EJECTION MITIGATION DEVICE

• US 20090058054A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nelson, James E., Allred, Josh
• Granted Patent: US 7,806,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An airbag system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle including an ejection mitigation device configured to substantially cover an inside surface of the motor vehicle such as the rear window or the front windshield. The ejection mitigation device may be attached to one or more deployment guides which can then be attached to a driver or passenger side inflatable airbag. The deployment guides may be configured to guide the deployment of the ejection mitigation device during inflation of the driver and passenger side inflatable airbags.

Claims

1. An ejection mitigation system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle, the ejection mitigation system comprising:

a non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device configured to substantially cover the rear window of the motor vehicle;

a passenger side deployment guide linked to the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device;

a driver side deployment guide linked to the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device;

a passenger side inflatable airbag linked to the passenger side deployment guide; and

a driver side inflatable airbag linked to the driver side deployment guide;

wherein the passenger side deployment guide and the driver side deployment guide are configured to guide the deployment of the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device; and

wherein the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device is configured to be deployed by the inflation of the driver side inflatable airbag and passenger side inflatable airbag.

2. The ejection mitigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first deployment guide slider movably attached to the driver side deployment guide;

a second deployment guide slider movably attached to the passenger side deployment guide;

wherein the first and the second deployment guide sliders are linked to the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device; and

wherein the driver side inflatable airbag is linked to the first deployment guide slider and the passenger side inflatable airbag is linked to the second deployment guide slider.

3. The ejection mitigation system of claim 2, wherein the passenger side inflatable airbag and the driver side inflatable airbag are linked to the first and second deployment guide sliders with a tether.

4. The ejection mitigation system of claim 3, wherein the deployment of the passenger side inflatable airbag and the driver side inflatable airbag pulls on the tethers and moves the first and the second deployment guide sliders down the deployment guides thereby deploying the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device.

5. The ejection mitigation system of claim 2, wherein the deployment guides comprise rails, tracks, channels, rods, or combinations thereof.

6. The ejection mitigation system of claim 2, wherein the first and the second deployment guide sliders move only in a single direction down the deployment guides thereby maintaining the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device in a deployed position.

7. The ejection mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device is attached to the motor vehicle near an upper edge of the rear window and, wherein the passenger side deployment guide and the driver side deployment guide are configured to guide the deployment of the non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device down toward the bottom of the rear window of the motor vehicle.

8. An ejection mitigation system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle, the ejection mitigation system comprising:

a non-inflatable front ejection mitigation device configured to substantially cover the front windshield of the motor vehicle;

a passenger side deployment guide linked to the front ejection mitigation device;

a driver side deployment guide linked to the front ejection mitigation device;

a passenger side inflatable airbag linked to the passenger side deployment guide;

a driver side inflatable airbag linked to the driver side deployment guide;

wherein the passenger side deployment guide and the driver side deployment guide are configured to guide the deployment of the front ejection mitigation device; and

wherein the front ejection mitigation device is configured to be deployed by the inflation of the driver side inflatable airbag and passenger side inflatable airbag.

9. The ejection mitigation system of claim 8, further comprising:

a first deployment guide slider movably attached to the driver side deployment guide;

a second deployment guide slider movably attached to the passenger side deployment guide;

wherein the first and the second deployment guide sliders are linked to the non-inflatable front ejection mitigation device; and

wherein the driver side inflatable airbag is linked to the first deployment guide slider and the passenger side inflatable airbag is linked to the second deployment guide slider.

10. The ejection mitigation system of claim 9, wherein the deployment guides comprise rails, tracks, channels, rods, or combinations thereof.

11. The ejection mitigation system of claim 9, wherein the first and the second deployment guide sliders move only in a single direction down the deployment guides thereby maintaining the non-inflatable front ejection mitigation device in a deployed position.

12. The ejection mitigation system of claim 8, wherein the non-inflatable front ejection mitigation device is attached to the motor vehicle near an upper edge of the front windshield and, wherein the passenger side deployment guide and the driver side deployment guide are configured to guide the deployment of the non-inflatable front ejection mitigation device down toward the bottom of the front windshield of the motor vehicle.

13. The ejection mitigation system of claim 8, further comprising:

a non-inflatable rear ejection mitigation device configured to substantially cover the rear window of the motor vehicle;

a second passenger side deployment guide linked to the rear ejection mitigation device;

a second driver side deployment guide linked to the rear ejection mitigation device;

wherein the passenger side inflatable airbag is linked to the second passenger side deployment guide;

wherein the driver side inflatable airbag is linked to the second driver side deployment guide;

wherein the second passenger side deployment guide and the second driver side deployment guide are configured to guide the deployment of the rear ejection mitigation device; and

wherein the rear ejection mitigation device is configured to be deployed by the inflation of the driver side inflatable airbag and passenger side inflatable airbag.

14. An ejection mitigation system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle, the ejection mitigation system comprising:

an ejection mitigation device comprising a fabric curtain that is deployable between an inside surface of the motor vehicle and a vehicle occupant;

a first deployment guide comprising a first slider, wherein the first slider is linked to the ejection mitigation device;

a second deployment guide comprising a second slider, wherein the second slider is linked to the ejection mitigation device;

a passenger side inflatable airbag linked to the first slider; and

a driver side inflatable airbag linked to the second slider;

wherein the first deployment guide and the second deployment guide are configured to guide the deployment of the ejection mitigation device substantially along the inside surface of the motor vehicle; and

wherein the deployment of the passenger side inflatable airbag and the driver side inflatable airbag pulls the first and second sliders along the first and second deployment guides thereby deploying the ejection mitigation device.

15. The ejection mitigation system of claim 14, wherein the ejection mitigation device is at least partially inflatable.

16. The ejection mitigation system of claim 14, wherein the ejection mitigation device is configured to substantially cover the rear window on the inside of the motor vehicle.

17. The ejection mitigation system of claim 14, wherein the ejection mitigation device is configured to substantially cover the front windshield on the inside of the motor vehicle.

18. The ejection mitigation system of claim 14, wherein the passenger side inflatable airbag and the driver side inflatable airbag are linked to the first and second sliders with a tether.

19. The ejection mitigation system of claim 14, wherein the first and second deployment guides comprise at least one rail, track, channel, rod, or combinations thereof.

20. The ejection mitigation system of claim 14, wherein the first and second deployment guides comprise a locking system allowing the first and second sliders to move in a first direction but not in a direction opposite the first direction.