Patent Application
20210197752
The present specification generally relates to vehicle airbags and, more specifically, front passenger vehicle airbags for preventing shifting of the airbag upon impact of an occupant.
Upon a vehicle collision, an airbag inflates in order to restrain an occupant within the vehicle and prevent the occupant from contacting the vehicle due to the sudden reduction in momentum of the vehicle. Thus, vehicles are equipped with a number of airbags situated around the vehicle to protect vehicle occupants from collision from any side of the vehicle. As such, a vehicle may be provided with front airbags for each of the driver and the occupant, knee airbags, roof rail airbags, and rear side airbags. In addition, different airbag configurations may be provided such as inflatable seat belts and pedestrian airbags.
When a vehicle's crash sensor recognizes a collision, information including the location of the collision is sent to the electronic control unit to determine which airbags are to be deployed to properly protect the occupants in the vehicle. However, upon impact of the occupant on the inflated airbag, the airbag may tend to shift based on the momentum of the occupant contacting the airbag. For instance, when a front passenger of a vehicle contacts the front passenger airbag inflating out of the instrument panel, the airbag may shift in a vehicle vertical direction. As a result, this may cause the airbag to shift out of position.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative vehicle airbags for inhibiting shifting of the airbag upon impact of an occupant.
In one embodiment, airbags for a vehicle including an instrument panel having a cavity defined by an upper wall, a front wall, and a lower wall are provided. The airbag includes a main bag body and a tail bag body extending forward from the main bag body in a vehicle longitudinal direction when the airbag is in the deployed state. The tail bag body extends into the cavity of the instrument panel when the airbag is in a deployed state.
In another embodiment, vehicle instrument panel assemblies for restraining a front passenger during a vehicle impact include an instrument panel including an upper wall, a front wall, and a lower wall defining a cavity. The instrument panel includes an airbag housing and an airbag operable between an undeployed state and a deployed state in which the airbag is housed within the airbag housing when in the undeployed state. The airbag includes a main bag body and a tail bag body extending forward from the main bag body in a vehicle longitudinal direction when the airbag is in the deployed state. The tail bag body extends into the cavity of the instrument panel when the airbag is in the deployed state.
In yet another embodiment, vehicles for restraining a front passenger during a vehicle impact include a passenger compartment and a vehicle instrument panel assembly provided in the passenger compartment. The vehicle instrument panel assembly includes an instrument panel including an upper wall, a front wall, and a lower wall defining a cavity. The instrument panel also includes an airbag housing and an airbag operable between an undeployed state and a deployed state in which the airbag is housed within the airbag housing when in the undeployed state. The airbag includes a main bag body and a tail bag body extending forward from the main bag body in a vehicle longitudinal direction when the airbag is in the deployed state. The tail bag body extends into the cavity of the instrument panel when the airbag is in the deployed state.
These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the airbag described herein, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
In some embodiments, an airbag for restraining a front passenger during a vehicle impact is depicted in
As used herein, the term “vehicle longitudinal direction” refers to the forward-rearward direction of the vehicle (i.e., in the +/− vehicle Y direction depicted in
Referring now to
The instrument panel 14 includes an upper surface 16 and a rear wall 18 facing the passenger compartment 12 of the vehicle 10. The instrument panel 14 may include a door 20 hingedly attached to the rear wall 18 in front of the front passenger seat in order to provide access to a storage compartment 22, such as a glove compartment. Above the storage compartment 22, the instrument panel 14 includes a cavity 24 formed therein defined by an upper wall 26, a front wall 28, and a lower wall 30.
Referring to
In some embodiments, the cavity 24 is also defined by at least one side wall. As shown, a side wall 32 extends between the upper wall 26 and the lower wall 30. As shown in
Referring to
Referring to
The airbag 42 is formed from a thin, nylon fabric and folded within the airbag housing 52 in the undeployed state. In some embodiments, the inflator 54 is electrically connected to a collision sensor (not shown), which identifies when a collision has occurred based on a specific threshold being exceeded. The collision sensor then actuates the inflator 54. In some embodiments, the collision sensor is electrically connected to an electronic control unit (ECU) (not shown) of the vehicle 10 or a separate airbag electronic control unit (airbag ECU) acting as an intermediary between the collision sensor and the airbag 42. In this instance, the collision sensor sends data to the ECU or the airbag ECU which makes a determination as to whether the inflator 54 should be actuated.
When the collision sensor, the ECU, or the airbag ECU determines the airbag 42 should inflate, the inflator 54 provides a gaseous reaction resulting in the production of nitrogen. Such reactions include sodium azide (NaN3) reacting with potassium nitrate (KNO3) to produce nitrogen gas. The hot blasts from the nitrogen gas inflate the airbag 42 and the airbag 42 expands toward its deployed state. In doing so, the force of the airbag 42 expanding pushes against the rupturable door 40 until it separates from the instrument panel 14, which allows the airbag 42 to fully expand outside of the instrument panel 14 and in front of the front passenger seat of the vehicle 10.
As illustrated in
Referring to
In some embodiments, the main bag body 56 includes at least one vent hole 80 for discharging gas that is supplied to the airbag 42. The vent hole 80 prevents the internal pressure within the airbag 42 from becoming excessive. The location of the vent hole 80 is determined in order to direct gas away from the occupant. As shown, the vent hole 80 is provided in one of the side panels 60, 62 of the airbag 42. However, a vent hole 80 may be provided in any other suitable location of the airbag 42, such as in the top section 70 or the bottom section 72, to direct the gas away from the occupant.
Referring to
Referring now to
The tail bag body 58 has a tail height Ht defined by the distance between the upper surface 84 and the lower surface 86 of the tail bag body 58. As will be discussed in more detail herein, it should be appreciated that the height Ht of the tail bag body 58 is determined based on the curvature of the side panels 60, 62. The height Ht of the tail bag body 58 is such that, when in the deployed state, at least one of the upper surface 84 and the lower surface 86 of the tail bag body 58 contacts at least one of the upper wall 26 and the lower wall 30 of the cavity 24.
The tail bag body 58 also has a tail depth Dt defined by the amount of forward extension of the tail bag body 58 from the main bag body 56. As such, the depth Dt of the tail bag body 58 is such that, when in the deployed state, the front surface 88 of the tail bag body 58 contacts the front wall 28 of the cavity 24. In some embodiments, when the airbag 42 is in the deployed state, at least one of the upper surface 84 and the lower surface 86 of the tail bag body 58 contacts the respective upper wall 26 and the lower wall 30 of the cavity 24. In other embodiments, the tail bag body 58 contacts each of the upper wall 26, the lower wall 30, and the front wall 28 of the cavity 24 when in the deployed state. A rearward indentation 94 is formed in the airbag 42 between the main bag body 56 and the upper surface 84 of the tail bag body 58 for receiving the lip 36 of the instrument panel 14.
Referring now to
The perimeter panel 64 is shown having a first perimeter edge 124, a second perimeter edge 126, a first end 128, and a second end 130. It is to be understood that the width Wp of the perimeter panel 64 shown is intended for illustrative purposes only and not meant to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As such, the width Wp of the perimeter panel 64 may be increased to increase the width Wm of the main bag body 56 and the width Wt of the tail bag body 58 to extend across a greater portion of the instrument panel 14 or, alternatively, the width Wp of the perimeter panel 64 may be reduced to decrease the width Wm of the main bag body 56 and the width Wt of the tail bag body 58.
In embodiments in which the first and second side panels 60, 62 include first and second lobe bulges 108, 122, the perimeter panel 64 also includes a third lobe edge 132 defining a third lobe bulge 134 extending from the first perimeter edge 124. Similarly, the perimeter panel 64 includes a fourth lobe edge 136 defining a fourth lobe bulge 138 extending from the second perimeter edge 126. The perimeter panel 64 also includes a first interior sew line 140 and a second interior sew line 142 proximate the third lobe bulge 134 and the fourth lobe bulge 138, respectively. The first interior sew line 140 is sewn in the perimeter panel 64 proximate the third lobe bulge 134 to provide the airbag 42 with an increased tensile strength proximate the third lobe bulge 134 and prevent inflation at that location. Similarly, the second interior sew line 142 is sewn in the perimeter panel 64 proximate the fourth lobe bulge 138 to provide the airbag 42 with an increased tensile strength and prevent inflation at that location.
It is to be understood that the length of the first perimeter edge 124 and the second perimeter edge 126 are equal to the length of the first side panel edge 96 and the second side panel edge 110. Thus, in assembling the airbag 42, the first end 128 and the second end 130 of the perimeter panel 64 are brought together and sewn to one another. As a result, the perimeter panel 64 is folded and positioned such that the first perimeter edge 124 mates with the first side panel edge 96 and the second perimeter edge 126 mates with the second side panel edge 110.
More particularly, the perimeter panel 64 or the first side panel 60 is positioned such that the first lobe edge 106 on the first side panel 60 mates with the third lobe edge 132 on the perimeter panel 64. The first lobe edge 106 and the third lobe edge 132 are then sewn together. The first lobe bulge 108 and the third lobe bulge 134 extend outward from a first recess 144 at the airbag 42 at to form a first bulge 146, as shown in
Similarly, the perimeter panel 64 or the second side panel 62 is positioned such that the second lobe edge 120 on the second side panel 62 mates with the fourth lobe edge 136 on the perimeter panel 64. The second lobe edge 120 and the fourth lobe edge 136 are then sewn together. The second lobe bulge 122 and the fourth lobe bulge 138 extend outward from a second recess 148 of the airbag 42 to form a second bulge 150, as shown in
Furthermore, it is to be appreciated that joining the first and second side panels 60, 62 to the perimeter panel 64 forms the nose section 78 between the first and second nose bulges 100, 114 and the tail bag body 58 between the first and second tail bulges 104, 118. It should be appreciated that the height and the depth of each of the nose section 78 and the tail bag body 58 are defined by the extent which the first and second nose bulges 100, 114 and the first and second tail bulges 104, 118 extend from their respective side panels 60, 62. For instance, the height Ht and depth Dt of the tail bag body 58 may be increased in order to provide a more snug fit within the cavity 24 of the instrument panel 14 by increasing the amount of which the first and second tail bulges 104, 118 extend away from each side panel 60, 62.
Additionally, it should be appreciated that, when the cavity 24 of the instrument panel 14 has a height Hc or a depth Dc that differs from one end of the cavity 24 to the other, then the size of the first and second tail bulges 104, 118 may differ from one another in order to provide a uniform fit between the tail bag body 58 and the cavity 24 throughout the entire cavity 24. Thus, in some embodiments when the size of the cavity 24 tapers toward the side wall 32, the second tail bulge 118 on the second side panel 62, which is provided on the tapered side of the cavity 24, is smaller than the first tail bulge 104 on the first side panel 60.
While the above description of assembling the side panels 60, 62 with the perimeter panel 64 describes sewing the panels 60, 62, 64 to one another, it should be understood that the panels 60, 62, 64 may also be attached in any other suitable manner, such as using a fusible adhesive, tape, or webbing, using fabric glue, fabric welding, or the like.
As shown in
The first and second lobes 152, 154 formed on opposite sides of the airbag 42 provide additional support to the occupant by covering opposite sides of the occupant's head. This can prevent movement of the occupant in the vehicle lateral direction upon impact and also prevent incoming debris from the vehicle during a collision from striking the occupant's head.
In order to facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, operation of the airbag 42 during a collision will be described.
As noted above, in some embodiments, the inflator 54 is electrically connected to the collision sensor positioned in a forward location of the vehicle 10 to determine when an impact effecting the front of the vehicle 10 occurs. In other embodiments, the inflator 54 is electrically connected to the ECU or the airbag ECU, which is electrically connected to the collision sensor. When the collision sensor identifies a collision exceeding a specified threshold, the inflator 54 ejects gas into the airbag 42, specifically, the main bag body 56 through the nose section 78 of the airbag 42. This causes the airbag 42 to inflate and apply a force against the rupturable door 40 in the instrument panel 14. The three rupturable edges 44, 46, 48 of the rupturable door 40 then separate from the instrument panel 14 in order to allow the rupturable door 40 to open into the passenger compartment 12 of the vehicle 10 and allow the airbag 42 to inflate.
As shown in
The tail bag body 58 fills with gas to inflate within the cavity 24 of the instrument panel 14. Once the tail bag body 58 fully inflates, the tail bag body 58 fills the cavity 24 between the upper wall 26, the lower wall 30, and the front wall 28 of the cavity 24. As noted above, in some embodiments, the height Ht and the depth Dt of the tail bag body 58 is such that at least one of the upper surface 84 and the lower surface 86 of the tail bag body 58 contacts at least one of the upper wall 26 and the lower wall 30 of the cavity 24. In other embodiments, the first and second tail bulges 104, 118 are dimensioned, as discussed herein, to provide an increased height Ht and the depth Dt of the tail bag body 58, thereby providing a more snug fit within the cavity 24 of the instrument panel 14.
Upon impact of a front passenger contacting the main bag body 56, momentum of the front passenger forces the main bag body 56 in the vertical direction. However, it should be appreciated that the tail bag body 58 extending into the cavity 24 restricts movement of the airbag 42 in the vehicle vertical direction. Specifically, when momentum of the front passenger forces the main bag body 56 in the upward in the vehicle vertical direction, the upper surface 84 of the tail bag body 58 contacts the upper wall 26 of the cavity 24 and prevents upward movement the airbag 42. Similarly, when momentum of the front passenger forces the main bag body 56 downward in the vehicle vertical direction, the lower surface 86 of the tail bag body 58 contacts the lower wall 30 of the cavity 24 and prevents downward movement the airbag 42.
Vertical movement of the airbag 42 may be prevented as discussed above even when the height Ht of the tail bag body 58 is less than the height Hc of the cavity 24. However, when the height Ht of the tail bag body 58 is equal to the height Hc of the cavity 24 such that the upper surface 84 and the lower surface 86 of the tail bag body 58 contact both the upper wall 26 and the lower wall 30 of the cavity 24, vertical movement of the airbag 42 in both upward and downward directions can be prevented.
In addition, it should be appreciated that the tail bag body 58 also prevents movement of the airbag 42 in the vehicle lateral direction. Specifically, when momentum of the front passenger forces the main bag body 56 toward the driver side of the vehicle 10, the side surface 92 of the tail bag body 58 contacts the side wall 32 of the cavity 24 in the instrument panel 14 and prevents movement of the airbag 42 toward the driver side of the vehicle 10. Similarly, when momentum of the front passenger forces the main bag body 56 away from the driver side of the vehicle 10, the opposite side surface 90 of the tail bag body 58 contacts the opposite side wall of the cavity 24 in the instrument panel 14, if provided, and prevents movement the airbag 42 away from the driver side of the vehicle 10. If the cavity 24 of the instrument panel 14 does not include an opposite side wall, the front passenger door may function as a suitable side wall in order to prevent lateral movement of the airbag 42 away from the driver side of the vehicle 10.
Lateral movement of the airbag 42 may be prevented as discussed above even when the width Wt of the tail bag body 58 is less than the width Wc of the cavity 24. However, when the width Wt of the tail bag body 58 is equal to the width Wc of the cavity 24, such that the side surfaces 90, 92 of the tail bag body 58 contact both the side wall 32 of the cavity 24 and the opposite side wall or front passenger door, lateral movement of the airbag 42 in both directions can be prevented.
When the depth Dt of the tail bag body 58 is such that the front surface 88 thereof does not contact the front wall 28 of the cavity 24 of the instrument panel 14, forward moment of a front passenger causes the lower section 82 of the main bag body 56 proximate the tail bag body 58 to move forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Thus, in some embodiments, the depth Dt of the tail bag body 58 is such that that the front surface 88 of the tail bag body 58 extends into the cavity 24 of the instrument panel 14 and contacts the front wall 28 thereof in order to limit movement of the airbag 42 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
From the above, it is to be appreciated that defined herein is a new and unique airbag for a vehicle that prevent movement of the airbag in at least a vehicle vertical direction upon impact with an occupant.
While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the claimed subject matter.
