Rollover air bag with damping mechanism
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An air bag system comprising:
- at least a first inflatable first chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in e first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber; and
a non inflatable chamber located adjacent the accumulator chamber.
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Abstract
A rollover air bag system comprising: at least a first inflatable first chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant, an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber, the accumulator chamber initially maintained at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict the pressure in the first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in e first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber; and
a non inflatable chamber located adjacent the accumulator chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in the first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber;
wherein the accumulator chamber is located exterior to a main portion of the air bag and is only connected to the main portion through a tube which functions as an orifice.
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9. An air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in the first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber;
wherein the air bag includes an inflatable second chamber and wherein the accumulator chamber includes a second orifice at the junction of the second chamber and the accumulator chamber, wherein the first and second chambers are inflated contemporaneously. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber and non-inflatable chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber and adjacent the non-inflatable chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in the first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to the pushed into the accumulator chamber; and
wherein prior to inflation the air bag is maintained in an uninflated, folded condition, and wherein the unfolding portions of the air bag create a vacuum in the vicinity of a first orifice to cause fluid in the accumulator chamber to be sucked out therefrom.
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12. An air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber and a non-inflatable chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber and adjacent the non-inflatable chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in the first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber; and
wherein the unfolding portions of the airbag cooperate to form a vacuum means for creating a low pressure region at the entrance of a first orifice to cause fluid in the accumulator chamber to be sucked out therefrom.
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13. An air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in the first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber; and
wherein the air bag includes a first and second inflatable chamber located on opposite sides of a non-inflatable region, and wherein the accumulator chamber is located adjacent to and along a lower portion of the non-inflatable chamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber and a non-inflatable chamber adjacent to the first chamber, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to receive and protect the head of an occupant;
an accumulator chamber located downstream of the first chamber, the accumulator chamber initially at a negative pressure relative to the inflated first chamber, wherein in order to restrict pressure in the first chamber from increasing upon impact with a body part of the occupant, the inflation gas in the first chamber is allowed to be pushed into the accumulator chamber;
wherein the accumulator chamber includes a first orifice at the juncture of the first chamber and the accumulator chamber; and
wherein the first chamber is folded using a plurality of folds and wherein the orifice is located in one of the last of the folds remote from a source of inflation gas. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A rollover air bag system comprising:
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at least a first inflatable first chamber and a non-inflatable region, the air bag adapted to be mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a manner such that when the air bag is inflated the first inflatable chamber is positioned to provide a resilient cushion to protect the head of an occupant;
damping means positioned substantially adjacent the non-inflatable region for affecting a rebound force produced by the resilient cushion and for damping the motion of the head when in contact with the first chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification