Airbags with Internal Valves

• US 20060261579A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,338,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23192 Roof bags, i.e. protecting the occupant in a roll-over situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23523 Composite
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23533 characterised by the manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• 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 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

Airbag for a vehicle includes at least one section of material defining a plurality of cells, chambers or compartments, and one-way valves arranged in connection with the material section(s) between the cells to control flow of inflating fluid between the cells. Each valve can lead from a respective first cell to a respective second cell and are preferably designed to close once a predetermined pressure prevails in the second cell to prevent fluid outflow from the respective second cell. The cells may be interconnected such that at least one cell is interposed between and connected to two other cells. A plurality of valves may be arranged between adjacent pairs of the cells, or only a single valve may be arranged between an adjacent pair of cells.

Claims

1. An airbag for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one section of material defining a plurality of cells; and

one-way valves arranged in connection with said at least one material section between said cells to control flow of inflating fluid between said cells.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein each of said valves leads from a respective first one of said cells to a respective second one of said cells, said valves being arranged to close once a predetermined pressure prevails in the respective second one of said cells to prevent fluid outflow from said respective second cell.

3. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said cells are interconnected such that at least one of said cells is interposed between and connected to two other of said cells.

4. The airbag of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said valves are arranged between adjacent pairs of said cells.

5. The airbag of claim 1, wherein only one of said cells is in direct communication with a source of inflating fluid.

6. The airbag of claim 5, wherein said only one of said cells in direct communication with the source of inflating fluid is a common distribution manifold to which a plurality of said cells are directly connected via individual ones of said one-way valves.

7. The airbag of claim 5, wherein a first additional one of said cells is in communication with said only one of said cells via one of said valves and a second additional one of said cells is in communication with said first additional one of said cells via one of said valves.

8. The airbag of claim 1, further comprising an envelope defining an interior in which said cells are arranged.

9. The airbag of claim 8, wherein said envelope is made of film.

10. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said at least one material section comprises a plurality of material sections.

11. A vehicle, comprising:

an instrument panel;

a front seat on which an occupant sits opposite said instrument panel;

said airbag of claim 1, said airbag having a storage position in connection with said instrument panel and a deployed position extending outward from said instrument panel; and

an inflator for inflating said airbag from said storage position to said deployed position,

when in said deployed position, said airbag being arranged in a space between the knees of the occupant when seated on said front seat and said instrument panel.

12. A vehicle, comprising:

a headliner or ceiling;

a seat on which an occupant sits below said headliner or ceiling;

said airbag of claim 1, said airbag having a storage position in connection with said headliner or ceiling and a deployed position extending outward from said headliner or ceiling; and

an inflator for inflating said airbag from said storage position to said deployed position,

when in said deployed position, said airbag being arranged in a space between the occupant when seated on said seat and a side of the vehicle.

13. An airbag system, comprising:

an inflatable airbag having a plurality of interconnected chambers and arranged to engage part of a vehicle occupant upon inflation; and

an inflator arranged to direct inflating fluid directly into only a portion of said chambers of said airbag,

said airbag comprising a plurality of one-way valves arranged between adjacent ones of said chambers to control flow of inflating fluid from said inflator to all of said chambers to thereby enable said airbag to be inflated.

14. The airbag system of claim 13, wherein said chambers are interconnected such that at least one of said chambers is interposed between and connected to two other of said chambers.

15. The airbag system of claim 13, wherein said inflator is arranged to direct inflating fluid into only one of said chambers, said only one of said chambers being a common distribution manifold to which a plurality of said chambers are directly connected via individual ones of said one-way valves.

16. The airbag system of claim 15, wherein said inflator is arranged to direct inflating fluid into only one of said chambers, a first additional one of said chambers being in communication with said only one of said chambers via one of said valves and a second additional one of said chambers being in communication with said first additional one of said chambers via one of said valves.

17. The airbag system of claim 13, wherein said chambers include a row of primary airbag chambers and at least one secondary airbag chamber extending from each of said primary airbag chambers.

18. The airbag system of claim 13, further comprising an envelope defining an interior in which said chambers are arranged.

19. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a frame including a headliner or ceiling and instrument panel;

an airbag device mounted to said frame and comprising an inflator for providing inflating fluid upon actuation thereof and a compartmentalized airbag having a plurality of compartments in communication with said inflator; and

mounting means for mounting said airbag device to said frame such that said airbag, when inflated, is present in a space between said frame and part of an occupant situated in a seat of the vehicle,

said airbag defining a plurality of compartments and comprising one-way valves arranged between said compartments to control flow of inflating fluid between said compartments.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein said compartments include a row of primary airbag compartments and at least one secondary airbag compartment extending from each of said primary airbag compartments.