Airbag

• US 20110049852A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: O'Leary, Patrick James, Kibat, Jonathan Richard, Wiik, Richard Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23388 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An occupant side-impact protection apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising an inflatable cushion stored in a folded configuration and an inflator configured to provide gas to inflate the cushion. The cushion is configured to inflate to protect the occupant of a vehicle. The side-impact protection apparatus further includes a tether to provide tension to tailor the deployment trajectory of the cushion. The tether is coupled to the cushion at a first coupling location and a second coupling location and the distance along the tether from the first coupling location to the second coupling location is less than the distance along the cushion from the first coupling location to the second coupling location.

Claims

1. An occupant side-impact protection apparatus for a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an inflatable cushion stored in a folded configuration;

an inflator configured to provide gas to inflate the cushion;

wherein the cushion is configured to inflate to protect the occupant of a vehicle; and

a tether to provide tension to tailor the deployment trajectory of the cushion;

wherein the tether is coupled to the cushion at a first coupling location and a second coupling location; and

wherein the distance along the tether from the first coupling location to the second coupling location is less than the distance along the cushion from the first coupling location to the second coupling location.

2. The protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushion is configured to deploy from the outboard side of a seat assembly within the vehicle.

3. The protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushion is configured to deploy from the inboard side of a seat assembly within the vehicle.

4. The protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tether is configured to couple to an external surface of the cushion.

5. The protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushion includes at least one fold between the first coupling location and the second coupling location.

6. The protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushion includes at least one crease between the first coupling location and the second coupling location.

7. The protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushion includes at least one fold and at least one crease between the first coupling location and the second coupling location.

28. The protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first coupling location of the tether is located on a perimeter of the cushion and the second coupling location of the tether is located on a portion of the cushion away from the perimeter.

29. The protection apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a second tether coupled to the cushion at a first coupling location and a second coupling location;

and wherein the distance along the second tether from the first coupling location to the second coupling location is less than the distance along the cushion from the first coupling location to the second coupling location; and

wherein both the first coupling location and the second coupling locations of the second tether are located on a perimeter of the cushion.

8. An occupant side-impact protection apparatus for a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an inflatable cushion stored in a folded configuration;

an inflator configured to provide gas to inflate the cushion;

wherein the cushion is configured to inflate to protect the occupant of a vehicle; and

a tether to provide tension to tailor the deployment trajectory of the cushion,

wherein the tether is coupled to the cushion at a first coupling location and a second coupling location;

wherein the distance along the tether from the first coupling location to the second coupling location is less than the distance along the cushion from the first coupling location to the second coupling location; and

wherein both the first coupling location and the second coupling locations are located on a perimeter of the cushion.

9. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cushion is configured to deploy from the outboard side of a seat assembly within the vehicle.

10. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cushion is configured to deploy from the inboard side of a seat assembly within the vehicle.

11. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tether further includes a shortening mechanism located between the first and second coupling locations and the shortening mechanism includes at least one fold and at least one stitch.

12. The protection apparatus of claim 11, wherein the stitch is configured to tear when the tether is subjected to a predetermined tension.

13. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cushion is configured to deploy from a seat assembly within the vehicle.

14. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tether is configured to couple to an external surface of the cushion.

15. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cushion includes at least one fold between the first coupling location and the second coupling location.

16. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cushion includes at least one crease between the first coupling location and the second coupling location.

17. The protection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cushion includes at least one fold and at least one crease between the first coupling location and the second coupling location.

30. The protection apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a second tether coupled to the cushion at a first coupling location and a second coupling location;

and wherein the distance along the second tether from the first coupling location to the second coupling location is less than the distance along the cushion from the first coupling location to the second coupling location; and

wherein the first coupling location of the second tether is located on a perimeter of the cushion and the second coupling location of the second tether is located on a portion of the cushion away from the perimeter.

18-27. -27. (canceled)