One-directional valve for multi-chamber airbags

• US 9,533,652 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated), Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Paxton, Donald James, Belwafa, Jamel
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew
• Application Number:
  US14/799,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20170015271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

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. A one-directional valve permits inflation gas to flow from the first inflatable chamber to the second inflatable chamber and restricts backflow of inflation gas from the second inflatable chamber to the first inflatable chamber.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly comprising:

a first cushion portion that defines a first inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from an inflator to expand the first cushion portion from a compact state to a deployed state, the first cushion portion including a cushion side panel defining a cushion vent aperture to vent inflation gas;

a second cushion portion coupled to the first cushion portion, wherein the second cushion portion defines a second inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from the cushion vent aperture of the first inflatable chamber to expand the second cushion portion from a compact state to a deployed state; and

a one-directional valve that permits flow of inflation gas through the cushion vent aperture from the first inflatable chamber to the second inflatable chamber and restricts flow of inflation gas from the second inflatable chamber to the first inflatable chamber, the one-directional valve comprising;

a first valve layer including a valve aperture corresponding to the cushion vent aperture, wherein the first valve layer is disposed within the second inflatable chamber and secured to a cushion sidewall adjacent the cushion vent aperture, with the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture aligned; and

a second valve layer overlaying the first valve layer over the valve aperture, wherein the second valve layer is secured to the first valve layer along one or more edges of the second valve layer and unsecured to the first valve layer along at least one edge of the second valve layer to form a valve opening between the first valve layer and the second valve layer,

wherein the first valve layer and the second valve layer part at the valve opening to allow inflation gas to flow from the valve aperture into the second inflatable chamber, and wherein the second valve layer collapses onto the first valve layer to close the valve opening when a pressure in the second inflatable chamber exceeds a pressure in the first inflatable chamber to restrict gas flow from the second cushion portion into the first cushion portion.

2. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the first valve layer is secured to the cushion sidewall adjacent the cushion vent aperture, with the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture aligned, and wherein a second portion of the first valve layer is unsecured relative to the cushion sidewall.

3. The airbag assembly of claim 2, wherein the first portion of the first valve layer is secured to the cushion sidewall by stitching at a perimeter of the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture.

4. The airbag assembly of claim 2, wherein the first portion of the first valve layer is secured to the cushion sidewall by an adhesive at a perimeter of the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture.

5. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the second valve layer is secured to the first valve layer by stitching along one or more edges of the second valve layer.

6. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the second valve layer is secured to the first valve layer by an adhesive along one or more edges of the second valve layer.

7. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve layer is secured to an interior surface of a cushion sidewall of the second cushion portion.

8. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the cushion sidewall is a sidewall of the first cushion portion that is shared by the second cushion portion, and wherein the first valve layer is secured to a surface of the cushion sidewall exterior to the first inflatable chamber and interior to the second inflatable chamber.

9. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve aperture corresponds in size to the cushion vent aperture.

10. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve aperture corresponds in shape to the cushion vent aperture.

11. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve layer is further secured to the cushion sidewall at a position a distance from the valve aperture to maintain the valve opening a distance from the valve aperture.

12. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the second cushion portion extends rearward past the first cushion portion.

13. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the only attachment between the one-directional valve and the cushion sidewall is achieved via securement of the first valve layer to the cushion sidewall, such that the second valve layer is coupled with the cushion sidewall only indirectly by virtue of being secured to the first valve layer.

14. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more edges along which the second valve layer is secured to the first valve layer are unattached to the cushion sidewall such that both the first valve layer and the second valve layer are free from the cushion sidewall along the one or more edges.

15. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein first valve layer is fixedly secured to the cushion sidewall only at said position adjacent the cushion vent aperture.

16. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein first valve layer is fixedly secured to the cushion sidewall only at said position adjacent the cushion vent aperture and at a position adjacent to the valve opening.

17. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first valve layer that forms the valve opening is secured to the second valve layer at opposite sides of the valve opening and is unsecured from the cushion sidewall at said opposite sides of the valve opening.

18. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the second valve layer is unsecured from the cushion sidewall at and adjacent to the valve opening such that the one-directional valve opens and closes independently of the cushion sidewall.

19. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein both the first and second valve layers are unsecured from the cushion sidewall at and adjacent to the valve opening such that the one-directional valve opens and closes independently of the cushion sidewall.

20. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve layer is secured to the cushion sidewall around the valve aperture so as to surround the valve aperture.

21. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve layer and the second valve layer permit the one-directional valve to close independent of the cushion sidewall, wherein the one-directional valve is in an open state when the second valve layer extends a distance away from the first valve layer, and wherein the one-directional valve is in a closed state when the second valve layer is collapsed onto the first valve layer.

22. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve opening operates independent of the cushion sidewall such that when a back pressure arises in the second inflatable chamber, the valve opening closes independent of one or more of an uneven shape of, a tension in, or a force on the cushion sidewall.

23. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein lateral edges of the first valve layer and the second valve layer are attached to each other but are not attached to the cushion sidewall.

24. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the second valve layer is not stitched to the cushion sidewall.

25. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture comprises a web that prevents the second valve layer from pushing into the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture during closure of the one-directional valve.

26. A one-directional valve that permits flow of air in a single direction from a first inflatable chamber to a second inflatable chamber of an airbag assembly, the one-directional valve comprising:

a first panel having defined therein a valve aperture corresponding to a cushion vent aperture in a chamber sidewall separating the first inflatable chamber from the second inflatable chamber, wherein the first panel is configured to be secured to the cushion sidewall adjacent the cushion vent aperture with the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture aligned; and

a second panel overlaying the first panel over the valve aperture, wherein the second panel is secured to the first panel along one or more edges of the second panel and is unsecured to the first panel along at least one edge of the second panel to form a valve opening between the first panel and the second panel,

wherein the valve aperture is configured to receive air from the first inflatable chamber, wherein the first panel and the second panel part at the valve opening to allow inflation gas to flow from the valve aperture into the second inflatable chamber, and wherein the second valve layer collapses onto the first valve layer to close the valve opening when a pressure in the second inflatable chamber exceeds a pressure in the first inflatable chamber to restrict air flow from the second cushion portion into the first cushion portion.

27. The one-directional valve of claim 26, wherein a first portion of the first valve panel is configured to be secured to the chamber sidewall adjacent the cushion vent aperture with the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture aligned, and wherein a second portion of the first valve layer is unsecured relative to the cushion sidewall.

28. The one-directional valve of claim 26, wherein the valve aperture corresponds in size to the cushion vent aperture.

29. The one-directional valve of claim 26, wherein the valve aperture corresponds in shape to the cushion vent aperture.

30. A method of forming a one-directional valve, comprising:

forming a valve aperture in a first valve panel, the valve aperture corresponding to a vent aperture in a first chamber through which the one-directional valve is to provide one-directional flow of air into a second chamber,

securing a second valve panel overlaying the first valve panel, including the valve aperture of the first valve panel, along one or more edges of the second valve panel, wherein the second valve panel remains unsecured to the first valve panel along at least one edge of the second valve panel to form a valve opening between the first valve panel and the second valve panel,

wherein the second valve panel is configured to part from the first valve panel at the valve opening to allow inflation gas to flow from the valve aperture through the valve opening, and

wherein the second valve panel is configured to collapse against the first valve panel to close the valve opening when a pressure in the second chamber exceeds a pressure in the first chamber to restrict air flow from the second chamber into the first chamber.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising securing a first portion of the first valve layer to a chamber sidewall within the second chamber and adjacent the vent aperture, with the valve aperture and the cushion vent aperture aligned, wherein a second portion of the first valve layer is unsecured relative to the chamber sidewall.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising securing a third portion of the first valve layer to the chamber sidewall at a position a distance from the valve aperture to maintain the valve opening a distance from the valve aperture.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first portion of the first valve layer is secured to the chamber sidewall by stitching at a perimeter of the valve aperture and the vent aperture.