Interlocking vehicle airbags
First Claim
1. An airbag system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a first airbag having a first shape; and
second airbags each provided adjacent to the first airbag and each having a second shape such that the first shape and the second shapes are configured to interlock, overlap and make contact with one another,wherein the first airbag is deployed prior to the second airbags when an area of a surface of the first airbag configured to contact an object and oriented away from the vehicle is greater than an area of a surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle and the first airbag is deployed after the second airbags when the area of the surface of the first airbag configured to contact the object and oriented away from the vehicle is less than the area of the surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects of the disclosure relate to airbag systems for vehicles having interlocking airbags. An example airbag system may include a first airbag having a first shape and a second airbag having a second shape. The first shape and the second shape are configured to interlock with one another in order to reduce the likelihood of an object passing between the first airbag and the second airbag when the first and second airbags are inflated. In addition, the first airbag and second airbag are arranged to deploy on an exterior of the vehicle. An airbag system can also include one or more processors configured to determine that an impact with an object is likely to occur within a predetermined period of time. These processors can also use the determination to send a first signal to deploy the first airbag and a second signal to deploy the second airbag.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An airbag system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a first airbag having a first shape; and second airbags each provided adjacent to the first airbag and each having a second shape such that the first shape and the second shapes are configured to interlock, overlap and make contact with one another, wherein the first airbag is deployed prior to the second airbags when an area of a surface of the first airbag configured to contact an object and oriented away from the vehicle is greater than an area of a surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle and the first airbag is deployed after the second airbags when the area of the surface of the first airbag configured to contact the object and oriented away from the vehicle is less than the area of the surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for deploying an airbag system for a vehicle, the method comprising:
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deploying a first airbag having a first shape prior to second airbags each provided adjacent to the first airbag and each having a second shape such that the first shape and the second shapes interlock, overlap and make contact with one another when an area of a surface of the first airbag configured to contact an object and oriented away from the vehicle is greater than an area of a surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle; deploying the first airbag after the second airbag when the area of the surface of the first airbag configured to contact the object and oriented away from the vehicle is less than the area of the surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
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deploying a first airbag having a first shape prior to second airbags each provided adjacent to the first airbag and each having a second shape such that the first shape and the second shapes interlock, overlap and make contact with one another when an area of a surface of the first airbag configured to contact an object and oriented away from the vehicle is greater than an area of a surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle; deploying the first airbag after the second airbag when the area of the surface of the first airbag configured to contact the object and oriented away from the vehicle is less than the area of the surface of the first airbag oriented towards the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification