Injection molded inflatable active bolster

• US 8,491,008 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABC Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Salflex Polymers Limited
• Inventors: Roychoudhury, Raj S., Hawkins, Stephen, Herdegen, Nicholas, Flajnik, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US13/100,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20110272926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 280751-753, 296/187.05, 296/187.06
• US Class Current: 280/752
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material

Abstract

An inflatable active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the bolster having a first body section and a second body section interconnected by a living hinge. The first and second body sections are folded about the living hinge to form a hollow chamber. The first body section provides an outer surface for facing the vehicle occupant, while the second body section provides a support surface for coupling the inflatable active bolster to a vehicle. At least one of the first and second body sections provides at least one expansible element such that upon pressurization of the hollow chamber, at least a portion of the at least one expansible element undergoes deformation to permit inflation of the hollow chamber, thereby displacing the outer surface of the first body section outwardly to an extended position.

Claims

1. An inflatable active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the inflatable active bolster comprising:

an expansible hollow chamber of unitary construction having a first body section and a second body section interconnected by a living hinge, said first and second body sections being folded about said living hinge and joined about at least a portion of the periphery between said first and second body section, to form said hollow chamber;

said first body section having an outer surface for facing the vehicle occupant;

said second body section providing a support surface for coupling the inflatable active bolster to a vehicle;

wherein at least one of said first body section and said second body section has at least one expansible element such that upon pressurization of said expansible hollow chamber, at least a portion of said at least one expansible element undergoes deformation to permit inflation of said expansible hollow chamber, displacing said outer surface of said first body section outwardly to an extended position.

2. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, wherein said at least one expansible element is formed in said second body section about at least a portion of the periphery of said second body section.

3. The inflatable active bolster of claim 2, wherein said expansible element is formed as a pleat.

4. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, wherein said second body section is provided with a recessed mid-portion that is positioned at least in close proximity to said first body section, thereby reducing the volume of said expansible hollow chamber.

5. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, wherein said second body section is permanently joined to said first body section by way of welding around at least a portion of said periphery.

6. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, wherein said first body section is provided with at least one projection element extending from an inside surface proximal the outer perimeter, said projection element providing a surface to permanently join with said second body section.

7. The inflatable active bolster of claim 6, wherein two projection elements are provided on said first body section, said two projection elements defining a channel configured to receive a peripheral region of second body section, said peripheral region being permanently joined to at least one of said two projection elements.

8. The inflatable active bolster of claim 7, wherein said second body section is permanently joined to at least one of said two projection elements on said first body section by heat staking.

9. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, wherein said second body section includes an integral housing for receiving an inflator.

10. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, further comprising mounting elements extending outwardly from said second body portion for attachment to the vehicle.

11. The inflatable active bolster of claim 10, wherein said mounting elements comprise one or more threaded fasteners provided on respective mounting strips located within said hollow chamber, said threaded fasteners being arranged to extend outwardly from said second body portion for engagement with the vehicle.

12. The inflatable active bolster of claim 11, further comprising one or more additional fitment towers for engaging respective receptacles provided on said vehicle, said fitment towers serving to enhance alignment between said inflatable active bolster and said vehicle.

13. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, further comprising a panel to substantially cover said second body section, said panel providing at least one mounting element to mount said inflatable active bolster to the vehicle, said panel being joined to said inflatable active bolster through at least one permanent joint between said panel and said second body section.

14. The inflatable active bolster of claim 13, wherein said active bolster is in the form of a glove compartment door, and said at least one mounting element is a hinge for permitting opening/closing of said door.

15. The inflatable active bolster of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of a peripheral region of said panel is joined to the outer periphery of said first body section by a frangible weld joint that is breakable upon deployment of the inflatable active bolster.

16. The inflatable active bolster of claim 1, wherein said hollow chamber is formed of a polymeric material through injection molding.

17. An injection molded inflatable active bolster for a vehicle occupant that projects outwardly from a stored position to an extended position adjacent the occupant during a collision event, the bolster comprising:

an expansible hollow chamber of unitary injection molded construction having a first body section and a second body section interconnected by a living hinge, said first and second body sections being folded about said living hinge and joined about at least a portion of the remaining periphery between said first and second body section, to form said hollow chamber;

said first body section having an outer surface for facing the vehicle occupant;

said second body section providing a mating surface for attachment of the inflatable active bolster to a vehicle;

an inflator in fluid communication with said expansible hollow chamber,

said second body section having at least one expansible element such that upon pressurization of said expansible hollow chamber by said inflator, at least a portion of said at least one expansible element undergoes deformation to permit inflation of said expansible hollow chamber, displacing said outer surface of said first body section outwardly to an extended position.