Inflatable airbag assembly with an inflator bracket

• US 8,007,000 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2010
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cheal, Blake, Gammill, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US12/683,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

Inflatable curtain airbags can be attached to an inflator at a throat portion of the airbag. The attachment of the inflator to the throat portion may be mediated by an inflator mounting bracket. An extended portion of the inflator mounting bracket can protrude through an aperture in the throat portion to provide an anti-rotation function as well as a retention function.

Claims

1. An inflatable airbag assembly, comprising:

an inflatable curtain airbag having a throat portion that comprises an inflator insert aperture that is contiguous with an inflatable void of the inflatable airbag, wherein the throat portion also comprises a receiving aperture;

an inflator positioned at the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag, wherein the inflator is located within the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag;

an inflator mounting bracket that is a separate component relative to the inflatable curtain airbag and the inflator, wherein the inflator mounting bracket extends through the receiving aperture of the inflatable curtain airbag such that the inflator mountain bracket extends through the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag and along the inflator and such that part of the throat portion of inflatable curtain airbag is between a portion of the inflator mounting bracket and the inflator; and

,

a clamp that wraps around the inflator mounting bracket and the inflator, such that the inflator mounting bracket is secured to the inflator.

2. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflator mounting bracket comprises an airbag proximal region that partially wraps around a portion of the inflator.

3. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflator mounting bracket is configured to couple the inflator to a roof rail of a vehicle.

4. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflator mounting bracket comprises an airbag proximal region and an airbag distal region, wherein the distal region extends through the receiving aperture into the throat portion, and the airbag proximal region does not extend into the throat portion.

5. An inflatable airbag assembly, comprising:

an inflatable curtain airbag having a throat portion that comprises an inflator insert aperture that is contiguous with an inflatable void of the inflatable airbag, wherein the throat portion also comprises a receiving aperture;

an inflator positioned at the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag, wherein the inflator comprises a gas emitting end that is located within the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag, a tubular body portion, and an electrical connection end;

an inflator mounting bracket comprising an airbag proximal region and an airbag distal region, wherein the airbag distal region extends through the receiving aperture in the inflatable curtain airbag, wherein the airbag proximal region that comprises a concave portion that partially wraps around a portion of the tubular body of the inflator, and a central region that comprises a concave portion that partially wraps around a portion of the tubular body of the inflator; and

,

a first clamp that wraps around the inflator mounting bracket and the inflator.

6. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 5, further comprising a second clamp located between the concave portions of the airbag proximal region and the central region of the inflator mounting bracket.

7. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 6, wherein the first clamp is located between the concave portion of the central region and the airbag distal region.

8. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 5, wherein the airbag distal region of the mounting bracket extends beyond the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag such that airbag distal region of the mounting bracket abuts the inflator.

9. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 8, wherein the airbag distal region of the inflator mounting bracket is located adjacent to the electrical connector end of inflator.

10. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 9, wherein the airbag distal region of the mounting bracket extends beyond the electrical connection end of the inflator.

11. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 5, wherein part of the throat portion of the airbag is located between the inflator and airbag proximal region of the inflator mounting bracket.

12. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 5, wherein the inflator mounting bracket and receiving aperture are located on a top side of the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag.

13. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 5, wherein the inflator mounting bracket further comprises a clip that extends from the central region of the inflator mounting bracket, and wherein the clip comprises an extension of the inflator mounting bracket.

14. An inflatable airbag assembly

an inflatable curtain airbag having a throat portion that comprises an inflator insert aperture that is contiguous with an inflatable void of the inflatable airbag, wherein the throat portion also comprises a receiving aperture located on a rear face of the throat portion;

an inflator positioned at the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag;

an inflator mounting bracket, wherein the inflator mounting bracket comprises an airbag distal region and an airbag proximal region, and wherein the inflator mounting bracket extends through the receiving aperture in the inflatable curtain airbag such that the airbag distal region of the inflator mounting bracket extends within the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag and along the inflator and such that part of the throat portion of inflatable curtain airbag is between the airbag proximal region of the inflator mounting bracket and the inflator,

a first clamp that wraps around the inflator mounting bracket and the inflator but not the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag, and

a second clamp that wraps around the inflator mounting bracket, the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag and the inflator.

15. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the airbag distal region of the inflator mounting bracket further comprises a vehicle mounting structure with an aperture.

16. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 15, wherein the vehicle mounting structure is configured to be received by an aperture in a vehicle.

17. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the airbag distal region extends beyond the inflator insert aperture.

18. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the airbag proximal region has a concave portion, which partially wraps around a portion of a tubular body of the inflator, and a central region that comprises a concave portion, which partially wraps around a portion of the tubular body of the inflator.

19. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 18, wherein the second clamp is located between the concave portion of the airbag proximal region and the central region of the inflator mounting bracket.

20. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 18, wherein the first clamp is located between the concave portion of the central region and the airbag distal region.

21. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the inflator mounting bracket comprises a planar portion and a curved portion.

22. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 21, wherein the inflator mounting bracket comprises a reduced width portion that is located on the airbag proximal region and is located between a first concave portion and a second concave portion.

23. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 22, wherein the second clamp is located at the reduced width portion of the airbag proximal region of the inflator mounting bracket.

24. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the inflator mounting bracket and receiving aperture are located on a top side of the throat portion of the inflatable curtain airbag.

25. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 14, wherein the inflator mounting bracket further comprises a clip that extends from a central region of the inflator mounting bracket, and wherein the clip comprises an extension of the inflator mounting bracket.