Airbag mounting assemblies with double-locking wrappers

• US 7,980,585 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cheal, Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): English; James
• Application Number:
  US12/495,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

Mounting assemblies can be used to retain an inflatable curtain airbag in a packaged configuration and attach the inflatable curtain airbag to a vehicle structure. The mounting assemblies can have a mounting structure and a wrapper that are both coupled to inflatable curtain airbag. The mounting structure is attached to a vehicle structure and the wrapper wraps and retains the inflatable curtain airbag in a packaged configuration. During airbag deployment, the wrapper releases the airbag so that the airbag can adopt a deployed configuration, wherein the mounting structure continues to anchor the inflatable curtain airbag to the vehicle structure.

Claims

1. A packaged inflatable curtain airbag assembly, comprising:

a mounting member comprising a rectangular piece of woven nylon webbing, wherein the mounting member has a top portion and a bottom portion;

a wrapper comprising a rectangular piece of flexible material with a first half, a second half, a first elongated slot, and a second elongated slot, the first slot being closer to the first half of the wrapper than the second slot, wherein the wrapper is attached to the top portion of the mounting member at the first half via a first set of stitching, and wherein each of the first and second elongated slots are located on the second half of the wrapper; and

,

a rolled inflatable curtain airbag, wherein in an extended configuration, the inflatable curtain airbag has a top portion, and wherein the top portion is attached to the mounting member and the wrapping member via a second set of stitching so that the stitches protrude through the inflatable curtain airbag, the wrapper, and the mounting member,

wherein the wrapper circumnavigates the rolled inflatable curtain airbag, the first slot of the wrapper receives the top portion of the mounting member, and the second slot of the wrapper receives the bottom portion of the mounting member, such that a portion of the wrapper that is between the first slot and the second slot is located on a back side of the mounting member.

2. The packaged inflatable curtain airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the wrapper comprises a frangible material.

3. The packaged inflatable curtain airbag assembly of claim 2, wherein the frangible material comprises a non-woven material.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 3, wherein the frangible material comprises a plastic film.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 3, wherein the wrapper has a rupture point to facilitate rupturing during inflatable curtain airbag deployment.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the rupture point of the wrapper comprises perforations.

7. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the wrapper comprises a non-frangible material, and wherein the wrapper has a rupture point to facilitate rupturing during inflatable curtain airbag deployment.

8. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the rupture point of the wrapper comprises perforations.

9. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting member and the wrapper comprise a one-piece mounting assembly that is formed from a contiguous piece of material.

10. The mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the one-piece mounting assembly comprises a non-frangible material.

11. The mounting assembly of claim 10, wherein the wrapper comprises a rupture point.