Vehicle airbag arrestor

• US 20020067030A1
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert D. Burgess
• Original Assignee: Robert D. Burgess
• Inventors: Burgess, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,942,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20876 Caps and covers

Abstract

An airbag arrestor mountable about a vehicle steering column carrying a steering wheel and a airbag module is non-axially movable with respect to the vehicle steering wheel and steering column during airbag inflation by containing and redirecting airbag inflation gasses oppositely from the steering wheel through an open end of the airbag arrestor enclosure secured about the steering column. The airbag arrestor includes a flexible, ballistic grade material enclosure having a sidewall extending between an open end and an opposed closed end. An attachment in the form of a strap constructed of a ballistic grade material is tightenable about the sidewall of the enclosure adjacent the open end to non-axially movably secure the enclosure about the vehicle steering column.

Claims

1. A vehicle airbag arrestor mountable about a vehicle steering column carrying a steering wheel containing an inflatable airbag, the airbag arrestor comprising:

an enclosure having an open end and a closed end, the enclosure adapted to be mountable over a vehicle steering wheel and vehicle steering column, with the closed end adjacent a vehicle steering wheel; and

an attachment member, mountable about the enclosure, and adapted to substantially non-axially, movably mount the enclosure over the steering wheel and the steering column of a vehicle.

2. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein the attachment member comprises:

a strap disposed about the enclosure; and

a connector carried on the strap for receiving a free end of the strap to releaseably tighten the strap and the enclosure about a vehicle steering column.

3. The airbag arrestor of claim 2 wherein:

the strap is movably mounted on the enclosure.

4. The airbag arrestor of claim 2 wherein the connector comprises:

a latch movable to and from a first position engaged with the strap; and

a biasing member acting on the latch to bias the latch to the first position.

5. The airbag arrestor of claim 4 wherein the connector further comprises:

a body carrying the latch and the biasing member.

6. The airbag arrestor of claim 5 wherein:

the strap has first and second free ends; and

the body carries a separate latch and a separate biasing member for at least one free end of the strap.

7. The airbag arrestor of claim 2 wherein:

the strap and the connector are arranged for one hand mounting and releasing operation.

8. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein the enclosure further comprises:

a sidewall extending from the open end to the opposed closed end.

9. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein:

the enclosure is formed of a flexible, ballistic material.

10. The airbag arrestor of claim 9 wherein:

the enclosure is formed of KEVLAR

11. The airbag arrestor of claim 9 wherein the attachment member comprises:

a tightenable strap disposed about the enclosure, the strap formed of a flexible, ballistic material.

12. The airbag arrestor of claim 11 wherein:

the strap is formed of a flexible, ballistic grade NYLON.

13. The airbag arrestor of claim 2 wherein the attachment member comprises:

a tightenable strap disposed about the enclosure, the strap formed of a flexible, ballistic material.

14. The airbag arrestor of claim 13 wherein:

the strap is formed of a flexible, ballistic grade NYLON.

15. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein:

the attachment member is arranged on the enclosure for one-hand mounting and releasing of the enclosure with respect to the vehicle steering column.

16. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 further comprising:

the enclosure and the attachment member formed of a flexible, ballistic grade material.