Knee airbag assemblies and related methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An airbag assembly comprising:
- a housing elongated in a longitudinal direction such that a longitudinal axis of the housing extends between a first end and a second end of the housing, wherein the housing comprises a mounting component that is closer to the first end of the housing than it is to the second end;
an inflator coupled to the housing at a position that is closer to the second end of the housing than is the mounting component, wherein the inflator is configured to be activated in response to vehicle conditions as detected by one or more vehicle sensors;
an inflatable airbag cushion that is coupled to the housing; and
a stabilizer strap coupled to a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion and coupled to the mounting component of the housing to be retained by the mounting component, wherein an entirety of the stabilizer strap is closer to the first end of the housing than it is to the second end,wherein the stabilizer strap is configured to prevent the portion of the inflatable airbag cushion that is coupled to the stabilizer strap from rotating about the position at which the inflator is coupled to the housing so as to inhibit skewing of the inflatable airbag cushion during deployment thereof, andwherein the mounting component is configured to retain the stabilizer strap throughout a full deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion whenever the vehicle conditions are such that the inflator is activated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag assembly can include a stabilizer strap attached to an airbag, and the stabilizer strap can cooperate with a housing to prevent undesired rotation or skewing of the airbag during deployment. In some arrangements, a portion of the airbag is secured to the housing via an inflator.
156 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. An airbag assembly comprising:
-
a housing elongated in a longitudinal direction such that a longitudinal axis of the housing extends between a first end and a second end of the housing, wherein the housing comprises a mounting component that is closer to the first end of the housing than it is to the second end; an inflator coupled to the housing at a position that is closer to the second end of the housing than is the mounting component, wherein the inflator is configured to be activated in response to vehicle conditions as detected by one or more vehicle sensors; an inflatable airbag cushion that is coupled to the housing; and a stabilizer strap coupled to a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion and coupled to the mounting component of the housing to be retained by the mounting component, wherein an entirety of the stabilizer strap is closer to the first end of the housing than it is to the second end, wherein the stabilizer strap is configured to prevent the portion of the inflatable airbag cushion that is coupled to the stabilizer strap from rotating about the position at which the inflator is coupled to the housing so as to inhibit skewing of the inflatable airbag cushion during deployment thereof, and wherein the mounting component is configured to retain the stabilizer strap throughout a full deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion whenever the vehicle conditions are such that the inflator is activated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An airbag assembly comprising:
-
a housing elongated in longitudinal direction such that a longitudinal axis of the housing extends between a first end and a second end of the housing, the housing defining a deployment opening and a stabilizer opening that are spaced from each other, wherein the stabilizer opening is closer to the first end of the housing than it is to the second end; an inflator coupled to the housing at a position that is closer to the second end of the housing than is the stabilizer opening; an inflatable airbag cushion that is coupled to the housing via the inflator such that a portion of the airbag is held between the housing and the inflator; and a stabilizer strap that is coupled to a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion and extends through the stabilizer opening of the housing to an exterior of the housing, wherein a portion of the stabilizer strap is configured to interact with a portion of the housing so as to retain the portion of the stabilizer strap at the exterior of the housing during deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion, and wherein the stabilizer strap is configured to prevent the portion of the inflatable airbag cushion that is coupled to the stabilizer strap from rotating about the position at which the inflator is coupled to the housing so as to inhibit skewing of the inflatable airbag cushion during deployment thereof, and wherein the portion of the stabilizer strap at an exterior of the housing is sized and oriented so as to interact with the portion of the housing that defines the stabilizer opening to thereby prevent the portion of the stabilizer strap from being pulled through the stabilizer opening toward an interior of the housing during deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method of assembling an airbag assembly, the method comprising:
-
providing a housing that is elongated in a longitudinal direction and that defines a stabilizer opening spaced from a deployment opening through which an inflatable airbag cushion can be deployed; providing an inflatable airbag cushion that comprises a stabilizer strap coupled therewith and an aperture for receiving a portion of an inflator; inserting a portion of an inflator through the aperture of the inflatable airbag cushion; coupling the inflator to the housing so as to thereby attach the airbag to the housing; and advancing a portion of the stabilizer strap from an interior of the housing, through the stabilizer opening of the housing, and to an exterior of the housing such that the portion of the stabilizer strap can be retained at an exterior of the housing during deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion, wherein the stabilizer opening comprises a T-shaped portion that includes an insertion section and a retention section, wherein the portion of the stabilizer strap is thinner than the insertion section of the stabilizer opening and is thicker than the retention section of the stabilizer opening, and wherein the portion of the stabilizer strap is advanced through the insertion section of the stabilizer opening. - View Dependent Claims (28)
-
Specification