Side air curtain bag

• US 10,363,899 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ward, Marcus John Scott, Grindle, Barry, Swiniarski, Michal Jan, Zohura, Afrin
• Primary Examiner(s): Verley, Nicole T
• Application Number:
  US15/408,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20170203710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• 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 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/20 adjustable in position, e.g. in height

Abstract

An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle is provided. The airbag assembly comprises an airbag and a deployable ramp configured to unfurl with the airbag when the airbag is deployed. The deployable ramp is configured to transition from a stowed configuration, in which the deployable ramp is stowed with the airbag before deployment, into a ramped configuration when deployed. The deployable ramp comprises a movable element configured to move in response to the deployment of the airbag from a first position in the stowed configuration, to a second position in the ramped configuration. The movable element is arranged such that a thickness of the deployable ramp increases when the movable element is in the second position and the deployable ramp is positioned and shaped in the ramped configuration to assist the airbag in riding over a component of the vehicle as the airbag is deployed.

Claims

1. A vehicle airbag assembly comprising:

an airbag;

a ramp carrier; and

a deployable ramp provided on the carrier to unfurl during airbag deployment and ride over a vehicle component and including a movable element to move from a first position in a stowed configuration to a second position in a ramped configuration responsive to the deployment,

wherein a ramp thickness increases along an airbag length when the movable element is in the second position.

2. The airbag assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a tether coupled at a first end to the movable element and at a second end to a location on the deployable ramp spaced apart from the moveable element such that during the deployment, the tether moves the movable element from the first position to the second position.

3. The airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein the deployable ramp comprises one or more ramp members configured to change orientation during deployment such that the change in orientation of the ramp members increases the thickness of the deployable ramp.

4. The airbag assembly according to claim 3, wherein the orientation comprises two or more ramp members that forms a wedge during deployment.

5. The airbag assembly according to claim 3 further comprising one or more tethers coupled to one or more of the ramp members, wherein the tethers become tight during the deployment and urge the orientation of the ramp members to change.

6. The airbag assembly according to claim 3, wherein the ramp members are provided within a pocket formed on the deployable ramp.

7. The airbag assembly according to claim 3, wherein the ramp members are deformed into a substantially planar configuration before the deployment and return to a substantially undeformed configuration after the deployment, increasing the thickness of the deployable ramp.

8. The airbag assembly according to claim 3, wherein the ramp members are profiled such that the thickness of the deployable ramp varies over a span of the ramp members in a direction of the deployment.

9. A vehicle seat belt assembly comprising:

a height adjuster located on an interior surface of a cabin and in a deployment path of an airbag body;

a ramp carrier mounted adjacent the height adjuster; and

a deployable ramp mounted to the ramp carrier and including a movable portion to move relative to the airbag body such that the movable portion guides the airbag body during a deployment of the airbag body over the height adjuster and such that a ramp thickness increases along an airbag length when the movable portion transitions from a first position to a second position.

10. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 9, wherein the movable portion is configured such that the airbag imparts a load on to the movable portion during deployment of the airbag, causing the movable portion to move relative to the airbag body.

11. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 9, wherein the movable portion at least partially forms an outer surface of the height adjuster.

12. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 9, wherein one of the airbag body and the movable portion comprise one or more slots, and the other of the airbag body and the movable portion comprise one or more followers configured to slide in respective slots, such that the movable portion moves relative to the airbag body.

13. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 12, wherein the one or more slots are curved such that the movable portion is rotatable with respect to the airbag body.

14. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 9 further comprising a pivot configured to allow the moveable portion to turn to encourage the deployment of the airbag body over the height adjuster.

15. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 14 further comprising a roller configured to rotate as the airbag rides over the height adjuster about the pivot provided on the airbag body.

16. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 9 further comprising a movable arm configured to alter a position of the roller relative to the airbag body such that the roller rotates about a further pivot provided on the movable arm.

17. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 16, wherein the movable arm is configured to move the roller out of a recess in the airbag body.

18. The vehicle seat belt assembly according to claim 16, wherein a portion of the movable arm extends beyond an outer surface of the height adjuster and is configured to move the movable arm during the deployment of the airbag.

19. A vehicle comprising:

a seat belt assembly including a height adjuster configured for placement on an interior surface of a cabin; and

an airbag assembly including a ramp carrier having an airbag body and a deployable ramp to transition between a first stowed configuration to a ramped configuration, the airbag assembly defining a deployment path intersecting the height adjuster,

wherein the deployable ramp includes a movable element configured to, in response to the deployment, move from the first stowed configuration to the ramped configuration to guide the airbag body over the height adjuster, the movable element being arranged such that, when in the second ramped configuration, a thickness of the deployable ramp increases along a length of the airbag body.