Side impact air bag with head protection region

• US 20050156413A1
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Olson, Mark O.
• Granted Patent: US 7,198,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An air bag assembly (20) including air bag (30) having at least a first inflatable region (32) having a plurality of restrictions peripherally located about the inflatable region and configured to restrict the degree of inflation of the air bag proximate the restrictions and configured to permit the first inflatable region of the air bag to achieve its maximum inflation in a region interior to the plurality of restrictions.

Claims

1. An air bag assembly 20 comprising:

an inflatable air bag 30 comprising at least a first inflatable region or chamber 32, 34 having a plurality of restrictions, seams or joints located about at least a portion of the periphery of the inflatable region, the restrictions extending inwardly from respective locations proximate the periphery of the inflatable region 32, the restrictions configured to locally restrict the inflation of the inflatable region and configured to permit the inflatable region to achieve a maximum width in a region generally inboard of the restrictions.

2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the air bag includes an inner panel and an outer panel configured to form the inflatable region the inner and outer panels joined together along the plurality of restrictions, seams or joints each of which extends inwardly from near an edge of the inflatable region.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the inner panel, the outer panel, and the plurality of joints are formed as an integrally woven part.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 1 further including an inlet formed along a periphery of the inflatable region to receive a source of inflation gas.

5. The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the inner and the outer panels are coated to reduce permeability of gas flow therethrough.

6. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the air bag includes a plurality of inflatable regions.

7. The assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the air bag includes a non-inflatable region situated between opposing inflatable regions.

8. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein each restriction, seam or joint terminates in a stress reducing structure (the lollipop).

9. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein a first set of restrictions, seams or joints is situated along a top of the inflatable region and wherein each joint of the first set is spaced from each other.

10. The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein a second set of restrictions, seams or joints is situated along a bottom of the inflatable region and wherein each restriction, seam or joint of the second set is spaced from each other.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein each restriction, seam or joint of the first set of joints is misaligned relative to a corresponding restriction, seam or joint of the second set of restrictions, seams or joints.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein at least some of the restrictions of the second set of restrictions terminate in a stress reducing structure (the lollipop) and wherein each stress reducing structure does not lie on the same line.

13. An air bag assembly 20 comprising:

an air bag 30 including at least a first inflatable region 32, 34 having a plurality of restrictions 120, 124, 126 peripherally located about the inflatable region and configured to restrict the degree of inflation of the air bag proximate the restrictions,

the restrictions configured to permit the first inflatable region of the air bag to achieve its maximum inflatable size in a region interior to the plurality of restrictions.

14. The assembly as included in claim 13 wherein the air bag includes a second inflatable region having a plurality of peripherally situated restrictions.

15. The assembly as defined in claim 14 including an uninflated region between the first and second inflatable regions.

18. The air bag as defined in claim 15 including a second set of restrictions extending from a bottom uninflated portion of the air bag toward the central region.

16. An air bag assembly 20 comprising:

an air bag 30 including at least a first inflatable region 32, 34 of determinable size, the inflatable region having a plurality of restrictions 120, 124, 126 peripherally located about the inflatable region,

the restrictions configured to permit the first inflatable region of the air bag to achieve its maximum inflatable size in a central region interior to the plurality of restrictions, the size of the central regions is determinable by the length of the restrictions.

17. The air bag as defined in claim 16 including a first set of restrictions extending from a top uninflated portion of the air bag toward the central region.