Passenger side module with two airbags

• US 20040046369A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Horton, Mark, Williams, Lisa, Hiciano, Favio A., Michael, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 6,709,009 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26058 using a combination of inflators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration

Abstract

The airbag module has a base plate, two inflators, a top plate and two airbags. The inflators are mounted into the base plate and the airbags are secured to the base plate via top plates. The first airbag has substantially an “L” cross section in its deployed state. The second airbag is adjacent to the first airbag and while both bags are deployed, there is substantially no gap between the first and second airbags.

Claims

1. An airbag module comprising:

an inflator for providing inflation gas;

a base plate for receiving the inflator;

a first airbag having substantially a “

L”

cross section in a deployed state; and

a second airbag in a deployed state adjacent to the deployed first airbag, the second airbag comprises a top portion and a side portion, wherein there is substantially no gap between one side portion and the top portion of the second airbag and the first airbag after the first and second airbags are fully deployed.

2. The airbag module according to claim 1 wherein the base plate has an igniter access slot for receiving an endcap of the inflator.

3. The airbag module according to claim 1 further comprising a first retainer between the end cap of the inflator and the base plate and a second retainer between a bottom end of the inflator and the base plate to prevent the inflator from sliding in a recess of the base plate.

4. The airbag module according to claim 1 further comprising two top plates for securing the first and second airbags to the base plate, wherein the top plates are inserted into separate airbags.

5. The airbag module according to claim 1 wherein the inflated first and second airbags cooperate such that only the first inflated airbag contacts a torso of an occupant during a crash.

6. The airbag module according to claim 1 wherein the inflated second airbag interacts with an occupant during a crash when only the second airbag is inflated.

7. The airbag module according to claim 1 wherein the first airbag is tacked to the top and side portions of the second airbag.

8. An airbag module comprising:

a first and second inflator positioned in a mutually opposed arrangement;

a base plate has two recesses for receiving the two inflators;

a first airbag for receiving inflation gas from the first inflator; and

a second airbag for receiving inflation gas from the second inflator, wherein the second airbag is adjacent to the first airbag.

9. The airbag module according to claim 8 wherein the base plate has an igniter access slot for receiving an end cap of the inflator.

10. The airbag module according to claim 8 further comprising a first retainer between the end cap of the inflator and the base plate and a second retainer between a bottom end of the inflator and the base plate to prevent the inflator from sliding in a recess of the base plate.

11. The airbag module according to claim 9 further comprising two top plates for securing the first and second airbags to the base plate, wherein each top plate is inserted in a separate airbag.

12. The airbag module according to claim 9 wherein the top plates are attached to the airbags in a manner that directs inflation gas from the first inflator to the first airbag and directs inflation gas from the second inflator to the second airbag.

13. The airbag module according to claim 8 wherein the inflated first and second airbags cooperate such that only the first inflated airbag contacts a torso of an occupant during a crash.

14. The airbag module according to claim 8 wherein the inflated second airbag interacts with an occupant during a crash when only the second airbag is inflated.

15. The airbag module according to claim 8 wherein the inflated first airbag has a “

L”

shape cross section.

16. The airbag module according to claim 8 wherein the first airbag is tacked to the top portion and the side portion of the second airbag.

17. An inflatable restraint for an airbag module comprising:

A first airbag having substantially a “

L”

cross section in a deployed state, wherein the first airbag receives inflation gas from a first inflator; and

a second airbag in a deployed state disposed outside of and adjacent to the first airbag in a deployed state, the second airbag receives inflation gas from a second inflator, wherein the second airbag comprises a top portion and a side portion, wherein there is substantially no gap between the side portion and the top portion of the second airbag and the first airbag after the first and second airbags are fully deployed, wherein the inflatable restraint in a deployed state has a shape to allow only the first inflated airbag to contact a torso of an occupant during a crash.