Tearable retention apparatus and method for an airbag cushion
First Claim
1. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
- a cushion comprising a deployed configuration in which the cushion is inflated to provide impact protection and a stowed configuration in which the cushion is compactly storable; and
a retention apparatus comprising a flexible member and a fastener attachable to the flexible member via an attachment mechanism such that the fastener is fastenable to attach the retention apparatus to the cushion to keep the cushion in the stowed configuration, wherein the attachment mechanism has an attachment strength selected to permit removal of the fastener from the flexible member to permit inflation of the cushion to the deployed configuration, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a sewn seam formed of a thread having a strength selected to permit breakage of the thread in response to entry of gas into the cushion.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag module may include an inflator, a cushion, and a retention apparatus that keeps the cushion in a stowed configuration until deployment. The retention apparatus may include a flexible member wrapped around the cushion and a hook-and-loop fastening strip attached to the flexible member via a sewn seam. The hook-and-loop fastening strip has hooks fastened to the flexible member to secure the flexible member around the cushion. The sewn seam is weak enough to permit the hook-and-loop fastening strip to break away from the flexible member. When the cushion begins to inflate, the sewn seam breaks to allow the hook-and-loop fastening strip to separate from one side of the flexible member while remaining attached to the opposite side. The cushion is able to inflate through the corresponding opening formed in the retention apparatus. In alternative embodiments, the flexible member, fastener, and attachment mechanism may be reconfigured or omitted.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
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a cushion comprising a deployed configuration in which the cushion is inflated to provide impact protection and a stowed configuration in which the cushion is compactly storable; and a retention apparatus comprising a flexible member and a fastener attachable to the flexible member via an attachment mechanism such that the fastener is fastenable to attach the retention apparatus to the cushion to keep the cushion in the stowed configuration, wherein the attachment mechanism has an attachment strength selected to permit removal of the fastener from the flexible member to permit inflation of the cushion to the deployed configuration, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a sewn seam formed of a thread having a strength selected to permit breakage of the thread in response to entry of gas into the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A retention apparatus for retaining a cushion of an airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the retention apparatus comprising:
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a flexible member; an attachment mechanism; and a fastener attached to the flexible member via the attachment mechanism; wherein the fastener is fastenable to attach the retention apparatus to a cushion of the airbag module to keep the cushion in a stowed configuration in which the cushion is compactly storable; wherein the attachment mechanism has an attachment strength selected to permit removal of the fastener from the flexible member to permit inflation of the cushion to a deployed configuration in which the cushion is inflated to provide impact protection, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a sewn seam formed of a thread having a strength selected to permit breakage of the thread in response to entry of gas into the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An attachment assembly for a retention apparatus designed to keep a cushion in a stowed configuration in which the cushion is compactly storable, the retention apparatus comprising a flexible member, the attachment assembly comprising:
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a hook-and-loop fastening strip; and an attachment mechanism usable to attach the hook-and-loop fastening strip to the flexible member, the attachment mechanism having an attachment strength selected to permit separation of the hook-and-loop fastening strip from the flexible member to permit inflation of the cushion to a deployed configuration in which the cushion is inflated to provide impact protection, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a sewn seam formed of a thread having a strength selected to permit breakage of the thread in response to entry of gas into the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
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a cushion comprising a deployed configuration in which the cushion is inflated to provide impact protection and a stowed configuration in which the cushion is compactly storable; a fastener fastenable to keep the cushion in the stowed configuration; and an attachment mechanism usable to couple the fastener to the cushion independently of fastening of the fastener, wherein the attachment mechanism has an attachment strength selected to permit decoupling of the fastener from the cushion to permit inflation of the cushion to the deployed configuration, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a sewn seam formed of a thread having a strength selected to permit breakage of the thread in response to entry of gas into the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for providing impact protection for an occupant of a vehicle through the use of an airbag module, the airbag module comprising a cushion having a deployed configuration in which the cushion is inflated to provide impact protection and a stowed configuration in which the cushion is compactly storable, and a retention apparatus comprising a flexible member and a fastener attached to the flexible member, wherein the fastener is fastened to attach the retention apparatus to the cushion to keep the cushion in the stowed configuration during normal vehicle operation, the method comprising:
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receiving inflation gas into the cushion to induce inflation of the cushion from the stowed configuration; and releasing the fastener from attachment with the flexible member to permit opening of the retention apparatus to permit inflation of the cushion into the deployed configuration, wherein the fastener is attached to the flexible member via an attachment mechanism comprises sewing the retention apparatus to form a sewn seam with a thread having a strength selected to permit breakage of the thread in response to entry of gas into the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for assembling an airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising a retention apparatus and cushion having a lengthwise axis, the cushion having a deployed configuration in which the cushion is inflated to provide impact protection and a stowed configuration in which the cushion is compactly storable, the method comprising:
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disposing the cushion in the stowed configuration; wrapping the retention apparatus at least partially around the lengthwise axis of the cushion; and attaching the retention apparatus to the cushion via an attachment mechanism such that the cushion is retained in the stowed configuration until inflation of the cushion, wherein the attachment mechanism has an attachment strength selected to permit the retention apparatus to open to permit inflation of the cushion to the deployed configuration, wherein attaching the retention apparatus to the cushion via the attachment mechanism comprises sewing the retention apparatus to form a sewn seam with a thread having a strength selected to permit breakage of the thread in response to entry of gas into the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification