Air bag with diverter and expanded volume chamber
First Claim
1. An air bag assembly comprising:
- a side impact air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) with a first side and an opposite rear part (60) with a second side;
an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (26a) which channel the inflation gas into the rear part of the first chamber in a determinable direction, the inflator positioned adjacent the second side;
the air bag further including a flow diverter (70, 90) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a significant portion of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the determinable direction, the flow diverter including a side wall spaced from the inflator, the side wall including an open top at one end of the side wall and a bottom at an opposite end of the side wall, the open top positioned adjacent the second side and wherein the inflation gas flows through the open top and wherein the bottom is closed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag for side impact protection system comprising: an air bag (50) having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined-together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) and an opposite rear part (60); an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (26a) which channel the inflation gas into the first chamber in a determinable direction; the air bag further including a flow diverter (70, 90) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a component of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the first direction. In one embodiment the flow diverter is formed as an open topped tube; in another embodiment; the flow diverter includes a plurality of vent openings in the side of the tube. In a third embodiment of the invention the diverter is formed by a permeable sack of material. In another embodiment of the invention the rear of each of the first and second panels includes a curved portion which is separated by a curved separator panel to form a pressure accumulator.
81 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An air bag assembly comprising:
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a side impact air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) with a first side and an opposite rear part (60) with a second side;
an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (26a) which channel the inflation gas into the rear part of the first chamber in a determinable direction, the inflator positioned adjacent the second side;
the air bag further including a flow diverter (70, 90) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a significant portion of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the determinable direction, the flow diverter including a side wall spaced from the inflator, the side wall including an open top at one end of the side wall and a bottom at an opposite end of the side wall, the open top positioned adjacent the second side and wherein the inflation gas flows through the open top and wherein the bottom is closed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An air bag assembly comprising:
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a side impact air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) with a first side and an opposite rear part (60) with a second side;
an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (26a) which channel the inflation gas into the rear part of the first chamber in a determinable direction, the inflator positioned adjacent the second side;
the air bag further including a flow diverter (70, 90) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a significant portion of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the determinable direction, the flow diverter including a side wall spaced from the inflator, the side wall including an open top, the open top positioned adjacent the second side and wherein the inflation gas flows through the open top;
including a rear separator panel (112) to separate the first and second panels in a small region in the vicinity of the rear part of the first chamber;
wherein a rear edge of each of the first and second panels includes an extending arcuate portion and wherein the rear separator panel separates the first and second panels apart along the arcuate portion of the first and second panels.
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8. A side impact air bag assembly for side impact protection system comprising:
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an air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined-together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) and an opposite rear part;
the spacing between the first card second panels in the vicinity of the rear part being larger than the spacing between other portions of the first and second panels to define a localized wider, rearwardly extending, bulbous portion of the air bag which acts as a pressure accumulator to initially absorb the influx of pressure caused by the inflation gas to thereby cause the forward edge of the air bag to be propelled forward more slowly than if the air bag did not include the accumulator;
an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag;
a flow diverter (70, 90) having an open top and positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert same to flow in a vertical direction into the wider portion of the air bag. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. An air bag assembly comprising:
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a side impact air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) with a first side and an opposite rear part (60) with a second side;
an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (26a) which channel the inflation gas into the rear part of the first chamber in a determinable direction, the inflator positioned adjacent the second side;
the air bag further including a flow diverter (70, 90) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a significant portion of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the determinable direction, the flow diverter including a side wall spaced from the inflator, the side wall including an open top, the open top positioned adjacent the second side and wherein the inflation gas flows through the open top;
wherein the air bag further includes an inflatable, bulbous portion located in the rear part of the first chamber, wherein the bulbous portion is located opposite and above the diverter.
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13. An air bag assembly comprising:
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a multi-sided, inflatable air bag;
an inflator installed within the air bag, proximate one corner thereof;
a tubular deflector, located proximate the one corner of the air bag, the corner formed by two adjacent sides, the deflector spaced downstream of the inflator, the deflector having an open top oriented to re-direct inflation gases to flow generally upwardly after leaving the inflator and being diverted by the deflector, the deflector at an end opposite the open top being sewn into the air bag to restrict inflation gas from flowing out of this sewn end. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification