Inflatable vehicle occupant protection device

• US 6,086,092 A
• Filed: 07/07/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Hill, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/111,299
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23332 using independent bags, one within the other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• 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 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) comprises an outer bag (40) comprising an outer panel (42) and an inner panel (44) sewn together along their outer peripheral portions by an external seam (70). The inner panel (44) of the outer bag (40) has a first mouth portion (66) fixable on the vehicle. The outer panel (44) of the outer bag (40) has an occupant contact portion (54) opposite the first mouth portion (66) which is movable in a first direction away from the first mouth portion upon inflation of the outer bag. An inner bag (30) located within the outer bag (40) comprises an outer panel (32) and an inner panel (34) sewn together along their outer peripheral portions by an external seam (100). The inner panel (34) of the inner bag (30) has a second mouth portion (86) fixable on the vehicle. The outer panel (32) of the inner bag (30) has an outer portion (74) opposite the second mouth portion (86) which is movable in the first direction away from the second mouth portion upon inflation of the inner bag. The second mouth portion (86) of the inner bag (30) has an inflation fluid inlet opening (88) extending around an axis (20, 52) of the second mouth portion for enabling inflation fluid to flow into the inner bag in the first direction. The outer bag (40) is inflated only by inflation fluid which first flows into the inner bag (30). The inner bag (30) has fluid vent means (90) for directing inflation fluid to flow out of the inner bag and into the outer bag (40) only in directions which are outward from the axis (20, 52) and in a direction away from the occupant contact portion (54) of the outer bag. In a preferred embodiment, an area (112) of the outer portion (74) of the inner bag (30) engages an area (110) of the occupant contact portion (54) of the outer bag (40) to block the flow of inflation fluid between the area (110) of the outer bag and the area (112) of the inner bag.

Claims

1. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said inflatable device being inflatable by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said inflatable device comprising:

an outer bag having a first mouth portion fixable on the vehicle and having an occupant contact portion opposite said first mouth portion, said occupant contact portion of said outer bag being movable in a first direction away from said first mouth portion of said outer bag upon inflation of said outer bag;

an inner bag located within said outer bag, said inner bag having a second mouth portion fixable on the vehicle and having an outer portion opposite said second mouth portion of said inner bag, said outer portion of said inner bag being movable in said first direction away from said second mouth portion of said inner bag upon inflation of said inner bag; and

means for securing an area of said outer portion in engagement with an area of said occupant contact portion, said means including means for blocking the flow of inflation fluid between said area of said occupant contact portion of said outer bag and said area of said outer portion of said inner bag;

said second mouth portion of said inner bag having an inflation fluid inlet opening extending around an axis of said second mouth portion for enabling inflation fluid to flow into said inner bag in said first direction;

said outer bag being inflated only by inflation fluid which first flows into said inner bag, said inner bag having fluid vent means for directing inflation fluid to flow out of said inner bag and into said outer bag only in directions which are outward from said axis and in a direction away from said occupant contact portion of said outer bag.

2. A protection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer bag comprises an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said outer bag having said first mouth portion of said outer bag and said outer panel of said outer bag having said occupant contact portion;

said inner bag comprising an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said inner bag having said second mouth portion and said outer panel of said inner bag having said outer portion of said inner bag.

3. A protection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for blocking the flow of inflation fluid comprises a closed non-linear stitching section which extends through said occupant contact portion of said outer bag and said outer portion of said inner bag, said closed non-linear stitching section enclosing and defining said area of said occupant contact portion of said outer bag and said area of said outer portion of said inner bag which overlie each other in abutting engagement.

4. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

an outer bag comprising an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said outer bag having a first mouth portion fixable on the vehicle, said outer panel of said outer bag having an occupant contact portion opposite said first mouth portion, said occupant contact portion being movable in a first direction away from said first mouth portion upon inflation of said outer bag;

an inner bag located within said outer bag, said inner bag comprising an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said outer bag having a second mouth portion fixable on the vehicle, said outer panel of said inner bag having an outer portion opposite said second mouth portion, said outer portion of said inner bag being movable in said first direction away from said second mouth portion upon inflation of said inner bag; and

said second mouth portion of said inner bag having an inflation fluid inlet opening extending around an axis of said second mouth portion for enabling inflation fluid to flow into said inner bag in said first direction;

said outer bag being inflated only by inflation fluid which first flows into said inner bag, said inner bag having fluid vent means for directing inflation fluid to flow out of said inner bag and into said outer bag only in directions which are outward from said axis and in a direction away from said occupant contact portion of said outer bag; and

a tether disposed within said inner bag for limiting movement of said outer portion of said inner bag away from said second mouth portion of said inner bag, said occupant contact portion of said outer bag being spaced apart from said outer portion of said inner bag when said protection device is inflated; and

a first tether disposed within said inner bag for limiting movement of said outer portion of said inner bag away from said second mouth portion of said inner bag; and

a second tether connected between said inner bag and said outer bag for limiting movement of said outer bag away from said inner bag when said protection device is inflated, said second tether having a central portion sewn to said occupant contact portion of said outer bag and having opposite end portions sewn to said external seam of said inner bag.

5. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

an outer bag comprising an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said outer bag having a first mouth portion fixable on the vehicle, said outer panel of said outer bag having an occupant contact portion opposite said first mouth portion, said occupant contact portion being movable in a first direction away from said first mouth portion upon inflation of said outer bag;

an inner bag located within said outer bag, said inner bag comprising an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said outer bag having a second mouth portion fixable on the vehicle, said outer panel of said inner bag having an outer portion opposite said second mouth portion, said outer portion of said inner bag being movable in said first direction away from said second mouth portion upon inflation of said inner bag; and

said second mouth portion of said inner bag having an inflation fluid inlet opening extending around an axis of said second mouth portion for enabling inflation fluid to flow into said inner bag in said first direction;

said outer bag being inflated only by inflation fluid which first flows into said inner bag, said inner bag having fluid vent means for directing inflation fluid to flow out of said inner bag and into said outer bag only in directions which are outward from said axis and in a direction away from said occupant contact portion of said outer bag; and

means for securing an area of said outer portion of said inner bag in engagement with an area of said occupant contact portion, said means for securing including means for blocking the flow of inflation fluid between said area of said occupant contact portion of said outer bag and said area of said outer portion of said inner bag.

6. A protection device as set fort in claim 5 wherein said means for blocking the flow of inflation fluid comprises a closed non-linear stitching section which extends through said occupant contact portion of said outer bag and said outer portion of said inner bag, said closed non-linear stitching section enclosing and defining said area of said occupant contact portion of said outer bag and said area of said outer portion of said inner bag which overlie each other in abutting engagement.

7. A protection device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said fluid vent means comprises a plurality of openings in said inner panel of said inner bag.

8. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

an outer bag comprising an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said outer bag having a first mouth portion fixable on the vehicle, said outer panel of said outer bag having an occupant contact portion opposite said first mouth portion, said occupant contact portion being movable in a first direction away from said first mouth portion upon inflation of said outer bag;

an inner bag located within said outer bag, said inner bag comprising an outer panel and an inner panel sewn together along their respective outer peripheral portions by an external seam, said inner panel of said outer bag having a second mouth portion fixable on the vehicle, said outer panel of said inner bag having an outer portion opposite said second mouth portion, said outer portion of said inner bag being movable in said first direction away from said second mouth portion upon inflation of said inner bag; and

said second mouth portion of said inner bag having an inflation fluid inlet opening extending around an axis of said second mouth portion for enabling inflation fluid to flow into said inner bag in said first direction;

said outer bag being inflated only by inflation fluid which first flows into said inner bag, said inner bag having fluid vent means for directing inflation fluid to flow out of said inner bag and into said outer bag only in directions which are outward from said axis and in a direction away from said occupant contact portion of said outer bag; and

a tether disposed within said inner bag for limiting movement of said outer portion of said inner bag away from said second mouth portion of said inner bag, said occupant contact portion of said outer bag being spaced apart from said outer portion of said inner bag when said protection device is inflated.

9. A protection device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said tether has a central portion sewn to said outer portion of said inner bag and opposite end portions sewn to said second mouth portion of said inner bag.