EXPANDING-CONTROLLABLE AIRBAG SYSTEM

• US 20090091108A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Seo, Bopil
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

The present invention protects both upper part and lower part of the body of a passenger when an airbag expands in a collision and prevents secondary damage to a baby/infant by appropriately controlling expansion pressure of the cushion on the basis of characteristics of the their bodies. The present invention includes: a diffuser that is disposed in a crush pad and has gas supply holes, gas discharge holes, and an inflator; expansion pressure control member that is movably disposed with respect to diffuser and has at least an opening fluidly-communicating with gas supply holes and a closing portion opening or closing gas discharge holes; and a guide member connected with expansion pressure control member, guides cushion in a predetermined direction, and controls the opening or closing of gas discharge holes by moving expansion pressure control member with respect to diffuser using an internal or external force applied while cushion expands.

Claims

1. An expanding-controllable airbag system comprising:

a diffuser having at least a gas supply hole, at least a gas discharge hole, and an inflator;

an expansion pressure control member movably disposed with respect to the diffuser and having at least an opening fluidly-communicating the gas supply holes and a closing portion opening or closing the gas discharge holes; and

a guide member connected with the expansion pressure control member, guiding a cushion in a predetermined direction, and controlling the opening or closing of the gas discharge holes by moving the expansion pressure control member with respect to the diffuser using an external force or an internal force applied while the cushion expands.

2. The expanding-controllable airbag system of claim 1, wherein the external force is applied by an inertia force of a passenger after a collision of a vehicle occurs.

3. The expanding-controllable airbag system of claim 1, wherein the internal force is applied by the cushion as the cushion expands after a collision of a vehicle occurs.

4. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 1, wherein the diffuser has a cylindrical shape, and the gas supply holes and gas discharge holes are axially arranged in a plurality of rows along the circumference of the diffuser.

5. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 1, wherein guide grooves are formed at both distal end portions of the diffuser to receive and movably support both distal end portions of the expansion pressure control member.

6. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 1, wherein the expansion pressure control member is an arc-shaped plate and has a mounting groove to receive a proximate end portion of the guide member.

7. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 6, wherein a protrusion that is inserted in the mounting groove is formed at the proximate portion of the guide member.

8. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 1, wherein an inlet portion of the cushion is connected to the entire edges of the opening of the expansion pressure control member and a mid-portion of the cushion is connected with a free distal end portion of the guide member.

9. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim I, wherein the diffuser is disposed at a bottom in a crush pad and the guide member is disposed adjacent to a rear side of the crush pad.

10. An expanding-controllable airbag system comprising:

a diffuser having at least a gas supply hole, at least a gas discharge hole, and an inflator;

an expansion pressure control member movably disposed with respect to the diffuser and having at least an opening fluidly-communicating the gas supply holes and a closing portion opening and closing the gas discharge holes; and

a guide member connected with the expansion pressure control member, guiding a cushion in a predetermined direction, and controlling the opening and closing of the gas discharge holes by moving the expansion pressure control member with respect to the diffuser using an external force or an internal force applied while the cushion expands.

11. The expanding-controllable airbag system of claim 10, wherein the external force is applied by an inertia force of a passenger after a collision of a vehicle occurs.

12. The expanding-controllable airbag system of claim 10, wherein the internal force is applied by the cushion as the cushion expands after a collision of a vehicle occurs.

13. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 10, wherein the diffuser has a cylindrical shape, and the gas supply holes and gas discharge holes are axially arranged in a plurality of rows along the circumference of the diffuser.

14. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 10, wherein guide grooves are formed at both distal end portions of the diffuser to receive and movably support both distal end portions of the expansion pressure control member.

15. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 10, wherein the expansion pressure control member is an arc-shaped plate and has a mounting groove to receive a proximate end portion of the guide member.

16. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 15, wherein a protrusion that is inserted in the mounting groove is formed at the proximate portion of the guide member.

17. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 10, wherein an inlet portion of the cushion is connected to the entire edges of the opening of the expansion pressure control member and a mid-portion of the cushion is connected with a free distal end portion of the guide member.

18. The expanding-controllable airbag system as defined in claim 10, wherein the diffuser is disposed at a bottom in a crush pad and the guide member is disposed adjacent to a rear side of the crush pad.