Airbag apparatus

• US 20090236839A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Baker, Paul Alan, McFadden, Stephanie Marie
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23384 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• 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 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An airbag apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle comprises an inflatable chamber formed by at least one fabric panel and configured to be filled with an inflation gas and deploy into position to protect the occupant; and a tether connected to the panel to restrain deployment of the airbag. During the initial deployment sequence of the airbag, the tether fully extends to a first length. The tether unfolds in order to fully extend to a second length when a sufficient force is applied to the tether by the deploying airbag.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, wherein the apparatus comprises:

an inflatable chamber formed by at least one fabric panel and configured to be filled with an inflation gas and deploy into position to protect the occupant; and

a tether connected to the panel to restrain deployment of the airbag, and

wherein the tether initially fully extends to a first length when the airbag deploys, and

wherein the tether is configured to unfold in order to fully extend to a second length when sufficient force is applied to the tether by the deploying airbag.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tether includes a delay mechanism for controlling the unfolding of the tether.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the delay mechanism comprises a weakened section of the tether and wherein the weakened section is configured to tear when sufficient force is applied in order to allow the tether to unfold and extend to a second length.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the delay mechanism further comprises a second weakened section of the tether.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first weakened section is configured to tear before the second weakened section.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the weakened section includes a plurality of openings.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the weakened section has a narrower width than a first end and a second end of the tether.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tether comprises a fabric woven and wherein the weakened section is integrated into the fabric weave.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the portion of the tether configured to unfold includes a first part, a second part, and a third part, wherein the first part is adjacent to the second part and the second part is adjacent to the third part, and wherein a portion of the first part is coupled to a portion of the second part to create a coupling section that is configured to remain stationary when the tether unfolds.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tethers.

11. An occupant restraint apparatus, comprising:

an airbag for protecting a vehicle occupant, wherein the airbag is configured to be filled with inflation gas and deploy into a position for protecting the occupant; and

a tether connected to the airbag and configured to restrain deployment of the airbag, wherein, prior to deployment of the airbag, the tether is configured to extend to a first length and wherein the tether includes a tear section configured to tear to thereby allow the tether to extend to a second length, wherein the second length is longer than the first length; and

wherein the tether unfolds when the tear section tears.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the section includes a plurality of openings.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the section has a narrower width than a first end and a second end of the tether.