Airbag protection flap

• US 7,770,925 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Seymour, Brian T., Rose, Larry D., Lachat, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/714,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/732, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An airbag assembly comprising an airbag cushion, a deployment flap and an extension flap attached to the deployment flap, is disclosed. The deployment flap is configured to protect the airbag cushion as it deploys from the module housing. The extension flap is configured to position the airbag cushion during deployment. In some embodiments, the airbag assembly may also include a cinch tube arrangement.

Claims

1. A frontal airbag assembly for protecting an out-of-position object, on a passenger-side, comprising:

an airbag module housing comprising a cover having a tear seam;

an inflatable airbag cushion configured for frontal deployment on the passenger-side with a bottom surface and an opposing top surface, which is closer to a windshield of a vehicle when the inflatable airbag cushion is deployed than the bottom surface,

wherein the inflatable airbag cushion is folded with a plurality of folds in the airbag module housing in a stored state, wherein the plurality of folds includes an outermost fold that is the closest fold to the cover;

a deployment flap,

wherein the deployment flap has a first end coupled adjacent to the inflatable airbag cushion and a second end that is unattached to the inflatable airbag cushion, and

wherein the deployment flap has a width, and wherein the width and position of the deployment flap protects the inflatable airbag cushion as the inflatable airbag cushion deploys out of the airbag module housing and through the tear seam; and

an extension flap,

wherein the extension flap has an attached end that is fixedly attached to and extends from the second end of the deployment flap and has a free end opposite from the attached end that is unattached,

wherein, in the stored state, the extension flap is folded and is located between the outermost fold of the inflatable airbag cushion and the cover,

wherein the extension flap is positioned in front of the inflatable airbag cushion in a passenger compartment of a vehicle during deployment,

wherein, when the inflatable airbag cushion is fully deployed, the deployment flap and extension flap extend together along the bottom surface of the inflatable airbag cushion to be positioned between the inflatable airbag cushion and an out-of-position object.

2. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the inflatable airbag cushion terminates at a distal end, wherein the free end of the extension flap extends at least adjacent to the distal end of the inflatable airbag cushion when the inflatable airbag cushion is fully deployed.

3. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the inflatable airbag cushion terminates at a distal end, wherein the free end of the extension flap extends beyond the distal end of the inflatable airbag cushion when the inflatable airbag cushion is fully deployed.

4. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the extension flap is comprised of fabric.

5. The airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the extension flap is folded with folds of the undeployed inflatable airbag cushion within an airbag module in a stored state.

6. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the extension flap is attached to the deployment flap through stitching.

7. The airbag assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a closeable vent disposed on the inflatable airbag cushion; and

a tether coupled to the closeable vent and coupled to a surface of the airbag.

8. The airbag assembly of claim 7, wherein the tether is configured such that upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion with obstruction, the tether does not fully extend and the closeable vent remains open, and upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion without obstruction, the tether extends and at least partially closes the closeable vent.