Airbag assembly

• US 10,336,280 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Faruque, Mohammad Omar, Farooq, S. M. Iskander, Jaradi, Dean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew J
• Application Number:
  US15/787,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20190111878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/022 mounted on seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0293 Additional pads or cushions in vehicle compartments, e.g. movably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• 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 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

An airbag assembly includes a plurality of pipes each having a distal end. The pipes are inflatable to an inflated position in which the distal ends are positioned in a circular configuration. The airbag assembly includes a plurality of interconnecting panels in alternating arrangement with the plurality of pipes. Each interconnecting panel is fixed to adjacent ones of the plurality of pipes. The airbag assembly includes an uninflatable panel fixed to the distal ends of the plurality of pipes.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly comprising:

a plurality of pipes each having a distal end, the pipes being inflatable to an inflated position in which the distal ends are positioned in a circular configuration;

a plurality of interconnecting panels in alternating arrangement with the plurality of pipes, each interconnecting panel fixed to adjacent ones of the plurality of pipes; and

an uninflatable panel fixed to the distal ends of the plurality of pipes.

2. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the pipes in the inflated position are elongated along pipe axes.

3. The airbag assembly of claim 2, wherein the plurality of interconnecting panels are elongated along axes parallel to the pipe axes.

4. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein each pipe includes a proximal end, and wherein the plurality of interconnecting panels are fixed to the pipes between the proximal ends and the distal ends.

5. The airbag assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tethers extending between the pipes.

6. The airbag assembly of claim 5, wherein each tether extends between nonadjacent pipes.

7. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the pipes and interconnecting panels define a cavity therebetween, and further comprising a middle pipe in the cavity, each of the plurality of pipes and the middle pipe having a length, the length of the middle pipe being less than the lengths of the pipes.

8. The airbag assembly of claim 7, wherein the middle pipe has a distal end and the uninflatable panel is fixed to the distal end of the middle pipe.

9. The airbag assembly of claim 1, further comprising an inflator, a manifold in fluid communication with the inflator, and a plurality of fill tubes, each of the fill tubes in fluid communication with the manifold and a respective one of the pipes.

10. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal ends of the plurality of pipes are spaced from each other.

11. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat back;

a plurality of pipes each having a proximal end supported on the seat back and a distal end, the pipes being inflatable to an inflated position in which the distal ends are positioned in a circular configuration;

a plurality of interconnecting panels in alternating arrangement with the plurality of pipes, each interconnecting panel fixed to adjacent ones of the plurality of pipes; and

an uninflatable panel fixed to the distal ends of the plurality of pipes.

12. The seat assembly of claim 11, wherein the pipes in the inflated position are elongated along pipe axes.

13. The seat assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of interconnecting panels are elongated along axes parallel to the pipe axes.

14. The seat assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of interconnecting panels are fixed to the pipes between the proximal ends and the distal ends.

15. The seat assembly of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of tethers extending between the pipes.

16. The seat assembly of claim 15, wherein each tether extends between nonadjacent pipes.

17. The seat assembly of claim 11, wherein the pipes and interconnecting panels define a cavity therebetween, and further comprising a middle pipe in the cavity, each of the plurality of pipes and the middle pipe having a length, the length of the middle pipe being less than the lengths of the pipes.

18. The seat assembly of claim 17, wherein the middle pipe has a distal end and the uninflatable panel is fixed to the distal end of the middle pipe.

19. The seat assembly of claim 11, further comprising an inflator, a manifold in fluid communication with the inflator, and a plurality of fill tubes, each of the fill tubes in fluid communication with the manifold and a respective one of the pipes.

20. The seat assembly of claim 11, wherein the distal ends of the plurality of pipes are spaced from each other.