Overhead airbag assemblies

• US 10,246,043 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schneider, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Verley, Nicole T
• Application Number:
  US15/424,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20180222432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0044 Chest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0058 Shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2074 in head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23388 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23509 Fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23566 Nesting of panels, i.e. for material utilisation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23576 Sewing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2358 Bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2359 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 : in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 : in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 : characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 : specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 : Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 : comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 : Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 : characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 : characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 : with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/262 : Elongated tubular diffusers, e.g. curtain-type

Abstract

Airbag assemblies including a housing assembly to be mounted above a vehicle occupant position, an inflator, and an inflatable cushion are provided. The inflatable cushion can include first and second lateral chambers and a frontal chamber disposed between the first and second lateral chambers. Airbag assemblies including a first inflatable cushion that is configured to deploy at a first lateral side and forward of a vehicle occupant position and a second inflatable cushion that is configured to deploy at a second lateral side and forward of the vehicle occupant position are also provided.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly comprising:

a housing assembly to be mounted at one of a headrest and a seatback and above a vehicle occupant position of a vehicle;

an inflator; and

an inflatable cushion that defines a void that is configured to receive inflation gas from the inflator to expand the inflatable cushion from a packaged state within the housing assembly to a deployed state, wherein the inflatable cushion is configured to deploy around a portion of the vehicle occupant position, the inflatable cushion comprising;

a first lateral chamber to deploy at a first lateral side of the vehicle occupant position;

a second lateral chamber to deploy at a second lateral side disposed opposite of the first lateral side; and

a frontal chamber to deploy to be disposed between the first and second lateral chambers and forward of the vehicle occupant position, the frontal chamber configured to receive a head and at least a portion of a torso of a vehicle occupant moving from the vehicle occupant position in a forward direction relative to the vehicle during a vehicle impact event,

wherein the frontal chamber is configured to rotate forward independent of the first and second lateral chambers.

2. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein an upper edge of the frontal chamber is not coupled to the housing assembly.

7. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein an upper edge of the frontal chamber is releaseably coupled to the first lateral chamber and the second lateral chamber.

3. An airbag assembly comprising:

a housing assembly configured to be mounted at one of a headrest and a seatback and above a vehicle occupant position of a vehicle;

a first lateral chamber defining an inflatable void that is configured to receive inflation gas from an inflator assembly disposed within the housing assembly to transition the first lateral chamber from a packaged state to a deployed state, wherein the first lateral chamber is configured to deploy at a first lateral side of the vehicle occupant position;

a second lateral chamber defining an inflatable void that is configured to receive inflation gas from the inflator assembly to transition the second lateral chamber from a packaged state to a deployed state, wherein the second lateral chamber is configured to deploy at a second lateral side disposed opposite of the first lateral side; and

a frontal chamber defining an inflatable void that is configured to receive inflation gas from the inflator assembly to transition the frontal chamber from a packaged state to a deployed state, wherein the frontal chamber is configured to deploy forward of the vehicle occupant position and between the first and second lateral chambers and to rotate forward independent of the first and second lateral chambers.

4. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the frontal chamber is in fluid communication with the first lateral chamber at a first coupling portion, and wherein the frontal chamber is in fluid communication with the second lateral chamber at a second coupling portion.

5. The airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the frontal chamber comprises:

an upper portion disposed above the first and second coupling portions, the upper portion configured to receive at least a portion of a head of a vehicle occupant moving from the vehicle occupant position in a forward direction relative to the vehicle during a vehicle impact event; and

a lower portion disposed below the first and second coupling portions, the lower portion configured to receive at least a portion of a torso of the vehicle occupant.

6. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the first lateral chamber comprises a non-inflatable region disposed in a middle portion of the first lateral chamber, and wherein the second lateral chamber comprises a non-inflatable region disposed in a middle portion of the second lateral chamber.

8. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein an upper edge of the frontal chamber is releaseably coupled to the first lateral chamber and the second lateral chamber.