Air bag assembly including bias element
First Claim
1. An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior corners, the vehicle having a driver side and a passenger side including seats for supporting vehicle occupants on opposing sides of the vehicle adjacent the upper front interior corners, the air bag system comprising:
- at least a first air bag assembly located proximate one of the upper front interior comers comprising an air bag in fluid communication with a gas expelling inflator, wherein the air bag includes at least a frontal impact portion being sized and shaped for deploying along a predetermined deployment path in front of a vehicle occupant; and
a biasing element of substantially flat pliable character which is held in place in substantially hinging relation along an attached edge at an anchoring position adjacent the air bag, the biasing element being extended away from the anchoring position upon deployment of the air bag such that the biasing element is advanced in hinging fashion ahead of the frontal impact portion of the air bag along the deployment path as the frontal impact portion is deployed in front of the vehicle occupant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior corners. The system includes at least one air bag assembly located proximate one of the upper front interior corners. The air bag is in fluid communication with a gas expelling inflator and includes a frontal impact portion sized and shaped for deploying along a predetermined deployment path in front of a vehicle occupant. A biasing element of flat pliable character is held in place in hinging relation along an attached edge at an anchoring position inboard of the air bag. The biasing element is unattached at a free end which is extended away from the anchoring position upon deployment of the air bag cushion such that the biasing element is advanced in hinging fashion ahead of the frontal impact portion as the frontal impact portion is deployed in front of the vehicle occupant.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior corners, the vehicle having a driver side and a passenger side including seats for supporting vehicle occupants on opposing sides of the vehicle adjacent the upper front interior corners, the air bag system comprising:
at least a first air bag assembly located proximate one of the upper front interior comers comprising an air bag in fluid communication with a gas expelling inflator, wherein the air bag includes at least a frontal impact portion being sized and shaped for deploying along a predetermined deployment path in front of a vehicle occupant; and
a biasing element of substantially flat pliable character which is held in place in substantially hinging relation along an attached edge at an anchoring position adjacent the air bag, the biasing element being extended away from the anchoring position upon deployment of the air bag such that the biasing element is advanced in hinging fashion ahead of the frontal impact portion of the air bag along the deployment path as the frontal impact portion is deployed in front of the vehicle occupant.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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16. An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior comers, the vehicle having a driver side and a passenger side including seats for supporting vehicle occupants on opposing sides of the vehicle adjacent the upper front interior corners, the air bag system comprising:
a first air bag assembly located proximate one of the upper front interior comers and a second air bag assembly proximate the other of the upper front interior corners, each of said first and second air bag assemblies comprising an air bag in fluid communication with a gas expelling inflator, wherein the air bag includes at least a frontal impact portion being sized and shaped for deploying downwardly along a predetermined inboard deployment path in front of a vehicle occupant, each of the first and second air bag assemblies further comprising a biasing element of substantially flat pliable character which is held in place in substantially hinging relation along an attached edge at an anchoring position adjacent the air bag, the biasing element being extended away from the anchoring position upon deployment of the air bag such that the biasing element is advanced in hinging fashion ahead of the frontal impact portion of the air bag along the deployment path towards the center of the vehicle as the frontal impact portion is deployed in front of the vehicle occupant.
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25. An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior corners, the vehicle having a driver side and a passenger side including seats for supporting vehicle occupants on opposing sides of the vehicle adjacent the upper front interior corners and first and second forward pillar elements extending generally in front of and to the side of said seats on opposing sides of the vehicle, the air bag system comprising:
a first air bag assembly located proximate one of the upper front interior comers and a second air bag assembly proximate the other of the upper front interior corners, each of the first and second air bag assemblies comprising an air bag stored at a position extending at least partially along one of said first and second forward pillar elements wherein the air bag is in fluid communication with a gas expelling inflator and wherein the air bag includes at least a frontal impact portion being sized and shaped for deploying downwardly along a predetermined inboard deployment path in front of a vehicle occupant;
each of said first and second air bag assemblies further including a biasing element of substantially flat pliable character which is held in place in substantially hinging relation along an attached edge at an anchoring position generally inboard of the air bag, the biasing element including an unattached free edge substantially opposing the attached edge, the free edge being extended away from the anchoring position upon deployment of the air bag such that the biasing element is advanced in hinging fashion ahead of the frontal impact portion of the air bag along the inboard deployment path as the frontal impact portion is deployed in front of the vehicle occupant.
Specification