Air bag assembly having controlled cushion deployment

• US 6,991,253 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Webber, James Lloyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREEDMAN, LAURA
• Application Number:
  US10/411,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20040201205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.3, 280/732, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01218 control of expansion speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21543 with emblems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• 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 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag system for cushioning restraint of a vehicle occupant during an impact event. The air bag assembly includes an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber to an inflated deployed condition within an occupant compartment. A gas emitting inflator is housed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion. At least one drag-inducing member engages the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber.

Claims

1. An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber beneath a dash panel of the vehicle through an elongate slotted deployment opening extending in the cross-vehicle direction, wherein the slotted deployment opening extends a length greater than the width of the occupant;

a gas emitting inflator disposed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion adapted to distribute gas into a mouth portion of the air bag cushion; and

at least one drag-inducing member comprising said elongate slotted deployment opening adapted to engage the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that deployment of the air bag cushion is retarded such that the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber

wherein the air bag system is adapted to deploy the air bag cushion through a portion of the dash panel facing the occupant to be protected and wherein a first portion of the air bag cushion is normally stored in folded relation forward of the inflator relative to the normal travel direction of the vehicle and wherein a second portion of the air bag cushion extends along a path below the inflator for attachment at a position between the inflator and said elongate slotted deployment opening such that upon inflation the first portion of the air bag cushion is progressively pulled along the path below the inflator and discharged through said elongate slotted deployment opening.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1, further comprising a drag inducing element disposed along a cushion travel path between the storage chamber and slotted deployment opening.

3. The invention as recited in claim 2, wherein the drag inducing element disposed along a cushion travel path between the storage chamber and slotted deployment opening comprises a floating pinch point.