Housing for airbag module

• US 20030230873A1
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inteva Products LLC (Renco Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bayer, Dean M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,150,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

An elongated housing for use with an airbag module is provided. The housing comprises a first wall, a second wall, a bottom wall joining the first and second walls such that a first width is defined by the housing, and a cushion deployment opening opposite the bottom wall. The cushion deployment opening is between a first edge of the first wall and a second edge of the second wall. The cushion deployment opening has a second width that is between about 90 percent of the first width and about 30 percent of the first width.

Claims

1. An elongated housing for use with an airbag module, comprising:

a first wall;

a second wall;

a bottom wall joining said first and second walls such that a first width is defined by said housing; and

a cushion deployment opening opposite said bottom wall, said cushion deployment opening being defined between a first edge of said first wall and a second edge of said second wall, said cushion deployment opening having a second width, said second width being in a range defined by an upper limit of about 90 percent of said first width and a lower limit of about 30 percent of said first width.

2. The elongated housing as in claim 1, wherein said second width is about 33 percent of said first width.

3. The elongated housing as in claim 1, wherein said second width is about 66 percent of said first width.

4. The elongated housing as in claim 1, wherein said elongated housing defines an inner area comprising:

a first chamber configured to receive an inflator for inflating an inflatable cushion of the airbag module; and

a second chamber configured to receive said inflatable cushion.

5. The elongated housing as in claim 4, wherein said inner area further comprises:

a central wall depending from said bottom wall and separating said first chamber from said second chamber.

6. The elongated housing as in claim 5, wherein said first chamber is in fluid communication with said second chamber.

7. The elongated housing as in claim 1, wherein said first wall is disposed at a first angle with respect to a first plane defined through said elongated housing.

8. The elongated housing as in claim 7, wherein said first angle is in a range defined by about 10 degrees and about 80 degrees.

9. The elongated housing as in claim 8, wherein said first angle is about 45 degrees.

10. The elongated housing as in claim 7, wherein said second wall is disposed at a second angle with respect to a second plane defined through said elongated housing.

11. The elongated housing as in claim 10, wherein said second angle is in an range defined by about zero degrees and about 60 degrees.

12. The elongated housing as in claim 10, wherein said second width of said cushion deployment opening is dependant upon said first and second angles.

13. The elongated housing as in claim 4, wherein said first angle is configured to direct inflation gas from said inflator in a selected direction.

14. The elongated housing as in claim 4, wherein said first and second chambers are configured so that said inflatable cushion is deployed under pressure.

15. The elongated housing as in claim 4, wherein said inflatable cushion is stored in a folded state in said second chamber, said first and second chambers being configured so that said inflatable cushion is desensitized to a fold geometry of said folded state.

16. The elongated housing as in claim 15, wherein said fold geometry is selected from the group consisting of a horizontal fan fold, a roll fold, and a vertical fold.

17. The elongated housing as in claim 1, wherein said second edge of said second wall is positionable below an instrument panel by a specified distance when said elongated housing is installed in an instrument panel.

18. The elongated housing as in claim 17, wherein said specified distance is about 20 millimeters.

19. The elongated housing as in claim 1, wherein said second width allows said housing to be installed in an instrument panel of a vehicle such that said second wall is a predetermined location away from a windshield of said vehicle, said predetermined location being closer to said windshield than a forward most location of a substantially spherical area.

20. The elongated housing as in claim 19, wherein said forward most location of said substantially spherical area is defined by a point where said second area makes contact with said windshield and said instrument panel.

21. An airbag module, comprising:

a housing defining a first chamber, a second chamber, a deployment opening at one end of said housing, and an inflation gas opening at one end of said first chamber, said deployment opening having a first width, said housing having a second width, said first width being in a range defined by an upper limit of about 90 percent of said second width and a lower limit of about 30 percent of said second width;

an inflator for providing a quantity of inflation gas to said first chamber; and

an inflatable cushion stored in a folded condition in said second chamber, said inflatable cushion having an inflation opening secured across said inflation gas opening such that said quantity of inflation gas causes said inflatable cushion to deploy from said housing through said deployment opening.

22. The airbag module as in claim 21, wherein said first width is within a range defined by a lower of about 33 percent of said second width and an upper limit of about 66 percent of said second width.

23. The airbag module as in claim 21, wherein the module is installable in an instrument panel of a vehicle in a spaced facial relationship with a deployment door defined in said instrument panel, said housing being positioned with respect to said deployment door such that said deployment opening is proximate said deployment door, said quantity of inflation gas causes said inflatable cushion to deploy from said housing through said deployment opening and to open said deployment door.

24. The airbag module as in claim 23, wherein said deployment door has a forward edge proximate a windshield of said vehicle and a rearward edge remote from said windshield, said deployment door pivoting about said forward edge such that said rearward edge travels along a door opening path during the opening of said deployment door.

25. The airbag module as in claim 24, wherein said door opening path is defined through a first area bounded by said windshield, said instrument panel, and a second area.

26. The airbag module as in claim 25, wherein said door opening path does not impinge on either or both of said windshield and said second area.

27. The airbag module as in claim 26, wherein said second area has a radius of about 82 millimeters, said second area defining a forward most point, said forward most point of said second area being defined by said second area making contact with said windshield and said instrument panel.

28. The airbag module as in claim 21, wherein a central wall separates said first chamber from said second chamber, said first chamber being defined by a first wall and a first side of said central wall, and said second chamber being defined by a second wall and a second side of said central wall.

29. The airbag module as in claim 28, wherein said first wall is disposed at a first angle with respect to a first plane defined through said housing.

30. The airbag module as in claim 29, wherein said second wall is disposed at a second angle with respect to a second plane defined through said housing.

31. The airbag module as in claim 30, wherein said first width of said cushion deployment opening is dependant upon said first and second angles.

32. The airbag module as in claim 29, wherein said first angle is configured such that said first wall directs said quantity of inflation gas in a selected direction.

33. The airbag module as in claim 24, wherein said first wall is disposed at a first angle with respect to a first plane defined through said housing, said first angle being about equal to or slightly less than a rake of said windshield.

34. The airbag module as in claim 24, wherein said housing is configured so that a portion of said first chamber is disposed in proximity to said windshield.

35. The airbag module as in claim 21, wherein said inflatable cushion is deployed under pressure due to said first and second chambers.

36. The airbag module as in claim 21, wherein said folded condition of said inflatable cushion is desensitized to a fold geometry of said inflatable cushion due to said first and second chambers.

37. The airbag module as in claim 36, wherein said fold geometry is selected from the group consisting of a horizontal fan fold geometry, a roll fold geometry, and a vertical fold geometry.

38. The airbag module as in claim 21, wherein said first chamber has a substantially arcuate cross sectional shape and said second chamber has a substantially rectangular cross sectional shape.