ROAD VEHICLE FRONT AIRBAG

• US 20110285118A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ferrari SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Ferrari SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Bruzzone, Michela, Pizzagalli, Veniero
• Granted Patent: US 8,794,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 27/045 by permanent magnets

Abstract

A front airbag for a road vehicle; the front airbag having: a stowage compartment formed in a front portion of the dashboard of the road vehicle; a bag normally deflated and folded inside the stowage compartment; and a generator which is housed inside the stowage compartment, is connected to the bag, and inflates the bag in the event of collision; the inflated bag has a longitudinal depth that decreases substantially in a thrust direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the road vehicle.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A steering wheel assembly provided with a front airbag for a road vehicle, the steering wheel assembly comprising:

a steering column;

a central hub connected rigidly to a free end of the steering column so that the central hub is fixed and does not rotate;

a steering wheel extending about the central hub and mounted for rotation on the steering column;

a stowage compartment arranged in the central hub;

a bag of the front airbag normally deflated and folded inside the stowage compartment; and

a generator which is housed inside the stowage compartment, is connected to the bag, and inflates the bag in the event of collision,

wherein the inflated bag has a longitudinal depth that decreases substantially in a thrust direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the road vehicle.

11. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the inflated bag has a longitudinal depth that decreases substantially in a transverse thrust direction from the side of the road vehicle to the centre of the road vehicle, so that the longitudinal depth of the inflated bag is maximum on the side facing the side of the road vehicle, and is minimum on the side facing the centre of the road vehicle.

12. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ratio of the maximum longitudinal depth of the inflated bag to the minimum longitudinal depth of the inflated bag ranges between 1.3 and 2.

13. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the inflated bag has a longitudinal depth that decreases substantially in a vertical upward thrust direction, so that the longitudinal depth of the inflated bag is maximum at the bottom and minimum at the top.

14. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the ratio of the maximum longitudinal depth of the inflated bag to the minimum longitudinal depth of the inflated bag ranges between 1.3 and 2.

15. A steering wheel assembly provided with a front airbag for a road vehicle;

the steering wheel assembly comprises;

a steering column;

a central hub connected rigidly to a free end of the steering column so that the central hub is fixed and does not rotate;

a steering wheel extending about the central hub and mounted for rotation on the steering column;

a stowage compartment arranged in the central hub;

a bag of the front airbag normally deflated and folded inside the stowage compartment; and

a generator which is housed inside the stowage compartment, is connected to the bag, and inflates the bag in the event of collision,

wherein the inflated bag has a square front section, and has an axis of symmetry sloping towards the centre of the road vehicle with respect to a vertical axis of symmetry of the stowage compartment so that the inflated bag slopes towards the centre of the road vehicle.

16. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the axis of symmetry of the inflated bag slopes towards the centre of the road vehicle with respect to the vertical axis of symmetry of the stowage compartment by an angle ranging between 8°

and 30°

.

17. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the axis of symmetry of the inflated bag slopes towards the centre of the road vehicle with respect to the vertical axis of symmetry of the stowage compartment by an angle of 10°

.

18. A steering wheel assembly provided with a front airbag for a road vehicle, the steering wheel assembly comprising:

a steering column;

a central hub connected rigidly to a free end of the steering column so that the central hub is fixed and does not rotate;

a steering wheel extending about the central hub and mounted for rotation on the steering column;

a stowage compartment arranged in the central hub;

a bag of the front airbag normally deflated and folded inside the stowage compartment; and

a generator which is housed inside the stowage compartment, is connected to the bag, and inflates the bag in the event of collision,

wherein inflated bag has a generally circular front section, with an additional volume on top that has an arc-shaped front section and an angular width of 90° and

two voids on opposite sides, that extend up to the start of the additional volume, are located in the top half of the inflated bag, and each having an angular width of 60°

.

19. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the additional volume has an arc-shaped front section of a height roughly equal to 20% of the radius of the front section of the inflated bag.