SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
First Claim
1. An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle, the inflatable cushion, comprising:
- a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate inflatable cells each of which having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas;
an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells;
a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material of the diffuser member; and
means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of inflatable cells.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle is disclosed herein, the inflatable cushion having: a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate inflatable cells each of which having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas; an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells; a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material; and means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of inflatable cells.
52 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle, the inflatable cushion, comprising:
-
a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate inflatable cells each of which having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas; an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells; a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material of the diffuser member; and means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of inflatable cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An airbag module for a vehicle, comprising:
-
a side curtain inflatable cushion comprising; a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate inflatable cells each of which having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas; an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells; a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material; and means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of an inlet opening of each of the plurality of inflatable cells; and an inflator for providing the inflation gas, the inflator being fluidly coupled to the diffuser member.
-
-
22. A method of inflating an inflatable cushion, the method comprising:
controlling the flow rate of an inflation gas into the inflatable cushion by limiting an amount of surface area between an exterior surface of a non-rigid fabric diffuser member and an interior surface of an internal passageway formed in the inflatable cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of a plurality of separate inflatable cells via an inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, the inflatable cushion being formed from a first material and the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the inflatable cushion and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into the inlet openings of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material, wherein the amount of surface area between the exterior surface of the non-rigid fabric diffuser member and the interior surface of the internal passageway is divided by applying a plurality of stitches through a first wall member and a second wall member of the inflatable cushion in order to secure the same together.
Specification