Automotive vehicle air bag system

• US 6,866,292 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Thomas, Scott David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son T.
• Application Number:
  US10/176,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20030234522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

The present invention is for a vehicle having a passenger air bag system for frontal impact restraint packaged within the passenger vehicle door. The air bag system includes a gas emitting inflator for emitting inflation gas upon receiving a signal of a frontal impact, a fill tube having a first, fill end in fluid communication with the inflator to port the inflation gas from the inflator, and an air bag module in fluid communication with the fill tube and having an air bag cushion packed therein to receive the inflation gas from the fill tube and deployable in the interior space forward of the passenger seat upon the frontal impact.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a passenger air bag system for frontal impact restraint, comprising:

a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior space therein;

a passenger seat located within the interior space;

a side vehicle door adjacent the passenger seat;

the passenger air bag system packaged within the vehicle door comprising a gas emitting inflator for emitting inflation gas upon receiving a signal of a frontal impact, a fill tube having a first, fill end in fluid communication with the inflator to port the inflation gas from the inflator, and an air bag module in fluid communication with the fill tube and having an air bag cushion packed therein to receive the inflation gas from the fill tube and deployable in the interior space forward of the passenger seat upon the frontal impact;

wherein the fill tube has a straight portion having radial openings disposed within the air bag cushion, further including a diffuser packaged inside the cushion and circumjacent to the fill tube and having ports aligned with the radial openings in the fill tube to redirect gas generally forward in the cushion.

2. A vehicle having a passenger air bag system for frontal impact restraint, as defined in claim 1, wherein the difusser is a rigid component.

3. A vehicle having a passenger air bag system for frontal impact restraint, as defined in claim 2, wherein the diffuser is reinforceably attached to the fill tube to provide reinforcement to the fill tube.

4. A vehicle having a passenger air bag system for frontal impact restraint, as defined in claim 1, wherein the diffuser is flexible and expandable to open the ports upon inflation.

5. A vehicle having a passenger air bag system for frontal impact restraint, as defined in claim 1, wherein the ports are angled forward more than 90 degrees from a rearward fill tube gas flow direction.