Inflation gas flow directing member for air bag system

• US 5,180,188 A
• Filed: 08/29/1991
• Issued: 01/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Gregory A., Frantz, Brian H., Jensen, Jack L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyson, Karin L.
• Application Number:
  US07/752,135
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728, 280/729, 280/743, 280/736, 280/742, 280/731, 280/730, 280/732, 280/740
• US Class Current: 280/740
• 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 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

An occupant restraint system includes a folded cushion having an upper wall portion and a reaction member which is pocketed or sealed against the upper wall portion by a sheet of flexible material having an inner portion covering the reaction member and an outer peripheral portion which is secured to the upper wall portion. The reaction member is mounted to the support of the system by a flexible strap and has a sharpened edge. During a subsequent stage of deployment of the cushion, the sharpened edge of the reaction member severs the peripheral portion of the sheet of flexible material from the inner portion thereof so that the peripheral portion and the upper wall of the cushion can move normal to or toward the occupant.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint system comprising, support means, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted to the support means and including an upper wall portion spaced from the support means, a source of pressure fluid for inflating and deploying the cushion, a pressure fluid reaction member covering the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion, means mounting the reaction member to the support means in overlying relationship to the source of pressure fluid, a sheet of flexible material having an inner portion covering the reaction member and an outer portion secured to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion, the sheet of flexible material pocketing the reaction member to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion to seal the interface between the reaction member and such upper wall portion during the initial stage of deployment of the cushion, and means associated with the reaction member severing the outer portion of the sheet of flexible material from the inner portion thereof during a subsequent stage of deployment of the cushion to permit such outer portion to move with the cushion toward the occupant.

2. An occupant restraint system comprising, support means, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted to the support means and including an upper wall portion spaced from the support means, a source of pressure fluid for inflating and deploying the cushion, a pressure fluid reaction member covering the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion, means mounting the reaction member to the support means in overlying relationship to the source of pressure fluid, a sheet of flexible material covering the reaction member and having an outer edge portion secured to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion adjacent to and outwardly of the edge portion of the reaction member, the sheet of flexible material pocketing the reaction member to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion to seal the interface between the edge portion of the reaction member and such upper wall portion during the initial stage of deployment of the cushion, and means on the reaction member severing the sheet of flexible material from the reaction member during a subsequent stage of deployment of the cushion to permit the upper wall portion of the cushion to move toward the occupant.

3. An occupant restraint system comprising, support means, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted to the support means and including an upper wall portion spaced from the support means, a source of pressure fluid for inflating and deploying the cushion, a pressure fluid reaction member covering the inside of the upper wall portion of cushion, means mounting the reaction member to the support means in overlying relationship to the source of pressure fluid, a sheet of flexible material covering the reaction member and having the outer edge portion thereof secured to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion adjacent the edge of the reaction member, the sheet of flexible material pocketing the reaction member to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion to seal the interface between the reaction member and such upper wall portion during the initial stage of deployment of the cushion, and means on the edge portion of the reaction member severing the reaction member from the sheet of flexible material during a subsequent stage of deployment of the cushion to permit the upper wall portion of the cushion to move toward the occupant.

4. An occupant restraint system comprising, support means, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted to the support means and including an upper wall portion spaced from the support means, support means, a source of pressure fluid for inflating and deploying the cushion, a pressure fluid reaction member covering the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion and including a sharpened edge portion, means mounting the reaction member to the support means in overlying relationship to the source of pressure fluid, and a sheet of flexible material covering the reaction member and having the outer edge portion thereof secured to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion, the sheet of flexible material pocketing the reaction member to the inside of the upper wall portion of the cushion to seal the interface between the edge portion of the reaction member and such upper wall portion during the initial stage of deployment of the cushion, the sharpened edge portion of the reaction member severing the sheet of flexible material from the reaction member during a subsequent stage of deployment of the cushion to permit the upper wall portion of the cushion to move toward the occupant.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein the sharpened edge of the reaction member includes corner portions having sharpened areas and being downwardly offset toward the inflator for severing the sheet of flexible material prior to the edge portions severing the sheet of flexible material.

6. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein the sheet of flexible material is secured to the reaction member.