Air bag module with partial external hood or tether

• US 20030189327A1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jung, Jin Ho, Cooper, John, Burdock, John M., Shkoukani, Mutaz A., Sadenwater, Robert J., Blancou, Jean-Luc, Arwood, Robert L. III, Green, Walter R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,021,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• 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 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An air bag assembly (20) comprising: an air bag (24) and means for inflating the air bag, and a partial hood or tether (40) for causing the air bag to inflate in an asymmetric manner during inflation, the hood or tethers operatively disengageable from the air bag.

Claims

1. An air bag assembly (20) comprising:

an air bag (24) and means for inflating the air bag, and

first means (40) for causing the air bag to inflate in an asymmetric manner during inflation, the first means operatively disengageable from the air bag.

2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether (40) configured to interact with one side of the inflating air bag to thereby inhibit the inflation of this one side of the air bag.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the hood or tether is configured to be pushed off from the air bag as the air bag continues to inflate.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the size of the hood or tether is relatively smaller than the size of the inflated air bag.

5. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether having an open side and a top which is angled relative to a forward direction of inflation of the air bag to encourage disengagement of the hood or tether from the air bag as the air bag inflates.

6. The assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the hood or tether angles or tapers rearward relative to the direction of inflation of the air bag.

7. The assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the hood includes an open side facing a portion of the air bag unrestricted by the hood.

8. An air bag assembly comprising:

an air bag and means for inflating the air bag, and

first means for initially receiving a portion of the air bag thereby slowing the speed of the received portion of the air bag relative to the speed of that portion of the air bag not received by the first means;

the first means subsequently disengageable from the received portion of the air bag.

9. The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether (40) configured to interact with one side of the inflating air bag to thereby inhibit the inflation of this one side of the air bag.

10. The assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein the hood or tether is configured to be pushed off from the air bag as the air bag continues to inflate.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein the size of the hood or tether is relatively smaller than the size of the inflated air bag.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether having an open side and a top which is angled relative to a forward direction of inflation of the air bag to encourage disengagement of the hood or tether from the air bag as the air bag inflates.

13. The assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the hood or tether angles or tapers rearward relative to the direction of inflation of the air bag.

14. The assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the hood includes an open side facing a portion of the air bag unrestricted by the hood.

15. An air bag assembly including:

a folded air bag,

means for inflating the air bag, and

a partial, external tethering mechanism placed about a portion of the folded air bag to prevent the air bag from inflating symmetrically during the first moments of inflation, the external tether directing the air bag to inflate in a preferred direction.

16. The assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether (40) configured to interact with one side of the inflating air bag to thereby inhibit the inflation of this one side of the air bag.

17. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein the hood or tether is configured to be pushed off from the air bag as the air bag continues to inflate.

18. The assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein the size of the hood or tether is relatively smaller than the size of the inflated air bag.

19. The assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether having an open side and a top which is angled relative to a forward direction of inflation of the air bag to encourage disengagement of the hood or tether from the air bag as the air bag inflates.

20. The assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein the hood or tether angles or tapers rearward relative to the direction of inflation of the air bag.