Ejection mitigation device

• US 7,762,579 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Garner, Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A
• Application Number:
  US11/731,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/727, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/749
• 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 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• 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

Abstract

An airbag system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle including one or more ejection mitigation devices configured to substantially cover the inside of the front and/or rear window of the motor vehicle. Moreover, the one or more ejection mitigation devices may be attached to a driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and a passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag, wherein the ejection mitigation device is configured to be deployed by the inflation of the driver'"'"'s and passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbags.

Claims

1. An airbag system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle, the airbag system comprising:

at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

at least one rear ejection mitigation device configured to substantially cover a rear window of the motor vehicle, wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is non-inflatable,

wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is directly attached to both the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag; and

wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is configured to be deployed only by movement of the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag due to inflation of the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

2. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device comprises at least one of a mesh, a net or a flat fabric.

3. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device extends along the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and extends along the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

4. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is integral to both the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

5. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is attached to the motor vehicle.

6. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device comprises at least one of a mesh, a net or a flat fabric.

7. An airbag system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle, the airbag system comprising:

at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

at least one front ejection mitigation device configured to substantially cover a front window of the motor vehicle, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is non-inflatable,

wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is directly attached to both the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag; and

wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is configured to be deployed only by movement of the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag due to inflation of the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

8. The airbag system of claim 7, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device extends along the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and extends along the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

9. The airbag system of claim 7, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is integral to both the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

10. The airbag system of claim 7, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is attached to the motor vehicle.

11. An airbag system for protecting a passenger in a motor vehicle, the airbag system comprising:

at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

at least one front ejection mitigation device attached to both the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is configured to substantially cover a front window of the motor vehicle;

at least one rear ejection mitigation device directly attached to both the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is configured to substantially cover a rear window of the motor vehicle; and

wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device and the at least one rear ejection mitigation device are both non-inflatable;

wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device and the at least one rear ejection mitigation device are configured to be deployed only by movement of the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag due to inflation of the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

12. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device and the at least one rear ejection mitigation device extend towards each other along the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

13. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein both the at least one front ejection mitigation device and the at least one rear ejection mitigation device are integral to both the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

and

wherein both the at least one front ejection mitigation device and the at least one rear ejection mitigation device are configured to be deployed simultaneously by the inflation of the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

14. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device comprises at least one of a mesh, a net or a flat fabric.

15. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device comprises at least one of a mesh, a net or a flat fabric.

16. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is attached to the motor vehicle.

17. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is attached to the motor vehicle.

18. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the at least one front ejection mitigation device is attached to the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and to the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag;

and

wherein the at least one rear ejection mitigation device is attached to the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag and to the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag.

19. The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the at least one driver'"'"'s side inflatable airbag is attached to a first front ejection mitigation device and a first rear ejection mitigation device;

wherein the at least one passenger'"'"'s side inflatable airbag is attached to a second front ejection mitigation device and a second rear ejection mitigation device;

wherein the first front ejection mitigation device is configured to attach to the second front ejection mitigation device; and

wherein the first rear ejection mitigation device is configured to attach to the second rear ejection mitigation device.

20. The airbag system of claim 19, wherein the first front ejection mitigation device is attached to the second front ejection mitigation device with attachment means selected from the group consisting of hooks, tape, hook-and-loop closure, or combinations thereof.

21. The airbag system of claim 19, wherein the first rear ejection mitigation device is attached to the second rear ejection mitigation device with attachment means selected from the group consisting of hooks, tape, hook-and-loop closure, or combinations thereof.