Airbag cushion with integrated inflator
First Claim
1. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
- a cushion comprising a front cushion panel and a rear cushion panel, each of which is constructed of a substantially rigid material, the cushion defining an expandable interior volume, wherein the front cushion panel defines a front plane and the rear cushion panel defines a rear plane; and
a pyrotechnic, at least a portion of which is disposed between the front and rear planes, wherein the pyrotechnic is combustible to produce a quantity of inflation gas sufficient to inflate the cushion to protect the occupant from impact, wherein the pyrotechnic is hermetically sealed to restrict moisture entry into the pyrotechnic from within the expandable interior volume, further comprising an initiator, wherein the initiator and the pyrotechnic are components of an inflator attached to an interior surface of the cushion by an attachment mechanism disposed entirely within the expandable interior volume.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag module has a rigid cushion with an integrated inflator. The cushion has a rear cushion panel and the inflator may have a front inflator plate attached to the rear cushion panel. A rear inflator plate is optionally provided and may be positioned within the cushion or outside the cushion. A pyrotechnic may be disposed within the space between the front inflator plate and the rear cushion panel and/or the rear inflator plate. An initiator may be seated in the rear inflator plate and/or the rear cushion panel to initiate combustion of the pyrotechnic. Instead of the front inflator plate, the inflator may have an expanse of tape that secures the pyrotechnic and/or the initiator to the interior of the cushion. The pyrotechnic may be sealed by the tape or by a foil pouch. The initiator may be secured by the tape or by a rear inflator plate.
43 Citations
49 Claims
-
1. An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
-
a cushion comprising a front cushion panel and a rear cushion panel, each of which is constructed of a substantially rigid material, the cushion defining an expandable interior volume, wherein the front cushion panel defines a front plane and the rear cushion panel defines a rear plane; and a pyrotechnic, at least a portion of which is disposed between the front and rear planes, wherein the pyrotechnic is combustible to produce a quantity of inflation gas sufficient to inflate the cushion to protect the occupant from impact, wherein the pyrotechnic is hermetically sealed to restrict moisture entry into the pyrotechnic from within the expandable interior volume, further comprising an initiator, wherein the initiator and the pyrotechnic are components of an inflator attached to an interior surface of the cushion by an attachment mechanism disposed entirely within the expandable interior volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An airbag module fur protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the airbag module comprising:
-
a front cushion panel; a rear cushion panel coupled to the front cushion panel to enclose an expandable interior volume; a pyrotechnic configured to pressurize the interior volume upon receipt of an activation signal; and a front inflator plate attached to an inward facing surface of the rear cushion panel to enclose the pyrotechnic between the front inflator plate and the rear cushion panel, wherein the front inflator plate is constructed of a substantially rigid material. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An airbag module comprising:
-
a cushion having an expandable interior volume bounded by an interior surface, wherein the cushion is constructed of a substantially rigid material; an inflator disposed at least partially within the expandable interior volume to pressurize the expandable interior volume upon receipt of an activation signal; and an attachment mechanism disposed entirely within the expandable interior volume to attach the inflator to the interior surface, wherein the pyrotechnic is positioned within the expandable interior volume, wherein the airbag module further comprises a sealing member positioned within the expandable interior volume to form the hermetic seal between the pyrotechnic and a remainder of the expandable interior volume. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A method for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact through the use of an airbag module comprising a cushion comprising a front cushion panel defining a front plane and a rear cushion panel defining a rear plane, wherein the front and rear cushion panels cooperate to define an expandable interior volume, and a pyrotechnic, hermetically sealed to restrict moisture entry into the pyrotechnic from within the expandable interior volume, the method comprising:
-
initiating combustion of the pyrotechnic, wherein at least a portion of the pyrotechnic is disposed between the front and rear planes; breaking the hermetic seal in response to the combustion, thereby enabling inflation gas from the pyrotechnic to inflate the cushion; and producing a sufficient quantity of inflation gas via combustion of the pyrotechnic to inflate the cushion to protect the occupant from impact, wherein the cushion is constructed of a substantially rigid material. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A method for manufacturing an airbag module, the method comprising:
-
forming a front cushion panel and a rear cushion panel; forming a front inflator plate of a substantially rigid material; coupling the front inflator plate to an inward facing surface of the rear cushion panel to define an interior inflator volume; and coupling the front cushion panel to the rear cushion panel to define an expandable interior volume that contains the front inflator plate, further comprising an inflator and an initiator, wherein the initiator and a pyrotechnic are components of an inflator attached to an interior surface of the cushion by an attachment mechanism disposed entirely within the expandable interior volume. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
Specification