Airbag with interior deflection device

• US 6,361,067 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1999
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Varcus, Johannes-Alexander, Zimmerbeutel, Bernd Uwe, Conlee, James Kent, Nilson, Hans Gert
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/464,622
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/740, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23123 Heat protection panels
• 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 21/2346 Soft diffusers

Abstract

An airbag which is provided with an airbag mouth (16) for connection to a gas generator has in the interior of the airbag a deflection device (18) in the region of the airbag mouth (16) which at least partly laterally deflects a gas flow which emerges from the airbag mouth (16).

Claims

1. An airbag comprising:

an airbag mouth adapted for acceptance of inflation gas from a gas generator and disposed in fluid communication with an inflatable body, the airbag having an interior, and a deflection device located in the airbag interior in the region of the airbag mouth, the deflection device including a plurality of lateral outlet openings for channeling in a lateral flow pattern at least a portion of a gas flow which emerges from the air bag mouth, the deflection device further including two cloth parts having edges in substantially opposing relation to the airbag mouth that are interconnected by seams, and at least one outlet opening formed between the seams for directing a portion of said gas flow away from the airbag mouth in a direction substantially normal to the airbag mouth, such that the inflatable body expands in inflated relation outwardly away from the deflection device in both depth and lateral dimensions as the gas flow emerges from the airbag mouth.

2. The airbag in accordance with claim 1, wherein the airbag includes a heat shield on the airbag interior, and wherein at least a portion of the deflection device is provided by the heat shield.

3. The airbag in accordance with claim 1, wherein a heat shield is provided in the interior of the airbag and in the region of the airbag mouth and consists of the two cloth parts of the deflection device, the cloth parts being connected to form at least a portion of said plurality of lateral outlet openings.

4. The airbag in accordance with claim 1, wherein the two cloth parts at least partly surround the airbag mouth.

5. The airbag in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one outlet opening formed between the seams has a smaller cross-section than at least one of said plurality of lateral outlet openings.

6. The airbag in accordance with claim 1, wherein the deflection device includes a plurality of outlet openings formed between the seams for directing inflation gas away from the airbag mouth in a direction substantially normal to the airbag mouth.