Airbag with gas diffuser

• US 20070228709A1
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Khouri, Michel G.
• Application Number:
  US11/727,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20070228709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/740
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• 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 21/2346 Soft diffusers

Abstract

An airbag includes a gas diffuser that includes a plurality of apertures and is formed of a fabric material. The gas diffuser is integrally formed with at least a portion of an airbag cushion. The airbag may be a curtain style airbag or another type of airbag.

Claims

1. An airbag comprising:

a gas diffuser comprising a plurality of apertures, the gas diffuser formed of a fabric material and integrally formed with at least a portion of an airbag cushion.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the gas diffuser has a tubular shape and is formed from a first sheet of material.

3. The airbag of claim 2, wherein a first portion of the first sheet of material is coupled to second portion of the first sheet of material to form the gas diffuser.

4. The airbag of claim 3, further comprising an adhesive for coupling the first portion to the second portion.

5. The airbag of claim 2, wherein the first sheet of material also defines at least a portion of an inflation chamber for the airbag.

6. The airbag of claim 5, further comprising a second sheet of material coupled to the first sheet of material to define the inflation chamber.

7. The airbag of claim 5, wherein the inflation chamber is divided into a plurality of cells.

8. The airbag of claim 7, wherein the apertures provided in the gas diffuser are configured to diffuse gas to the plurality of cells.

9. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the first sheet of material is formed of a nylon fabric material.

10. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the gas diffuser is configured for coupling to an inflator.

11. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the airbag is a curtain airbag.

12. An airbag comprising:

a first fabric panel configured to define both at least one wall of an airbag cushion and a gas diffuser for the airbag, the gas diffuser having a generally tubular shape and having a plurality of apertures formed therein.

13. The airbag of claim 12, further comprising a second fabric panel coupled to the first sheet of material, wherein the first fabric panel and the second fabric panel define at least one chamber for the airbag cushion.

14. The airbag of claim 13, wherein the first fabric panel is coupled to the second fabric panel with stitched thread.

15. The airbag of claim 14, wherein the first fabric panel is further coupled to the second fabric panel with an adhesive.

16. The airbag of claim 12, wherein the gas diffuser comprises a first portion of the first fabric panel coupled to a second portion of the first fabric panel.

17. The airbag of claim 12, wherein the plurality of apertures in the gas diffuser are configured to allow gas to flow into a plurality of chambers provided in the airbag cushion.

18. The airbag of claim 12, wherein the first fabric panel comprises a nylon material.

19. A method of producing an airbag comprising:

providing a first fabric panel;

forming a generally tubular channel from a first portion of the first fabric panel; and

forming an inflation chamber from a second portion of the first fabric panel.

20. The airbag assembly of claim 19, wherein the tubular channel includes a plurality of apertures and acts as a gas diffuser for the airbag.

21. The airbag assembly of claim 19, wherein the step of forming the tubular channel comprises coupling a first section of the first fabric panel to a second section of the first fabric panel.

22. The airbag assembly of claim 21, wherein the step of coupling a first section of the first fabric panel to a second section of the first fabric panel utilizes an adhesive.

23. The airbag assembly of claim 19, wherein the step of coupling a first section of the first fabric panel to a second section of the first fabric panel utilizes a stitching operation.

24. The airbag assembly of claim 19, further comprising attaching a second fabric panel to the first fabric panel to further form the inflation chamber.

25. The airbag assembly of claim 19, wherein the step of forming the tubular channel comprises folding a portion of the first fabric panel.