Airbag assembly for leg flail protection and associated systems and methods
First Claim
1. An airbag system for use with a side-facing seat in a vehicle, wherein the side-facing seat faces generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and wherein the airbag system comprises:
- a housing having a cavity and an opening in communication with the cavity, wherein the housing is positioned forward of a leading leg of an occupant when the occupant is seated in the side-facing seat;
an airbag assembly stowed within the cavity, the airbag assembly having an airbag configured to deploy through the opening to inhibit occupant leg rotation in response to a significant dynamic event;
an inflator;
a gas delivery hose operably coupling the inflator to the airbag and configured to direct gas from the inflator to the airbag; and
a tether including a first end portion attached to the housing and a second end portion attached to the airbag, wherein the first end portion is not directly connected to the inflator, and wherein the tether includes a fabric tube portion that defines a passage enclosing at least a portion of the gas delivery hose.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag assembly for leg flail protection and associated systems and methods are described herein. An airbag system configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, a housing having a cavity and an opening in communication with the cavity, an airbag stowed within the cavity, and an inflator operably coupled to the airbag. The airbag can be configured to deploy through the opening of the housing during a crash or other significant dynamic event. The airbag can deploy outwardly from the side-facing seat to reduce occupant leg rotation during the crash or other significant dynamic event. The airbag can be pushed out of the housing before it is fully inflated. The airbag can be stowed and include folded first and second opposing side portions such that when the airbag is deployed, the portion nearest the occupant unfurls toward the occupant prior to the other portion farthest from the occupant unfurling in a direction away from the occupant.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An airbag system for use with a side-facing seat in a vehicle, wherein the side-facing seat faces generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and wherein the airbag system comprises:
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a housing having a cavity and an opening in communication with the cavity, wherein the housing is positioned forward of a leading leg of an occupant when the occupant is seated in the side-facing seat; an airbag assembly stowed within the cavity, the airbag assembly having an airbag configured to deploy through the opening to inhibit occupant leg rotation in response to a significant dynamic event; an inflator; a gas delivery hose operably coupling the inflator to the airbag and configured to direct gas from the inflator to the airbag; and a tether including a first end portion attached to the housing and a second end portion attached to the airbag, wherein the first end portion is not directly connected to the inflator, and wherein the tether includes a fabric tube portion that defines a passage enclosing at least a portion of the gas delivery hose. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An airbag system for use in a vehicle, the airbag system comprising:
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an opening in an interior structure of the vehicle at least proximate a side-facing seat of the vehicle, wherein the opening is positioned between a forward portion of the vehicle and a leading leg of an occupant when the occupant is seated in the side-facing seat; an airbag assembly stowed within the opening, wherein the airbag assembly includes an airbag configured to deploy from the opening in response to a significant dynamic event; and an inflator operably coupled to the airbag via a gas delivery hose and configured to provide fluid for inflating the airbag via the gas delivery hose, wherein the airbag is secured to the interior structure of the vehicle during both stowage and deployment via upper and lower tethers, and wherein the upper and lower tethers are attached to both the interior structure and the airbag. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification