Door mounted airbag assembly with concave surface

• US 10,493,941 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Szawarski, Hubert, Rao, Manoharprasad K., Cuddihy, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frisby, Keith J
• Application Number:
  US15/379,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20180162310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 2807302
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0044 Chest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01225 control of expansion volume
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23538 Sewing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2334 Expansion control features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An airbag includes folds with each fold having an apex and limbs. The limbs extend from the apex to the limbs of an adjacent fold. A fastener is fixed to the folds and releasably connects the folds to each other.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly, comprising:

an airbag including folds, each fold having an apex and limbs, the limbs of at least one of the folds extending from the apex to limbs of adjacent folds; and

a fastener fixed to the folds and releasably connecting the folds to each other, the fastener being configured to rupture when the airbag is inflated to a threshold pressure;

the airbag being initially expandable in a cross-vehicle direction in a first stage of inflation to a pressure below the threshold pressure, the fastener and the folds in the first stage of inflation moving in the cross-vehicle direction to an inflated position with the fastener fixed to the folds and the folds stacked in a vehicle-rearward direction, and the airbag being subsequently expandable in a vehicle-rearward direction with the fastener ruptured during inflation to a pressure above the threshold pressure, the vehicle-rearward direction being transverse to the cross-vehicle direction; and

the airbag having a periphery and the folds extend continuously around the periphery encircling a vehicle-rearward panel that extends to the folds along the entire periphery in the first stage of inflation.

2. The airbag assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastener is frangible relative to the folds.

3. The airbag assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastener is a stitch.

4. The airbag assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastener extends through the limbs of the folds.

5. The airbag assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the airbag includes an inflation chamber, the fastener extending through the limbs and the inflation chamber.

6. The airbag assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastener is further defined as a plurality of fasteners spaced from each other along the periphery of the airbag.

7. The airbag assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a housing, the airbag being supported by and inflatable from the housing, the airbag elongated from the housing in a cross-vehicle direction when inflated.

8. An assembly, comprising:

a door;

a seat;

an airbag mounted to the door and being inflatable to an inflated position;

wherein in the inflated position the airbag has a first end adjacent the door, a second end spaced from the first end, and a concave portion between the first and second ends, the concave portion being spaced from the seat farther than the first and second ends are spaced from the seat;

the airbag including folds, each fold having an apex and limbs, the limbs of at least one of the folds extending from the apex to limbs of adjacent folds; and

a fastener fixed to the folds and releasably connecting the folds to each other, the fastener being configured to rupture when the airbag is inflated to a threshold pressure;

the airbag being initially expandable in a cross-vehicle direction in a first stage of inflation to a pressure below the threshold pressure, the fastener and the folds in the first stage of inflation moving in the cross-vehicle direction to an inflated position with the fastener fixed to the folds and the folds stacked in a vehicle-rearward direction, and the airbag being subsequently expandable in a vehicle-rearward direction with the fastener ruptured during inflation to a pressure above the threshold pressure, the vehicle-rearward direction being transverse to the cross-vehicle direction; and

the airbag having a periphery and the folds extend continuously around the periphery encircling a vehicle-rearward panel that extends to the folds along the entire periphery in the first stage of inflation.

9. The assembly as set forth in claim 8, further comprising an instrument panel, the airbag extending from the door across the seat between the seat and the instrument panel in the inflated position.

10. The assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein the concave portion faces the seat.

11. The assembly as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a center console, the airbag including an extension extending along the second end adjacent the center console.

12. The assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein the airbag includes an inflation chamber, further comprising a tether disposed in the inflation chamber and fixed to the concave portion.

13. The assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein the airbag includes a back portion spaced from the concave portion by the inflation chamber, the tether extending from the concave portion to the back portion.

14. The assembly as set forth in claim 8, further comprising an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag.

15. A method of inflating an airbag mounted to a door, the airbag having a periphery, folds around the periphery, and a fastener connecting the folds, each fold having an apex and limbs, the limbs of at least one of the folds extending from the apex to limbs of adjacent folds, and the fastener fixed to the folds and releasably connecting the folds to each other, the fastener being configured to rupture when the airbag is inflated to a threshold pressure, the airbag being initially expandable in a cross-vehicle direction in a first stage of inflation to a pressure below the threshold pressure, the fastener and the folds in the first stage of inflation moving in the cross-vehicle direction to an inflated position with the fastener fixed to the folds and the folds stacked in a vehicle-rearward direction during inflation to a pressure below the threshold pressure, and the airbag being subsequently expandable in a vehicle-rearward direction with the fastener ruptured during inflation to a pressure above the threshold pressure, the vehicle-rearward direction being transverse to the cross-vehicle direction, and the airbag having a periphery and the folds extend continuously around the periphery encircling a vehicle-rearward panel that extends to the folds along the entire periphery in the first stage of inflation, the method comprising:

inflating the airbag to a first inflation pressure below the threshold pressure to expand the airbag away from the door in the cross-vehicle direction;

inflating the airbag to a second inflation pressure greater than the threshold pressure to break the fastener and expand the airbag in the vehicle-rearward direction.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising restraining extension of the airbag with a tether to form a concave portion facing the vehicle-rearward direction.