Inflatable chamber integrated into center floor console

• US 9,446,731 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: West, Sean Bayle, Raines, Stacey H., Yilma, Benjamin, Mazzocchi, Nicholas Andrew, Spahn, Brian Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew
• Application Number:
  US14/701,582
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0262 Mid-console liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0407 using gas or liquid as energy absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings

Abstract

A vehicle console includes a frame and an impact absorbing device supported on the frame. The impact absorbing device includes a bladder connected to the frame and a panel connected to the bladder. The bladder and the panel define an inflation chamber between the bladder and the panel. The panel is rigid relative to the bladder. An inflator is in communication with the inflation chamber.

Claims

1. A vehicle console comprising:

a frame;

an impact absorbing device including a bladder connected to the frame and a panel connected to the bladder defining an inflation chamber between the bladder and the panel, the panel being rigid relative to the bladder and the bladder being disposed between the panel and the frame; and

an inflator in communication with the inflation chamber

the impact absorbing device being inflatable from a stowed position to an extended position, the panel abutting the frame in the stowed position and spaced from the frame in the extended position.

2. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the bladder is thinner than the panel.

3. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the panel and the bladder are integrally formed.

4. The console of claim 1, wherein the panel and the bladder are hermetically sealed.

5. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein bladder is welded to the panel.

6. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the panel is substantially flush with the console in the stowed position.

7. The vehicle console of claim 6, wherein the panel encloses the bladder in the stowed position.

8. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the panel presents a class-A surface.

9. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein inflator is configured to inflate the inflation chamber to move the panel away from the frame from the stowed position to the extended position.

10. The vehicle console of claim 9, further comprising retention features between the panel and the frame and configured to selectively fix the panel relative to the frame in the stowed position and to release the panel relative to the frame when the inflator inflates the inflation chamber.

11. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein one of the panel and the frame includes snapping features configured to releasably engage the panel and the frame.

12. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the inflator is disposed inside the inflation chamber.

13. The vehicle console of claim 12, wherein the inflator is attached to the frame.

14. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the bladder is folded between the frame and the panel.

15. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the bladder is silicon.

16. The vehicle console of claim 15, wherein the panel is plastic.

17. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the bladder and the panel are formed of the same type of material.

18. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the bladder has a uniform thickness.

19. The vehicle console of claim 1, wherein the panel moves in a vehicle-rearward direction from the stowed position to the extended position, and wherein the bladder includes a wing chamber extending from panel in a cross-vehicle direction transverse to the vehicle-rearward direction in the extended position.