Airbag cushion with integrated inflator
First Claim
1. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
- a cushion comprising a front cushion panel and a rear cushion panel, each of which is constructed of a substantially rigid material, the cushion defining an expandable interior volume, wherein the front cushion panel defines a front plane and the rear cushion panel defines a rear plane; and
a pyrotechnic, at least a portion of which is disposed between the front and rear planes, wherein the pyrotechnic is combustible to produce a quantity of inflation gas sufficient to inflate the cushion to protect the occupant from impact, wherein the pyrotechnic is hermetically sealed to restrict moisture entry into the pyrotechnic from within the expandable interior volume.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag module has a rigid cushion with an integrated inflator. The cushion has a rear cushion panel and the inflator may have a front inflator plate attached to the rear cushion panel. A rear inflator plate is optionally provided and may be positioned within the cushion or outside the cushion. A pyrotechnic may be disposed within the space between the front inflator plate and the rear cushion panel and/or the rear inflator plate. An initiator may be seated in the rear inflator plate and/or the rear cushion panel to initiate combustion of the pyrotechnic. Instead of the front inflator plate, the inflator may have an expanse of tape that secures the pyrotechnic and/or the initiator to the interior of the cushion. The pyrotechnic may be sealed by the tape or by a foil pouch. The initiator may be secured by the tape or by a rear inflator plate.
42 Citations
87 Claims
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1. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
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a cushion comprising a front cushion panel and a rear cushion panel, each of which is constructed of a substantially rigid material, the cushion defining an expandable interior volume, wherein the front cushion panel defines a front plane and the rear cushion panel defines a rear plane; and
a pyrotechnic, at least a portion of which is disposed between the front and rear planes, wherein the pyrotechnic is combustible to produce a quantity of inflation gas sufficient to inflate the cushion to protect the occupant from impact, wherein the pyrotechnic is hermetically sealed to restrict moisture entry into the pyrotechnic from within the expandable interior volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
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a front cushion panel;
a rear cushion panel coupled to the front cushion panel to enclose an expandable interior volume;
a pyrotechnic configured to pressurize the interior volume upon receipt of an activation signal; and
a front inflator plate attached to an inward facing surface of the rear cushion panel to enclose the pyrotechnic between the front inflator plate and the rear cushion panel, wherein the front inflator plate is constructed of a substantially rigid material. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
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a cushion defining an expandable interior volume;
an expanse of tape disposed within the expandable interior volume, the expanse of tape having an adhesive side secured to the cushion; and
a pyrotechnic retained between the adhesive side and the cushion, wherein the pyrotechnic is combustible to produce inflation gas. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
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a cushion defining an expandable interior volume, the cushion having an opening;
an initiator disposed entirely within the expandable interior volume to initiate combustion in response to receipt of an electric activation signal; and
at least one wire extending through the opening and coupled to the initiator to convey the electric activation signal to the initiator. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. An airbag module comprising:
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a cushion having an expandable interior volume bounded by an interior surface, wherein the cushion is constructed of a substantially rigid material;
an inflator disposed at least partially within the expandable interior volume to pressurize the expandable interior volume upon receipt of an activation signal; and
an attachment mechanism disposed entirely within the expandable interior volume to attach the inflator to the interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
- a cushion comprising a frangible portion, the cushion defining an expandable interior volume;
an inflator positioned to provide inflation gas proximate the frangible portion in response to receipt of an activation signal such that the inflation gas ruptures the frangible portion to enter the expandable interior volume through the frangible portion. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
- a cushion comprising a frangible portion, the cushion defining an expandable interior volume;
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53. A method for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact through the use of an airbag module comprising a cushion comprising a front cushion panel defining a front plane and a rear cushion panel defining a rear plane, wherein the front and rear cushion panels cooperate to define an expandable interior volume, and a pyrotechnic, hermetically sealed to restrict moisture entry into the pyrotechnic from within the expandable interior volume, the method comprising:
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initiating combustion of the pyrotechnic, wherein at least a portion of the pyrotechnic is disposed between the front and rear planes;
breaking the hermetic seal in response to the combustion, thereby enabling inflation gas from the pyrotechnic to inflate the cushion; and
producing a sufficient quantity of inflation gas via combustion of the pyrotechnic to inflate the cushion to protect the occupant from impact, wherein the cushion is constructed of a substantially rigid material. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method for manufacturing an airbag module, the method comprising:
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forming a front cushion panel and a rear cushion panel;
forming a front inflator plate of a substantially rigid material;
coupling the front inflator plate to an inward facing surface of the rear cushion panel to define an interior inflator volume; and
coupling the front cushion panel to the rear cushion panel to define an expandable interior volume that contains the front inflator plate. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A method for manufacturing an airbag module, through the use of a front cushion panel, a rear cushion panel, an expanse of tape, the method comprising:
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attaching the front and rear cushion panels together to form a cushion having an expandable interior volume between the front and rear cushion panels;
positioning the pyrotechnic adjacent to the cushion, wherein the pyrotechnic is combustible to produce inflation gas; and
attaching the expanse of tape directly to the cushion such that the pyrotechnic is disposed between the expanse of tape and the cushion, such that the expanse of tape and the cushion are both disposed within the expandable interior volume. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. A method for protecting an occupant of a vehicle through the use of an airbag module comprising a cushion comprising a frangible portion, the cushion defining an expandable interior volume, and an inflator, the method comprising:
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producing inflation gas proximate the frangible portion in response to receipt of an activation signal by the inflator;
rupturing the frangible portion in response to production of the inflation gas; and
moving the inflation gas into the expandable interior volume through the frangible portion to inflate the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87)
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Specification