Roof mounted seat support airbag

• US 10,640,075 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Chen, Huipeng, Gao, Zhenyan, McCoy, Robert William
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US15/950,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20190315304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• 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

Abstract

An airbag includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is for extending from a vehicle roof and engagement with a head rest of a seat in an inflated position. The lower portion forms a cushion board that extends downwardly from the upper portion for engagement with and disposition between a seatback and a restraining bar located rearward of the seatback in the inflated position.

Claims

1. An airbag comprising:

an upper portion for extending from a vehicle roof and for engagement with a head rest of a seat in an inflated position; and

a lower portion forming a cushion board extending downwardly from the upper portion for engagement with and disposition between a seatback and a restraining bar located rearward of the seatback in the inflated position;

wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of tethers therein extending in a substantially fore-aft direction that in the inflated position define a thickness of the upper portion and the lower portion includes a plurality of substantially evenly spaced and parallel seams and a lateral spacing thereof that in the inflated position define a plurality of ribs extending from the upper portion to a bottom of the lower portion and define a thickness of the lower portion that is less than the thickness of the upper portion.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the airbag in the inflated position is substantially equal to a width of a passenger seat.

3. The airbag of claim 1, including an inflator connected to the upper portion.

4. An airbag system, comprising:

a restraining bar for being fixed to a vehicle body rearward of a seatback in an installed position;

an airbag including;

an upper portion for extending from a vehicle roof and for engagement with a head rest of a seat in an inflated position, and

a lower portion forming a cushion board that in the inflated position extends downwardly from the upper portion for disposition between and engagement with the seatback and the restraining bar; and

an inflator connected to the upper portion;

wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of tethers therein extending in a substantially fore-aft direction that in the inflated position define a thickness of the upper portion and the lower portion includes a plurality of substantially evenly spaced and parallel seams and a lateral spacing thereof that in the inflated position define a plurality of ribs extending from the upper portion to a bottom of the lower portion and define a thickness of the lower portion that is less than the thickness of the upper portion.

5. The airbag system of claim 4, wherein the airbag in the inflated position is substantially equal to a width of a passenger seat.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body including a roof and a floor;

a seat fixed to the floor and the seat including a seatback;

a head rest on the seatback; and

an airbag system connected to the roof and including;

a substantially horizontal restraining bar fixed to the vehicle body rearward of the seatback and lower than the head rest;

an inflator disposed at the roof;

an airbag connected to the inflator that in an inflated position extends downwardly from the roof between the seatback and the restraining bar;

the airbag including an upper portion that in the inflated position extends from the roof and abuts the head rest; and

the airbag including a lower portion that in the inflated position extends downwardly from the upper portion and abuts both the seatback and the restraining bar;

the upper portion having a thickness in a fore-aft direction that is greater than a thickness of the lower portion in the fore-aft direction.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the airbag in the inflated position is substantially equal to a width of a passenger seat.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the lower portion includes a plurality of substantially evenly spaced and parallel seams and a lateral spacing thereof that in the inflated position define a plurality of ribs extending from the upper portion to a bottom of the lower portion and define the thickness of the lower portion that is less than the thickness of the upper portion.

9. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of tethers therein extending in a substantially fore-aft direction defining the thickness of the upper portion in the inflated position greater than the thickness of the lower portion.

10. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of tethers therein extending in a substantially fore-aft direction that in the inflated position define the thickness of the upper portion and the lower portion includes a plurality of parallel seams and a lateral spacing thereof that in the inflated position define a plurality of ribs extending from the upper portion to a bottom of the lower portion and define the thickness of the lower portion that is less than the thickness of the upper portion.