Airbags with Internal Valves
First Claim
1. An airbag for a vehicle, comprising:
- at least one section of material defining a plurality of interconnected cells; and
at least one one-way valve arranged in connection with said at least one material section and between adjacent pairs of said cells to control flow of inflating fluid between said primary and secondary cells.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
20 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An airbag for a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one section of material defining a plurality of interconnected cells; and at least one one-way valve arranged in connection with said at least one material section and between adjacent pairs of said cells to control flow of inflating fluid between said primary and secondary cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An airbag system, comprising:
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an inflatable airbag having interconnected chambers and arranged to be interposed between a vehicle occupant and a structure of the vehicle upon inflation, said chambers include a row of primary chambers and at least one secondary chamber extending from each of said primary chambers; and an inflator arranged to direct inflating fluid directly into said primary chambers of said airbag, said airbag comprising at least one one-way valve each arranged between adjacent ones of said primary and secondary chambers to control flow of inflating fluid from said inflator to all of said chambers to thereby enable said airbag to be inflated. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A motor vehicle, comprising:
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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, said airbag device being mounted 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 comprising one-way valves arranged between said compartments to control flow of inflating fluid between said compartments, said compartments include a row of adjacent, primary airbag compartments and a plurality of additional, secondary airbag compartments, each of said secondary airbag compartments extending from one of said plurality of primary airbag compartments. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification