Shaped airbag

• US 8,851,511 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Volkmann, Matthias, Pieruch, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US13/908,398
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

A side airbag cushion (10, 10A or 10B) has a front side panel (22), a rear side panel (24), a top panel (26) spaced between the upper edges of the front and rear side panels (22, 24), and a bottom panel (28) spaced between the lower edges of the front and rear side panels (22, 24). The top and bottom panels (26, 28) are configured to create a contoured or concavity (23) shaped fully inflated side airbag cushion with a larger sized forward end (27) volume and with a smaller sized volume at the occupant mid-location (25) wherein the inflated airbag cushion fills the gap between the door trim (7) and the occupant (2).

Claims

1. An inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) extending from a seat (4) of a vehicle comprises:

a front first side panel (22);

a rear second side panel (24);

a top panel (26) spaced between an upper edge of the front and rear side panels (22, 24);

a bottom panel (28) spaced between a lower edge of the front and rear side panels (22, 24); and

wherein the top and bottom panels (26, 28) are configured to create a contoured shaped (23), fully inflated side airbag cushion (10) extending from the seat (4) along a door (6) adjacent to a door trim (7) with a larger sized forward end (27) volume and with a smaller sized end (29) volume at a mid-location region (25) wherein the inflated airbag cushion (10) fills a gap between the door trim (7) and the vehicle seat (4) wherein the contoured shape (23) has the smaller sized end (29) volume at the mid-location region (25) extend vertically from the bottom panel to the top panel.

2. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 wherein the forward end (27) projects at least 50% greater than the mid-location (25).

3. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 2 wherein the airbag cushion (10) has a rear end (29) connected to an airbag module.

4. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 wherein the top and bottom panels (26, 28) are similar in size and shape.

5. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 4 wherein the top and bottom panels (26, 28) are the same size and shape.

6. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 wherein the top and bottom panels (26, 28) have a curved forward edge (26e, 28e) adjacent the mid-location region (25).

7. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 6 wherein the curved forward edge (26e, 28e) has a maximum inward curvature at the mid-location region (25).

8. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 7 wherein the top panel (26) and the bottom panel (28) have a rear edge (26d, 28d) adjacent the door trim.

9. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 wherein a rear edge (26d, 28d) is generally straight.

10. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 wherein the inflated cushion (10, 10A, 10B) has the top panel (26) and bottom panel (28) having a mid-located curvature (25) extending from a straight portion (29) adjacent a seatback (4) to the larger sized forward end (29), a space between the forward end and the seatback forming a contoured shape (23) occupant space.

11. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 further has an internal panel (30) internally sewn or otherwise affixed to the front and rear side panels (22, 24).

12. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 11 wherein the internal panel (30) is generally vertically oriented.

13. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 12 wherein the internal panel (30) helps retain the contoured shape (23) at or near the mid-location region (25).

14. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 wherein the inflated airbag cushion (10, 10A, 10B) at the mid-location region (25) has the contoured shape (23) configured to avoid generating forces to move or push the occupant (2) toward an interior and away from the door trim (7) of the vehicle.

15. The inflatable cushion (10, 10A, 10B) of claim 1 wherein the forward end (27) projects at least 20% greater than the mid-location region (25).