Dual Chambered Passenger Airbag

• US 20150042080A1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2013
• 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: Perez, Jaime F., Maripudi, Vivek, Guerrero, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,862,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• 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 21/2334 Expansion control features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An airbag includes an outer shell defining an interior of the airbag, and a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into a first chamber and a second chamber. The divider includes a body portion and at least one flap attached to the body portion along an edge. The divider is attached to the outer shell so as to form a gas-tight seal between the outer shell and the body portion and so as to form a gas flow passage between the at least one flap and the outer shell.

Claims

1. An airbag comprising:

an outer shell defining an interior of the airbag; and

a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into a first chamber and a second chamber, the divider including a body portion and at least one flap attached to the body portion along an edge, the divider being attached to the outer shell so as to form a gas-tight seal between the outer shell and the body portion and so as to form a gas flow passage between the at least one flap and the outer shell.

2. A vehicle occupant protection system including an airbag in accordance with claim 1.

3. A vehicle comprising an airbag accordance with claim 1.

4. The airbag of claim 1 wherein the body portion includes a plurality of flaps, each flap being attached to the body portion along an associated edge thereof, and wherein the divider is attached to the outer shell so as to form a gas-tight seal between the outer shell and the body portion and so as to form an associated gas flow passage between the outer shell and each flap of the plurality of flaps.

5. The airbag of claim 4 wherein the divider is attached to the outer shell so as to form a gas flow passage between a first flap of the plurality of flaps and a portion of the outer shell forming a left side of the airbag, and so as to form a gas flow passage between a second flap of the plurality of flaps and a portion of the outer shell forming a right side of the airbag,

6. The airbag of claim 5 wherein the divider is attached to the outer shell so as to form a gas flow passage between a third flap of the plurality of flaps and a portion of the outer shell forming a front impact side of the airbag.

7. The airbag of claim 1 wherein a portion of at least one flap of the plurality of flaps is directly attached to the outer shell so as to form a gas-tight seal between the outer shell and the attached flap portion.

8. The airbag of claim 1 wherein the divider is attached to the outer shell such that the at least one flap resides within the second chamber, and such that the at least one flap is forced into contact with the outer shell so as to restrict a transfer gases from the second chamber through the flow passage to the first chamber, responsive to a pressure differential wherein a pressure in the second chamber is greater than a pressure in the first chamber.

9. A divider for an airbag, the divider comprising:

a body portion having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and an opening enabling fluid communication between the first and second sides; and

a hollow member surrounding the opening and secured to the body portion so as to form a gas-tight seal between the member and the body portion, the member being structured such that walls of the member are forced apart to enable a transfer gases from the first side through the member to the second side, responsive to a pressure differential wherein a pressure on the first side is greater than a pressure on the second side, the member also being structured such that walls of the member are forced into contact with each other so as to restrict a transfer gases from the second side through the member to the first side, responsive to a pressure differential wherein the pressure on the second side is greater than the pressure on the first side.

10. An airbag including a divider in accordance with claim 9.

11. A vehicle occupant protection system including an airbag in accordance with claim 10.

12. A vehicle comprising an airbag accordance with claim 10.

13. The divider of claim 9 wherein the member is cylindrical.

14. The divider of claim 9 wherein the divider is formed from a first and a second piece of material connected to each other along edge portions thereof so as to form gas-tight seals along the connected portions, and wherein the member is formed from portions of the connected portions

15. The divider of claim 13 wherein the member has a length within the range of 20 mm to 50 mm extending from the body portion second side.

16. The divider of claim 9 wherein the member is structured to ensure that the member does not pass through the opening from the second side to the first side in response to a reverse pressure differential.

17. An airbag comprising:

an outer shell defining an interior of the airbag; and

a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into a first chamber and a second chamber,

a portion of the divider being attached to the outer shell, the portion of the divider including an opening adjacent the outer shell, the portion of the divider being oriented with respect to the outer shell such that movement of the outer shell in a direction toward the opening closes the opening.

18. The airbag of claim 17 wherein the airbag is structured such that the portion of the divider slopes in a downward direction when the airbag is in an inflated condition.

19. The airbag of claim 18 wherein the airbag is structured such that the divider slopes in a downward direction starting from a first location which is two-thirds of a distance from a location on the airbag at which the bag is structured for attachment to a vehicle for receiving inflation gas therein, and proceeding toward a second location at which the divider is attached to the outer shell of the airbag.