Air bag assembly having controlled cushion deployment

• US 20040201205A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Webber, James Lloyd
• Granted Patent: US 6,991,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01218 control of expansion speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21543 with emblems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• 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 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag system for cushioning restraint of a vehicle occupant during an impact event. The air bag assembly includes an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber to an inflated deployed condition within an occupant compartment. A gas emitting inflator is housed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion. At least one drag-inducing member engages the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber.

Claims

1. An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber to an inflated deployed condition within an occupant compartment within the vehicle upon introduction of an inflation gas;

a gas emitting inflator disposed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion; and

at least one drag-inducing member adapted to engage the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that deployment of the air bag cushion is slowed and the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said storage chamber is disposed beneath a cover at the interior of a steering wheel in opposing relation to an operator of the vehicle.

3. The invention as recited in claim 2, wherein a stationary emblem is disposed across a surface of the cover at the interior of the steering wheel and wherein the air bag cushion is characterized by a substantially torroidal inflated deployed condition.

4. The invention as recited in claim 3, wherein said at least one drag-inducing member comprises a restraining ring element and wherein the air bag cushion is packaged within the storage chamber such that during deployment of the air bag cushion a portion of the air bag cushion is pulled in a path at least partially around the restraining ring element prior to exiting the storage chamber such that the restraining ring element imparts a drag force to the air bag cushion.

5. The invention as recited in claim 4, wherein a spring element is disposed in opposing relation to a portion of the restraining ring element such that during deployment of the air bag cushion a portion of the air bag cushion is pulled in a path at least partially around the restraining ring element and between the restraining ring element and the spring element prior to exiting the storage chamber such that a drag force is imparted to the air bag cushion.

6. The invention as recited in claim 4, wherein the restraining ring element is resiliently compressible such that when a portion of the air bag cushion is pulled in a path at least partially around the restraining ring element, the restraining ring element is adapted to compressibly deform and apply a reactive biasing force against the air bag cushion such that a drag force is imparted to the air bag cushion.

7. An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber to an inflated deployed condition within an occupant compartment within the vehicle upon introduction of an inflation gas;

a gas emitting inflator disposed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion; and

at least one drag-inducing member adapted to engage the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that deployment of the air bag cushion is slowed and the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber, wherein said at least one drag-inducing member comprises a tension-inducing roller and wherein at least a portion of the air bag cushion is packaged in wrapped relation around said tension-inducing roller within the storage chamber such that during deployment of the air bag cushion the air bag cushion is pulled away from said tension-inducing roller prior to exiting the storage chamber such that the tension-inducing roller imparts a drag force to the air bag cushion.

8. The invention as recited in claim 7, wherein the tension-inducing roller is operatively connected to a torsion spring such that the torsion spring is twisted as the air bag cushion is pulled away from the tension-inducing roller, whereby the torsion spring imparts a restraining force opposing withdrawal of the air bag cushion.

9. The invention as recited in claim 7, comprising at least two tension-inducing rollers.

10. The invention as recited in claim 7, wherein said storage chamber is disposed beneath a cover at the interior of a steering wheel in opposing relation to an operator of the vehicle.

11. The invention as recited in claim 10, wherein said at least one drag-inducing member comprises a pair of tension-inducing rollers disposed within the storage chamber in spaced relation away from opposing sides of the inflator and wherein at least a portion of the air bag cushion is packaged in wrapped relation around said tension-inducing rollers within the storage chamber such that during deployment of the air bag cushion the air bag cushion is pulled away from said tension-inducing rollers prior to exiting the storage chamber such that the tension-inducing rollers impart a drag force to the air bag cushion.

12. The invention as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of the tension-inducing rollers is operatively connected to a torsion spring such that the torsion spring is twisted as the air bag cushion is pulled away from the tension-inducing roller, whereby the torsion spring imparts a restraining force opposing withdrawal of the air bag cushion.

13. The invention as recited in claim 12, wherein both of the tension-inducing rollers are operatively connected to torsion springs such that the torsion springs are twisted as the air bag cushion is pulled away from the tension-inducing rollers, whereby the torsion springs impart a restraining force opposing withdrawal of the air bag cushion.

14. An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber to an inflated deployed condition within an occupant compartment within the vehicle upon introduction of an inflation gas;

a gas emitting inflator disposed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion; and

at least one drag-inducing member adapted to engage the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that deployment of the air bag cushion is slowed and the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber, wherein said at least one drag-inducing member comprises a friction bar disposed in raised relation to a base plate outboard of the inflator and wherein at least a portion of the air bag cushion is packaged within the storage chamber such that during deployment of the air bag cushion a portion of the air bag cushion is pulled beneath the friction bar prior to exiting the storage chamber such that the fiction bar imparts a drag force to the air bag cushion.

15. The invention as recited in claim 14, wherein said storage chamber is disposed beneath a cover at the interior of a steering wheel in opposing relation to an operator of the vehicle.

16. The invention as recited in claim 14, wherein said at least one drag-inducing member comprises a pair of friction bars disposed in raised relation to a base plate on opposing sides of the inflator and wherein at least a portion of the air bag cushion is packaged within the storage chamber such that during deployment of the air bag cushion a portion of the air bag cushion is pulled beneath the friction bars towards the inflator prior to exiting the storage chamber such that the fiction bars impart a drag force to the air bag cushion.

17. An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber beneath a dash panel of the vehicle through an elongate slotted deployment opening extending in the cross-vehicle direction, wherein the slotted deployment opening extends a length greater than the width of the occupant;

a gas emitting inflator disposed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion adapted to distribute gas into a mouth portion of the air bag cushion; and

at least one drag-inducing member comprising said elongate slotted deployment opening adapted to engage the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that deployment of the air bag cushion is retarded such that the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber.

18. The invention as recited in claim 17, further comprising a drag inducing element disposed along a cushion travel path between the storage chamber and slotted deployment opening.

19. The invention as recited in claim 18, wherein the air bag system is adapted to deploy the air bag cushion through a portion of the dash panel facing the occupant to be protected and wherein a first portion of the air bag cushion is normally stored in folded relation forward of the inflator relative to the normal travel direction of the vehicle and wherein a second portion of the air bag cushion extends along a path below the inflator for attachment at a position between the inflator and said elongate slotted deployment opening such that upon inflation the first portion of the air bag cushion is progressively pulled along the path below the inflator and discharged through said elongate slotted deployment opening.

20. The invention as recited in claim 18, wherein the air bag system is adapted to deploy the air bag cushion through a top portion of the dash panel and wherein prior to inflation, a first portion the air bag cushion is stored in folded relation at a position below the inflator and a second portion of the air bag cushion extends partially around the inflator for attachment at a position between the inflator and said elongate slotted deployment opening.

21. The invention as recited in claim 18, wherein the drag inducing element disposed along a cushion travel path between the storage chamber and slotted deployment opening comprises a floating pinch point.