Ejection mitigation panel

• US 20080106072A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walston, Bryan, Nelson, James E., Gammill, Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 7,735,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An ejection mitigation system for use in a motor vehicle including one or more inflatable airbags and at least one ejection mitigation panel which is not integral with an inflatable airbag and wherein the ejection mitigation panel is attached to at least one point below the belt line of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. An ejection mitigation system for use in a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one inflatable airbag;

at least one ejection mitigation panel which is not integral with the at least one inflatable airbag, wherein the at least one ejection mitigation panel is attached to at least one point below the belt line of the motor vehicle;

at least one tether attached to the ejection mitigation panel; and

wherein the ejection mitigation panel is indirectly deployed by the inflation of the at least one inflatable airbag.

2. The ejection mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one ejection mitigation panel is configured to cover a window opening on a side structure of the motor vehicle not covered by the at least one inflatable airbag.

3. The ejection mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one inflatable airbag is an automobile side curtain airbag.

4. The ejection mitigation device of claim 1, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is a triangular shaped panel with one edge mounted adjacent the A-pillar of the motor vehicle.

5. The ejection mitigation device of claim 1, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is perforated.

6. The ejection mitigation device of claim 1, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is attached to a first point below the beltline of the motor vehicle adjacent to the A-pillar.

7. The ejection mitigation device of claim 1, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is attached adjacent to the A-pillar and below the level of the instrument panel of the motor vehicle.

8. The ejection mitigation device of claim 1, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is attached to the motor vehicle at a second point above the lower edge of the at least one inflatable air bag when in the inflated state.

9. An ejection mitigation system for use in a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one inflatable airbag;

at least one guide strap attached to the inflatable air bag;

at least one ejection mitigation panel which is not integral with the at least one inflatable airbag, wherein the at least one ejection mitigation panel is attached to at least one point below the belt line of the motor vehicle;

at least one tether attached to the ejection mitigation panel at one end and slidingly attached to the at least one guide strap at the other end; and

wherein the ejection mitigation panel is indirectly deployed by the inflation of the at least one inflatable airbag.

10. The ejection mitigation system of claim 9, wherein the at least one ejection mitigation panel is configured to cover a window opening of the motor vehicle not covered by the at least one inflatable airbag.

11. The ejection mitigation device of claim 9, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is perforated fabric, netting, webbing or mesh fabric.

12. The ejection mitigation device of claim 9, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is attached to at least one point below the level of the instrument panel of the motor vehicle.

13. The ejection mitigation device of claim 9, wherein the ejection mitigation panel is attached to the motor vehicle at a second point above the lower edge of the at least one inflatable air bag when in the inflated state.

14. An ejection mitigation panel which is not integral to an inflatable airbag of a motor vehicle and configured to cover a window opening inside the motor vehicle not covered by a deployed inflatable airbag, the ejection mitigation panel comprising:

a panel of material configured to be attached to at least one point below the belt line of the motor vehicle wherein the panel of material is attached to a deployment tether and where the panel of material is indirectly deployed by the inflation of the inflatable airbag.

15. The ejection mitigation panel of claim 14, wherein the panel of material comprises a woven fabric.

16. The ejection mitigation panel of claim 14, wherein the panel of material comprises a non-woven fabric.

17. An ejection mitigation system for use in a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one inflatable airbag mounted to the roof rail of the motor vehicle;

means for ejection mitigation and for keeping a passenger'"'"'s limbs, head, and body within the motor vehicle; and

means for deploying the at least one ejection mitigation panel.