FRONTAL AIRBAG ASSEMBLIES

• US 20160311393A1
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Bradley W., Paxton, Donald James, Camm, Stephen Charles, Matsu, Richard Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 9,676,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 to be mounted at a roof of a passenger compartment of a vehicle;

an inflator assembly; and

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,

wherein the frontal inflatable cushion is coupled to one or more support components within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, wherein when the frontal inflatable cushion is in the deployed state the one or more support components provide support of 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.

2. The airbag assembly of claim 1, 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.

3. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion is coupled to a first support component of the one or more support components at a first lateral edge of the frontal inflatable cushion and coupled to a second support component of the one or more support components at a second lateral edge of the frontal inflatable cushion.

4. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the first support component comprises a first side inflatable curtain airbag disposed at a first side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

5. The airbag assembly of claim 4, wherein the second support component comprises a second side inflatable curtain airbag disposed 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.

6. The airbag assembly of claim 1, 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.

7. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the frontal inflatable cushion deploys toward a lap of a vehicle occupant.

8. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable chamber of the frontal inflatable cushion is substantially W shaped.

9. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle lacks a knee bolster.

10. A frontal airbag assembly, comprising:

an inflator; and

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,

wherein upon reception of the inflation gas within the void, the inflatable cushion transitions from a packaged configuration within the housing to a 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.

11. The frontal airbag assembly of claim 10, wherein a proximal edge of the inflatable cushion is coupled to the vehicle via the housing, wherein the first lateral edge is coupled to the vehicle via a first side curtain airbag and wherein the second lateral edge is coupled to the vehicle via a second side curtain airbag.

12. The frontal airbag assembly of claim 10, 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.

13. The frontal airbag assembly of claim 12, 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.

14. An airbag assembly, comprising:

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

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.

15. The airbag assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a side inflatable cushion defining an inflatable chamber that is configured to receive inflation gas from the inflator assembly to expand the side inflatable cushion from a packaged state to a deployed state, wherein the side inflatable cushion is configured to deploy from the housing assembly substantially simultaneously with the frontal inflatable cushion, wherein the side inflatable cushion deploys in a substantially downward direction relative to the housing assembly, and wherein the side inflatable cushion is coupled to the frontal inflatable cushion at a position along an outside lateral edge of the frontal inflatable cushion.

16. The airbag assembly of claim 15, 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.

17. The airbag assembly of claim 15, 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 side inflatable cushion is coupled to the frontal inflatable cushion at the corner portion such that the side inflatable cushion supports the frontal inflatable cushion when the frontal inflatable cushion is in the deployed state.

18. The airbag assembly of claim 15, wherein a rearward edge of the side inflatable cushion is coupled to the vehicle.

19. The airbag assembly of claim 14, 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.

20. The airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the frontal portion of the housing assembly is configured to be mounted in a head liner of the vehicle.