Patent Application
20110018245
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of automotive protective systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to modular components of inflatable curtain airbags, and methods of manufacturing inflatable airbag assemblies with modular components.
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 the 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.
Inflatable curtain airbags may be used to protect the passengers of a vehicle during a side collision or roll-over event. Inflatable curtain airbags typically extend longitudinally within the vehicle and are usually coupled to or next to the roof rail of the vehicle. The inflatable curtain airbag may expand in a collision scenario along the side of the vehicle between the vehicle passengers and the side structure of the vehicle. In a deployed state, an inflatable curtain airbag may cover at least a portion of side windows and a B-pillar of the vehicle. In some embodiments, inflatable curtain airbags may extend from an A-pillar to a C-pillar of the vehicle. In alternative embodiments, inflatable curtain airbags may extend from the A-pillar to a D-pillar of the vehicle.
Inflatable curtain airbags are typically installed adjacent to the roof rail of a vehicle in an undeployed state, in which the inflatable curtain airbag is rolled or folded or a combination thereof and retained in the folded or rolled configuration by being wrapped at certain points along the airbag. In this state, the airbag may be said to be in a packaged configuration. When deployed, the airbag exits the packaged configuration and assumes an extended shape. When extended and inflated, the airbag may be said to comprise a deployed configuration. Thus, an airbag mounting apparatus typically allows for a secure connection between the vehicle and the airbag, yet allows the airbag to change configurations from the packaged configuration to the deployed configuration.
A modular component may be defined as a component that is coupled to an inflatable airbag, but is not contiguous with the fabric from which the airbag is formed. A modular component may also be considered to be a sub-assembly of an airbag assembly, wherein the component is coupled to the inflatable airbag after the airbag has been manufactured; however, some components may be coupled to the airbag during airbag manufacture. A modular component may be manufactured before or after the inflatable airbag is manufactured. A modular component need not be suitable for use with more than one type of inflatable airbag or species of airbag. For example, a modular component may have a predetermined length that is intended for use in a specific vehicle make and model and with a predetermined airbag design, such that the component may not be suitable for use in a different vehicle make and model or with a different inflatable curtain airbag. The modular component may be located at or coupled to a periphery of the airbag, such that the component may be called a “peripheral component” or a “peripheral modular component”. Further, the modular component may be called a “feature,” “attachable feature,” or “separate feature”. Mounting assembly 120, tethers 170, and fill tube 180 can be considered modular components of inflatable curtain airbag assembly 100.
A modular component may be located at a predetermined position on an inflatable airbag, wherein the predetermined position is defined by a location along one or more axes. For example, a modular component may have a predetermined position along an axis that runs from a top portion or a bottom portion of an airbag (Y-axis), but its position along an axis that runs laterally from a first side to a second (X-axis) side can vary. Alternatively, a predetermined location for a modular component may be defined by a position on both X- and Y-axes. Further a predetermined location for a modular component may be defined by a position on X-, Y-, and Z-axes.
A plurality of mounting assemblies 120 may be employed to couple inflatable curtain airbag 110 to a vehicle. Mounting assembly 120 may comprise a mounting member 130, a wrapping member 140, and a connecting member (not visible). The mounting member, the wrapping member, and the connecting member are examples of members of a modular component. Mounting assembly 120 may be employed to couple airbag 110 adjacent to a vehicle roof rail 12 or other vehicle structure. As such, mounting assembly may be said to be a portion of an airbag assembly, which may comprise an inflatable curtain airbag and a mounting assembly. In the depicted embodiment, airbag 110 is an inflatable curtain airbag cushion, which extends from an A-pillar 14 to a D-pillar 19. Inflatable curtain airbag 110 also extends past a B-pillar 16 and a C-pillar 18 such that in a deployed configuration, the curtain airbag at least partially covers the B- and C-pillars, as depicted in
Upper portion 111 of inflatable curtain airbag 110 is the portion of the curtain airbag that is closest to the headliner of a vehicle when the airbag is in a deployed state. Lower portion 112 is below upper portion 111 when inflatable curtain airbag 110 is in a deployed state, and is closest to a floor of the vehicle. The term “lower portion” is not necessarily limited to the portion of inflatable curtain airbag 110 that is below a horizontal medial plane of the inflatable curtain airbag, but may include less than half, more than half or exactly half of the bottom portion of the inflatable curtain airbag. Likewise, the term “upper portion” is not necessarily limited to the portion of inflatable curtain airbag 110 that is above a horizontal medial plane of the inflatable curtain airbag, but may include less than half, more than half or exactly half of the top portion of the inflatable curtain airbag.
Upon activation, inflator 190 rapidly generates and/or releases inflation gas, which rapidly inflates the inflatable curtain airbag. The inflator may be one of several types, such as pyrotechnic, stored gas, or a combination inflator and may comprise a single or multistage inflator. As cushion 110 becomes inflated, tension is applied to wrapping member 140, which causes the wrapping member to cease to retain the inflatable curtain airbag in the packaged configuration. Tethers 170 are located outside inflatable curtain airbag 110, and in the deployed configuration, the tethers are configured to apply tension to the curtain airbag.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of types and configurations of inflatable curtain airbag membranes can be utilized without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the size, shape, and proportions of the airbag membrane may vary according to its use in different vehicles or different locations within a vehicle such that the airbag may comprise an inflatable curtain cushion; a rear passenger side airbag; a driver's airbag; and/or a front passenger airbag. Also, the airbag may comprise one or more of any material well known in the art, such as a woven nylon fabric, which may be coated with a substance, such as silicone. 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.
[QUERY: What is the tape used to couple the modular component to the airbag? Please provide technical information regarding the tape as well as a description of how the tape is used.] In the depiction of
Mounting member 130 may comprise a planar metal member or in other embodiments, a fabric, such as a woven nylon material. Mounting member 130 may have a receiving aperture 134 that can be configured as an elongated slot. If the mounting member comprises a fabric, the mounting member may not have a receiving aperture. Receiving aperture 134 is configured to receive connecting member 150. Connecting member 150 may comprise a first portion 151 and a second portion 152. Connecting member 150 may comprise a rectangular piece of a non-frangible material, and is configured to interconnect mounting member 130 with an inflatable curtain airbag. Connecting member 150 may be folded across its long axis to form a loop, which can surround a bottom portion of mounting member 130.
In the depiction of
One skilled in the art will recognize that a variety of configurations of mounting assemblies may be used without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the mounting assembly may have a wrapping member coupled to the connecting member and/or mounting member, wherein the wrapping member is configured to retain the inflatable curtain cushion in a packaged configuration.
During manufacture, coupling of a modular component at a predetermined location on an inflatable airbag can be facilitated by one or more assembly aides. For example, a landmark on the modular component can be aligned with a landmark on the inflatable airbag or a landmark on another modular component. Landmarks on an inflatable airbag or a modular component may be at a predetermined location and may include edges, seams, folds, apertures, protrusions, marks, or any combination of the proceeding. The marks can be made by printing, stamping, melting, or contacting the material from which the inflatable airbag or modular component is manufactured with ink, chalk, graphite, wax, or any other suitable substance. Prior to inflatable airbag or modular component manufacture, the markings may be made on the fabric from which the airbag or modular component will be manufactured, and/or the marking may be made after manufacture of the airbag or modular component. Also, hardware such as templates or guides may be mounted to an assembly table or laid over the inflatable airbag to aid in proper location and orientation of the modular component. Additionally, a combination of landmarks and hardware may be employed to properly position and orient the modular component on the inflatable airbag.
An aperture in a modular component can be located at a predetermined position such that when the aperture is aligned with a landmark on an inflatable airbag or second modular component, the first modular component is proper aligned along at least one axis. For example, an aperture in a modular component can be aligned with a printed line on an inflatable airbag such that the line bisects the aperture. Since the aperture and the printed line are both in predetermined locations, after being fixedly coupled to the inflatable airbag, the modular component will be correctly positioned along an axis that is perpendicular to the printed line. Further, another mark can be added to the printed line, wherein the additional mark notes a target location for a modular component so that when an alignment aperture of the modular component is aligned with the marks, a “+” or “×” shape is visible within the aperture. If the landmark is located on one side or surface of the inflatable airbag or modular component, then the landmark may further define a position along the Z-axis at which the modular component is to be located. One skilled in the art will recognize that a variety of continuous and/or discrete marks can be utilized to identify target locations for modular components without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.
Any 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.
Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “the embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the quoted phrases, or variations thereof, as recited throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of embodiments, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than those expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following this Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. This disclosure includes all permutations of the independent claims with their dependent claims.
Recitation in the claims of the term “first” with respect to a feature or element does not necessarily imply the existence of a second or additional such feature or element. Elements recited in means-plus-function format are intended to be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §112 ¶6. 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 invention. Embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.
