Volume-filling mechanical structures with means for deploying same in a bolster system

• US 7,364,189 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Morris, Steven E., Gareau, Peter J., Thomas, Scott David, Kubiak, Robert R., Latouf, Brian, Maugh, Lawrence C
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth; Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECK, KAREN JANE AMORES
• Application Number:
  US11/105,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 280/751, 280/748, 280/728.1, 280/732, 280/753, 280/743.2, 280/752, 296/187.02
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/007 Means for adjusting or regulating the crash absorption capacity of the vehicle, e.g. when detecting an impending collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0051 Knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4619 Transmission of tensioning power by cable, e.g. using a clutch on reel side

Abstract

A volume-filling mechanical structure for modifying a crash including: a bolster system defined by an outer bolster and an inner bolster; a honeycomb celled material expandable from a dormant state to a deployed state, the honeycomb celled material disposed intermediate the outer and inner bolsters cooperatively positioned with the honeycomb celled material to cover surfaces defining the honeycomb celled material in the deployed and dormant states; a means for deploying the honeycomb celled material from the dormant state to the deployed state causing the outer bolster to translate away from the inner bolster; and a tether operably connecting one end of the honeycomb celled material to the means for deploying the honeycomb celled material from the dormant state to the deployed state.

Claims

1. A volume-filling mechanical structure for modifying a crash comprising:

a bolster system defined by an outer bolster and an inner bolster;

a honeycomb celled material expandable from a dormant state to a deployed state, the honeycomb celled material disposed intermediate the outer and inner bolsters cooperatively positioned with the honeycomb celled material to cover surfaces defining the honeycomb celled material in the deployed and dormant states;

an activation mechanism configured for deploying said honeycomb celled material from said dormant state to said deployed state causing the outer bolster to translate away from the inner bolster;

a tether operably connecting said honeycomb celled material to said activation mechanism configured for deploying said honeycomb celled material from said dormant state to said deployed state; and

a first rigid end cap connected to a first end of the honeycomb celled material and a second rigid end cap connected to a second end of the honeycomb celled material;

wherein the first rigid end cap includes a wedge or is wedge-shaped to facilitate translation of the outer bolster away from the inner bolster upon deployment of the honeycomb celled material.

2. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the outer bolster includes an exposed surface of an instrument panel.

3. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 2, wherein the exposed surface of the instrument panel includes one of a glove box door and a steering column filler.

4. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 3, wherein the honeycomb celled material expandable to a deployed state translates the glove box door or steering column filler.

5. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the honeycomb celled material comprises a metallic composition.

6. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the first rigid end cap is operably connected to said tether to aid deployment by said activation mechanism;

and wherein the second rigid end cap is mechanically attached to one of a lower or upper portion defining the bolster system.

7. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein said activation mechanism for deploying said honeycomb celled material from said dormant state to said deployed state causing the outer bolster to translate away from the inner bolster includes one of a biasing member and an airbag operably connected to one end of said tether.

13. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 7, wherein when the one end of the tether is operably connected to the airbag, deployment of the airbag pulls said tether and deploys the honeycomb celled material.

14. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 13, wherein the airbag is a passenger side airbag operably connected to the one end of the tether while an opposite end of the tether is operably connected to the honeycomb celled material.

17. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 7, wherein said activation mechanism is configured to harness energy from the airbag to provide power to expand the honeycomb celled material.

18. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 17, wherein the one end of the tether is attached to the airbag.

19. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 17, wherein the one end of the tether is wrapped on a spool rotatable by deployment of the airbag.

20. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 19, wherein the spool is disposed around an airbag inflator receptive to rotating when loaded by impinging inflator gases to wind up the tether.

8. A volume-filling mechanical structure for modifying a crash comprising:

a bolster system defined by an outer bolster and an inner bolster;

a honeycomb celled material expandable from a dormant state to a deployed state, the honeycomb celled material disposed intermediate the outer and inner bolsters cooperatively positioned with the honeycomb celled material to cover surfaces defining the honeycomb celled material in the deployed and dormant states;

a biasing member configured for deploying said honeycomb celled material from said dormant state to said deployed state causing the outer bolster to translate away from the inner bolster; and

a tether operably connecting said honeycomb celled material to said biasing member configured for deploying said honeycomb celled material from said dormant state to said deployed state;

wherein said biasing member is a spring receptive to storing energy to deploy the honeycomb celled material; and

wherein the spring is housed in a housing, said housing having a length of between a first length of a spring free length and a second length of the spring free length plus a length of a desired extension of said honeycomb celled material for a desired knee bolster protection.

9. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 8, wherein the stored energy in the spring is released via actuation of a solenoid in operable communication therewith.

10. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 8, wherein the spring is disposed about a steering column, the spring defined by a fixed end and a movable end, the tether being attached to the movable end.

11. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 8, wherein said biasing member includes a coil spring system, the coil spring system comprising:

a housing having an opening receptive to said tether therethrough;

a spool rotatably disposed within said housing, the one end of the tether being coiled therearound; and

the coil spring operably connected to said spool and disposed within said housing,

wherein the coil spring is receptive to the storing of energy to deploy the honeycomb celled material by coiling the tether around the spool.

12. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 11, further comprising a sensing and diagnostic module configured to sense a collision and provide a signal to a solenoid configured to release the coil spring to coil the tether on the spool.

15. A volume-filling mechanical structure for modifying a crash comprising:

a bolster system defined by an outer bolster and an inner bolster;

a honeycomb celled material expandable from a dormant state to a deployed state, the honeycomb celled material disposed intermediate the outer and inner bolsters cooperatively positioned with the honeycomb celled material to cover surfaces defining the honeycomb celled material in the deployed and dormant states;

a first rigid end cap connected to a first end of the honeycomb celled material and a second rigid end cap connected to a second end of the honeycomb celled material;

an activation mechanism configured for deploying said honeycomb celled material from said dormant state to said deployed state causing the outer bolster to translate away from the inner bolster; and

a tether operably connecting said honeycomb celled material to said activation mechanism configured for deploying said honeycomb celled material from said dormant state to said deployed state;

wherein the one end of the tether operably coupled to the first rigid end cap is defined by first and second portions having an intermediate portion therebetween, the intermediate portion affixed to the first rigid end cap, the intermediate portion defined by outboard ends corresponding to folds in the one end of the tether defining the corresponding first and second portions extending from the outboard ends of the intermediate portion, the first and second portions each defining terminal ends opposite corresponding folds are coupled to each other, wherein first and second portions direct energy from said activation mechanism to translate the outer bolster rearward.

16. The volume-filling mechanical structure of claim 15, wherein when the tether unfolds at the corresponding folds, the outer bolster is forced to translate, thereby providing a path for the honeycomb celled material to expand.