Side curtain airbag

• US 7,971,899 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nxgen Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Nxgen Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Hassett, Dayne B., Okrutny, Jeff, Pinsenschaum, Ryan T., Fink, Michael F., Weston, Douglas S., Abney, William III
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A
• Application Number:
  US12/256,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20090127837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/740, 280/741, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• 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 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle is disclosed herein, the inflatable cushion having: a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate inflatable cells each of which having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas; an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells; a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material; and means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of inflatable cells.

Claims

1. An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle, the inflatable cushion, comprising:

a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells each of which having only an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas;

an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells;

a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material of the diffuser member in order to inflate each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells; and

means for restricting fluid flow between each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells such that a predetermined effective flow area is provided between a loaded cell of anyone of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells and the remaining plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells, wherein the effective flow area causes an inflated cell of one of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells to have an increased internal pressure when it is impacted by an object and wherein the increased internal pressure will prevent the object from striking through the cell with the increased internal pressure and wherein the inflated cell has an internal pressure greater than 20 kilopascals and less than 40 kilopascals prior to its impact by the object.

2. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the means for restricting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet opening of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells is a plurality of stitches through the first material of the first cushion section, the plurality of stitches being arranged to provide a plurality of independent and discrete plurality of stitches.

3. The inflatable cushion as in claim 2, wherein the plurality of stitches are applied after the diffuser member is inserted into the internal passageway and wherein the diffuser member is a diffuser tube.

4. The inflatable cushion as in claim 2, wherein some of the plurality of stitches are arranged in a plurality of oval patterns and some of the plurality of stitches are arranged into a plurality of curved patterns, the plurality of oval patterns being located on one side of the diffuser member and the plurality of curved patterns being located on another side of the diffuser member.

5. The inflatable cushion as in claim 4, wherein portions of the diffuser member are more permeable than other portions of the diffuser member.

6. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of cells is more effective when the non-rigid fabric member expands due to receipt of an inflation gas therein.

7. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the first cushion section has an upper edge portion, a lower edge portion, a first end portion and a second end portion, and the internal passageway is proximate to the upper edge portion.

8. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the inflatable cushion further comprises a second cushion section having a plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells each of which has an inlet opening for receipt of the inflation gas and the internal passageway is also formed in the second cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells and the diffuser member is configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells and the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the material used to form the second cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material;

and the means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells is disposed proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells of the second cushion section.

9. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the non-rigid fabric member is a woven non-rigid fabric tube and the woven non-rigid fabric tube is formed from a material that is more permeable than the first material forming the first cushion section.

10. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein portions of the non-rigid fabric member are more permeable than other portions of the non-rigid fabric member, wherein fluid flow of the inflation gas to the plurality of inflatable cells is varied.

11. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the diffuser member further comprises a rigid non-fabric portion and the inflatable cushion further comprises a second cushion section having a plurality of inflatable cells and the rigid non-fabric portion is the only means for supplying a portion of the inflation gas to the plurality of inflatable cells of the second cushion section.

12. The inflatable cushion as in claim 11, wherein the means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells is only a plurality of stitches through the first material of the first cushion section and the second cushion section, the plurality of stitches being arranged to provide a plurality of independent and discrete plurality of stitches.

13. The inflatable cushion as in claim 12, wherein the plurality of stitches are arranged in a plurality of oval patterns.

14. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells is a plurality of fabric portions sewn to an exterior surface of the first cushion section, wherein some of the inlet openings vary in size.

15. The inflatable cushion as in claim 14, wherein loading of the loaded cell is caused by the impact of the object with the loaded cell and the impact causes the internal pressure of the loaded cell to increase higher than those of unloaded cells and wherein the predetermined effective flow area is greater than 0 and less than 0.5 square inches and wherein the plurality of fabric portions are secured to the exterior surface of first cushion section by a plurality of independently and discretely located plurality of stitches through the first material of the first cushion section and the plurality of stitches are arranged in a plurality of curved patterns.

16. The inflatable cushion as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined effective flow area is greater than 0 and less than 0.5 square inches.

17. An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle, the inflatable cushion, comprising:

a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells each of which having only an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas;

an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells;

a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material of the diffuser member; and

means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells, wherein the means for restricting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet opening of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells is a plurality of stitches independently and discretely applied through the first material of the first cushion section, and wherein only a portion of the plurality of stitches secures a plurality of fabric portions to an exterior surface of the first cushion section and wherein the effective flow area causes an inflated cell of one of the plurality of inflatable cells to have an increased internal pressure when it is impacted by an object and wherein the increased internal pressure will prevent the object from striking through the cell with the increased internal pressure and wherein the inflated cell has an internal pressure less than 60 kilopascals prior to its impact by the object.

18. The inflatable cushion as in claim 17, wherein the plurality of fabric portions are independent and discretely located and vary in size, and each of the inlet openings vary in size.

19. The inflatable cushion as in claim 17, wherein the plurality of fabric portions are the same size and each of the inlet openings vary in size.

20. The inflatable cushion as in claim 17, wherein some of the inlet openings and some of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells vary in size wherein portions of the non-rigid fabric member that provides fluid flow to each inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells varies in size such that varying flow rates into the plurality of cells is provided when the inflation gas passes through the permeable material.

21. The inflatable cushion as in claim 17, wherein the first material is less permeable than the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member.

22. An airbag module for a vehicle, comprising:

a side curtain inflatable cushion comprising;

a first cushion section formed from a first material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells each of which only having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas;

an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells;

a diffuser member disposed in the internal passageway, the diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells, wherein the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the first cushion section and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into each of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material; and

means for restricting fluid flow between each of the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of an inlet opening of each of the plurality of inflatable cells such that a predetermined effective flow area is provided between a loaded cell of anyone of the plurality of inflatable cells and the remaining plurality of inflatable cells; and

an inflator for providing the inflation gas, the inflator being fluidly coupled to the diffuser member and wherein the effective flow area causes an inflated cell of one of the plurality of separate substantially isolated inflatable cells to have an increased internal pressure when it is impacted by an object and wherein the increased internal pressure will prevent the object from striking through the cell with the increased internal pressure and wherein the inflated cell has an internal pressure less than 60 kilopascals prior to its impact by the object.

23. A method of inflating an inflatable cushion, the method comprising:

controlling the flow rate of an inflation gas into the inflatable cushion by limiting an amount of surface area between an exterior surface of a non-rigid fabric diffuser member and an interior surface of an internal passageway formed in the inflatable cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of a plurality of separate inflatable cells only via an inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, the inflatable cushion being formed from a first material and the diffuser member consists essentially of a non-rigid fabric member formed from a permeable material, the non-rigid fabric member is independent of the first material used to form the inflatable cushion and the permeable material of the non-rigid fabric member is the main source of fluid flow into the inlet openings of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that the inflation gas must pass through the permeable material, wherein the amount of surface area between the exterior surface of the non-rigid fabric diffuser member and the interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells is limited by applying a plurality of stitches through a first wall member and a second wall member of the inflatable cushion in order to secure the first wall member to the second wall member; and

restricting fluid flow between each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between the exterior surface of the non-rigid fabric diffuser member and the interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells such that a predetermined effective flow area is provided between a loaded cell of anyone of the plurality of separate inflatable cells and the remaining plurality of separate inflatable cells and wherein the effective flow area causes an inflated cell of one of the plurality of inflatable cells to have an increased internal pressure when it is impacted by an object and wherein the increased internal pressure will prevent the object from striking through the cell with the increased internal pressure and wherein the inflated cell has an internal pressure less than 60 kilopascals prior to its impact by the object.

24. The method as in claim 23, wherein the predetermined effective flow area is greater than 0 and less than 0.5 square inches and wherein an operating pressure of the plurality of substantially isolated cells upon inflation by the inflation gas is about 20 to 40 kilopascals.

25. The method as in claim 24, wherein the predetermined effective flow area is greater than 0 and less than 0.25 square inches.