AN IMPROVED AIRBAG WITH INTERNAL POSITIONING PANELS FOR SEQUENTIAL DEPLOYMENT

• US 20050098985A1
• Filed: 11/11/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Donald, Vinton, Jeffrey Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• 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 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An improved airbag (10) is provided that can be sequentially deployed for minimizing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant (12). This improved airbag (10) is an inflatable bag having a primary chamber (34) and a secondary chamber (36) that is adjacent to the primary chamber (34). The primary chamber (34) is configured for inflating before the secondary chamber (36). In addition, this primary chamber (34) is utilized for applying a generally downward force the vehicle occupant'"'"'s lap (14) and abdomen (16). In this way, a substantial portion of the initial deployment force of the airbag (10) is allocated to the occupant'"'"'s more durable lower body. Also, the primary chamber (34) can be utilized for positioning the occupant'"'"'s body (12) in a manner best suited for impacting the airbag (10). This airbag (10) is then sequentially deployed in a generally linear direction upward from the primary chamber (34) to the secondary chamber (36).

Claims

1. An improved airbag for minimizing a risk of injury to a vehicle occupant, comprising:

an inflatable bag configured with a primary chamber and a secondary chamber that is positioned adjacent to said primary chamber, said primary chamber inflating before said secondary chamber and applying a generally downward force to a lower-body portion of the vehicle occupant in order to allocate a substantial portion of an initial impact force to said lower-body portion and to position the vehicle occupant for minimizing a risk of injury to the vehicle occupant;

wherein said inflatable bag is deployed sequentially in a generally linearly upward direction from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber.

2. The improved airbag of claim 1 wherein said primary chamber includes an upper sub-chamber and a lower sub-chamber, said lower sub-chamber extending substantially across a width and a depth of the improved airbag, said lower sub-chamber for allocating said substantial portion of said initial impact force to said lowerbody portion of the vehicle occupant, said upper sub-chamber being sized substantially smaller than said lower sub-chamber along said depth of the improved airbag, said upper sub-chamber for absorbing and redirecting said initial impact force generally downward, said upper sub-chamber also for providing immediate protection for an upper-body region of the vehicle occupant.

3. The improved airbag of claim 2 wherein said upper sub-chamber is sized substantially smaller than said lower sub-chamber along said width of the improved airbag.

4. The improved airbag of claim 1 further comprising:

a releasable tether attached to said inflatable bag for maintaining said secondary chamber in a collapsed configuration until a sufficient threshold pressure causes said releasable tether to detach from said inflatable bag and allow said secondary chamber to inflate.

5. The improved airbag of claim 1 wherein said inflatable bag includes a primary inlet for allowing a gas to be injected directly into said primary chamber of said inflatable bag.

6. The improved airbag of claim 5 wherein said inflatable bag includes a secondary inlet for allowing said gas to flow from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber.

7. The improved airbag of claim 6 wherein said secondary inlet is at least one open vent hole.

8. The improved airbag of claim 6 wherein said secondary inlet is at least one baffle vent.

9. The improved airbag of claim 6 wherein said secondary inlet is a permeable fabric panel integrated within said inflatable bag.

10. An improved airbag for minimizing a risk of injury to a vehicle occupant, comprising:

an inflatable bag having at least one panel configured for defining a primary chamber and a secondary chamber that is adjacent to said primary chamber, said primary chamber inflating before said secondary chamber and applying a generally downward force to a lower-body portion of the vehicle occupant in order to allocate a substantial portion of an initial impact force to said lower-body portion and to position the vehicle occupant for minimizing a risk of injury to the vehicle occupant;

wherein said inflatable bag is deployed sequentially in a generally linearly upward direction from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber.

11. The improved airbag of claim 10 wherein said at least one panel is configured for defining said primary chamber with an upper sub-chamber and a lower sub-chamber, said lower sub-chamber extending substantially across a width and a depth of the improved airbag, said lower sub-chamber for allocating said substantial portion of said initial impact force to said lower-body portion of the vehicle occupant, said upper sub-chamber being sized substantially smaller than said lower sub-chamber along said depth of the improved airbag, said upper sub-chamber for absorbing and re-directing said initial impact force generally downward, said upper sub-chamber also for providing immediate protection for an upper-body region of the vehicle occupant.

12. The improved airbag of claim 11 wherein said upper sub-chamber is sized substantially smaller than said lower sub-chamber along said width of the improved airbag.

13. The improved airbag of claim 10 further comprising:

a releasable tether attached to said at least one panel for maintaining said secondary chamber in a collapsed configuration until a sufficient threshold pressure causes said releasable tether to detach from said at least one panel and allow said secondary chamber to inflate.

14. The improved airbag of claim 10 wherein said at least one panel includes a primary inlet for allowing a gas to be injected directly into said primary chamber of said inflatable bag.

15. The improved airbag of claim 14 wherein said at least one panel includes a secondary inlet for allowing said gas to flow from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber.

16. The improved airbag of claim 15 wherein said secondary inlet is at least one open vent hole.

17. The improved airbag of claim 15 wherein said secondary inlet is at least one baffle vent.

18. The improved airbag of claim 15 wherein said secondary inlet is a permeable fabric panel integrated within said inflatable bag.

19. An improved airbag for minimizing a risk of injury to a vehicle occupant, comprising:

a first outer panel having a primary inlet for allowing a gas to be injected into the improved airbag;

a second outer panel coupled to said first outer panel and sized substantially similar to said first outer panel; and

an inner panel attached to and extending between said first outer panel and said second outer panel for defining a primary chamber and a secondary chamber of the improved airbag, said inner panel having a secondary inlet for allowing said gas to pass between said primary chamber and said secondary chamber;

wherein said primary chamber inflates before said secondary chamber and applies a generally downward force to a lower-body portion of the vehicle occupant in order to allocate a substantial portion of an initial impact force to said lower-body portion and to position the vehicle occupant for minimizing a risk of injury to the vehicle occupant;

wherein said inflatable bag is deployed sequentially in a generally linearly upward direction from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber.

20. The improved airbag of claim 19 wherein said inner panel, said first outer panel, and said second outer panel define said primary chamber with an upper sub-chamber and a lower sub-chamber, said lower sub-chamber extending substantially across a width and a depth of the improved airbag, said lower sub-chamber for allocating said substantial portion of said initial impact force to said lower-body portion of the vehicle occupant, said upper sub-chamber being sized substantially smaller than said lower sub-chamber along said depth of the improved airbag, said upper sub-chamber for absorbing and re-directing said initial impact force generally downward, said upper sub-chamber also for providing immediate protection for an upper-body region of the vehicle occupant.