Side airbag and method of manufacture

• US 7,469,923 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ryan, Shawn G., Fisher, Margaret
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US10/914,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20060033318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• 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

Abstract

An inflatable cushion and method of making an inflatable cushion for deployment along an interior side of a vehicle, comprising: a first inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of the first inflatable portion; a second inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of the second inflatable portion; a fluid dispersing conduit being in fluid communication with the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion, the fluid dispersing conduit comprising an inlet opening configured to receive an inflation force for inflating the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion, wherein the fluid dispersing conduit traverses a gap between the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion; and a non-inflatable member disposed in the gap between the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion, wherein the non-inflatable member reduces the required size of the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion.

Claims

1. An inflatable cushion for deployment along an interior side of a vehicle, comprising:

a first inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of said first inflatable portion;

a second inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of said second inflatable portion;

a fluid dispersing conduit comprising a rigid tubular member connecting the opening of said first inflatable portion and the opening of said second inflatable portion, said fluid dispersing conduit comprising an inlet opening configured to receive an inflation force for inflating said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion, said fluid dispersing conduit traverses a gap between said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion; and

a non-inflatable member disposed in said gap between said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion, wherein the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion are only secured to each other by the non-inflatable member and the fluid dispersing conduit, wherein said first inflatable portion has a forward leading edge and a rearward edge and said second inflatable portion has a forward leading edge and a rearward edge, wherein said rearward edge of said first inflatable portion and said forward leading edge of said second inflatable portion are in a facing spaced relationship when the inflatable cushion is inflated and said non-inflatable member being disposed along substantially all of the rearward edge of the first inflatable portion and along substantially all of the forward leading edge of the second inflatable portion;

wherein a portion of said first inflatable portion proximate to said opening is sealingly engaged about a portion of said fluid dispersing conduit by a clamp and a portion of said second inflatable portion proximate to said opening is sealingly engaged about another portion of said fluid dispersing conduit by another clamp.

2. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein said non-inflatable member is a single layer of fabric material.

3. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein said non-inflatable member is a single layer of fabric material and the inflatable cushion is configured such that said non-inflatable member traverses a pillar of the vehicle and said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion traverse window openings of the vehicle.

4. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein said first inflatable portion has non-inflatable portions defining a plurality of low permeable inflation chambers each being in fluid communication with each other and said second inflatable portion has non-inflatable portions defining a plurality of low permeable inflation chambers each being in fluid communication with each other.

5. The inflatable cushion as in claim 4, wherein said first inflatable portion is a one-piece woven construction and said second inflatable portion is a one-piece woven construction.

6. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein said first inflatable portion comprises a pair of fabric materials sewn to each other, wherein a silicon sealing material is disposed between said pair of fabric materials defining a seam of said low permeable inflation chamber and wherein said second inflatable portion comprises a pair of fabric materials sewn to each other, wherein a silicon sealing material is disposed between the said pair of fabric materials defining a seam of said low permeable inflation chamber of said second inflatable portion.

7. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein said first inflatable portion is a one-piece woven construction and said second inflatable portion is a one-piece woven construction.

8. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein said rigid tubular member is formed of a PVC pipe or a metal pipe.

9. An inflatable cushion for deployment along an interior side of a vehicle, comprising:

a first inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into said first inflatable portion, said first inflatable portion being a one-piece woven construction;

a second inflatable portion having a pair of openings providing fluid communication into said second inflatable portion, said second inflatable portion being a one-piece woven construction;

a third inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into said third inflatable portion, said third inflatable portion being a one-piece woven construction;

a fluid dispersing conduit comprising a rigid tubular member connecting said opening of said first inflatable portion, said second inflatable portion and said opening of said third inflatable portion, said fluid dispersing conduit comprising an inlet opening configured to receive an inflation force for inflating said first inflatable portion, said second inflatable portion and said third inflatable portion, said fluid dispersing conduit traverses a gap between said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion and a gap between said second inflatable portion and said third inflatable portion;

a first non-inflatable member disposed in said gap between said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion; and

a second non-inflatable member disposed in said gap between said second inflatable portion and said third inflatable portion, and the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion are only secured to each other by the first non-inflatable member and the fluid dispersing conduit, wherein said first inflatable portion has a forward leading edge and a rearward edge and said second inflatable portion has a forward leading edge and a rearward edge, wherein said rearward edge of said first inflatable portion and said forward leading edge of said second inflatable portion are in a facing spaced relationship when the inflatable cushion is inflated and said first non-inflatable member being disposed along substantially all of the rearward edge of the first inflatable portion and along substantially all of the forward leading edge of the second inflatable portion;

wherein a portion of said first inflatable portion proximate to said opening is sealingly engaged about a portion of said fluid dispersing conduit by a clamp and said second inflatable portion is sealingly engaged about another portion of said fluid dispersing conduit by a pair of clamps and said third inflatable portion is sealingly engaged about a further portion of said fluid dispersing conduit by another clamp.

10. The inflatable cushion as in claim 9, wherein said first non-inflatable member is secured to said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion after said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion are formed by a separate manufacturing process, and said second non-inflatable member is secured to said second inflatable portion and said third inflatable portion after said second inflatable portion and said third inflatable portion are formed by a separate manufacturing process.

11. The inflatable cushion as in claim 9, wherein said non-inflatable member is a single layer of fabric material.

12. The inflatable cushion as in claim 9, wherein said first inflatable portion has non-inflatable portions defining a plurality of chambers each being in fluid communication with each other, said second inflatable portion has non-inflatable portions defining a plurality of chambers each being in fluid communication with each other, and said third inflatable portion has non-inflatable portions defining a plurality of chambers each being in fluid communication with each other.

13. The inflatable cushion as in claim 9, wherein said rigid tubular member is formed of a PVC pipe or a metal pipe and a portion of said fluid dispersing conduit disposed within said second inflatable portion comprises a plurality of diffuser openings.

14. The inflatable cushion as in claim 9, wherein said first non-inflatable member is a single layer of fabric material and the inflatable cushion is configured such that said first non-inflatable member traverses a first pillar of the vehicle and said second non-inflatable member traverses a second pillar of the vehicle and said first inflatable portion, said second inflatable portion and said third inflatable portion each traverse a window opening of the vehicle.

15. An inflatable cushion for deployment along an interior side of a vehicle, comprising:

a first inflatable portion having a first opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of said first inflatable portion;

a second inflatable portion having a first opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of said second inflatable portion;

a fluid dispersing conduit comprising a rigid tubular member connecting the opening of said first inflatable portion and the opening of said second inflatable portion, said fluid dispersing conduit traverses a gap between said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion; and

a non-inflatable member disposed in said gap between said first inflatable portion and said second inflatable portion, wherein the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion are only secured to each other by the non-inflatable member and the fluid dispersing conduit, wherein said first inflatable portion has a forward leading edge and a rearward edge and said second inflatable portion has a forward leading edge and a rearward edge, wherein said rearward edge of said first inflatable portion and said forward leading edge of said second inflatable portion are in a facing spaced relationship when the inflatable cushion is inflated and said non-inflatable member being disposed along substantially all of the rearward edge of the first inflatable portion and along substantially all of the forward leading edge of the second inflatable portion;

wherein a portion of said first inflatable portion proximate to said opening is sealingly engaged about a portion of said fluid dispersing conduit by a clamp and a portion of said second inflatable portion proximate to said opening is sealingly engaged about another portion of said fluid dispersing conduit by another clamp.