Mounting assemblies with wrappers for inflatable curtain airbags

• US 8,240,701 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cheal, Blake L., Gammill, Kurt L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/555,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 244/57, 244/58, 241/91, 241/71, 248/95, 248/166, 248/909, 248/301, 248/304, 248/305, 248/306, 248/308
• 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

Abstract

Mounting assemblies can be used to retain an inflatable airbag cushion in a packaged configuration and attach the cushion to a vehicle structure. The mounting assemblies can have a mounting bracket and a wrapping member. The assemblies can also have a connecting member that connects the mounting bracket to the wrapper. The mounting bracket is attached to a vehicle structure and the wrapping member wraps and retains the cushion after it has been rolled and/or folded. During airbag deployment, the wrapping member releases the cushion so that it can be fully inflated and the mounting structure continues to anchor the cushion to the vehicle structure.

Claims

1. An airbag mounting assembly, comprising:

a mounting bracket having an aperture, wherein the mounting bracket is configured to be mounted to a vehicle structure;

a connecting member that protrudes through the aperture in the mounting bracket; and

a wrapping member having an aperture, wherein the wrapping member is configured to wrap around a portion of an inflatable airbag cushion and to be coupled to the mounting bracket to retain the inflatable airbag cushion in a packaged configuration,

wherein in the packaged configuration, the mounting bracket protrudes through the aperture in the wrapping member.

2. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the wrapping member is configured to rupture during inflatable airbag deployment, such that the wrapping member ceases to retain the inflatable airbag cushion in the packaged configuration.

3. The mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the wrapping member has a rupture point to facilitate rupturing during inflatable airbag cushion deployment.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the rupture point of the wrapping member comprises perforations.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the wrapping member comprises a frangible material.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the frangible material comprises a non-woven fabric.

7. The mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the frangible material comprises a plastic film.

8. The mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the wrapping member comprises two pieces of material.

9. The mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein the two pieces are coupled together using tear stitching.

10. The mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein one of the pieces of material comprises a frangible material.

11. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a metal planer member, and wherein the aperture comprises a receiving aperture and is configured as an elongated slot, and wherein the mounting bracket also has a mounting aperture that is configured to receive a bolt.

12. The mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the connecting member comprises a non-frangible material, the connecting member being configured to protrude through the receiving aperture of the mounting bracket such that a loop is formed in the connecting member and the loop is retained via stitching, thereby attaching the connecting member to the mounting bracket, and

wherein the connecting member is coupled to the wrapping member via the same stitching that retains the loop of the connecting member.

13. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the wrapping member comprises a connecting member and is coupled to the mounting bracket by passing through the aperture in the mounting bracket.

14. An airbag mounting assembly, comprising:

a mounting bracket having an aperture, where in the mounting bracket is configured to be mounted to a vehicle structure and coupled to an inflatable airbag cushion;

a connecting member comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the connecting member forms a loop that couples the connecting member to the mounting bracket by extending through the aperture in the mounting bracket; and

a wrapping member that is attached to the connecting member via stitching, wherein the wrapping member comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the second portion comprises a mounting bracket receiving aperture that is configured to allow the mounting bracket to pass through the mounting bracket receiving aperture.

15. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein the first portion of the connecting member is coupled to the connecting member via stitching.

16. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein mounting assembly comprises a rupture point that is located at a predetermined position on the wrapping member and is configured such that during airbag deployment, the wrapping member ruptures at the rupture point, thereby allowing the inflatable airbag cushion to adopt a deployed configuration.

17. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein mounting assembly comprises a rupture point that is located at a predetermined position on the connecting member and is configured such that during airbag deployment, the connecting member ruptures at the rupture point, thereby allowing the inflatable airbag cushion to adopt a deployed configuration.

18. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein mounting assembly comprises a rupture point that is located at a connecting point of the connecting member and the wrapper, and wherein the rupture point comprises tear stitching that is configured to rupture during airbag deployment, thereby allowing the inflatable airbag cushion to adopt a deployed configuration.

19. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein in a packaged configuration, the inflatable airbag cushion comprises a rolled configuration, the wrapping member wraps around the inflatable airbag cushion, and the aperture in the second portion of the wrapping member surrounds a portion of the first portion of the wrapping member and a portion of the connecting member.

20. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein the mounting assembly further comprises a lug that is coupled to the first portion of the wrapping member.

21. The mounting assembly of claim 20, wherein in a packaged configuration, the aperture in the first portion of the wrapping member is located between a bottom portion of the mounting bracket and the lug.

22. The mounting assembly of claim 21, wherein the lug comprises a piece of fabric.

23. The mounting assembly of claim 20, wherein the lug is coupled to the wrapping member by the stitching that couples the first portion of the wrapping member to the wrapping member.

24. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein the aperture in the second portion of the wrapping member comprises a base and an apex that opposes the base.

25. The mounting assembly of claim 24, wherein the aperture defines a triangular shape.

26. The mounting assembly of claim 24, wherein the aperture in the second portion of the wrapping member is pentagonal.

27. The mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein the wrapping member comprises one mounting bracket receiving aperture.