Vehicle airbag arrestor

• US 6,923,470 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert D. Burgess
• Original Assignee: Robert D. Burgess
• Inventors: Burgess, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/410,086
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 280/727, 280/750, 745/585, 745/58, 745/52
• US Class Current: 280/727
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• 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 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20876 Caps and covers

Abstract

An airbag arrestor mountable about a vehicle steering column carrying a steering wheel and a airbag module is non-axially movable with respect to the vehicle steering wheel and steering column during airbag inflation by containing and redirecting airbag inflation gasses oppositely from the steering wheel through apertures in the sidewall of the airbag arrestor enclosure secured about the steering column. The airbag arrestor includes a flexible, ballistic grade material enclosure having a sidewall extending between an open end and an opposed closed end. An attachment in the form of a strap constructed of a ballistic grade material is tightenable about one end of the sidewall of the enclosure adjacent the open end to non-axially movably secure the enclosure about the vehicle steering column.

Claims

1. A vehicle airbag arrestor mountable about a vehicle steering column carrying a steering wheel with an inflatable airbag, the airbag arrestor comprising:

an enclosure having a closed end wall, an opposed open end and a sidewall, the enclosure defining an interior cavity between the end wall and the open end adapted to be mountable over a vehicle steering wheel;

an attachment member, mountable about the open end of the enclosure, to substantially, non-axially, movably mount the enclosure over a vehicle steering wheel;

shape support means, coupled to the end wall, for maintaining the shape of the end wall, the shape support means including a shape support member coupled to the end wall; and

the end wall including first and second spaced panels, the shape support member disposed between the spaced first and second panels.

2. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 further comprising:

reinforcement means, coupled to the end wall, for reinforcing the end wall.

3. The airbag arrestor of claim 2 wherein the reinforcement means comprises:

at least one strap coupled to the end wall.

4. The airbag arrestor of claim 2 wherein the reinforcement means comprises:

a plurality of straps coupled to the end wall.

5. The airbag arrestor of claim 4 wherein:

at least two of the reinforcement straps have overlapped portions.

6. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein the attachment member comprises:

a strap disposed about the open end of the sidewall of the enclosure, and a connector, coupled to the strap, for receiving a free end of the strap to releasably tighten the strap and the open end of the enclosure to a reduced diameter.

7. The airbag arrestor of claim 6 further comprising:

the strap carried on the enclosure.

8. The airbag arrestor of claim 7 further comprising:

the sidewall of the enclosure formed of a plurality of spaced flaps extending from one end coupled to the end wall to an opposed free end; and

carrying means, formed on the free end of each flap, for receiving the strap therethrough.

9. The airbag arrestor of claim 8 wherein the carrying means comprises:

a pocket on the free end of each flap.

10. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein:

the enclosure is formed of a flexible, ballistic material.

11. The airbag arrestor of claim 3 wherein:

the enclosure is formed of KEVLAR.

12. The airbag arrestor of claim 3 wherein:

the attachment member strap is formed of a flexible, ballistic grade NYLON.

13. The airbag arrestor of claim 7 further comprising:

at least one aperture formed in the sidewall of the enclosure, the aperture communicating the interior cavity exteriorly of the enclosure.

14. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein the at least one aperture further comprises:

a plurality of apertures formed in the sidewall of the enclosure.

15. The airbag arrestor of claim 1 wherein the sidewall of the enclosure comprises:

a plurality of flaps, each flap extending from the end wall to an opposed free end, each flap having opposed side edges, and

at least a portion of the side edges of two adjacent flaps being spaced apart to define an aperture therebetween.