Upwardly inflatable vehicle airbag

• US 9,744,932 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Faruque, Mohammed Omar, Farooq, S. M. Iskander, Jaradi, Dean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US15/085,137
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01 Arrangement of seats relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration

Abstract

A vehicle interior includes a floor, an airbag supported by the floor and being inflatable away from the floor to an inflated position. The airbag includes an outer panel, an inner panel, and an inflation chamber defined between the inner panel and the outer panel. In the inflated position, the outer panel and the inner panel extend along a curved path about an axis transverse to the floor. During a vehicle impact, the airbag may be inflated to the inflated position to absorb energy from an occupant of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior comprising:

a floor;

a seat supported by the floor; and

an airbag supported by the floor and being inflatable away from the floor to an inflated position, the airbag including an outer panel, an inner panel, and an inflation chamber defined between the inner panel and the outer panel;

the outer panel and the inner panel extending along a curved path about an axis transverse to the floor in the inflated position, the curved path extending at least partially around the seat.

2. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the seat is rotatable relative to the floor.

3. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the outer panel and the inner panel each extend along the curved path from a first end to a second end spaced from the first end.

4. The vehicle interior according to claim 3, further comprising a roof, wherein the airbag in the inflated position has a bottom supported by the floor and a top adjacent the roof, the first end and the second end of the outer panel and the inner panel extending from the bottom to the top.

5. The vehicle interior according to claim 4, wherein the outer panel and the inner panel define a recess extending from the first end along the curved path at the bottom.

6. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the curved path is an arc.

7. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, further comprising a roof, wherein the airbag in the inflated position has a bottom supported by the floor and a top adjacent the roof.

8. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, wherein the inner panel and the outer panel are concentric about the axis.

9. The vehicle interior according to claim 1, further comprising upholstery supported by the floor and defining a tear seam aligned with the airbag.

10. A vehicle interior comprising:

a base;

a seat supported by the base;

an airbag supported by the base, wherein the airbag is inflatable away from the base to an inflated position, the airbag including an outer panel, an inner panel, and an inflation chamber defined between the inner panel and the outer panel, the outer panel and the inner panel extending along a curved path about an axis transverse to the base in the inflated position;

an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag; and

an actuator supported by the base connected to the airbag.

11. The vehicle interior according to claim 10, further comprising a guide supported by the base and extending at least partially around the seat, wherein the airbag is engaged with the guide.

12. The vehicle interior according to claim 11, further comprising a sliding member connected to the actuator and engaged with the guide, the airbag being fixed to the sliding member.

13. The vehicle interior according to claim 10, further comprising a floor, the base being fixed relative to the floor.

14. The vehicle interior according to claim 10, further comprising a cord extending from the actuator to the airbag.

15. The vehicle interior according to claim 10, further comprising a floor, wherein the base is rotatable relative to the floor.

16. The vehicle interior according to claim 15, wherein the inflator is supported by the base.

17. The vehicle interior according to claim 15, wherein the inflator is supported by the floor.

18. The vehicle interior according to claim 15, further comprising a guide fixed to the base and extending at least partially around the seat, wherein the airbag is engaged with the guide.

19. A vehicle interior comprising:

a floor; and

an airbag supported by the floor and being inflatable away from the floor to an inflated position, the airbag including an outer panel, an inner panel, and an inflation chamber defined between the inner panel and the outer panel;

the outer panel and the inner panel extending along a curved path about an axis transverse to the floor in the inflated position;

wherein the outer panel and the inner panel each extend along the curved path from a first end to a second end spaced from the first end.

20. A vehicle interior comprising:

a floor;

an airbag supported by the floor and being inflatable away from the floor to an inflated position, the airbag including an outer panel, an inner panel, and an inflation chamber defined between the inner panel and the outer panel;

the outer panel and the inner panel extending along a curved path about an axis transverse to the floor in the inflated position; and

a roof, wherein the airbag in the inflated position has a bottom supported by the floor and a top adjacent the roof.

21. A vehicle interior comprising:

a base;

a seat supported by the base;

an airbag supported by the base;

an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag;

an actuator supported by the base connected to the airbag; and

a floor, wherein the base is rotatable relative to the floor.