Air bag assembly

• US 6,073,960 A
• Filed: 04/24/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Hopf, Philip Wendel, Kaiser, Axel, Shah, Minoo Jaswantlal, Viano, David Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winner, Tony
• Application Number:
  US09/065,912
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0072 Convertible cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23123 Heat protection panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A vehicle has an upper front interior corner and at least one seating position for a vehicle occupant. An air bag assembly includes an inflator for generating gas; and an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator. The air bag is stored in the upper front interior corner of the vehicle, and the air bag is a single integral air bag having a frontal portion and a side portion. The frontal portion and the side portion are in fluid communication with each other. Upon air bag deployment, the frontal portion deploys downwardly and in front of the vehicle occupant and the side portion deploys downwardly and to the side of the vehicle occupant such that the air bag wraps around the occupant during deployment. Preferably, the frontal portion and the side portion are generally 90 degrees relative to each other. Also preferably, the vehicle has air bag assemblies in opposite front upper interior corners that are mirror images of each other for commonization of parts.

Claims

1. An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior corners, the vehicle having positions for seating vehicle occupants on opposing side of the vehicle proximate the upper front interior corners, the air bag system comprising:

a first air bag assembly located in one of the upper front interior corners and a second air bag assembly located in the other of the upper front interior corners, each of the air bag assemblies comprising;

an inflator for generating gas, and

an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator, the air bag being a single integral air bag that includes a tether extending between a side portion and a frontal portion, the frontal portion and the side portion being in fluid communication with each other, the frontal portion being sized and shaped for deploying downwardly and in front of the respective vehicle occupant and the side portion being sized and shaped for deploying downwardly and to the side of the respective vehicle occupant;

whereby the first and second air bag assemblies are mirror images of each other.

2. The air bag system of claim 1 wherein the frontal portions and the side portions of each of the air bag assemblies are generally 90 degrees relative to each other.

3. The air bag system of claim 1 wherein the air bag assemblies each include a tether positioned between the respective side portions and the frontal portions for directing inflation gas.

4. The air bag system of claim 1 wherein the side portions of the air bag assemblies deploy quicker than the frontal portions of the air bag assemblies.

5. The air bag system of claim 1 wherein the frontal portions have greater volumes than the respective side portions.

6. The air bag system of claim 1 wherein the peak inflation of the side portions occur at about 30 ms after sensing and wherein the peak inflation of the frontal portions occur at about 50 ms after sensing.

7. The air bag system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes opposing A-pillars and wherein the respective frontal portions intersect the respective side portions to define central A-pillar portions that deploy downwardly between the occupants and the A-pillars of the vehicle.

8. An air bag assembly in a vehicle having an upper front interior corner, the vehicle having at least one seating position for a vehicle occupant, the air bag assembly comprising:

an inflator for generating gas; and

an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator and being stored in the upper front interior corner of the vehicle, the air bag being a single integral air bag that includes a tether extending between a side portion and a frontal portion, whereby upon air bag deployment, the frontal portion deploys downwardly and in front of the vehicle occupant and wherein the side portion deploys downwardly and to the side of the vehicle occupant such that the air bag wraps around the occupant during deployment for continuous front to side coverage.

9. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the frontal portion and the side portion are in fluid communication with each other.

10. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the air bag is stored solely in the upper front interior corner of the vehicle.

11. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 8 including a housing covering the air bag.

12. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the frontal portion extends generally at ninety degrees relative to the side portion.

13. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the side portion is longer and taller than the frontal portion.

14. In a vehicle having at least one A-pillar, a B-pillar, a side roof rail extending between the A-pillar and B-pillar, an upper front interior corner at the intersection of the roof rail and the A-pillar and at least one seating position for a vehicle occupant, an air bag assembly comprising:

an inflator for generating gas; and

an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator;

the air bag being stored in the upper front interior corner of the vehicle, the air bag being a single integral air bag that includes a tether extending between a side portion and a frontal portion, whereby upon air bag deployment, the frontal portion deploys downwardly and in front of the vehicle occupant and wherein the side portion deploys downwardly and to the side of the vehicle occupant such that the air bag wraps around the occupant during deployment for continuous front to side coverage.

15. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the frontal portion and the side portion are in fluid communication with each other.

16. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the air bag is stored solely in the upper front interior corner of the vehicle.

17. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 14 including a housing covering the air bag.

18. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the frontal portion extends generally at ninety degrees relative to the side portion.

19. An air bag assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the side portion is longer and taller than the frontal portion.

20. An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior corners, the vehicle having positions for seating vehicle occupants on opposing side of the vehicle proximate the upper front interior corners, the air bag system comprising:

a first air bag assembly located solely in one of the upper front interior corners and a second air bag assembly located solely in the other of the upper front interior corners, each of the air bag assemblies comprising;

an inflator for generating gas, and

an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator, the air bag being a single integral air bag that includes a tether extending between a side portion and a frontal portion, the frontal portion and the side portion being in fluid communication with each other, the frontal portion being sized and shaped for deploying downwardly and in front of the respective vehicle occupant and the side portion being sized and shaped for deploying downwardly and to the side of the respective vehicle occupant;

whereby the first and second air bag assemblies are mirror images of each other.