Patent Application
20180099637
Many current airbag assemblies require specially-tuned inflators to deal with low risk deployment (LRD) and/or out-of-position (OOP) requirements in order to reduce vehicle occupant injuries. Alternatively, safety vents may be used for this purpose. However, both of these solutions are often very costly and may not be ideal for providing other desired deployment kinematic characteristics.
The present inventors have therefore determined that it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that overcome one or more of the foregoing limitations and/or other limitations of the prior art. In some embodiments, the inventive concepts disclosed herein may improve various safety functions of airbag systems, such as, for example, by reducing punch-out force, reducing OOP injuries, or otherwise generally reducing the likelihood and/or severity of occupant injury. This may be accomplished, in some embodiments disclosed herein, by providing an airbag cushion that is coupled with an airbag cushion flap. This flap may, in some embodiments, be partially wrapped around and at least partially folded above or laterally with respect to an inflatable portion of the airbag cushion. The flap may further comprise a weakened portion, such as a tear seam, positioned such that the inflating cushion contacts the weakened portion, after unfolding the folded portion, and extends through the flap. In some embodiments, a portion of the flap may serve as a friction flap to further direct deployment kinematics as desired.
In a more particular example of an airbag cushion assembly according to some embodiments, the assembly may comprise an airbag housing and an airbag cushion positioned within the airbag housing. The airbag cushion may comprise an airbag cushion flap extending from the airbag cushion. In some embodiments, the flap may extend from the cushion as an integral part of the cushion. The airbag cushion flap may be configured to allow the airbag cushion to deploy from the airbag housing in at least two stages, wherein, in a first stage of the at least two stages, the airbag cushion flap is configured to expand to allow the airbag cushion to partially deploy, and wherein, in a second stage of the at least two stages, the airbag cushion is configured to contact the airbag cushion flap and to reduce a punch-out force delivered by the airbag cushion during deployment.
In some embodiments, the airbag cushion flap may comprise a weakened portion, such as a tear seam, configured to sever during deployment of the airbag cushion. In some such embodiments, the airbag cushion may be configured such that the weakened portion severs after the first stage, and such that the weakened portion is positioned in a direction of deployment of the airbag cushion such that the airbag cushion contacts and severs the weakened portion during deployment.
In some embodiments, the airbag cushion flap may further comprise a folded portion comprising a plurality of layers of the airbag cushion flap. In some such embodiments, the airbag cushion comprises a tear stitch configured to hold the folded portion in place prior to deployment of the airbag cushion.
In some embodiments, the weakened portion is positioned in at least one of the layers of the folded portion. In some such embodiments, the weakened portion is positioned underneath a top layer of the folded portion.
In some embodiments, the folded portion is positioned above the airbag cushion within the airbag housing, and the airbag cushion is configured to hold the folded portion in place prior to deployment of the airbag cushion, such as by providing a tear stitch in the folded portion. Alternatively, the folded portion may be positioned laterally of the airbag cushion, yet preferably still adjacent to an upper end of the airbag housing. Preferably, the folded portion is configured to unfold during deployment of the inflatable portion to define an expanded region of the airbag cushion flap during the first stage.
In some embodiments, the airbag cushion flap is configured to increase lateral expansion of the airbag cushion during the first stage of deployment of the airbag cushion.
In an example of an airbag cushion assembly according to other embodiments, the assembly may comprise an airbag housing and an airbag cushion positioned within the airbag housing. The airbag cushion may comprise an inflatable portion and an extended flap portion coupled with the inflatable portion. In some embodiments, the extended flap portion may be integrally coupled with the inflatable portion. The extended flap portion may be at least partially wrapped around the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion within the airbag housing. In some embodiments, the extended flap portion may be partially wrapped around the inflatable portion such that the inflatable portion can expand out of two opposite sides of the extended flap portion.
At least a portion of the extended flap portion may be configured to allow the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion to partially expand into an expanded portion of the extended flap portion. The extended flap portion may comprise a weakened portion, such as a tear seam, configured to sever during deployment of the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion after the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion has inflated into the expanded portion. The extended flap portion may be further configured such that the weakened portion is configured and positioned so as to be positioned in a direction of deployment of the inflatable portion such that the inflatable portion contacts and severs the weakened portion during deployment.
In some embodiments, the extended flap portion is configured to allow the airbag cushion to deploy from the airbag housing in at least two stages, wherein, in a first stage of the at least two stages, the extended flap portion is configured to expand to allow the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion to partially deploy, and wherein, in a second stage of the at least two stages, the airbag cushion is configured to contact the extended flap portion and to reduce a punch-out force delivered by the airbag cushion during deployment prior to severing the weakened portion.
In some embodiments, the extended flap portion comprises a folded portion comprising a plurality of layers of the extended flap portion such that the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion can partially expand into the expanded portion after the folded portion has unfolded to define the expanded portion. In some such embodiments, the folded portion is defined by an accordion fold.
In some embodiments, the weakened portion is formed in at least one of the layers of the folded portion. In some such embodiments, the weakened portion is positioned underneath a top layer of the folded portion.
In an example of an airbag cushion assembly according to still another embodiment, the assembly may comprise an airbag housing comprising a bottom end and a top end opposite from the bottom end. An airbag cushion may be positioned within the airbag housing and configured to deploy from the top end of the airbag housing. The airbag cushion may comprise an inflatable portion and an extended flap portion extending from the inflatable portion, preferably as an integral part of the inflatable portion. The extended flap portion may be at least partially wrapped around the inflatable portion within the airbag housing prior to deployment. The extended flap portion may comprise a folded portion comprising a plurality of layers of the extended flap portion. The folded portion is preferably positioned either above or laterally of the inflatable portion adjacent to the top end of the airbag housing and preferably comprises a tear stitch or another suitable means configured to hold the folded portion in place prior to deployment of the airbag cushion. The folded portion may be configured to unfold during deployment of the inflatable portion to define an expanded region of the extended flap portion.
A tear seam may be formed in at least one of the layers of the folded portion, wherein the tear seam is configured to sever during deployment of the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion by contact with the inflatable portion after the inflatable portion has broken the tear stitch and the folded portion has unfolded to define the expanded region.
In some embodiments, the tear seam is positioned underneath a top layer of the folded portion.
In some embodiments, the extended flap portion is configured to redirect inflation of the airbag cushion during deployment to reduce injuries to an out-of-position vehicle occupant.
The features, structures, steps, or characteristics disclosed herein in connection with one embodiment may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more alternative embodiments.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the disclosure are described, including various embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the figures, in which:
A detailed description of apparatus, systems, and methods consistent with various embodiments of the present disclosure is provided below. While several embodiments are described, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited to any of the specific embodiments disclosed, but instead encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications, and equivalents. In addition, while numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, some embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these details. Moreover, for the purpose of clarity, certain technical material that is known in the related art has not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure.
Apparatus, methods, and systems are disclosed herein relating to airbag cushion assemblies comprising airbag cushion flaps configured to allow for control of airbag cushion deployment to improve safety. In preferred embodiments, the airbag cushion flaps are partially wrapped around an inflatable portion of the cushion prior to deployment and include a layered and/or folded region positioned above or laterally of the cushion. Upon deployment, the inflatable portion may unfold and/or expand this region to define an expanded region. Subsequently, the inflatable portion may contact a weakened portion of the flap such that the inflatable portion extends through the flap.
The embodiments of the disclosure may be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts may be designated by like numerals. It will be readily understood that the components of the disclosed 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 detailed description of the embodiments of the apparatus and methods of the disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, as claimed, but is merely representative of possible embodiments of the disclosure. In addition, the steps of a method do not necessarily need to be executed in any specific order, or even sequentially, nor need the steps be executed only once, unless otherwise specified. Additional details regarding certain preferred embodiments and implementations will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the depicted embodiment, extended flap portion 120 comprises two subsections, namely, a wrapper portion 122 and a folded portion 124. Wrapper portion 122 is configured to be at least partially wrapped around the inflatable portion 115 of airbag cushion 110 within an airbag housing (not shown in
Extended flap portion 120 of airbag cushion 110 further comprises a coupling tab 125 comprising one or more slots 127 for receiving hooks or other similar features of an airbag housing, again, as will be shown in connection with later figures and described below. In addition, extended flap portion 120 further comprises a weakened portion 130 that is configured to sever during deployment of airbag cushion 110. In preferred embodiments, weakened portion 130 comprises a tear seam. Preferably, weakened portion 130 is positioned within folded portion 124 of extended flap portion 120, for reasons discussed below. However, alternative embodiments are contemplated in which weakened portion 130 may instead be positioned within wrapper portion 122.
Extended flap portion 320 again comprises a wrapper portion 322, which is positioned above the inflatable portion 315 of airbag cushion 310 adjacent to an upper end of airbag housing 302 from which airbag cushion 310 is configured to be deployed, and a folded portion 324 comprising a plurality of layers of extended flap portion 320. Folded portion 324 is held in place with a tear stitch 332 and wrapper portion 322 is wrapped around at least a portion of the inflatable portion 315 of airbag cushion 310.
In addition, a weakened portion 330 is formed within along at least part of extended flap portion 320. Weakened portion 330 may comprise, for example, a tear seam, which may comprise a plurality of aligned slits formed within extended flap portion 320. In the embodiment depicted in
Extended flap portion 320 is configured to allow the airbag cushion 310 to deploy from the airbag housing 302 in at least two stages. More particularly, in a first stage of the at least two stages, the inflatable portion 315 of airbag cushion 310 is configured to break tear stitch 332, thereby allowing extended flap portion 320 to expand (by unfolding of folded portion 324) and allow the airbag cushion 310 to partially deploy into an expanded region defined at least in part by unfolding of folded portion 324.
In a second stage of the at least two stages, the inflatable portion 315 of airbag cushion 310 is configured to contact the unfolded region of extended flap portion 320 and reduce a punch-out force delivered by the airbag cushion 310 during deployment by contacting weakened portion 330 prior to expanding further into an occupant region of a vehicle.
Although
As best shown in
As also best shown in
In addition, in some embodiments, extended flap portion 320 may continue to serve a purpose following severing of weakened portion 330. To explain, during inflation after severing of weakened portion 330, extended flap portion 320 may be configured to serve as an OOP flap or a “friction flap.” The OOP/friction flap may be used in certain OOP positions to direct the cushion over the head of the OOP occupant and/or prevent the expanding cushion 310 from going into the neck (under the chin) of an occupant. Thus, in some such embodiments, it may be desirable to position the weakened portion 320 at a location that allows for the resulting flap (defined by the proximal (relative to the occupant) portion of extended flap portion 320 relative to weakened portion 330) to be of a sufficient length to maintain contact with airbag cushion 310 and continue to direct inflation in a desired manner. In addition, as discussed below in connection with
Following an initial stage of deployment in which inflatable portion 815 breaks tear stitch 832, the airbag cushion may be in a configuration as generally shown in
The foregoing specification has been described with reference to various embodiments and implementations. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, various operational steps, as well as components for carrying out operational steps, may be implemented in various ways depending upon the particular application or in consideration of any number of cost functions associated with the operation of the system. Accordingly, any one or more of the steps may be deleted, modified, or combined with other steps. Further, this disclosure is to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope thereof. Likewise, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to various embodiments. However, benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, are not to be construed as a critical, a required, or an essential feature or element.
Those having skill in the art will appreciate that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present inventions should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
