Patent Application
20180361978
Vehicles may include a variety of airbags deployable during vehicle impacts to absorb energy from occupants of the vehicles during the impact. The airbag may be a component of an airbag assembly including a housing supporting the airbag, and an inflator in communication with the airbag for inflating the airbag from an uninflated position to an inflated position. The airbag assemblies may be supported on a steering wheel of the vehicle, an instrument panel of the vehicle, a headliner of the vehicle, etc.
An airbag includes an impact panel defining an inflation chamber. The airbag includes a first and a second extension spaced from each other. Each extension has a first portion and a second portion extending transversely to the impact panel. The first portions face each other. The first portions face in a direction transverse to the second portions. A connection member extends from the second portion of the first extension to the second extension.
The connection member may include a first end secured to the second portion of the first extension and a second end secured to the second extension.
The connection member may be spaced from the impact panel.
Each of the first and second extension may include a proximate end and a distal end. The connection member may extend from the proximate end of the first extension to the distal end of the second extension.
The connection member may define a second inflation chamber in communication with the inflation chamber.
The second inflation chamber may be spaced from the impact panel.
The connection member may include at least one tether.
The connection member may include a plurality of tethers.
The tethers may be spaced from each other.
The tethers may be parallel with each other.
The connection member may include a first and a second tether. The first tether may extend from the proximate end of the first extension to the distal end of the second extension. The second tether may extend from the distal end of the first extension to the proximate end of the second extension.
The connection member may be a panel. The panel may extend at least part way between the proximate ends and the distal end of extensions.
The panel may be free of openings.
The panel may define an opening.
The connection member may be exterior to the inflation chamber.
A vehicle includes an impact panel defining an inflation chamber. The vehicle includes a first and a second extension spaced from each other. Each extension has a top portion extending from the impact panel transversely to the impact panel. A connection member extends from the top portion of the first extension to the second extension.
Each extension may have a bottom portion extending from the impact panel transversely to the impact panel. The top portion may be spaced from the bottom portion in a vehicle longitudinal direction.
Each extension may be elongated between the top portion and the bottom portion.
Each extension may include a bottom portion and an inward facing portion. The inward facing portions may face each other. The inward facing portions may separate the top portions from the bottom portions.
The connection member may be exterior to the inflation chamber.
With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, an airbag 20 includes an impact panel 26 defining an inflation chamber 24 and is inflatable from an uninflated position, as shown in
With reference to
With continued reference to
With reference to
The airbag assembly 16 may include an inflator 22. The inflator 22 may be in communication with the inflation chamber 24. The inflator 22 may be supported by the housing 18.
The airbag 20, including the impact panel 26, the pair of extensions 28, 30, and the connection member 32, may be formed of a woven polymer or any other suitable material. As one example, the airbag 20 may be formed of woven nylon yarn, for example, nylon 6-6. Other examples include polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyester, etc. The woven polymer may include a coating, such as silicone, neoprene, urethane, etc. For example, the coating may be polyorgano siloxane.
With reference to
The impact panel 26 includes a front face 34 that faces the occupant when the airbag 20 is inflated. The front face 34 is disposed between the housing 18 and the connection member 32 when the airbag 20 is inflated. The rest of the impact panel 26 extends from the front face 34 toward the housing 18, i.e., the impact panel 26 changes direction from the front face 34 toward the housing 18. The front face 34 may be generally flat, i.e., is flat or includes a slight curve resulting from the inflation of the airbag 20 and the pliable material type of the impact panel 26. As another example, the front face 34 may be curved, may include rounded portions, etc.
With continued reference to
As set forth above, each extension 28, 30 may include the first portion 38 and the second portion 40. The first portion 38 and the second portion 40 extend transversely to the impact panel 26. In particular, the first portion 38 and the second portion 40 of the extensions 28, 30 extend transversely from the front face 34. The first portion 38 and the second portion 40 of the extensions 28, 30 may extend perpendicular from the front face 34. The first portion 38 and the second portion 40 of the extensions 28, 30 may extend other than perpendicular from the front face 34. A transition from the first portion 38 and second portion 40 to the impact panel 26 may be angular or may be rounded.
The first portions 38 face each other. For example, the first portions 38 may each include an outer surface 42, i.e., outside of the respective extension chamber 36. The outer surfaces 42 of the first portions 38 face each other, i.e., a vector extending normally from one of the outer surfaces 42 is pointed at the other of the outer surfaces 42.
The first portions 38 face in a direction transverse to the second portions 40. An extending plane of the first portion 38 may be perpendicular to an extending plane of the second portion 40. An intersection of the first portion 38 with the second portion 40 may be angular or may be rounded.
Each of the first and second extension 28, 30 may include a proximate end 44 and a distal end 46. On each extension 28, 30, the proximate end 44 is spaced from and opposite the distal end 46. The proximate end 44 may abut the impact panel 26. The distal end 46 is spaced from the impact panel 26. The distal ends 46 may be flat as shown, or may be rounded.
The extensions 28, 30 may be in fluid communication with the inflation chamber 24. In other words, the inflation chamber 24 may extend into the extensions 28, 30. For example, the inflation chamber 24 may be open to the extensions 28, 30 (see
With reference to
The extensions 28, 30 of the airbag 20 of the vehicle 10 may each include a bottom portion 48. The bottom portions 48 extend from the impact panel 26 transversely to the impact panel 26. The bottom portions 48 of each of the extensions 28, 30 extend transversely from the front face 34. The bottom portions 48 may be located at a bottom of their relative the extensions 28, 30.
The extensions 28, 30 of the airbag 20 of the vehicle 10 each include an inward facing portion 50. The inward facing portions 50 face each other, as described above for the first portions 38. The inward facing portions 50 separate the second portions 40 from the bottom portions 48. In particular, the second portions 40 and bottom portions 48 may be located at opposite ends of the inward facing portions 50. The inward facing portions 50 may extend between the second portions 40 and bottom portions 48 in a direction that is both vertical and longitudinal relative to the vehicle 10 such that the second portions 40 are closer to a front of the vehicle 10 than the bottom portions 48, or vice versa. Accordingly, the second portions 40 may be spaced from the bottom portion 48 in the vehicle 10 longitudinal direction L.
Each of the extensions 28, 30 may be elongated between the second portion 40 and the bottom portion 48. The elongation may be provided by the inward facing portions 50 having a length that is greater than a width of the top and bottom portions 47, 48.
As set forth above, and with reference to
The connection member 32 extends from the second portion 40 of the first extension 28 to the second extension 30. For example, as shown in the Figures, the connection member 32 may extend from the second portion 40 of the first extension 28 to the second portion 40 of the second extension 30. As another example, the connection member 32 may extend from the second portion 40 of the first extension 28 to any suitable component of the airbag 20, i.e., any suitable surface of the second extension 28, the impact panel 26, etc.
The connection member 32 may include a first end 52 and a second end 54. The first end 52 is opposite the second end 54. The first end 52 and second end 54 may be at opposing distal ends of the connection member 32. The first end 52 of the connection member 32 may be secured to the second portion 40 of the first extension 28 and the second end 54 of the connection member 32 may be secured to the second extension 26, e.g., the second portion 40 of the second extension 30.
The connection member 32 may be exterior to the inflation chamber 24 and may be exterior to the extension chambers 36.
Various examples of the connection member 32 are shown in
The connection member 32 may be a single tether 56 or may include more than one tether 56, as shown in
One or more of the tethers 56 extend in parallel with each other and with the face 34. In addition, or in the alternative, one or more of the tethers may extend transversely to the face 34, i.e., may extend from the proximate end 44 of the first extension 28 to the distal end 46 of the second extension 30, as shown in
With reference to
The second inflation chamber 58 is in communication with the inflation chamber 24. Specifically, gases released by the inflator 22 during deployment of the airbag 20 may flow from the inflation chamber 24 to the second inflation chamber 58, e.g., via at least one of the extensions 28, 30. For example, the second inflation chamber 58 may be open to the extensions 28, 30. Alternatively, for example, a vent, e.g., an open vent, a one-way vent, a two-way vent, an active vent, etc., may be disposed in the second inflation chamber 58 at the extensions 28, 30 for controlling gas flow.
As shown in
With reference to
The panel 62 extends at least part way between the proximate ends 42 and the distal ends 46 of the extensions 28, 30. The panel 62 may extend the entire distance along the extensions 28, 30 between the impact panel 26 and the distal ends 46. The panel 62 may extend part of the distance along the extensions 28, 30 between the impact panel 26 and the distal ends 46. For example, the panel 62 may be spaced from the impact panel 26 and/or the distal ends 46.
With reference to
With reference to
The impact sensor 68 may be in communication with the controller 70. The impact sensor 68 is configured to detect an impact to the vehicle 10. The impact sensor 68 may be of any suitable type, for example, post-contact sensors such as accelerometers, pressure sensors, and contact switches; and pre-impact sensors such as radar, LIDAR, and vision-sensing systems. The vision systems may include one or more cameras, CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors, etc. The impact sensor 68 may be located at numerous points in or on the vehicle 10.
The controller 70 may be a microprocessor-based controller implemented via circuits, chips, or other electronic components. For example, the controller 70 may include a processor, memory, etc. The memory of the controller 70 may include memory for storing instructions executable by the processor as well as for electronically storing data and/or databases.
The inflator 22 is in fluid communication with the airbag 20. Upon receiving a signal, e.g., from the controller 70, the inflator 22 may inflate the airbag 20 with an inflatable medium, such as a gas. The inflator 22 may be, for example, a pyrotechnic inflator that uses a chemical reaction to drive inflation medium to the airbag 20. The inflator 22 may be of any suitable type, for example, a cold-gas inflator.
The controller 70 and the impact sensor 68 may be connected to a communication bus 72, such as a controller area network (CAN) bus, of the vehicle 10. The controller 70 may use information from the communication bus 72 to control the activation of the inflator 22. The inflator 22 may be connected to the controller 70, as shown in
In operation, the airbag 20 is in an uninflated position, as shown in
The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
