Pillar-mounted frontal airbag
First Claim
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1. An airbag module for protecting a vehicle occupant, the airbag module comprising:
- an inflator; and
an airbag cushion having an inflation orifice, wherein the inflator is coupled to the airbag cushion at the inflation orifice, the airbag module being adapted to be installed into a side pillar of a vehicle;
wherein the airbag cushion is sufficiently elongated in shape and folded such that when the airbag module is installed in a side pillar of a vehicle, initiation of the inflator causes the airbag cushion to first inflate substantially laterally along a windshield of the vehicle between a vehicle occupant and a structure of the vehicle, and to subsequently inflate the airbag cushion substantially toward the vehicle occupant.
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Abstract
A pillar-mounted airbag module is disclosed. The frontal airbag module of the invention includes an airbag cushion configured to be deployed from a pillar of a vehicle and an airbag inflator coupled to the airbag cushion, the airbag inflator being suitable for attachment to a pillar of a vehicle. The frontal airbag module of the invention is configured to deploy the airbag cushion laterally along a windshield of the vehicle and then to subsequently inflate the airbag cushion toward the vehicle occupant.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. An airbag module for protecting a vehicle occupant, the airbag module comprising:
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an inflator; and
an airbag cushion having an inflation orifice, wherein the inflator is coupled to the airbag cushion at the inflation orifice, the airbag module being adapted to be installed into a side pillar of a vehicle;
wherein the airbag cushion is sufficiently elongated in shape and folded such that when the airbag module is installed in a side pillar of a vehicle, initiation of the inflator causes the airbag cushion to first inflate substantially laterally along a windshield of the vehicle between a vehicle occupant and a structure of the vehicle, and to subsequently inflate the airbag cushion substantially toward the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
providing an elongated airbag having an inflation orifice on an outer edge of the airbag cushion, the airbag cushion comprising an upper panel, a lower panel, and a central panel;
flattening said airbag by drawing the inflation orifice in a first direction and flattening the central panel moving away from the inflation orifice such that the central panel comprises a transverse fold at an end opposite the inflation orifice and the upper and lower panels are longitudinally folded;
tucking the upper and lower panels inwardly toward the central panel to form at least one longitudinal pleat; and
folding the airbag transversely beginning at the end opposite the inflation orifice to form at least one transverse fold, wherein said method of folding renders the airbag suitable for deployment from a vehicle pillar.
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14. The airbag module of claim 13, wherein the method of folding an airbag results in at least two longitudinal pleats.
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15. The airbag module of claim 13, wherein the method of folding an airbag results in at least two transverse folds.
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16. An airbag module for protecting a vehicle occupant, the airbag module comprising:
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an inflator; and
an airbag cushion having a mounting face, a contact face, and an inflation orifice, the mounting face being situated at an angle to the contact face, and the inflation orifice being positioned on said mounting face, wherein the inflator is coupled to the airbag cushion at the inflation orifice, the airbag module being adapted to be installed into a side pillar of a vehicle;
wherein upon initiation of the inflator when the airbag module is folded and installed in a side pillar of a vehicle, the airbag cushion is caused to first inflate substantially laterally alone a windshield of the vehicle between a vehicle occupant and a structure of the vehicle and to subsequently deploy the airbag cushion substantially toward the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
providing an elongated airbag having an inflation orifice on an outer edge of the airbag cushion, the airbag cushion comprising an upper panel, a lower panel, and a central panel;
flattening said airbag by drawing the inflation orifice in a first direction and flattening the central panel moving away from the inflation orifice such that the central panel comprises a transverse fold at an end opposite the inflation orifice and the upper and lower panels are longitudinally folded;
tucking the upper and lower panels inwardly toward the central panel to form at least one longitudinal pleat; and
folding the airbag transversely beginning at the end opposite the inflation orifice to form at least one transverse fold, wherein said method of folding renders the airbag suitable for deployment from a vehicle pillar.
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29. The airbag module of claim 28, wherein the method of folding an airbag results in at least two longitudinal pleats.
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30. The airbag module of claim 28, wherein the method of folding an airbag results in at least two transverse folds.
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31. An airbag module for protecting a vehicle occupant, the airbag module comprising:
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an elongated airbag cushion having an inflation orifice located on an outer edge of the airbag cushion; and
an airbag inflator coupled to the inflation orifice of the airbag cushion, the airbag inflator being suitable for attachment to a side pillar of a vehicle;
wherein when installed in a side pillar of a vehicle, the airbag is folded such that initiation of the inflator causes the airbag cushion to first inflate substantially laterally along a windshield of the vehicle and then to subsequently inflate substantially toward the occupant. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
providing an elongated airbag having an inflation orifice on an outer edge of the airbag cushion, the airbag cushion comprising an upper panel, a lower panel, and a central panel;
flattening said airbag by drawing the inflation orifice in a first direction and flattening the central panel moving away from the inflation orifice such that the central panel comprises a transverse fold at an end opposite the inflation orifice and the upper and lower panels are longitudinally folded;
tucking the upper and lower panels inwardly toward the central panel to form at least one longitudinal pleat; and
folding the airbag transversely beginning at the end opposite the inflation orifice to form at least one transverse fold, wherein said method of folding renders the airbag suitable for deployment from a vehicle pillar.
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40. The airbag module of claim 39, wherein the method of folding an airbag results in at least two longitudinal pleats.
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41. The airbag module of claim 39, wherein the method of folding an airbag results in at least two transverse folds.
- 42. A method of decelerating a vehicle occupant during a collision event comprising deploying an elongated airbag cushion having an inflation orifice on a lateral face of the airbag cushion from a side pillar of a vehicle, wherein the airbag cushion deploys by first inflating substantially laterally along a windshield of the vehicle between the vehicle occupant and a structure of the vehicle, and then to subsequently inflate the airbag cushion substantially toward the vehicle occupant.
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44. A method of decelerating a vehicle occupant during a collision event comprising the steps of:
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providing an airbag module comprising an elongated airbag cushion having an inflation orifice on a lateral face of the airbag cushion and an airbag inflator coupled to the airbag cushion, the airbag inflator being configured to be attached to a pillar of a vehicle;
installing the airbag module in the pillar of a vehicle; and
deploying the airbag cushion from the pillar of a vehicle during a collision event, wherein the airbag cushion first inflates substantially laterally along a windshield of the vehicle between a vehicle occupant and a structure of the vehicle and then subsequently inflates the airbag cushion substantially toward the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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Specification