Lower leg airbag assembly for a vehicle
First Claim
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1. An airbag assembly, comprising:
- an airbag configured to be coupled to a vehicle floor of a vehicle;
wherein the airbag is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position;
wherein, in the stowed position, the airbag is deflated;
wherein, in the deployed position, the airbag is inflated and spaced apart from the vehicle floor to define an aperture between the airbag and the vehicle floor; and
wherein the aperture is sized to receive feet of a vehicle occupant, thereby limiting movement of legs of the vehicle occupant when an external force is exerted on the vehicle.
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Abstract
An airbag assembly including an airbag configured to be coupled to a vehicle floor of a vehicle. The airbag is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position, the airbag is deflated. In the deployed position, the airbag is inflated and spaced apart from the vehicle floor to define an aperture between the airbag and the vehicle floor. The aperture is sized to receive feet or lower leg of a vehicle occupant, thereby limiting movement of the legs of the vehicle occupant when an external force is exerted on the vehicle.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An airbag assembly, comprising:
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an airbag configured to be coupled to a vehicle floor of a vehicle; wherein the airbag is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position; wherein, in the stowed position, the airbag is deflated; wherein, in the deployed position, the airbag is inflated and spaced apart from the vehicle floor to define an aperture between the airbag and the vehicle floor; and wherein the aperture is sized to receive feet of a vehicle occupant, thereby limiting movement of legs of the vehicle occupant when an external force is exerted on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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detecting, via a controller, that a vehicle occupant is seated on a vehicle seat based on a pressure signal received from a pressure sensor; determining, via the controller, a location of legs of the vehicle occupant relative to a vehicle floor based on an image data from a camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; determining, via the controller, a length of the legs of the vehicle occupant based on the image data from the camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; commanding, via the controller, an airbag-position adjustment mechanism to adjust a position of an airbag relative to the vehicle floor based on the location of the legs of the vehicle occupant; commanding, via the controller, a tether-length adjustment mechanism to adjust a height of the airbag relative to the vehicle floor based on the length of the legs of the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A vehicle, comprising:
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a vehicle body; a vehicle floor coupled to the vehicle body, wherein the vehicle body and the vehicle floor collectively define a passenger compartment; an airbag coupled to the vehicle floor, wherein the airbag defines a first airbag end and a second airbag end opposite the first airbag end, the first airbag end is directly coupled to the vehicle floor, the second airbag end is directly coupled to the vehicle floor; wherein the airbag is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position; wherein, in the stowed position, the airbag is deflated; wherein, in the deployed position, the airbag is inflated and spaced apart from the vehicle floor to define an aperture between the airbag and the vehicle floor; wherein the aperture is sized to receive feet of a vehicle occupant, thereby limiting movement of legs of the vehicle occupant when an external force is exerted on the vehicle, and the first airbag end is spaced apart from the second airbag end to define the aperture upon deployment of the airbag; at least one tether interconnecting the airbag and the vehicle floor to control a height of the airbag upon deployment; an inflator coupled to the airbag such that the inflator is configured to inflate the airbag; a controller in electronic communication with the inflator; a tether-length adjustment mechanism in electronic communication with the controller, the tether-length adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a length of the at least one tether; an airbag-position adjustment mechanism in electronic communication with the controller, wherein the airbag-position adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a position of the airbag relative to the vehicle floor; a camera system in electronic communication with the controller, wherein the camera system is configured locate a position of the legs of the vehicle occupant and measure a length of the legs of the vehicle occupant; an accelerometer in electronic communication with the controller; a pressure sensor coupled to a vehicle seat and in electronic communication with the controller, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to detect whether the vehicle seat is occupied by the vehicle occupant; wherein the controller is programmed to; detect that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat based a pressure signal received from the pressure sensor; determine a location the legs of the vehicle occupant relative to the vehicle floor based on an image data from the camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; determine the length of the legs of the vehicle occupant based on the image data from the camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; command the airbag-position adjustment mechanism to adjust the position of the airbag relative to the vehicle floor based on the location of the legs of the vehicle occupant; and command the tether-length adjustment mechanism to adjust the height of the airbag relative to the vehicle floor based on the length of the legs of the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification