Multi-chamber airbags
First Claim
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1. An airbag assembly comprising:
- a bucket seat configured to provide a vehicle occupant position for a single occupant;
a housing configured to be mounted in a dashboard of a vehicle at a first position;
an inflator; and
an airbag cushion that comprises;
a first cushion portion that defines a first inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from the inflator to expand the first cushion portion from a compact state to a deployed state, wherein the first cushion portion is configured to deploy from the housing when the housing is mounted in the dashboard of the vehicle at the first position, and wherein the first cushion portion is configured to receive a torso of the vehicle occupant when the vehicle occupant moves from the vehicle occupant position provided by the bucket seat primarily in a forward direction relative to the vehicle;
a second cushion portion connected to the first cushion portion, wherein the second cushion portion defines a second inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from the first inflatable chamber to expand the second cushion portion from a compact state to a deployed state to cover a second portion of the dashboard that is closer to a center of a vehicle than is the first portion of the dashboard; and
at least one discrete vent that is internal to the airbag cushion and provides fluid communication between the first and the second inflatable chambers to permit inflation gas to flow freely from the first inflatable chamber to the second inflatable chamber and to permit inflation gas to flow freely from the second inflatable chamber to the first inflatable chamber;
wherein the first cushion portion is configured to deploy from the housing primarily in a first direction toward the vehicle occupant position, and wherein the second cushion portion is configured to expand away from the first cushion portion in primarily a second direction that is lateral to the first direction;
wherein a rearward-most surface of the first cushion portion is disposed rearward of a rearward-most surface of the second cushion portion when the airbag cushion is fully inflated; and
wherein the second cushion portion is configured to receive a head of the vehicle occupant when the vehicle occupant moves from the vehicle occupant position provided by the bucket seat in a direction that is oblique relative to the forward direction and includes a component in the second direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag can include a first cushion portion that defines a first inflatable chamber and a second cushion portion that is connected to the first cushion portion and defines a second inflatable chamber. The first inflatable chamber can receive inflation gas from an inflator to expand the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion can receive inflation gas from the first inflatable chamber to expand the second cushion portion. In some arrangements, a temporary fastener may maintain the second cushion portion in a compact state during expansion of the first cushion portion.
107 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An airbag assembly comprising:
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a bucket seat configured to provide a vehicle occupant position for a single occupant; a housing configured to be mounted in a dashboard of a vehicle at a first position; an inflator; and an airbag cushion that comprises; a first cushion portion that defines a first inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from the inflator to expand the first cushion portion from a compact state to a deployed state, wherein the first cushion portion is configured to deploy from the housing when the housing is mounted in the dashboard of the vehicle at the first position, and wherein the first cushion portion is configured to receive a torso of the vehicle occupant when the vehicle occupant moves from the vehicle occupant position provided by the bucket seat primarily in a forward direction relative to the vehicle; a second cushion portion connected to the first cushion portion, wherein the second cushion portion defines a second inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from the first inflatable chamber to expand the second cushion portion from a compact state to a deployed state to cover a second portion of the dashboard that is closer to a center of a vehicle than is the first portion of the dashboard; and at least one discrete vent that is internal to the airbag cushion and provides fluid communication between the first and the second inflatable chambers to permit inflation gas to flow freely from the first inflatable chamber to the second inflatable chamber and to permit inflation gas to flow freely from the second inflatable chamber to the first inflatable chamber; wherein the first cushion portion is configured to deploy from the housing primarily in a first direction toward the vehicle occupant position, and wherein the second cushion portion is configured to expand away from the first cushion portion in primarily a second direction that is lateral to the first direction; wherein a rearward-most surface of the first cushion portion is disposed rearward of a rearward-most surface of the second cushion portion when the airbag cushion is fully inflated; and wherein the second cushion portion is configured to receive a head of the vehicle occupant when the vehicle occupant moves from the vehicle occupant position provided by the bucket seat in a direction that is oblique relative to the forward direction and includes a component in the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification