Airbag with enhanced gas diffuser

• US 9,096,193 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Kalandek, Bruce Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y
• Application Number:
  US13/669,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/742, 280/740, 280/743.1, 280/739
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23533 characterised by the manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

An improved airbag assembly (20) has an inflator (40), an airbag (20) and a diffuser (70). The diffuser (70) is formed from two folded inner and outer pocket panel layers of fabric and sewn to the airbag (20). The folded inner pocket layer (71) is configured to fit inside the outer pocket layer (73) forming a two-layer structure. The fold (75) in the inner layer (71) is oriented in a first direction relative to the weave of the fabric and the fold of the outer layer (73) is oriented at a second direction relative to the weave of the fabric wherein the second direction is different from the first direction. The first direction and second direction of folds (75, 77) are inclined relative to the other so upon assembly the inner pocket layer (71) fabric weave is directionally inclined on a bias relative to the outer pocket layer (73) fabric weave.

Claims

1. An improved airbag assembly (20) comprising:

an inflator (40) for providing a source of inflation gas;

an airbag, the airbag (20) having a first end, a second end and a first side and a second side extending between said ends defining the airbag (20) configured with one or more inflatable chambers (61);

a diffuser (70) having an inlet for receiving the inflator (40) and one or more discharge openings (82a, 82b) to fill the one or more inflatable chambers (61), the diffuser (70) being affixed internal of the airbag (20), the diffuser (70) being formed from at least two separate layers of fabric, at least one folded inner and at least one folded outer pocket layers (71, 73) of fabric, and sewn or otherwise affixed to the airbag (20);

wherein at least one layer (71) of the diffuser (70) has a seamless fold (75) at the attachment to the airbag (20) where the diffuser (70) is sewn to the airbag (20) or otherwise affixed; and

wherein the folded inner pocket layer (71) is configured to fit inside the outer pocket layer (73) forming a two-layer structure and the fold (75) in the inner layer (71) is oriented in a first direction relative to the fabric and a fold (77) of the outer layer (73) is oriented in a second direction relative to the fabric wherein the second direction of the outer layer (73) is different from the first direction of the inner layer (71) wherein the fold (75) of the inner pocket layer (71) and the fold (77) of the outer pocket layer (73) each align with a stitched seam of the other pocket layer, respectively to form one seamless layer and one stitched seam where the diffuser (70) is sewn to the airbag (20) wherein the fold (75 or 77) forming the seamless layer of one pocket layer (71 or 73) underlies or overlies the other pocket layer to form two layers, a layer of seamless fabric and a layer of seamed fabric along an entire length of the diffuser (70) at an attachment to the airbag (20) at a top seam, and the first direction and second direction of folds being inclined relative to the other so upon assembly the inner pocket layer fold (75) is directionally inclined on a bias relative to the outer pocket layer fold (77).

2. The improved airbag assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein the pocket layers (71, 73) of the diffuser (70) have a seamless fold at the attachment of the airbag (20) where sewn to the airbag (20) or otherwise affixed.

3. The improved airbag assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein the diffuser (70) has the two inner and outer pocket layers (71, 73) sewn together in one or more locations spaced from the fold (75) and has unsewn panel portions forming an inlet neck (72) and the one or more discharge openings (82a, 82b).

4. The improved airbag assembly (20) of claim 3 wherein adjacent the fold (75) at the inlet neck (72) for receiving the inflator (40) has the inner pocket layer (71) sewn to the outer pocket layer (73) in a path at least partially parallel to the attachment to the airbag (20) to form a pocket into which the inflator (40) is inserted.

5. The improved airbag assembly (20) of claim 4 wherein the path extends to a turn and forms a “

U”

shape sewn seam below the inlet neck (72) and above one of the discharge openings (82a, 82b).

6. A diffuser (70) for an airbag (20) comprises:

an inner pocket layer (71), the inner pocket layer (71) being a piece of fabric having a fold (75) along an edge, the edge has a stitched seam (78) adjacent the fold (75);

an outer pocket layer (73), the outer pocket layer (73) being a separate piece of fabric having a fold (77) along an edge, the edge has a stitched seam (78) adjacent the fold (77); and

wherein the inner pocket layer (71) is positioned inside the outer pocket layer (73) to form the diffuser (70), respective folds (75, 77) are located under or over the respective stitched seam (78) of the other pocket layer (71 or 73) to create a continuous length of seamless layer across the diffuser (70) at a location where the diffuser (70) will be attached to the airbag (20), wherein the fold (75) of the inner pocket layer (71) is oriented in a first direction relative to the fabric of inner pocket layer (71) and the fold (77) of the outer pocket layer (73) is oriented in a second direction relative to the fabric of outer pocket layer (73) wherein the second direction is different from the first direction, each fold (75, 77) aligns with a stitched seam (78) of the other pocket layer (71 or 73) to form one seamless layer and one stitched seam at a location where the diffuser (70) is to be sewn to a curtain airbag (20).

7. The diffuser (70) for an airbag (20) of claim 6 wherein the diffuser (70) has the two inner and outer pocket layers (71, 73) sewn together in one or more locations below or spaced from the folds (75, 77) and has unsewn panel portions forming an inlet (72) and one or more discharge openings (82a, 82b).

8. The diffuser (70) for an airbag (20) of claim 6 wherein below or adjacent the folds (75, 77), the diffuser (70) has the inlet (72) for receiving an inflator (40) and has the inner pocket layer (71) sewn to the outer pocket layer (73) in a path at least partially parallel to the attachment to the airbag (20) to form the inlet (72) a into which the inflator (40) is inserted.

9. The diffuser (70) for an airbag (20) of claim 8 wherein the path extends to a turn and forms a “

U”

shape sewn seam below the inlet (72) and above one of the discharge openings (82a, 82b).

10. A method of manufacturing a two-layer fabric diffuser (70) comprises the steps of:

cutting an inner pocket fabric layer (71) from a first piece of fabric;

folding the inner fabric layer (71) to form an edge or fold (75) with a seamless portion and sewing a portion of the inner pocket fabric layer together up to the fold (75) which forms the seamless portion;

cutting an outer pocket fabric layer (73) from a second separate piece of fabric;

folding the outer fabric layer (73) to form an edge or fold (77) with a seamless portion and sewing a portion of the outer pocket fabric layer (73) together up to the fold (77) which forms the seamless portion;

inserting the folded inner pocket layer (71) into the folded outer pocket layer (73) to form an assembly;

sewing a bottom seam (78) on the assembly forming one or more discharge openings (82a, 82b), discharge opening (82b) between the edge or fold (75) and the bottom seam (78);

sewing a “

U”

shaped inlet seam (78) below the edge or fold (77) to form an inlet (72, 90) for receiving an inflator (40), the “

U”

shaped inlet seam (78) being spaced from the edge or fold (75), discharge opening (82a) being between the “

U”

shaped inlet seam (78) and the bottom seam (78); and

wherein the step of folding includes folding the inner layer (71) in a first direction relative to the fabric of the inner layer (71) and folding the outer layer (73) in a second direction relative to the fabric of the outer layer (73) wherein the second direction of the fold (77) is different from the first direction of the fold (75) and the step of inserting has the first direction and second direction of the folds (75, 77) being inclined relative to the other so upon assembly the inner pocket fabric layer (71) fold (75) is directionally inclined on a bias relative to the outer pocket fabric layer (73) fold (77).