Airbag assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator/shield subassembly, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover and a reaction device;
- said inflator/shield subassembly being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag;
said coupling device, said airbag, said inflator/shield subassembly and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements each of which extends through portions of said airbag, said cover, said reaction device and said inflator/shield subassembly.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag assembly 20 includes an inflator 100, a coupling device 300, an airbag 400, a cover 500 and a reaction device 600. The inflator 100 is positioned to supply inflation fluid to the airbag 400. The coupling device 300, the airbag 400, and the cover 500 are coupled to the reaction device 600 with a minimum number of fastening elements 28. The airbag assembly 20 further comprises a heat shield 200 which cradles a rear portion of the inflator 100 and which is coupled to the reaction device 600. The heat shield 200 is coupled to the reaction device by the fastening elements 28.
-
Citations
50 Claims
-
1. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator/shield subassembly, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover and a reaction device;
-
said inflator/shield subassembly being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said coupling device, said airbag, said inflator/shield subassembly and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements each of which extends through portions of said airbag, said cover, said reaction device and said inflator/shield subassembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator/shield subassembly, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device;
-
said inflator/shield subassembly being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said reaction device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion which receives a front portion of said inflator/shield subassembly; said coupling device, said airbag, said inflator/shield subassembly and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements; and each of said fastening elements extending through portions of said airbag, said cover, said inflator/shield subassembly and said rear wall of said reaction device. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device;
-
said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said reaction device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion which receives a front portion of said inflator; said cover being formed in one piece; said coupling device, said airbag, and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements; each of said fastening elements extending through said airbag, said cover and said rear wall of said reaction device; said coupling device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion, which receives said front portion of said inflator, and a planar coupling surface, which surrounds said inflator-accommodating portion; said rear wall of said reaction device including a planar coupling surface which surrounds its inflator-accommodating portion; said fastening elements being joined to said coupling surface of said coupling device; said fastening elements extending through said coupling surface of said reaction device; said coupling surface of said coupling device and said coupling surface of said reaction device being disposed in planes parallel to each other; and said inflator-accommodating portion of said coupling device comprising a curved impression which conforms to the outer contour of a central section of said front portion of said inflator and which includes a series of openings aligned with said primary discharge orifices.
-
-
16. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device;
-
said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said reaction device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion which receives a front portion of said inflator; said cover being formed in one piece; said coupling device, said airbag, and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements; each of said fastening elements extending through said airbag, said cover and said rear wall of said reaction device; said coupling device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion, which receives said front portion of said inflator, and a planar coupling surface, which surrounds said inflator-accommodating portion; said rear wall of said reaction device including a planar coupling surface which surrounds its inflator-accommodating portion; said fastening elements being joined to said coupling surface of said coupling device; said fastening elements extending through said coupling surface of said reaction device; said coupling surface of said coupling device and said coupling surface of said reaction device being disposed in planes parallel to each other; said airbag comprising a bag which is formed from a flexible fabric and which has a mouth portion defining a fluid inlet opening; said mouth portion including coupling openings sized and arranged to receive portions of said fastening elements; said cover comprising a coupling flange including coupling openings which receive said portions of said fastening elements; said mouth portion and said cover coupling flange being sandwiched between said rear wall of said coupling device and said rear wall of said reaction device; and said coupling device being enclosed with a hem formed in said mouth portion of said bag and said hem including said coupling openings of said airbag.
-
-
17. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device;
-
said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said reaction device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion which receives a front portion of said inflator; said cover being formed in one piece; said coupling device, said airbag, and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements; and each of said fastening elements extending through said airbag, said cover and said rear wall of said reaction device said coupling device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion, which receives said front portion of said inflator, and a planar coupling surface, which surrounds said inflator-accommodating portion; said rear wall of said reaction device including a planar coupling surface which surrounds its inflator-accommodating portion; said fastening elements being joined to said coupling surface of said coupling device; said fastening elements extending through said coupling surface of said reaction device; and said coupling surface of said coupling device and said coupling surface of said reaction device being disposed in planes parallel to each other; said airbag comprising a bag which is formed from a flexible fabric and which has a mouth portion defining a fluid inlet opening; said mouth portion including coupling openings sized and arranged to receive portions of said fastening elements; said cover comprising a coupling flange including coupling openings which receive said portions of said fastening elements; said mouth portion and said cover coupling flange being sandwiched between said rear wall of said coupling device and said rear wall of said reaction device; said airbag assembly further comprising a heat shield which cradles a rear portion of said inflator; said heat shield being integrally joined to said reaction device; and said airbag assembly further comprising a deflecting device which deflects inflation fluid away from said airbag mouth portion and said cover coupling flange and which directs the inflation fluid toward said airbag fluid inlet during deployment of said airbag assembly. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device;
-
said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said reaction device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating, portion which receives a front portion of said inflator; said coupling device, said airbag, and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements; each of said fastening elements extending through said airbag, said cover and said rear wall of said reaction device; said coupling device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion, which receives said front portion of said inflator, and a planar coupling surface, which surrounds said inflator-accommodating portion; said rear wall of said reaction device including a planar coupling surface which surrounds its inflator-accommodating portion; said fastening elements being joined to said coupling surface of said coupling device; said fastening elements extending through said coupling surface of said reaction device; said coupling surface of said coupling device and said coupling surface of said reaction device are disposed in planes parallel to each other; and said inflator-accommodating portion of said coupling device comprising a curved impression which conforms to the outer contour of a central section of said front portion of said inflator and which includes a series of openings aligned with said primary discharge orifices.
-
-
20. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device;
-
said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said reaction device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion which receives a front portion of said inflator; said coupling device, said airbag, and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements; each of said fastening elements extending through said airbag, said cover and said rear wall of said reaction device said coupling device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion, which receives said front portion of said inflator, and a planar coupling surface, which surrounds said inflator-accommodating portion; said rear wall of said reaction device including a planar coupling surface which surrounds its inflator-accommodating portion; said fastening elements being joined to said coupling surface of said coupling device; said fastening elements extending through said coupling surface of said reaction device; said coupling surface of said coupling device and said coupling surface of said reaction device being disposed in planes parallel to each other; said airbag comprising a bag which is formed from a flexible fabric and which has a mouth portion defining a fluid inlet opening; said mouth portion including coupling openings sized and arranged to receive portions of said fastening elements; said cover comprising a coupling flange including coupling openings which receive said portions of said fastening elements; said mouth portion and said cover coupling flange being sandwiched between said rear wall of said coupling device and said rear wall of said reaction device; said reaction device further comprising top and bottom walls and side walls; said top and bottom walls of said reaction device extending perpendicularly to and frontward from top and bottom edges of said rear wall of said reaction device; said side walls of said reaction device extending perpendicularly to and frontward from side edges of said rear wall and joining, at top and bottom edges, with said top and bottom walls of said reaction device; said coupling device further comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; said top and bottom walls of said coupling device extending perpendicularly to and frontward from top and bottom edges of said rear wall of said coupling device; said side walls of said coupling device extending perpendicularly to and frontward from side edges of said rear wall of said coupling device and joining, at top and bottom edges with said top and bottom walls of said coupling device; said cover comprising a front wall, side walls, and top and bottom walls; said top and bottom walls of said cover extending rearwardly from top and bottom edges of said front wall and said side walls of said cover extending rearwardly from side edges of said front wall; said coupling device being positioned within a cavity formed by said walls of said reaction device; and portions of said airbag and said cover being sandwiched between said top and bottom walls of said coupling device and said top and bottom walls of said reaction device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator, a heat shield, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover and a reaction device;
-
said inflator being coupled to said heat shield and positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said heat shield, said coupling device, said airbag, and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fasteners; each of said fasteners extending through said heat shield, said airbag, said cover, and said reaction device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A method of assembling an airbag assembly comprising the steps of:
-
providing an inflator, a heat shield, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device; coupling the inflator to the heat shield to form an inflator/shield subassembly; coupling the coupling device, the airbag, and the cover together to form an airbag/cover subassembly; coupling the airbag/cover subassembly to the reaction device to form a reaction/airbag/cover subassembly; and coupling the inflator/shield subassembly to the reaction/airbag/cover subassembly to complete the airbag assembly. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
-
-
41. A method of assembling an airbag assembly comprising the steps of:
-
providing an inflator, a heat shield, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device; coupling the inflator to the heat shield to form an inflator/shield subassembly; coupling the coupling device, the airbag, and the cover together to form an airbag/cover subassembly; coupling the airbag/cover subassembly to the reaction device to form a reaction/airbag/cover subassembly; and coupling the inflator/shield subassembly to the reaction/airbag/cover subassembly to complete the airbag assembly; wherein said step of coupling the inflator/shield subassembly to the reaction/airbag/cover subassembly is performed at a different location than said step of forming the airbag/cover subassembly. - View Dependent Claims (48)
-
-
42. A method of assembling an airbag assembly comprising the steps of:
-
providing an inflator, a heat shield, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device; coupling the inflator to the heat shield to form an inflator/shield subassembly; coupling the coupling device, the airbag, and the cover together to form an airbag/cover subassembly; coupling the airbag/cover subassembly to the reaction device to form a reaction/airbag/cover subassembly; and coupling the inflator/shield subassembly to the reaction/airbag/cover subassembly to complete the airbag assembly; wherein said step of coupling the coupling device, the airbag, and the cover together comprises positioning the airbag mouth portion around the coupling device.
-
-
43. A method of assembling an airbag assembly comprising the steps of:
-
providing an inflator, a heat shield, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device; coupling the inflator to the heat shield to form an inflator/shield subassembly; coupling the coupling device, the airbag, and the cover together to form an airbag/cover subassembly; coupling the airbag/cover subassembly to the reaction device to form a reaction/airbag/cover subassembly; and coupling the inflator/shield subassembly to the reaction/airbag/cover subassembly to complete the airbag assembly; wherein said step of coupling the coupling device, the airbag, and the cover together comprises enclosing said coupling device with a hem formed in the mouth portion of the bag.
-
-
44. A method of assembling an airbag assembly comprising the steps of:
-
providing an inflator, a heat shield, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device; coupling the heat shield and the reaction device together to form a combined heat shield/reaction device; coupling the inflator to the combined heat shield/reaction device to form a reaction/inflator/shield subassembly; coupling the coupling device, the airbag, and the cover together to form an airbag/cover subassembly; and coupling the reaction/inflator/shield subassembly and the airbag/cover subassembly together to complete the airbag assembly. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
-
-
47. An airbag assembly comprising an inflator/shield subassembly, a coupling device, an airbag, a cover, and a reaction device;
-
said inflator/shield subassembly being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said airbag; said reaction device including a rear wall having an inflator-accommodating portion which receives a front portion of an inflator housing; said coupling device, said airbag, said inflator/shield subassembly and said cover being coupled to said reaction device with a set of fastening elements; each of said fastening elements extending through said airbag, said cover, said inflator/shield subassembly and said rear wall of said reaction device; said inflator-accommodating portion of said reaction device comprising a curved impression which conforms to the outer contour of said front portion of said inflator housing. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
-
Specification