Vehicle and an airbag assembly for the vehicle
First Claim
1. An airbag assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:
- a bladder adapted to be attached to the vehicle and including a first side and a second side opposing each other along a first axis, with the bladder presenting a pre-deployed position being deflated and a deployed position being inflated;
wherein the bladder includes a first expandable region and a second expandable region adjacent to each other, with the first and second expandable regions each having the first and second sides;
wherein the first expandable region defines a first maximum width between the first and second sides of the first expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position and the second expandable region defines a second maximum width between the first and second sides of the second expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position; and
a tether facing the second side of the first expandable region and attached to the bladder such that the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second expandable region to define a total width along the first axis greater than one of the first and second maximum widths;
wherein the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other along the first axis when in the deployed position such that part of the second side of the first expandable region and part of the first side of the second expandable region remain spaced from each other along the first axis when in the deployed position;
wherein the bladder includes a first peripheral end and a second peripheral end spaced from each other to define a length of the bladder transverse to the first axis when in the pre-deployed position, and wherein the bladder includes a peripheral edge disposed between the first and second peripheral ends, with a first attachment region disposed along at least one of the first peripheral end and the peripheral edge, and a second attachment region disposed along the second peripheral end, with the tether attached to the first and second attachment regions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle and an airbag assembly are disclosed. A bladder includes a first expandable region defining a first maximum width between first and second sides of the first expandable region along a first axis when in a deployed position and a second expandable region defining a second maximum width between first and second sides of the second expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position. A tether faces the second side of the first expandable region. The tether is attached to the bladder such that the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second expandable region to define a total width along the first axis greater than one of the first and second maximum widths.
37 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An airbag assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:
-
a bladder adapted to be attached to the vehicle and including a first side and a second side opposing each other along a first axis, with the bladder presenting a pre-deployed position being deflated and a deployed position being inflated; wherein the bladder includes a first expandable region and a second expandable region adjacent to each other, with the first and second expandable regions each having the first and second sides; wherein the first expandable region defines a first maximum width between the first and second sides of the first expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position and the second expandable region defines a second maximum width between the first and second sides of the second expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position; and a tether facing the second side of the first expandable region and attached to the bladder such that the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second expandable region to define a total width along the first axis greater than one of the first and second maximum widths; wherein the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other along the first axis when in the deployed position such that part of the second side of the first expandable region and part of the first side of the second expandable region remain spaced from each other along the first axis when in the deployed position; wherein the bladder includes a first peripheral end and a second peripheral end spaced from each other to define a length of the bladder transverse to the first axis when in the pre-deployed position, and wherein the bladder includes a peripheral edge disposed between the first and second peripheral ends, with a first attachment region disposed along at least one of the first peripheral end and the peripheral edge, and a second attachment region disposed along the second peripheral end, with the tether attached to the first and second attachment regions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An airbag assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:
-
a bladder adapted to be attached to the vehicle and including a first side and a second side opposing each other along a first axis, with the bladder presenting a pre-deployed position being deflated and a deployed position being inflated; wherein the bladder includes a first expandable region and a second expandable region adjacent to each other, with the first and second expandable regions each having the first and second sides; wherein the first expandable region defines a first maximum width between the first and second sides of the first expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position and the second expandable region defines a second maximum width between the first and second sides of the second expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position; and a tether facing the second side of the first expandable region and attached to the bladder such that the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second expandable region to define a total width along the first axis greater than one of the first and second maximum widths; wherein the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other along the first axis when in the deployed position such that part of the second side of the first expandable region and part of the first side of the second expandable region remain spaced from each other along the first axis when in the deployed position; wherein the bladder includes a third expandable region, with the third expandable region having the first and second sides, and with the third expandable region defining a third maximum width between the first and second sides of the third expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position, and wherein the tether is attached to the bladder such that the first sides of the second and third expandable regions and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second and third expandable regions along the first axis to further define the total width greater than one of the first, second and third maximum widths. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A vehicle comprising:
-
a vehicle structure defining an interior compartment; an airbag assembly including; a bladder attached to the vehicle structure and including a first side and a second side opposing each other along a first axis, with the bladder presenting a pre-deployed position being deflated and a deployed position being inflated, and with the first side facing inwardly toward the interior compartment when in the deployed position and the second side facing outwardly away from the interior compartment when in the deployed position; wherein the bladder includes a first expandable region and a second expandable region adjacent to each other, with the first and second expandable regions each having the first and second sides; wherein the first expandable region defines a first maximum width between the first and second sides of the first expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position and the second expandable region defines a second maximum width between the first and second sides of the second expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position; and a tether facing the second side of the first expandable region and attached to the bladder such that the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second expandable region to define a total width along the first axis greater than one of the first and second maximum widths; wherein the first expandable region projects outwardly into the interior compartment away from the vehicle structure when in the deployed position, and wherein the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other along the first axis when in the deployed position such that part of the second side of the first expandable region and part of the first side of the second expandable region remain spaced from each other along the first axis when in the deployed position; wherein the bladder defines a slot between the first and second expandable regions, with the tether disposed through the slot such that a first portion of the tether abuts the first side of the second expandable region and a second portion of the tether abuts the second side of the first expandable region. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification