AIRBAG SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE AIRBAG SYSTEM

• US 20190329727A1
• Filed: 04/25/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Interieur Industrie (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Interieur Industrie (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: ONORATO ESTEVEZ, David
• Granted Patent: US 11,485,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21537 characterised by hinges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2334 Expansion control features

Abstract

An airbag system for a vehicle includes: (i) an airbag chute module which forms a guide to direct an airbag deployment provided with a through-opening, (ii) a deployment panel being movable between a through-opening closing position in which the deployment panel covers at least partially the through-opening and an airbag deployment position in which the deployment panel enables the airbag deployment through the through-opening, and (iii) at least a flexible retention net having a first plane-portion disposed within the airbag chute module, a second plane-portion disposed within the deployment panel and a third portion which extends from the first and second plane-portions. The third portion of the flexible retention net includes an overmolded area.

Claims

1. Airbag system for a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag chute module which forms a guide to direct an airbag deployment provided with a through-opening,

a deployment panel being movable between a through-opening closing position in which said deployment panel covers at least partially the through-opening and an airbag deployment position in which said deployment panel enables the airbag deployment through the through-opening, and

at least a flexible retention net comprising a first plane-portion disposed within the airbag chute module, a second plane-portion disposed within the deployment panel and a third portion which extends from the first plane-portion and the second plane-portion,

wherein the third portion of the flexible retention net comprises an overmolded area.

2. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the flexible retention net is overmolded by a body distinct from the airbag chute module and the deployment panel.

3. Airbag system according to claim 2, wherein the body is integral with the deployment panel and the airbag chute module.

4. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the flexible retention net is overmolded by a body and the overmolded body is integral with the deployment panel and the airbag chute module

5. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the flexible retention net is configured to allow a rotation of the deployment panel with respect to the airbag chute module around an axis which is substantially parallel to an intersection line between the first plane-portion and the second plane-portion of the flexible retention net.

6. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the first plane-portion, the second plane-portion and the third portion of the flexible retention net form a T-shape.

7. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein:

the third portion of the flexible retention net is overmolded by a body, and

the third portion and the overmolded body form a rib protruding along a protrusion direction from an intersection line extending at the junction of the airbag chute module and the deployment panel.

8. Airbag system according to claim 7, wherein the rib extends away from the airbag chute module and the deployment panel except proximate the intersection line.

9. Airbag system according to claim 7, wherein:

the rib has a first lateral face and a second lateral face opposite to the first lateral face,

the first lateral face is adjacent to an internal face of the airbag chute module,

the second lateral face is adjacent to an internal face of the deployment panel,

the first lateral face forms an angle with the internal face of the airbag chute module which is not less than 10 degrees, and

the second lateral face forms an angle with the internal face of the deployment panel which is not less than 10 degrees.

10. Airbag system according to claim 7, wherein:

the rib has a first lateral face and a second lateral face opposite to the first lateral face,

the first lateral face is adjacent to an internal face of the airbag chute module,

the second lateral face is adjacent to an internal face of the deployment panel,

the first lateral face is away from the internal face of the airbag chute module, except along a first junction line, and

the second lateral face is away from the internal face of the deployment panel, except along a second junction line.

11. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the flexible retention net corresponds to a folded portion of the flexible retention net.

12. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the flexible retention net has two longitudinal ends along a longitudinal direction and the overmolded area extends away from said two longitudinal ends.

13. Airbag system according to claim 12, wherein the third portion has its greatest dimension in the longitudinal direction.

14. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the overmolded area extends at least on half of the third portion of the flexible retention net along a deployment direction.

15. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the overmolded area extends on the entire third portion of the flexible retention net along a deployment direction.

16. Airbag system according to claim 14, wherein the deployment direction is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction along which the third portion of the flexible retention net has its greatest dimension.

17. Airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the flexible retention net is mainly overmolded and comprises at least one portion which is not overmolded.

18. Trim assembly comprising an airbag system according to claim 1.

19. Method for manufacturing an airbag system according to claim 1, comprising:

i) providing the flexible retention net, and

ii) achieving the airbag chute module, the deployment panel and a body by overmolding the flexible retention net with melted material, the first plane-portion of the flexible retention net being within the airbag chute module, the second plane-portion of the flexible retention net being within the deployment panel, and the third portion of the flexible retention net being overmolded by the body.

20. Method according to claim 19 further comprising folding the retention net in the third portion before overmolding.

21. Method according to claim 19 further comprising pressing the flexible retention net on opposite sides at longitudinal ends of the third portion, in order to maintain the flexible retention net.