INFLATABLE AIRBAG CUSHION ASSEMBLIES WITH MODIFIED THROAT PORTIONS

• US 20100253055A1
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: DePottey, Timothy A., Schneider, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/742
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

During the manufacture of an inflatable airbag cushion, an inflator may be inserted into, and coupled to, a throat portion of the inflatable airbag cushion. This process may be achieved more quickly and with higher reproducibility of the placement of the inflator within the throat portion by forming an assembly aid in the throat portion of the cushion. The assembly aid functions to assist in the separation of the two panels of material from which the throat portion is manufactured. The separation can be achieved by forming one or more pleats, tabs, or loops in the throat portion near an inflator insert aperture. A throat liner may optionally be used within an airbag throat portion, in which case the assembly aid may also be formed in the throat liner.

Claims

1. An inflatable airbag cushion having a throat portion wherein the throat portion comprises a first panel of material and a second panel of material that define an inflator insertion aperture,

wherein the throat portion comprises an assembly aid that comprises a fold, the assembly aid being configured to be easily grasped for insertion and positioning of an inflator into the inflator insert aperture.

2. The inflatable airbag cushion of claim 1, wherein the assembly aid is configured such that the fold reduces an effective length of a portion of the throat portion in which the assembly aid is formed.

3. The inflatable airbag cushion of claim 1, wherein the first panel of material and the second panel of material have different dimensions.

4. An inflatable airbag assembly, comprising:

an inflator; and

,

an inflatable airbag cushion configured to be coupled to the inflator at a throat portion, wherein the throat portion comprises a first panel of material and a second panel of material that are coupled together at a seam such that the throat portion comprises an inflator insert aperture and,

wherein the throat portion comprises an assembly aid, which comprises a fold in the throat portion.

5. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the fold of the assembly aid is located on the first panel of material.

6. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the fold of the assembly aid is located on the second panel of material.

7. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the assembly aid comprises a fold on each of the first and second panels of material.

8. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the fold is retained in a folded state via a fastener.

9. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 8 wherein the fastener comprises stitching.

10. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the fold of the assembly aid is configured as a pleat.

11. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 10, wherein the pleat comprises two folds, and wherein each of the resulting folds are approximately parallel with a long axis of the inflatable airbag cushion.

12. The airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the fold comprises a loop of material that extends away from the throat portion.

13. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the fold in the throat portion is located on an extension of the throat portion, wherein the extension extends beyond the seam in a direction that is proximal with respect to the inflator.

14. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the fold is configured such that a distal edge of the extension is directed away from the inflator insert aperture and the fold is approximately perpendicular to a long axis of the throat portion.

15. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the assembly aid comprises a second fold that is formed on the same extension, and wherein the second fold is made in a direction that is perpendicular to the first fold.

16. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the fold is configured such that a distal edge of the extension is directed toward the inflator insert aperture and the fold is approximately perpendicular to a long axis of the throat portion.

17. An inflatable airbag assembly, comprising:

an inflator;

an inflatable airbag cushion configured to be coupled to the inflator at a throat portion, wherein the throat portion comprises a first panel of material and a second panel of material that are coupled together at a seam such that the throat portion comprises a void and an aperture; and

a throat liner comprising a first panel of material and a second panel of material that are coupled together at a seam, such that the throat liner comprises an inflator insert aperture, the throat liner being configured to be located within the void of the throat portion such that the aperture of the throat portion surrounds and is approximately aligned with the inflator insert aperture of the throat liner;

wherein an assembly aid is formed in the throat portion and the throat liner, the assembly aid comprising a fold in the throat portion and a fold in the throat liner that are aligned as coinciding folds such that the throat portion is folded around the throat liner.

18. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 17, wherein the coinciding folds of the assembly aid are configured as a pleat.

19. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 17, wherein the coinciding folds of the assembly aid comprises two folds, and wherein each fold is approximately parallel with a long axis of the inflatable airbag cushion.

20. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 17, wherein the assembly aid is retained in the folded state via a fastener.

21. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 20, wherein the fastener comprises stitching.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of folding the throat portion comprises forming a pleat in the throat portion, wherein the pleat is adjacent to the inflator insert aperture.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the throat portion comprises an extension of the throat portion, wherein the extension extends in a cushion-distal direction beyond the seam.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of folding the throat portion comprises folding the extension such that a distal edge of the extension is directed away from the inflator insert aperture such that the fold is approximately perpendicular to a long axis of the throat portion.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of folding the throat portion further comprises folding the folded extension a second time such that the second fold is made in a direction that is perpendicular to the first fold.

27. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of obtaining a throat liner, which comprises a first panel of material and a second panel of material that are coupled together at a seam such that the throat liner comprises an inflator insert aperture.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of locating the throat liner within the void of the throat portion such that the inflator insert aperture of the throat portion surrounds and is approximately aligned with the inflator insert aperture of the throat liner.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of inserting the inflator into the throat portion comprises inserting the inflator between the first and second panels of the throat liner via the throat liner inflator insert aperture.

22. A method for inserting an inflator into a throat portion of an inflatable airbag cushion, comprising the steps of:

providing an inflatable airbag cushion having a throat portion that comprises a first panel and a second panel, wherein the first and second panels are coupled together at a seam to form a void, and wherein an end of the throat portion comprises an inflator insert aperture;

folding the throat portion;

applying a fastener to the folded throat portion such that the folded throat portion is retained in a folded configuration to form an assembly aid;

providing an inflator that is configured to be coupled to the throat portion;

grasping the folded throat portion;

separating the first and second panels; and

,

inserting the inflator within the throat portion, wherein the inflator is located between the first and second panels via the inflator insert aperture, thereby inserting the inflator in to the void of the throat portion.