Vehicular Occupant Protection Method Using Airbags

• US 20090039625A1
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Application Number:
  US12/250,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20090039625A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral 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 2021/23169 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 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23504 characterised by material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23519 Resin
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23523 Composite
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2636 The volume of gas being continuously adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 : using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/30 : with means to draw ambient air into the flow line and mix such air with the inflation fluid

Abstract

Method for protecting an occupant of a vehicle using an inflatable airbag includes sealing sheets of film to form a sealed airbag having interconnected compartments receivable of inflating gas and a port through which the compartments are inflated, and positioning the airbag, when in an uninflated state, into a recessed portion alongside the passenger compartment. The airbag is positioned to extend, when inflated, across a side of the passenger compartment between occupant seating positions on that side of the vehicle and a portion of the vehicle defining the passenger compartment. A pressurized gas source inflates the airbag so that when an accident is sensed and a determination is made to inflate the airbag, gas enters into and inflate the airbag through the port thereby causing the airbag to extend across the side of the passenger compartment.

Claims

1. A method for protecting an occupant of a vehicle using an inflatable airbag, comprising:

sealing sheets of film to form a sealed airbag having a plurality of interconnected compartments receivable of inflating gas and a port through which the plurality of compartments are inflated;

positioning the airbag, when in an uninflated state, into a recessed portion alongside a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the recessed portion being in a ceiling defining the passenger compartment, the airbag being positioned to extend, when inflated, across a side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle between occupant seating positions on that side of the vehicle and a portion of the vehicle defining the passenger compartment on that side of the vehicle;

arranging a pressurized gas source on the vehicle to inflate the airbag;

whereby when an accident involving the vehicle is sensed and a determination is made to inflate the airbag, the pressurized gas source causes pressurized gas to enter into and inflate the airbag through the port thereby causing the airbag to extend across the side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle between the occupant seating positions on that side of the vehicle and the portion of the vehicle defining the passenger compartment on that side of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising dimensioning the airbag relative to the vehicle to extend at least partly alongside each of a plurality of windows on the side of the passenger compartment, when inflated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the airbag is formed from the sealed sheets of film such that at least one of the sheets of film is an outermost layer of the airbag which is exposed to atmosphere in the passenger compartment when inflated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the airbag without a venting arrangement such that the airbag vents through an inflator which provides the pressurized gas source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning the airbag system in a headliner portion of the ceiling of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising dimensioning the airbag relative to the vehicle to extend alongside substantially the entire side of the passenger compartment, when inflated.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the port to extend longitudinally along the airbag such that pressurized gas is caused to flow into all of the compartments substantially simultaneously.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging an inflator relative to the compartments such that pressurized gas flows from the inflator through the port into an upper end of the compartments substantially simultaneously.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheets of film are sealed to form substantially straight compartments.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheets of film are sealed to form compartments substantially parallel to one another.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

arranging the airbag in an airbag module; and

arranging the airbag module in the recessed portion of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the airbag alongside a door on the side of the passenger compartment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sheets of film comprises an elastomer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the elastomer is urethane.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sheets of film comprises an inelastic polymer.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the inelastic polymer is NYLON®

.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheets of film are sealed to form the sealed airbag such that there is only a single port situated at an upper edge of the airbag through which the airbag is inflated.

18. A method for protecting an occupant of a vehicle using an inflatable airbag, comprising:

sealing sheets of film to form a sealed airbag having a plurality of interconnected compartments receivable of inflating gas and a single port through which the plurality of compartments are inflated;

positioning the airbag, when in an uninflated state, into a recessed portion alongside a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the recessed portion being in a ceiling defining the passenger compartment, the airbag being positioned to extend, when inflated, alongside a front seat and a rear seat on the same side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle;

arranging a pressurized gas source on the vehicle to inflate the airbag;

whereby when an accident involving the vehicle is sensed and a determination is made to inflate the airbag, the pressurized gas source causes pressurized gas to enter into and inflate the airbag through the port thereby causing the airbag to extend across the front and rear seats.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming the port to extend longitudinally along the airbag such that pressurized gas is caused to flow into all of the compartments substantially simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising arranging an inflator relative to the compartments such that pressurized gas flows from the inflator through the single port into an upper end of the compartments substantially simultaneously.