OVERHEAD AUTOMOTIVE AIRBAG DESIGN
First Claim
1. An automotive overhead airbag assembly comprising:
- an airbag mounted on an inside surface of a vehicle roof at an airbag mount position, said airbag having an airbag stored condition and an airbag deployed position, said airbag expanding downwards from said vehicle roof when in said airbag deployed position;
at least one wing element having a upper wing mounting edge mounted to said vehicle roof and a side wing mounting edge mounted to a lower deployed portion of said airbag, said upper wing mounting edge extending in a transverse direction from said airbag mount position, said at least one wing element having a wing stored condition and a wing deployed position, said at least one wing element restricting forward motion of said airbag when said airbag is in said deployed position; and
a trampoline surface formed by said at least one wing element when said at least one wing element is in said wing deployed position, said trampoline surface absorbing passenger forward momentum during vehicle impact.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automotive overhead airbag assembly is provided including an airbag mounted on an inside surface of a vehicle roof at an airbag mount position. The airbag has an airbag stored condition and an airbag deployed position and expands downwards from said vehicle roof when in the airbag deployed position. The assembly includes at least one wing element having a first wing mounting edge mounted to the vehicle roof and a second wing mounting edge mounted to a lower deployed portion of said airbag. The first wing mounting edge extends in a transverse direction from the airbag mount position. The at least one wing element includes a wing stored condition and a wing deployed position. The at least one wing element restricts forward motion of the airbag when the airbag is in the deployed position. The assembly includes a trampoline surface formed by the at least one wing element when the at least one wing element is in said wing deployed position. The trampoline surface absorbs passenger forward momentum during vehicle impact.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automotive overhead airbag assembly comprising:
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an airbag mounted on an inside surface of a vehicle roof at an airbag mount position, said airbag having an airbag stored condition and an airbag deployed position, said airbag expanding downwards from said vehicle roof when in said airbag deployed position;
at least one wing element having a upper wing mounting edge mounted to said vehicle roof and a side wing mounting edge mounted to a lower deployed portion of said airbag, said upper wing mounting edge extending in a transverse direction from said airbag mount position, said at least one wing element having a wing stored condition and a wing deployed position, said at least one wing element restricting forward motion of said airbag when said airbag is in said deployed position; and
a trampoline surface formed by said at least one wing element when said at least one wing element is in said wing deployed position, said trampoline surface absorbing passenger forward momentum during vehicle impact. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An automotive overhead airbag assembly comprising:
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an airbag mounted on an inside surface of a vehicle roof at an airbag mount position, said airbag having an airbag stored condition and an airbag deployed position, said airbag expanding downwards from said vehicle roof when in said airbag deployed position;
a first wing element having a first upper wing mounting edge mounted to said vehicle roof and a first side wing mounting edge mounted to a lower deployed portion of said airbag, said first upper wing mounting edge extending in a first transverse direction from said airbag mount position, said first wing element having a first wing stored condition and a first wing deployed position;
a second wing element having a second upper wing mounting edge mounted to said vehicle roof and a second side wing mounting edge mounted to said lower deployed portion of said airbag, said second upper wing mounting edge extending in a second transverse direction from said airbag mount position, said second wing element having a second wing stored condition and a second wing deployed position;
said first wing element restricting forward motion of said airbag when said airbag is in said deployed position; and
a trampoline surface formed by said first wing element and said second wing element when said airbag is in said airbag deployed position, said trampoline surface restricting forward motion of said airbag, said trampoline surface absorbing passenger forward momentum during vehicle impact. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of restraining passenger forward momentum during a vehicular impact comprising:
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storing an airbag within an airbag module, said airbag module positioned on a vehicle roof, said airbag having an airbag stored condition and an airbag deployed position;
deploying said airbag downwards into said airbag deployed position during the vehicular impact;
simultaneously deploying at least one wing element having a upper wing mounting edge mounted to said vehicle roof and a side wing mounting edge mounted to a lower deployed portion of said airbag, said upper wing mounting edge extending in a transverse direction from said airbag mount position, said at least one wing element restricting forward motion of said airbag when said airbag is in said deployed position;
engaging the passenger using a trampoline surface formed by said at least one wing element when said airbag is in said airbag deployed position, said trampoline surface absorbing passenger forward momentum during vehicle impact. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification