More specifically, the present invention relates to airbags that are folded in such a way as to control the manner in which the airbags deploy.
Airbags used to protect passengers during an automobile collision may be mounted at various locations within the passenger compartment, including within steering wheels, dashboards, vehicle pillars, seats, and other suitable locations. Certain of these vehicle-mounted airbags are intended to provide cushioning for vehicle passengers moving forward within the passenger compartment during a collision.
One difficulty with airbags conventionally provided within a vehicle relates to the fact that child restraint seats may be provided in a rear-facing position within a vehicle. While in such a case the airbag may provide cushioning between the child seat and the front of the vehicle, the inflation of the airbag may also result in the airbag deploying against a rear surface of the child seat, which may cause the child seat to be forced toward the rear of the vehicle with further inflation of the airbag.
It would be desirable to provide a method of folding an airbag that controls the manner in which the airbag inflates upon deployment. It would also be desirable to provide an airbag that is folded in such a manner that the airbag may provide cushioning either to a vehicle occupant sitting in a vehicle seat or to a vehicle occupant sitting in a rear facing child restraint seat. It would be desirable to provide a method of folding an airbag and an airbag that provide any one or more of these or other advantageous features as will be apparent to those reviewing this disclosure.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to an airbag that includes a first chamber and a second chamber. The second chamber includes a first portion, a first lobe extending form the first portion, and a second lobe extending from the first portion. The airbag is arranged such that upon inflation of the airbag, the first chamber inflates before the second chamber and the first portion inflates before the first lobe and second lobe.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to an airbag assembly that includes an airbag including a first portion and a second portion. The second portion includes a first lobe and a second lobe. The airbag assembly also includes a member for securing the airbag in a folded arrangement. The first portion has an accordion-style fold and the second portion is provided as a roll with the first lobe and the second lobe provided in the interior of the roll. The airbag assembly is configured such that the first portion will inflate before the second portion.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for preparing an airbag assembly that includes folding a first portion of an airbag accordion-style and rolling a second portion of the airbag to form a roll. The second portion includes a first lobe and a second lobe, and the first lobe and the second lobe are provided in the interior of the roll. The method further includes providing a member to secure the first portion in its folded arrangement and the second portion in its rolled arrangement, with the first portion provided adjacent the second portion.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, appended claims, and the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described below.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an improved method of folding an airbag is provided that results in a folded airbag that will deploy in a controlled manner to reduce undesirable interactions between the airbag and a rear surface of a rear-facing child restraint seat. According to a particular exemplary embodiment, the airbag is folded such that a portion of the airbag will deploy above a top of the rear-facing child restraint seat.
The airbag 100 comprises panels which are sewn together at a seam 110 to form the inflatable cushion. The airbag 100 includes a first chamber 120 (e.g., a top chamber), a second chamber 130 (e.g., a bottom chamber), a first side or portion 140, and a second side or portion 150. The first side 140 includes a first lobe 142 and the second side 150 includes a second lobe 152. The airbag 100 may also include a diffuser 195 (
To fold the airbag 100, the airbag 100 is first positioned on one side on a folding table 160 such that the airbag 100 lays flat, as shown in
Next, in a step as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Next, as shown in
Subsequent to rolling the extension 172 inward, an end 144 of the first side 140 is folded once back onto itself as shown in
After the first compact portion 146 having the leg 148 are formed in the folding operation, the clip 164 is moved from its original position (
The bottom chamber 130 of the airbag 100 is then folded separately from the top chamber 120 in subsequent folding steps. A dashed line 104 is provided in
As shown in
One advantageous feature of the method of folding an airbag as described above is that inflation of the lobes 142, 152 may be controlled so that it occurs at the appropriate time and position relative to the occupant. As opposed to other methods of folding the airbag (e.g., a “crush” folding method), which may result in the airbag inflating entirely behind the rear surface of the child seat (thus forcing the child seat forward toward the vehicle seat), the folding method described herein allows for controlled inflation of the airbag in a manner that is optimized to provide appropriate cushioning for the vehicle occupant.
One advantage of utilizing the folding method described herein is that rear facing infant seat (RFIS) testing is required as part of government crash test standards. The folding method described herein is intended to allow compliance with the government standards without requiring a complete redesign of the NCPM airbag. Additionally, by providing a folded airbag such as that shown and described herein, it is intended that relatively costly seat sensors may be eliminated (e.g., sensors which determine whether an adult or a child seat is occupying a seat adjacent the airbag), since deployment of the airbag will be satisfactory regardless of the weight, size, or positioning of the occupant.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the airbag as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present inventions have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. For example, the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the preferred and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present inventions as expressed in the appended claims.
The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/726,237, filed Oct. 14, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60726237 | Oct 2005 | US |