Airbag device

• US 20090230659A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Marriott, Brandon Scott, Wiggins, Nicole, Megiveron, Michael Gene
• Granted Patent: US 7,735,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.300
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0067 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

The disclosed airbag device may protect a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat of a motor vehicle. The airbag device may comprise an airbag cushion that functions as a side airbag and as a curtain airbag so as to cover an area of a portion of an interior side wall of the vehicle, a portion of a window glass, or a combination thereof upon deployment. The airbag cushion may have a width in fore and aft directions and a height which result in the portion of window glass, the portion of the interior side wall, or the combination thereof being covered in a vicinity of the vehicle occupant such that a thorax, a pelvis, a shoulder and a head of the vehicle occupant are protected from directly contacting adjacent interior side surfaces of the motor vehicle during a crash event.

Claims

1. An airbag device for protecting a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat of a motor coach or bus, comprising:

an airbag cushion that functions as a side airbag and as a curtain airbag so as to cover an area of a portion of an interior side wall of the motor coach or bus, a portion of a window glass, or a combination thereof upon deployment;

wherein the airbag cushion has a width in fore and aft directions and a height which result in the portion of window glass, the portion of the interior side wall, or the combination thereof being covered in a vicinity of the vehicle occupant such that a thorax, a pelvis, a shoulder and a head of the vehicle occupant are protected from directly contacting adjacent interior side surfaces of the motor coach or bus during a crash event.

wherein the airbag device is configured to be seat mounted, and

wherein the height of the airbag cushion is configured to span a distance from a top surface of a sitting pad of the vehicle seat to a point substantially near a roof of the motor coach or bus.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the area covered by the deployed airbag cushion has a width greater than a distance spanning from a substantially vertical front surface of a back support of the vehicle seat to a front edge of the sitting pad of the vehicle seat.

4. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the airbag cushion is a distance spanning from a substantially vertical rear surface of a back support of the vehicle seat to a second substantially vertical rear surface of a second back support of a second vehicle seat located in front of the vehicle seat.

6. The airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising an inflator and a fill tube fluidly connecting the inflator and the airbag cushion, wherein the fill tube is disposed along a length of a back support of the vehicle seat upon installation.

7. The airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the fill tube has a plurality of apertures along a circumferential surface of the fill tube, wherein the plurality of apertures comprises a large aperture on one end of the fill tube having a larger diameter than a small aperture located at the other end of the fill tube.

8. The airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the fill tube has a bend at an open end of the fill tube such that the open end reaches into at least one inflation chamber of the airbag cushion.

9. The airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the inflator is integral with the fill tube at a midpoint of the fill tube.

10. The airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising the vehicle seat with an interior compartment or volume in which the airbag cushion is mounted before deployment, and wherein the interior compartment or volume is located in a back support of the vehicle seat.

11. The airbag device according to claim 10, wherein the back support of the vehicle seat has a tearable seam that ruptures during the deployment of the airbag cushion.

12. The airbag device according to claim 10, wherein the back support has a tamper resistant panel.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

13. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle seat comprising a back support and a sitting pad; and

a seat mounted an airbag device for protecting a vehicle occupant in the vehicle seat, wherein the airbag device comprises an airbag cushion that functions as a side airbag and as a curtain airbag so as to cover an area of a portion of window glass, a portion of an interior side wall of the vehicle, or a combination thereof upon deployment;

wherein the airbag cushion has a width in fore and aft directions and a height which result in the portion of window glass, the portion of the interior side wall, or the combination thereof being covered in a vicinity of the vehicle occupant such that a thorax, a pelvis, a shoulder and a head of the vehicle occupant are protected from directly contacting adjacent interior side surfaces of the vehicle during a crash event,

wherein the vehicle is a motor coach or bus.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the area covered by the deployed airbag cushion has a width greater than a distance spanning from a substantially vertical front surface of the back support of the vehicle seat to a front edge of the sitting pad, and

wherein the area covered by the deployed airbag cushion has a height greater than a distance spanning from a top surface of the sitting pad to a top edge of the back support of the vehicle seat.

16. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the width of the airbag cushion is a distance spanning from a substantially vertical rear surface of the back support to a second substantially vertical rear surface of a second back support of a second vehicle seat located in front of the vehicle seat.

17. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the height of the airbag cushion is a distance spanning from a top surface of the sitting pad of the vehicle seat to a point substantially near a roof of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising an inflator and a fill tube fluidly connecting the inflator with the airbag cushion, wherein the fill tube is disposed along a length of the back support of the vehicle seat upon installation.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the fill tube has a plurality of apertures along a circumferential surface of the fill tube, wherein the plurality of apertures comprises a large aperture on one end of the fill tube having a larger diameter than a small aperture located at the other end of the fill tube.

20. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the fill tube has a bend at an open end of the fill tube such that the open end reaches into at least one inflation chamber of the airbag cushion.

21. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the inflator is integral with the fill tube at a midpoint of the fill tube.

22. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle seat comprises an interior compartment in which the airbag cushion is mounted before deployment, and wherein the interior compartment is located in the back support of the vehicle seat.

23. The vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the back support of the vehicle seat has a tearable seam that ruptures during the deployment of the airbag cushion.

24. The vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the back support has a tamper resistant panel.

15. (canceled)