Curtain airbag assembly

• US 8,459,695 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spencer, Alexander Charles, Ward, Marcus John Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y
• Application Number:
  US12/881,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2, 280/730.2, 403/27, 403292-294, 403/300, 403/301, 403/305, 403/321, 245/730.9, 246/14, 246/15, 24D/IG.52
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45005 with third detached member completing interlock [e.g., hook type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45524 including resiliently biased projection component or surface segment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/20 with indicator or inspection means

Abstract

A curtain airbag assembly is provided having a number of airbags 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d arranged in a side by side relationship. Lower ends of the airbags 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d are linked to the adjacent airbag by an airbag tether connector assembly 10. Each of the tether connector assemblies includes first and second connectors 20, 30 that engage with one another and snap together to fasten together two tethers 26, 36. In the event that the first and second connectors 20, 30 are not correctly coupled together an indication of this fact is providing in one of a number of manners thereby reducing the risk that a vehicle 5 fitted with such a curtain airbag assembly can enter service with one or more tethers 26, 36 not connected.

Claims

1. An airbag tether connector assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a first connector to which a first tether is attached and a second connector to which a second tether is attached, the first and second connectors comprising a retaining mechanism holding the two connectors coupled together and providing a visible indication that the first and second connectors are incorrectly coupled together; and

a mounting means releasably attaching the first and second connectors to the vehicle when the first and second connectors are in engagement with one another.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retaining mechanism is a snap-lock connection.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indication is an inability of the first and second connectors to correctly mate with the mounting means.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the indication is a visual indication produced by using contrasting colors for the first and second connectors.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indication is an inability of the mounting means to be secured to the vehicle.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indication is feedback from an assembly tool that the mounting means has been incorrectly secured to the vehicle.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indication is an electrical continuity signal from the connectors.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first connector includes a first electrical contact, the second connector includes a second electrical contact and an electric circuit is completed through the first and second electrical contacts so as to provide an indication of circuit continuity only when the first connector is correctly coupled to the second connector.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 comprising more than one pair of first and second connectors releasably connected to the vehicle by a single mounting means.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of first and second connector pairs nested together and an electrical circuit is only completed when all of the pairs of connectors are correctly coupled and correctly nested.

11. A curtain airbag assembly for a vehicle comprising:

at least a first and a second inflatable airbag arranged in a side by side relationship with one another, each airbag being secured to a structural part of the vehicle at an upper end thereof;

a first tether attached to the first airbag;

a second tether attached to the second airbag;

a first connector attached to the first tether;

a second connector attached to the second tether, the first and second connectors comprising a retaining mechanism holding the two connectors coupled together and providing a visible indication that the first and second connectors are incorrectly coupled together; and

a mounting means releasably attaching the first and second connectors to the vehicle when the first and second connectors are in engagement with one another.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the retaining mechanism is a snap-lock connection.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the indication is an inability of the first and second connectors to correctly mate with the mounting means.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the indication is a visual indication produced by using contrasting colors for the first and second connectors.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the indication is an inability of the mounting means to be secured to the vehicle.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the indication is feedback from an assembly tool that the mounting means has been incorrectly secured to the vehicle.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the indication is an electrical continuity signal from the connectors.

18. The assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein the first connector includes a first electrical contact, the second connector includes a second electrical contact and an electric circuit is completed through the first and second electrical contacts so as to provide an indication of circuit continuity only when the first connector is correctly coupled to the second connector.

19. The curtain airbag assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein upon deployment of the airbags the connectors are detached from the mounting means so as to permit the airbags to deploy.

20. A method for assembling a curtain airbag assembly having at least a first airbag and a second airbag within a vehicle comprising:

providing a first tether attached to the first airbag and a second tether attached to the second airbag;

providing a first connector attached to the first tether and a second connector attached to the second tether;

joining the first and second connectors together in a correctly coupled condition; and

placing the correctly coupled first and second connectors into mating engagement with a mounting means to releasably attach the first and second connectors to the vehicle, the mounting means being unable to retain the first and second connectors in said releasable attachment to the vehicle if the first and second connectors are in an incorrectly coupled condition.