Side airbag for a vehicle

• US 6,991,257 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Zhao, David, Shaner, Leonard Anthony, Wykes, Nial James
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US10/604,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20050173900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A side airbag (14) for a supplemental restraint system (12) of a vehicle (10) includes an inflatable bag comprised of a shoulder-receiving portion (24) and a thorax-receiving portion (26) that extends from the shoulder-receiving portion (24). This airbag (14) is moveable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration. In the inflated configuration, the thorax-receiving portion (26) is sized thinner than the shoulder-receiving portion (24) in a lateral direction.

Claims

1. A side airbag for a supplemental restraint system of a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable bag having a shoulder-receiving portion and a thorax-receiving portion that extends from said shoulder-receiving portion;

said inflatable bag moveable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration;

said thorax-receiving portion thinner than said shoulder-receiving portion in a lateral direction when said inflatable bag is disposed in said inflated configuration and said shoulder-receiving portion is compressed.

2. The side airbag of claim 1 wherein said thorax-receiving portion has an inboard side and an outboard side with said outboard side fastened to said inboard side substantially across said thorax-receiving portion for maintaining said thorax-receiving portion thinner than said shoulder-receiving portion in said lateral direction when said inflatable bag is in disposed in said inflated configuration and said shoulder-receiving portion is compressed.

3. The side airbag of claim 1 wherein said thorax-receiving portion has an inboard side and an outboard side with at least one seam threadably attached therebetween for sizing said thorax-receiving portion thinner than said shoulder-receiving portion.

4. The side airbag of claim 3 wherein said at least one seam extends from a bottom portion of said thorax-receiving portion toward a top portion of said thorax-receiving portion.

5. The side airbag of claim 3 wherein said at least one seam terminates at an end with a circular pattern stitching for preventing said inflatable bag from tearing at said end of said at least one seam.

6. The side airbag of claim 3 wherein said inflatable bag is coupled to at least one of a vehicle seat and a vehicle door.

7. A side airbag for a supplemental restraint system of a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable bag having a shoulder-receiving portion and a thorax-receiving portion that extends from said shoulder-receiving portion;

said shoulder-receiving portion and said thorax-receiving portion each having an inboard side and an outboard side; and

at least one tether coupled to said thorax-receiving portion and in connection between said inboard side and said outboard side of said thorax-receiving portion;

said inflatable bag moveable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration;

said at least one tether maintaining said thorax-receiving portion thinner than said shoulder-receiving portion in a lateral direction when said inflatable bag is disposed in said inflated configuration and said shoulder receiving portion is compressed.

8. The side airbag of claim 7 wherein said at least one tether has an outboard end portion sewn to said outboard side of said thorax-receiving portion and an inboard end portion sewn to said inboard side of said thorax-receiving portion.

9. The side airbag of claim 7 wherein said thorax-receiving portion has an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having a first plurality of tethers in connection between said inboard side and said outboard side, said lower portion having a second plurality of tethers in connection between said inboard side and said outboard side.

10. The side airbag of claim 9 wherein said first plurality of tethers are longer in length than said second plurality of tethers.

11. The side airbag of claim 10 wherein said first plurality of tethers are more than twice the length of said first plurality of tethers.

12. The side airbag of claim 9 wherein said first plurality of tethers are arranged in a row from a rear portion of said inflatable bag to a front portion of said inflatable bag.

13. The side airbag of claim 9 wherein said second plurality of tethers are arranged in a row from a rear portion of said inflatable bag to a front portion of said inflatable bag.

14. The side airbag of claim 7 wherein said inflatable bag is comprised of an inboard panel and an outboard panel that is coupled to said inboard panel.

15. The side airbag of claim 7 wherein said inboard panel and said outboard panel are each comprised of a flexible cloth.

16. The side airbag of claim 7 wherein said inflatable bag is coupled to at least one of a vehicle seat and a vehicle door.

17. A supplemental restraint system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable bag coupled to the vehicles;

said inflatable bag having a shoulder-receiving portion and a thorax-receiving portion that extends from said shoulder-receiving portion;

an inflation device coupled to said inflatable bag for inflating said inflatable bag; and

a crash sensor coupled to said inflation device for detecting a vehicle impact event and actuating said inflation device to inflate said inflatable bag;

said inflatable bag moveable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration;

said thorax-receiving portion thinner than said shoulder-receiving portion in a lateral direction when said inflatable bag is disposed in said inflated configuration and said shoulder receiving portion is compressed.

18. The side airbag of claim 17 wherein said thorax-receiving portion has an inboard side and an outboard side that is fastened to said inboard side substantially across said thorax-receiving portion.

19. The side airbag of claim 18 wherein said thorax-receiving portion has an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having a first plurality of tethers in connection between said inboard side and said outboard side, said lower portion having a second plurality of tethers in connection between said inboard side and said outboard side.

20. The side airbag of claim 18 wherein said thorax-receiving portion has an inboard side and an outboard side with at least one seam threadably attached therebetween for sizing said thorax-receiving portion thinner than said shoulder-receiving portion.