Patent Application
20100045003
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of automotive protective systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an airbag assembly, wherein the inflatable cushion membrane is configured to be attached with an interface without the use of a retaining ring.
The present embodiments will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that the accompanying drawings depict only typical embodiments, and are, therefore, not to be considered to be limiting of the disclosure's scope, the embodiments will be described and explained with specificity and detail in reference to the accompanying drawings.
It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of various embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, as claimed, but is merely representative of various embodiments. While the various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.
The phrases “connected to,” “coupled to” and “in communication with” refer to any form of interaction between two or more entities, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, fluid, and thermal interaction. Two components may be coupled to each other even though they are not in direct contact with each other. The term “abutting” refers to items that are in direct physical contact with each other, although the items may not necessarily be attached together.
Inflatable airbag systems are widely used to minimize occupant injury in a collision scenario. Airbag modules have been installed at various locations within a vehicle, including, but not limited to, the steering wheel, the instrument panel, within the side doors or side seats, adjacent to roof rail of the vehicle, in an overhead position, or at the knee or leg position. In the following disclosure, “airbag” may refer to an inflatable curtain airbag, overhead airbag, front airbag, or any other airbag type.
Front airbags are typically installed in the steering wheel and instrument panel of a vehicle. During installation, the airbags are rolled, folded, or both, and are retained in the rolled/folded state behind a cover. During a collision event, vehicle sensors trigger the activation of an inflator, which rapidly fills the airbag with inflation gas. Thus the airbag rapidly changes confirmations from the rolled/folded configuration to an expanded configuration.
According to the embodiment depicted in
End portion 123 may be generally defined as the area of a flap that is distal to base portion 122 and may comprise stitching 125, which may reinforce the end portion by coupling together two or more pieces of material. End portion 123 may comprise stitching 125, apertures 124, and a terminal portion 127. Apertures 124 may be positioned to receive mounting hardware attached to a rear face of attachment interface 130. In the depicted embodiment, terminal portion 127 comprises a semicircular shape such that end portion 123 may be called a semicircular end portion.
As noted above the flap may comprise a contiguous extension of the inflatable airbag cushion, or may comprise a separate piece attached to the cushion. The flap may comprise the same fabric from which the cushion membrane is manufactured, or the flap may be a different material, such as plastic, or a different fabric. Further, the flap may comprise fabric that is at least partially reinforced by additional layers of fabric or plastic or metal. For example, the end portion of the flap may be reinforced, or the apertures may be reinforced with metal or plastic grommets. The flap may be coupled to the cushion membrane by employing a variety of techniques or structures, including sewing, gluing, and RF welding.
Front face 131 is configured to be directed toward cushion membrane 110 throat portion 111. Slots 133 are depicted as elongated apertures that extend through attachment interface 130. The width and height of slots 133 are of sufficient magnitude to allow each flap 120 to be received by a slot such that the flaps protrude through the slots. Gas inlet opening 135 is configured such that it may receive a portion of an inflator and/or inflation gas from the inflator. The diameter of inlet opening 135 is sufficient to receive the inflator and/or inflation gas. Deflectors 136 may comprise extensions of attachment interface 130, or alternative, separate pieces that are coupled to the interface. The deflectors alter the direction of inflation gas toward or away from predetermined portions of membrane 110. The deflectors may be configured as an interrupted rim as depicted in
Mounting stem 137 depicted in
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of types and configurations of attachment interfaces can be utilized without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the overall shape of the attachment interface is of a narrow rectangle, but in alternative embodiments, the shape of the interface may be more square, round, oval, or any other suitable shape. Likewise, the characteristics of any topographical features may vary from that depicted, or in some embodiments, the attachment interface may lack topographical features altogether. The shapes, sizes, and location of the slots, apertures, gas inlet opening, deflectors, mounting stems, and mounting structures may vary from those depicted, as it is contemplated that the attachment interface may be configured differently for use in different vehicle environments. The material or materials comprising the attachment interface may likewise vary and may include one or more pieces of plastic or a combination of metal and plastic.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of types and configurations of airbag cushion membranes can be utilized without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the size, shape, and proportions of the cushion membrane may vary according to its use in different vehicles or different locations within a vehicle such that the cushion may comprise an inflatable curtain cushion; a rear passenger side airbag; a driver's airbag; and/or a front passenger airbag. Also, the cushion membrane may comprise one or more pieces of any material well known in the art, such as a woven nylon fabric. Additionally, the airbag cushion may be manufactured using a variety of techniques such as one piece weaving, cut and sew, or a combination of the two techniques. Further, the cushion membrane may be manufactured using sealed or unsealed seams, wherein the seams are formed by stitching, adhesive, taping, radio frequency welding, heat sealing, or any other suitable technique or combination of techniques.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of types and configurations of inflators may be used in conjunction with the attachment interface and the inflatable cushion membrane. For example, the particular shape and configuration of the inflator depicted in
The inflator is configured to be activated in response to predetermined vehicle conditions as determined by vehicle sensors, with which the inflator is in electronic communication. Upon activation, the inflator rapidly generates or releases inflation gas, which forces the airbag cushion through the cosmetic cover and rapidly inflates the cushion. The inflator may be one of several types, such as pyrotechnic, stored gas, or a combination inflator; additionally, the inflator may comprise a single or multistage inflator. The inflator may be configured as a disk shaped or a tubular shaped inflator.
One skilled in the art will recognize that since topographical features may be formed in the attachment interface, the topographical features may preclude the flaps from laying directly against the attachment interface rear face and/or inflator mounting plate. In this case, it may be said that the flaps lay generally parallel with the attachment interface rear face and/or inflator plate; however, as noted above, topographical features, or a lack of topographical features in the interface may result in the rear face of the interface not being planar. Further, the topographical features may cause one or more portions of the cushion flap to be higher or lower than other portions of the flap.
In the depiction of
Cushion membrane 210 comprises a throat portion 211 and a plurality of mounting flaps 220, wherein the flaps comprise a body portion 221, a base portion 222, and an end portion 223, and a plurality of apertures 224. Attachment interface 230 may comprise a plurality of slots 233, a gas inlet opening 235, a plurality of deflectors 236, a plurality of mounting stems 237, and side walls 251. Attachment interface walls 251 may comprise 4 side walls that are contiguous extensions of attachment interface 230. Walls 251 may form a generally rectangular or square shape, and are of a predetermined length such that cushion membrane 210 may be received within the side walls and a cosmetic cover 252 coupled to the walls. Inflator 240 may comprise a body portion 241, a plurality of gas vents 242, a plate portion 243, and a plurality of mounting apertures 244.
One skilled in the art will recognize that in the packaged state, a deployment flap and/or wrapper may be disposed between the inflatable cushion membrane and a top portion of the housing, which may comprise a cosmetic cover. During airbag deployment, the deployment flap may function to protect the cushion membrane from damage caused by the housing, cosmetic cover edges, or other structures disposed near the housing and in the path of the deploying cushion membrane. Further, the side walls of the attachment interface may not form a rectangular or square shape.
Each of the four cushion membrane flaps 320 are configured to be received by one of the slots 333, and may comprise a body portion 321, a base portion 322, an end portion 323, a terminal portion 327, a plurality of apertures 324, and stitching 325. Apertures 324 are configured to be received by mounting stems 337 after flaps 320 have been slid through slots 333. As described above, an inflator may be coupled to the attachment interface before flaps 320 are received by mounting stems 337.
The inflatable cushion membranes, attachment interfaces, and inflators disclosed herein and depicted in the accompanying figures may be employed in a method for coupling an airbag cushion membrane to an airbag attachment interface. The method may comprise the steps of providing an inflatable airbag cushion membrane that comprises a plurality of attachment flaps with a plurality of apertures, providing an attachment interface that comprises a plurality of slots, a plurality of apertures, and a plurality of mounting stems, placing the attachment flaps through the slots, providing an inflator with a body portion, a plate portion, and a plurality of mounting apertures, aligning the inflator apertures with their complementary attachment interface mounting stems, placing the attachment interface mounting stems through the plurality of apertures on the inflator, folding the attachment flaps flat across a rear face of the attachment interface, placing the plurality of apertures over the plurality of mounting stems, and securing the cushion flaps and inflator to the mounting interface using mounting hardware that is complementary to the attachment interface mounting stems.
Methods disclosed herein comprise one or more steps or actions for performing the described method. The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is required for proper operation of the embodiment, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified.
Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the present disclosure to its fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and not a limitation to the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure described herein. In other words, various modifications and improvements of the embodiments specifically disclosed in the description above are within the scope of the appended claims. Note that elements recited in means-plus-function format are intended to be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §112 ¶6. The scope of the disclosure is therefore defined by the following claims.
