Driver Airbag with Improved Head and Neck Injury Prevention

• US 20130181429A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Arthurs, Kirk David, Midoun, Djamal Eddine, Weng, Tzu-Chen, Fazio, John Vincent, Lee, Chunhui
• Application Number:
  US13/348,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20130181429A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An airbag assembly includes a steering wheel, an airbag housing mounted to a hub of the steering wheel, and an airbag stored in the housing. The airbag includes a rim-facing panel, a driver-facing panel, an upper tether extending between the housing and a first location on the driver-facing panel opposite from the hub, and a lower tether extending between the housing and a second location below the first location. The tethers shape the airbag to have a thicker head contact portion adjacent to the upper rim of the steering wheel and a thinner chest contact portion adjacent to the lower rim of the steering wheel. The shape provides more balanced occupant protection in a frontal crash event, because the thicker head contact portion reduces the driver'"'"'s head acceleration and neck injury.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel having an upper rim and a lower rim;

an airbag housing mounted to the steering wheel;

an airbag attached to the housing and having a deployed condition wherein a head contact portion of the airbag is adjacent to the upper rim of the steering wheel and a chest contact portion of the airbag is adjacent to the lower rim, the head contact portion having a thickness greater than a thickness of the chest contact portion;

an upper tether extending between the housing and a first location on the airbag adjacent a dividing line between the head contact portion and the chest contact portion; and

a lower tether extending between the housing and a second location on the chest contact portion.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the airbag comprises:

a driver-facing panel;

a rim-facing panel; and

a wedge-shaped panel between and connecting the driver-facing panel and the rim-facing panel, the wedge-shaped panel being wider adjacent to an uppermost extent of the airbag to achieve the greater thickness of the head contact portion.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the head contact portion has a maximum thickness at a level even with or above the upper rim.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower tethers are in the form of a strap.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the tethers are approximately 3 inches wide.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the head contact portion has a surface approximately parallel with a plane of the steering wheel.

7. An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel comprising a center section, an upper rim, and a lower rim;

an airbag housing mounted to the steering wheel center section;

an airbag contained in the housing when in a deflated condition housing and inflatable to a deployed condition, the airbag in the deployed condition comprising a chest contact portion adjacent to the lower rim and a head contact portion adjacent to the upper rim, the head contact portion being of a first thickness greater than a second thickness of the chest contact portion;

an upper tether extending between the housing and a first location on the airbag adjacent a dividing line between the head contact portion and the chest contact portion; and

a lower tether extending between the housing and a second location on the chest contact portion.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the airbag comprises:

a driver-facing panel;

a rim-facing panel; and

a wedge-shaped panel between and connecting the driver-facing panel and the rim-facing panel, the wedge-shaped panel being wider adjacent to an uppermost extent of the airbag to achieve the greater thickness of the head contact portion.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the head contact portion has a maximum thickness at a level even with or above the upper rim.

10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the upper and lower tethers are in the form of a strap.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the tethers are approximately 3 inches wide.

12. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the head contact portion has a surface approximately parallel with a plane of the steering wheel.

13. An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel comprising a hub, an upper rim, and a lower rim;

an airbag housing mounted to the hub; and

an airbag stored in the housing when in a deflated condition and comprising;

a rim-facing panel;

a driver-facing panel;

an upper tether extending between the housing and a first location on the driver-facing panel opposite from the hub; and

a lower tether extending between the housing and a second location on the driver-facing panel below the first location, the tethers being located to shape the airbag in an inflated condition to have a head contact portion adjacent to the upper rim and a chest contact portion adjacent to the lower rim, the head contact portion being of a first thickness greater than a second thickness of the chest contact portion.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the airbag further comprises a wedge-shaped panel between and connecting the driver-facing panel and the rim-facing panel, the wedge-shaped panel being wider adjacent to an uppermost extent of the airbag.

15. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the head contact portion has a maximum thickness at a level even with or above the upper rim.

16. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the upper and lower tethers are in the form of a strap.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the tethers are approximately 3 inches wide.

18. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the head contact portion has a surface approximately parallel with a plane of the steering wheel.