Vehicle table with deployable airbag

• US 10,059,296 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Farooq, S. M. Iskander, Jaradi, Dean M., Faruque, Mohammed Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Karen
• Application Number:
  US15/068,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20170259772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 280731
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/001 of tables or trays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

A vehicle interior includes an interior compartment and a table in the interior compartment. The table has a top surface including a perimeter. An airbag extends around the perimeter of the top surface of the table. The airbag is inflatable in response to a vehicle impact to limit the likelihood of an occupant impacting the table and/or to absorb energy from the occupant during the vehicle impact.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior comprising:

an interior compartment;

a table in the interior compartment, the table having a top including a peripheral edge; and

an airbag extending around the peripheral edge of the top of the table, the airbag being inflatable to an inflated position and deploying radially from the peripheral edge to the inflated position.

2. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, further comprising a cover supported by the table, the airbag disposed between the table and the cover.

3. The vehicle interior according to claim 2, wherein the cover includes a tear seam.

4. The vehicle interior according to claim 3, wherein the airbag is aligned along the tear seam and positioned thereon.

5. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is inflatable radially from the table to an inflated position.

6. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is annular in the inflated position.

7. The vehicle interior according to claim 6, wherein the airbag extends entirely around the peripheral edge of the top of the table.

8. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has an impact surface including an indentation in the inflated position.

9. The vehicle interior according to claim 8, further comprising a tether engaged with the airbag at the indentation in the inflated position.

10. The vehicle interior according to claim 8, further comprising a seat positioned to be adjacent the indentation when the airbag is in the inflated position.

11. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has an impact surface including an indentation in the inflated position, and wherein the airbag is supported by an airbag base, and a tether extends from the airbag base to the indentation.

12. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has an impact surface including a plurality of indentations spaced about the top in the inflated position, and further comprising a plurality of seats positioned to be adjacent the plurality of indentations, respectively, when the airbag is in the inflated position.

13. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, further comprising an inflator supported by the table and in fluid communication with the airbag.

14. The vehicle interior according to claim 13, further comprising a vehicle body defining the interior compartment, wherein the table is retractable relative to the vehicle body.

15. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle body defining the interior compartment and an inflator fixed relative to the vehicle body in fluid communication with the airbag, wherein the table is retractable relative to the vehicle body.

16. A vehicle interior comprising:

a table including a base and a top spaced from the base;

the table having an adjustable height from the base to the top;

an airbag supported by the table; and

a processor programmed to initiate an inflation of the airbag based on the adjustable height of the table in response to detection of a vehicle impact.

17. The vehicle interior according to claim 16, further comprising a table height sensor connected to the processor.

18. The vehicle interior according to claim 16, further comprising a vehicle body, wherein the table is retractable relative to the vehicle body.

19. The vehicle interior according to claim 16, further comprising an inflator supported by the table and in fluid communication with the airbag.

20. The vehicle interior according to claim 16, further comprising a vehicle body and an inflator fixed relative to the vehicle body in fluid communication with the airbag, wherein the table is retractable relative to the vehicle body.

21. A vehicle interior comprising:

an interior compartment;

a table in the interior compartment, the table having a top surface including a perimeter; and

an airbag extending around the perimeter of the top surface of the table;

wherein the airbag is inflatable to an inflated position, the airbag being annular in the inflated position.

22. A vehicle interior comprising:

an interior compartment;

a table in the interior compartment, the table having a top surface including a perimeter;

an airbag extending around the perimeter of the top surface of the table; and

an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag, wherein the table is retractable relative to the vehicle body.