Frontal airbag assemblies

• US 9,676,361 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Camm, Stephen Charles, Smith, Bradley W., Matsu, Richard Lawrence, Paxton, Donald James
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US14/695,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20160311393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

Airbag assemblies are disclosed that comprise a frontal inflatable cushion that can deploy from a housing assembly to receive a head and/or a portion of a torso of a vehicle occupant moving from a vehicle occupant position in a forward direction relative to the vehicle during a vehicle impact event. The frontal inflatable cushion can be a curtain airbag. The frontal inflatable cushion can also be coupled to one or more support components within a passenger compartment of the vehicle, such that when the frontal inflatable cushion is in the deployed state the one or more support components support the frontal inflatable cushion in a rearward direction, relative to the vehicle, to enable the frontal inflatable cushion to restrain movement of the vehicle occupant in the forward direction during a vehicle impact event. The support components may include a side inflatable cushion, such as a curtain airbag.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly, comprising:

a housing assembly configured to be mounted in a roof of a vehicle;

a frontal inflatable cushion defining an inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from an inflator assembly disposed within the housing assembly to expand the frontal inflatable cushion from a packaged state to a deployed state, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion is configured to deploy from the housing assembly, and wherein the frontal inflatable cushion is configured to deploy in both a downward direction and a rearward direction relative to the housing assembly; and

a first tether having a first end portion, a mid-portion, and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is coupled to the frontal inflatable curtain, and wherein the first tether is configured to extend along an outside surface of a side inflatable cushion such that the mid-portion of the first tether is configured to be coupled to the side inflatable cushion and the second end portion of the first tether is configured to be coupled to the vehicle and such that the side inflatable cushion and the vehicle support the frontal inflatable cushion when the frontal inflatable cushion is in the deployed state.

2. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion deploys from a frontal portion of the housing assembly, and wherein the frontal portion of the housing assembly is configured to be mounted in the roof of the vehicle at a position forward relative to a vehicle occupant position, and

wherein the side inflatable cushion deploys from a side portion of the housing assembly, and wherein the side portion of the housing assembly is configured to be mounted at a position in the roof of the vehicle at a position lateral relative to the vehicle occupant position.

3. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion comprises a corner portion at a junction of a lateral edge and a distal edge of the frontal inflatable cushion, and wherein the first end portion of the first tether is coupled to the frontal inflatable cushion at the corner portion.

4. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein a rearward edge of the side inflatable cushion is coupled to the vehicle.

5. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein deployment of the frontal inflatable cushion comprises a first stage and a second stage, wherein the first stage comprises a deployment of the frontal inflatable cushion in a substantially vertical downward direction, and wherein the second stage comprises a deployment of the frontal inflatable cushion in a substantially downward and rearward direction.

6. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the frontal portion of the housing assembly is configured to be mounted in a head liner of the vehicle.

7. An airbag assembly, comprising:

a housing assembly to be mounted at a roof of a passenger compartment of a vehicle;

an inflator assembly;

a frontal inflatable cushion that defines an inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from the inflator assembly to expand the frontal inflatable cushion from a packaged state within the housing assembly to a deployed state, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion is configured to deploy from the housing assembly to receive a head and at least a portion of a torso of a vehicle occupant moving from a vehicle occupant position primarily in a forward direction relative to the vehicle during a vehicle impact event; and

a first tether including a first end portion, a mid-portion, and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the first tether is stitchingly coupled to a first lower corner portion of the frontal inflatable cushion, and wherein the first tether is configured to extend along an outside surface of a first side inflatable curtain airbag disposed at a first side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle such that the mid-portion of the first tether is configured to be coupled to the first side inflatable curtain airbag and the second end portion of the first tether is configured to be coupled to the vehicle such that when the frontal inflatable cushion is in the deployed state the first side inflatable curtain airbag and the vehicle provide support to a lower edge of the frontal inflatable cushion in a rearward direction relative to the vehicle to enable the frontal inflatable cushion to restrain movement of the vehicle occupant in the forward direction during the vehicle impact event.

8. The airbag assembly of claim 7, wherein a front surface of the frontal inflatable cushion in the deployed state is disposed a distance from occupant interfacing surfaces in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

9. The airbag assembly of claim 7, further comprising:

a second tether including a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the second tether is stitchingly coupled to a second lower corner portion of the frontal inflatable cushion and the second end portion of the second tether is configured to be coupled to the vehicle at a second side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, wherein the second side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle is opposite the first side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

10. The airbag assembly of claim 7, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion is configured to receive a head and at least a portion of a torso of a passenger of the vehicle and to receive a head and at least a portion of a torso of a driver of the vehicle.

11. The airbag assembly of claim 7, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion deploys toward a lap of a vehicle occupant.

12. The airbag assembly of claim 7, wherein the inflatable chamber of the frontal inflatable cushion is substantially W shaped.

13. The airbag assembly of claim 7, wherein the vehicle lacks a knee bolster.

14. A frontal airbag assembly, comprising:

an inflator;

an inflatable cushion coupled to the inflator and configured to be deployed from within a housing mountable within a roof of a vehicle, the inflatable cushion comprising a front face and a rear face that cooperate to form a void for receiving an inflation gas from the inflator and that define a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, and a distal edge;

a first tether having a first end portion, a mid-portion, and a second end portion, wherein the first tether is elongate, the first end portion of the first tether coupled by a coupling mechanism to the first lateral edge, and wherein the first tether is configured to extend along an outside surface of a first side curtain airbag such that the mid-portion of the first tether is configured to be coupled to the first side curtain airbag and the second end portion of the first tether is configured to be coupled by a coupling mechanism to the vehicle such that the first side curtain airbag and the vehicle support the inflatable cushion when the inflatable cushion is in a deployed configuration; and

a second tether having a first end portion, a mid-portion, and a second end portion, wherein the second tether is elongate, the first end portion of the second tether coupled by a coupling mechanism to the second lateral edge, and wherein the second tether is configured to extend along an outside surface of a second side curtain airbag such that the mid-portion of the second tether is configured to be coupled to the second side curtain airbag and the second end portion of the second tether is configured to be coupled by a coupling mechanism to the vehicle such that the second side curtain airbag and the vehicle support the inflatable cushion when the inflatable cushion is in the deployed configuration,

wherein upon reception of the inflation gas within the void, the inflatable cushion transitions from a packaged configuration within the housing to the deployed configuration, wherein the inflatable cushion is configured to initially deploy downward in a substantially vertical direction relative to the housing, and wherein the inflatable cushion is configured to subsequently deploy both downward and rearward relative to the housing.

15. The frontal airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein a proximal edge of the inflatable cushion is coupled to the vehicle via the housing, wherein the first side curtain airbag is coupled to the vehicle, and wherein the second side curtain airbag is coupled to the vehicle.

16. The frontal airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the void of the inflatable cushion is substantially W shaped, and wherein non-inflatable portions are disposed between inflatable portions of the W-shaped void of the inflatable cushion.

17. The frontal airbag assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the non-inflatable portions is configured to receive at least a portion of a head and at least a portion of a torso of a vehicle occupant when the vehicle occupant moves from a vehicle occupant position primarily in a forward direction relative to the vehicle.