Inflatable curtain venting

• US 7,770,917 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Henderson, David, Petersen, Kurt, Williams, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLOMB, JORDAN RIVARD
• Application Number:
  US11/777,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20090014989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/739, 280/729, 280/743.1, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of apparatus, methods, and systems for inflatable curtain venting. In one embodiment, an inflatable curtain airbag is tested using a 50th-percentile dummy. The inflatable curtain airbag comprises a vent opening positioned such that during the crash test, the head of the 50^th-percentile dummy strikes the airbag at the location of the vent such that the exit of inflation gas through the vent is at least partially blocked. The same inflatable curtain airbag may then be used in a test involving a 5th-percentile dummy, in which case the head of the 5th-percentile dummy would not strike the airbag so as to block the vent, thereby allowing for venting of the airbag.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a side-impact airbag system, the vehicle comprising:

a seat positioned in a cabin of the vehicle and adjacent to a first side of the vehicle; and

an inflatable curtain airbag at least a portion of which is positioned and configured to deploy adjacent the seat, wherein the inflatable curtain airbag comprises a vent opening positioned to, upon deployment of the inflatable curtain airbag, at least approximately coincide with the location at which a 50th-percentile occupant'"'"'s head would strike the inflatable curtain airbag in a collision involving a side impact to the first side of the vehicle,

wherein the inflatable curtain airbag comprises a flap attached to the inflatable curtain airbag, and

wherein the inflatable curtain airbag comprises a first chamber and a separate second chamber, and wherein the flap at least partially defines a tunnel that leads from the first chamber to the second chamber.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vent opening is positioned in an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flap is attached to an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag and is at least partially positioned over the vent opening.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tunnel extends along and is partially defined by an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flap comprises a fold configured to increase the volume of gas that can be transferred through the tunnel.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flap is attached to an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag along a closed loop to partially define the tunnel.

7. A side-impact airbag system, comprising:

an inflatable curtain airbag configured to deploy in a cabin of a vehicle adjacent to a roof rail and adjacent to a first side of the vehicle with at least a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion adjacent to a seat in the cabin of the vehicle,

wherein the inflatable curtain airbag comprises a vent opening positioned to, upon deployment of the inflatable curtain airbag, at least approximately coincide with the location at which a 50th-percentile occupant'"'"'s head would strike the inflatable curtain airbag in a collision involving a side impact to the first side of the vehicle,

wherein the inflatable curtain airbag comprises a flap attached to the inflatable curtain airbag, and

wherein the inflatable curtain airbag comprises a first chamber and a separate second chamber, and wherein the flap at least partially defines a tunnel that leads from the first chamber to the second chamber.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the vent opening is positioned in an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the flap is attached to an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag and is at least partially positioned over the vent opening.

10. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the tunnel extends along and is partially defined by an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag.

11. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the flap comprises a fold configured to increase the volume of gas that can be transferred through the tunnel.

12. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the flap is attached to an exterior surface of the inflatable curtain airbag along a closed loop to partially define the tunnel.