RESTRAINT SYSTEM

• US 20190039549A1
• Filed: 08/01/2017
• Published: 02/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Christopher Stephen, Lee, Jacob Wookeun
• Granted Patent: US 10,589,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; devices, apparatus or methods for life-saving in general A62B; safety devices for propulsion unit control specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles B60K28/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19; harnessing in aircraft B64D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• 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 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/263 using a variable source, e.g. plural stage or controlled output hybrid inflators B60R21/272
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/30 with means to draw ambient air into the flow line and mix such air with the inflation fluid

Abstract

A restraint system includes an instrument panel having an exterior panel directed downward, an airbag having an uninflated position behind the exterior panel and having a left chamber and a right chamber, a left inflator coupled to the left chamber, a right inflator coupled to the right chamber, and a controller programmed to selectively activate each inflator to one of a high output and a low output based on an impact angle.

Claims

1. A restraint system comprising:

an instrument panel having an exterior panel directed downward;

an airbag having an uninflated position behind the exterior panel and having a left chamber and a right chamber;

a left inflator coupled to the left chamber;

a right inflator coupled to the right chamber; and

a controller programmed to selectively activate each inflator to one of a high output and a low output based on an impact angle.

2. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to activate the left inflator to the high output in response to a left oblique impact and to activate the right inflator to the high output in response to a right oblique impact.

3. The restraint system of claim 2, wherein the controller is programmed to activate the right inflator to the low output in response to a left oblique impact and to activate the left inflator to the low output in response to a right oblique impact.

4. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to receive a signal indicating lateral acceleration of a vehicle including the restraint system, and to activate both inflators at a low output in response to determining that an absolute value of the lateral acceleration is below an acceleration threshold.

5. The restraint system of claim 4, wherein the acceleration threshold is a first acceleration threshold, and the controller is programmed to release the right tether in response to a left oblique impact upon determining that the lateral acceleration is above a second acceleration threshold, and to release the left tether in response to a right oblique impact upon determining that the lateral acceleration is above the second acceleration threshold.

6. The restraint system of claim 5, wherein the second acceleration threshold is greater than the first acceleration threshold.

7. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to receive a signal indicating a position of a seat, and to retain the airbag in an uninflated position in response to determining that the seat is farther forward than a longitudinal threshold.

8. The restraint system of claim 1, further comprising a left vent in communication with the left chamber, a right vent in communication with the right chamber, a left tether coupled to the left vent and releasably coupled to the instrument panel, and a right tether coupled to the right vent and releasably coupled to the instrument panel.

9. The restraint system of claim 8, wherein the vents are active vents.

10. The restraint system of claim 9, further comprising an airbag housing coupled to the instrument panel, wherein the airbag in the uninflated position is disposed in the airbag housing.

11. The restraint system of claim 10, further comprising a left release mechanism and a right release mechanism fixed relative to the airbag housing and in communication with the controller, wherein the left release mechanism is positioned to release the left tether, and the right release mechanism is positioned to release the right tether.

12. The restraint system of claim 11, wherein the left release mechanism is a left cutter positioned to sever the left tether, and the right release mechanism is a right cutter positioned to sever the right tether.

13. The restraint system of claim 11, wherein the left release mechanism is a left release pin coupling the left tether to the airbag housing, and the right release mechanism is a right release pin coupling the right tether to the airbag housing.

14. The restraint system of claim 1, further comprising an impact sensor in communication with the controller.

15. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the airbag includes a dividing panel defining the left chamber and the right chamber.

16. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the airbag is disposed to inflate at least partially below the instrument panel.

17. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the airbag is positioned to contact knees of a 50th percentile occupant of a seat facing the instrument panel when the airbag is inflated.

18. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the airbag is a first airbag, the restraint system further comprising a second airbag coupled to the instrument panel above the first airbag.