Plural Compartment Confinement (e.g., "bag Within A Bag") Patents (Class 280/729)
-
Patent number: 10336279Abstract: A vehicle includes a bulkhead and an airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag includes a forward-facing panel mounted to the bulkhead and a rearward-facing panel opposite the forward-facing panel. Then airbag in the inflated position has a left extension and a right extension extending from the rearward-facing panel, and an intermediate extension sandwiched between the left extension and the right extension. The intermediate extension extends from the rearward-facing panel farther than the left and right extensions. During a vehicle impact, the momentum of the occupant may move the occupant towards the airbag. The airbag may absorb energy from the head and knees of the occupant.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2017Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
-
Patent number: 10315610Abstract: The airbag device includes an airbag including a base fabric and an occupant protection fabric whose outer peripheries are joined together. The occupant protection fabric is positioned on the vehicle rear side of the base fabric and configured to restrain an occupant, and includes: at least one protruding portion that protrudes to the vehicle rear side; a flat portion that is continuously formed from the at least one protruding portion and is designed to come into contact with the occupant; and a tether that is disposed between the base fabric and the at least one protruding portion in the airbag, extending from the flat portion to the joint between the occupant protection fabric and the base fabric. The tether is joined at its end on the joint side with a base edge of the at least one protruding portion and the outer periphery of the base fabric.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2017Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keisuke Moritani, Kazuyoshi Nakai
-
Patent number: 10308207Abstract: A vehicle airbag device of the present disclosure includes an airbag provided inside a front passenger seat side of an instrument panel. The airbag includes: a first bag inflated and deployed from the instrument panel toward the front passenger seat side; and a second bag inflated and deployed at a vehicle width direction center side of the first bag. The second bag is disposed, in side view, at a vehicle rear side of a vehicle cabin interior component, and is disposed, in side view, obliquely at a vehicle lower side and rear side of an inner mirror. The second bag is inflated and deployed from the first bag toward the vehicle width direction center side on being supplied with gas from the first bag that has been inflated and deployed.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Shinichi Ishida
-
Patent number: 10293778Abstract: A frontal airbag (10) having an outer skin (12) enclosing a gas space (G). The outer skin (12) forming an impact area (14) in front a vehicle occupant (P) and extends horizontally in a first direction (Y) and in a second perpendicular direction (Z?) when the airbag (10) is fully deployed. A first tether (20) extends in the first direction (Y) from a first end (21) connected to the impact area (14) at a first connection (25) to a second end (22) connected to the impact area (14) at a second connection (26). The first connection (25) extending in the second direction (Z?) from a lower end to an upper end and the second connection (24) extending in the second direction (Z?) from a lower end to an upper end, such that an intermediate impact area section (14c) is spanned by the first tether (20).Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventor: Ralf Zauritz
-
Patent number: 10293777Abstract: Airbag assemblies can reduce rotational velocity of an occupant's head during a collision event. Some airbag assemblies include a first airbag cushion that is disposed forward of an occupant and a second airbag cushion that is disposed generally lateral to the occupant. When the occupant moves in an oblique direction during a collision event, the second airbag cushion may contact the head of the occupant and reduce its rotational velocity.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignees: Autoliv ASP, Inc., Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Donald James Paxton, Jaeho Cho
-
Patent number: 10293776Abstract: There is provided a vehicle curtain airbag device including: an inflator; a curtain airbag; a rear seat side impact chamber; a front chamber; and a protective cloth that is configured separately from the curtain airbag, is anchored to at least an upper edge side of the curtain airbag, is disposed ranging from a vehicle width direction inner surface of a front portion of the rear seat side impact chamber to a vehicle width direction inner surface of a rear portion of the front chamber, in the completely deployed state of the curtain airbag, and covers, from a vehicle width direction inner side, a recess portion that has different heights in a bag thickness direction and that is formed between the front portion of the rear seat side impact chamber and the rear portion of the front chamber.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Koji Toida, Takuya Nezaki, Junji Ohashi, Yusuke Hayashi
-
Patent number: 10279767Abstract: Provided is an airbag device in which heights of folded bodies of an airbag covered with a protector cloth are different at parts. An airbag device includes a retainer in which an airbag and inflators are mounted; and a protector cloth which covers folded bodies of the airbag. The retainer has first to fourth lateral side portions. The protector cloth has a first area which covers a left half side folded body and a second area which covers a right half side folded body. One ends and other ends of the first area and the second area are engaged by bolts, respectively. A slit is provided between the first area and the second area. A length from the one end of the first area to the other end is shorter than a length from the one end of the second area to the other end.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2015Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS JAPAN K.K.Inventor: Akihiro Motomochi
-
Patent number: 10183645Abstract: An inflatable airbag system can be configured to be mounted at a frontal region of a vehicle. The inflatable airbag system includes an airbag comprising a center cushion and a pair of side cushions each coupled to the center cushion on opposing sides of the center cushion. The side cushions can each have a triangular shape with an apex extending rearward further than at least a portion of an occupant-facing surface of the center cushion. The side cushions can be oriented with respect to each other at opposing angles relative to the center cushion such that an overall geometrical shape of the airbag is wider at a forward reaction base area of the airbag than at a rearward occupant-receiving area.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2017Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignees: Autoliv ASP, Inc., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Larry D. Rose, Eric M. Heitkamp
-
Patent number: 10131311Abstract: A driving seat airbag device includes: a driving seat airbag that is inflated and deployed at a vehicle rear side of a steering wheel on being supplied with gas; and a sliding cloth that is deployed in conjunction with inflation and deployment of the driving seat airbag, that covers an airbag rear face at a vehicle rear side of the driving seat airbag, and that is capable of movement in a vehicle width direction with respect to the airbag rear face.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Osamu Fukawatase
-
Patent number: 10118582Abstract: A restraint system includes a side air curtain, a sail panel, and a secondary cushion. The side air curtain is inflatable to an inflated position and has a top edge, a bottom edge, and a forward edge extending from the top edge to the bottom edge. The sail panel extends from the forward edge. The secondary cushion is inflatable to an inflated position and is elongated in a direction away from the bottom edge and the forward edge toward the top edge.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Deepak Patel, Zhibing Deng, Luis Enrique Castillo Jaime, Nand K. Kochhar
-
Patent number: 10118581Abstract: An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle seat in the event of a vehicle crash in an oblique direction. The module includes an inflatable cushion and an inflator for providing inflation gas for the cushion. The cushion is configured to inflate into a position inboard of the vehicle seat and includes a first inflatable chamber fluidly connected to a forward inflatable chamber. The cushion is configured to inflate into a position to absorb energy relating to movement of the occupant in an oblique direction. The first inflatable chamber is in a position to absorb energy resulting from relative movement of the occupant in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The forward inflatable chamber is configured to inflate into a position to absorb energy resulting from relative movement of the occupant in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLCInventor: Richard Andrew Wiik
-
Patent number: 10112570Abstract: A seating assembly for use in a vehicle includes a seat back and an airbag. The seat back has a bottom, a top, and a midpoint between the bottom and the top. The airbag is supported by the seat back and is inflatable to an inflated position. In the inflated position the airbag may extend from the top to a location between the midpoint and the bottom and define a cavity with an opening facing the bottom and away from the seat back.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2017Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Saeed David Barbat, Mohammed Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi
-
Patent number: 10099646Abstract: Disclosed is an airbag apparatus for a vehicle. The disclosed airbag apparatus for a vehicle includes a main cushion part configured to support a passenger's body by being deployed, a vent hole part formed in the main cushion part and configured to pass gas, a tube part coupled to the main cushion part and configured to guide a movement of the gas passed through the vent hole part, and a sub-cushion part coupled to the main cushion part, formed to surround the tube part, and configured to support the head of the passenger at the time of deployment.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2016Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.Inventors: Rae Ick Jang, Jae Hyun Kim
-
Patent number: 10086788Abstract: An airbag of a knee-protecting airbag device is mounted on a case together with an inflator with the aid of mounting means of the inflator. The case is provided with an airbag emergence opening at the lower end region. The airbag includes a vehicle body side panel, an occupant side panel, a mounting inflatable region which is located in a lower end region of the airbag as deployed and is secured to the case, and a knee-protecting region deployable in such a manner as to extend rearwardly and upwardly from the mounting inflatable region. The airbag further includes inside the mounting inflatable region a tether which joins the vehicle body side panel and occupant side panel for regulating a clearance between the vehicle body side panel and occupant side panel at airbag deployment.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2016Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventor: Takeshi Ando
-
Patent number: 10053044Abstract: A far-side airbag apparatus includes: an airbag which is fixed via a fixed portion set in a rear end portion of the airbag, and protects an upper body of an occupant, who sits on a vehicle seat positioned apart from a side wall portion of a vehicle in which multiple vehicle seats are provided side by side in a width direction, by deploying and inflating the airbag diagonally forward and upward from the fixed portion between adjacent vehicle seats via inflating gas which is supplied from a gas generator according to a side impact applied to the side wall portion of the vehicle, wherein a rear lower portion of the airbag is formed as a support portion that has a high rigidity and supports an upper portion positioned higher than the rear lower portion of the airbag.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasushi Masuda, Shigeyuki Suzuki, Akira Endo, Yuji Matsuzaki, Takayuki Umeyama
-
Patent number: 10053047Abstract: An air bag includes an air bag main body and a guide member. The air bag main body includes an expansion portion that expands with expansion gas flowing from an inflator and a tubular connecting port, which is connected to the inflator by inserting a side of a gas outlet port of the inflator thereinto, to cause the expansion gas to flow into the expansion portion, and is formed of a sheet material with flexibility so as to be able to be folded. The guide member has a shape holding property of maintaining an opening state of the connecting port so as to be able to be attached to the connecting port of the air bag main body and guide the insertion of the inflator into the side of the gas outlet port.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Ryosuke Jinnai, Naoki Hotta
-
Patent number: 10035485Abstract: A far side airbag device of the present invention includes a side airbag, that inflates and deploys on being supplied with gas, housed in a folded state inside a side section of a seatback of a seat, at a side of a center console disposed adjacent to the seat in a vehicle width direction. A lower end portion of the side airbag is positioned further to a vehicle up-down direction lower side than an upper face of the center console.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yusuke Fujiwara
-
Patent number: 10029638Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to airbag systems for vehicles. The airbag systems may reduce the secondary impact forces felt by an object upon rebounding from an initial impact with an external airbag by encasing or substantially surrounding the pedestrian with the external airbag. The airbag system may include an initial impact airbag and a secondary impact airbag, wherein the secondary impact airbag is configured to reduce injury caused by a secondary impact of an object upon after an initial impact of the object with the initial impact airbag. The initial impact airbag may be configured to be deployed at a location where the object is predicted to collide with the vehicle. The secondary impact airbag may comprise one or more arms configured to surround the object upon the initial impact.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Peter Craig Lombrozo, Felix Jose Alvarez Rivera, Daniel Lynn Larner, Atul Gupta
-
Patent number: 10023146Abstract: A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a seatback and a seat bottom extending away from the seatback. An airbag is supported by the seat bottom and includes a middle member having a first end and a second end. The middle member is spaced from the seatback. The airbag includes a first side member extending from the first end of the middle member toward the seatback, and a second side member extending from the second end of the middle member toward the seatback. When inflated in response to a sensed impact of the vehicle, the middle member, the first side member, and the second side member extend around the occupant. One leg of the occupant is disposed between the middle member and the first side member, and the other leg of the occupant is disposed between the middle member and the second side member.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Mohammed Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq
-
Patent number: 10017144Abstract: An airbag main body is stored in a storage portion in a storage form and includes an elongated stacked portion. The stacked portion includes a first stacked section, which forms a lower part, and a second stacked section, which forms a part above the first stacked section and accommodates a gas generator. In the storage form, the first stacked section includes a plurality of bent sections arranged along a flowing direction of inflation gas. Among the bent sections, the bent section that is located at the most downstream position in the inflation gas flowing direction is a downstream bent section. Among the bent sections, at least the downstream bent section is arranged behind the second stacked section.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Norio Mizuno, Yuta Okayama
-
Patent number: 9994187Abstract: A folding completion body of a head-protecting airbag includes a compressed portion which is compressed to have a small sectional shape in an axis orthogonal direction in the folding completion body is provided in at least one end in a front and rear direction, wherein: the compressed portion is formed in such a manner that a thin-plate folded portion is disposed by folding back an end periphery in the front and rear direction to be directed to a center in the front and rear direction in a state where the head-protecting airbag is flatly deployed, and a folded-up portion in which the lower periphery is brought close to the upper periphery is provided; and the thin-plate folded portion is configured such that a tip extending from a crease is disposed to be positioned on an end side of the gas guidance path in the front and rear direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Masaaki Okuhara, Koji Kawamura, Yuji Sato
-
Patent number: 9981627Abstract: An airbag device configured such that, inflator gas is less likely to leak outside from an insertion hole formed on a cushion and into which the inflator is inserted during assembly of the airbag device. The airbag device 100 includes: a bag-shaped cushion 108 which deploys using gas supplied from inflator 110; an insertion hole 112 formed on the cushion and through which the inflator is inserted; and a covering part 120 provided on an inner side of the cushion and covers the insertion hole. The covering part includes: a first cloth piece 122 overlapping the insertion hole and on which a slit 126 that is elongated in one direction is formed; and a second cloth piece 124 positioned to overlap the first cloth piece and a slot 128 is formed having a longitudinal direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the slit overlapping the insertion hole.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2015Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Takayuki Shimizu, Nozomi Furusawa, Tadashi Kobata, Takahiro Ouchi
-
Patent number: 9975519Abstract: A side airbag (2), for mounting to a seat frame (7) having a support surface (7a) facing a vehicle door. An inflator (6) is stored inside the side airbag near a rear end in a deployment and inflation direction. The side airbag has a folded portion (X1) with a folding line (F1) and a superposed portion (S) sequentially from the side of the inflator to a front end thereof in the deployment and inflation direction. The folded portion has an abutment portion (Q) folded back to a vehicle rear side from a vehicle front side on a front side of the inflator in a vehicle front-back direction along the folding line and abutted against the support surface. The superposed portion is formed in a rolled and superposed state, and the folded portion is arranged between the support surface and the superposed portion in the vehicle-widthwise.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2015Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventor: Yuto Kobayashi
-
Patent number: 9963101Abstract: An airbag system includes an inflator and an airbag in communication with the inflator. The airbag system includes a tether actuator and tethers extending from the tether actuator to the airbag. A controller is programmed to receive signals from an impact sensing system and a steering wheel angle sensor. The controller is programmed to instruct the tether actuator to release at least one of the tethers based at least on the signals from the steering wheel angle sensor and the impact sensing system.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Raed Essa EL-Jawahri, Jamel E. Belwafa, James Chih Cheng
-
Patent number: 9944248Abstract: An airbag includes a panel, a secondary panel, and an opening. The panel defines an inflation chamber inflatable to an inflated position and includes a valley in the inflated position. The secondary panel is connected to the panel on opposite sides of the valley and extends across the valley to define a secondary chamber between the secondary panel and the panel. The opening extends through the panel from the inflation chamber to the secondary chamber. During a vehicle impact, the momentum of the occupant may move the occupant towards the secondary panel. The secondary panel may absorb energy from the occupant and reduce or prevent the head of the occupant from rotating.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Tahmidur Rahman, Joseph Edward Abramczyk, Matthew B. Makowski
-
Patent number: 9937890Abstract: An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle seat. The module includes an inflatable airbag and an inflator. The airbag is stored in the vehicle seat prior to deployment and includes inboard and outboard inflatable chambers separated by a gap at a forward portion of the airbag. The airbag is configured to deploy into a position along side of the vehicle seat and the occupant.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventors: Pongdet Paul Wipasuramonton, Jonathan Richard Kibat, Sung Woo Lee, Alex Little
-
Patent number: 9925950Abstract: Active airbag vent systems and associated systems and methods are described herein. An airbag system having an active vent configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, a first inflator operably coupled to a first hose for inflating an airbag in response to a rapid deceleration event. The airbag system can further include a second inflator operably coupled to a second hose configured to release a vent or seam on the airbag to rapidly deflate the airbag after initial deployment of the airbag.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2016Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: AmSafe, Inc.Inventors: Trenton Dirk Moeller, Daniel Nick Foubert, Todd Joseph Humbert, Peter Anthony Settles, Ronald A. Shields
-
Patent number: 9914423Abstract: A side curtain airbag for a vehicle includes a serial main chamber that inflates and deploys along an interior side surface of the vehicle; a protruding chamber disposed at a front side of the main chamber to further protrude toward an interior of the vehicle relative to the main chamber; and a cutting line arranged between the main chamber and the protruding chamber to partially separate the protruding chamber from the main chamber such that the protruding chamber overlaps with a portion of the main chamber upon non-inflation of the airbag. In this configuration, upon a vehicle collision, the head portion of the occupant is prevented early from being ejected toward the front of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Chi Ho Kim, Tae Ik Gwon, Yong Hyun Jung
-
Patent number: 9908499Abstract: A curtain airbag assembly that includes one or more angled stiffening chambers and one or more standoff chambers. An angled stiffening chamber may be configured to support and retain an occupant within a vehicle during or after a vehicle collision. The angled stiffening chamber may include a plurality of extending portions and bent portions such that the angled stiffening chamber, when inflated, has an angled or bent configuration.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Eugene Low, Kurt Lawrence Gammill
-
Patent number: 9902361Abstract: A center airbag device is arranged in an instrument panel of a vehicle and located in a middle portion of the instrument panel with respect to a lateral direction of the vehicle. The center airbag device includes an airbag deployed and inflated when supplied with gas. The airbag includes a basal portion located on an upper surface of the instrument panel when the airbag is deployed and inflated, a protection portion located rearward from the basal portion and extended downward when the airbag is deployed and inflated, and an auxiliary portion located between the basal portion and the protection portion. The auxiliary portion allows the protection portion to be bent relative to the basal portion when the airbag is deployed and inflated.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Eugene Lee, Aviral Shrivatri, Shiro Ohara
-
Patent number: 9873400Abstract: The invention provides a method of protecting a vehicle occupant (14) during a side impact which includes a side airbag (10) comprising an inflatable thorax section (16) and an inflatable arm lift section (18). Inflation of the arm lift section (18) results in lifting of the arm (24) of the occupant (14). Furthermore an airbag (10) comprising an inflatable thorax section (16) and an inflatable arm lift section (18) is described.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2014Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbHInventors: Jürgen Scherr, Marco Wahl
-
Patent number: 9855913Abstract: An airbag apparatus includes airbag having a vent hole formed therein, an inflator configured to emit gas for inflating the airbag, and a chamber configured to accommodate the inflator therein inside the airbag, the chamber having at least one discharge aperture for discharging gas emitted from the inflator to an inside of the airbag, and having a wall part configured to guide the emitted gas to the discharge aperture, wherein an external surface of the wall part is configured to partially cover the vent hole upon collapse of the chamber toward the vent hole.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignees: TAKATA CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Mitsuo Maruoka, Masaru Iwazato, Munetoshi Nakashima, Kazuaki Miyamoto
-
Patent number: 9845067Abstract: An inflatable airbag system can be configured to be mounted to a frontal region of a vehicle. The inflatable airbag system includes an airbag base cushion and one or more pluralities of cushion portions. In response to a collision event, the base cushion and pluralities of cushion portions may transition from a compact state to a deployed and expanded state. The airbag may receive the head of a vehicle occupant. One or more inner cushion portions may deflate as they receive the head of the vehicle occupant. An outer plurality of cushion portions may be configured to maintain a fully expanded state as they receive the head of the vehicle occupant.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2015Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Christina Morris, Don Paxton, Michael Kutchey, Harry Park, Dion Kruse
-
Patent number: 9840223Abstract: A front airbag apparatus for a vehicle may include an airbag chamber including front panels, and internal tethers connecting the front panels of the airbag chamber to an airbag housing and dividing the airbag chamber into a plurality of sections, in which lengths of the internal tethers may be smaller than a length of the airbag chamber in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and when the airbag chamber is fully inflated, joints of the internal tethers on the front panels may be recessed, whereby the front panels may form a prominence-depression shape.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp.Inventors: Jae Ho Choi, Kyung Taek Lim
-
Patent number: 9827940Abstract: Side airbags to provide protection to vehicle occupants are provided. The side airbags include an outer skin forming an inflatable chamber having an upper thorax portion and a lower pelvic portion for contact with the thorax region and the pelvic region, respectively, of the associated vehicle occupant. The side airbag includes a loop diffuser for placement about an inflator disposed within the inflatable chamber. The loop diffuser has opposed first and second open ends to permit communication of inflation gas to the upper thorax portion and to the lower pelvic portion, respectively, of the inflatable chamber. The loop diffuser permits significantly greater flow of inflation gas to the lower pelvic portion as compare to flow of inflation gas to the upper thorax portion of the inflatable chamber. The first open end can be significantly smaller in cross section as compared to the second open end.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Scott Thead Hanks, Rui Liu
-
Patent number: 9827939Abstract: An airbag includes a manifold having an outer panel and an inflation chamber defined at least in party by the outer panel. The airbag further includes a first compartment and a second compartment spaced from the first compartment connected to the outer panel and positioned external to the inflation chamber. A first one-way valve is in fluid communication with the manifold and the first compartment, and a second one-way valve is in fluid communication with the manifold and the second compartment.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Raj S. Roychoudhury, Roger J. Chen
-
Patent number: 9809192Abstract: An airbag includes an inflation side and a vehicle occupant contact side opposite the inflation side, and a divider. The divider has a first portion attached to the inflation side and to the vehicle occupant contact side and a second portion attached to the inflation side and to the vehicle occupant contact side, such that the first and second portions tend to converge from the inflation side toward the occupant contact side.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventor: Christopher L. Anderson
-
Patent number: 9796354Abstract: An airbag includes a main bag section and a center bag section deployable to protrude towards a vehicle interior out of an inboard side of the main bag section. An inboard-side member, which forms the inboard side of the main bag section, is composed of a front component and a rear component. The center bag section includes a front wall and a rear wall. The front wall is composed of a rear extended region of the front component which is disposed in such a manner as to protrude rearward out of the rear edge of the front component. The rear wall is composed of a front extended region of the rear component which protrudes forward out of the front edge of the rear component and has a generally identical outer contour to the rear extended region. The center bag section is formed by jointing outer edges of the front and rear extended regions.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2017Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Takeki Hayashi, Tsuyoshi Furuno, Junichi Asanuma
-
Patent number: 9789844Abstract: Embodiments include a vehicle airbag assembly comprising an airbag including a first chamber and a second chamber, a first internal vent permitting gas entry into the first chamber, and a second internal vent permitting gas entry into the second chamber, where the first chamber has a greater volume than the second chamber in an inflated state of the airbag, and the first internal vent is configured for a larger gas flow than the second internal vent. Embodiments also include a vehicle airbag assembly comprising an airbag including a first chamber and a second chamber and at least one internal tether coupled to the second chamber for restricting an inflated depth of the second chamber, where the first chamber has an unrestricted depth and a volume that is larger than a volume of the second chamber in an inflated state of the airbag.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Zhibing Deng, Deepak Patel, Tzu-Chen Weng
-
Patent number: 9789841Abstract: To contribute to stabilizing the restraining of a head portion. When an air bag inflates and expands in a side airbag device for a vehicle, a rear bag portion accommodating an inflator inflates and expands earlier than and at a higher pressure than a front bag portion. The front bag portion, that is low pressure and inflates and expands later, can be supported by the rear bag portion that is high pressure, and the front bag portion does not shake greatly. Moreover, the flow of gas from the rear bag portion that is high pressure to the front bag portion that is low pressure can be regulated by the upper and lower communication ports formed in a tether. Due to the above, the expansion behavior of the front bag portion can be stabilized, which can therefore contribute to the restraining of the head portion by the front bag portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yusuke Fujiwara
-
Patent number: 9776593Abstract: Disclosed is a curtain airbag which has at least one expandable portion formed at a front side thereof; and a tether panel which is coupled to the curtain airbag so as to be disposed on one surface of the curtain airbag, and tightened as the curtain airbag is inflated, so as to allow the at least one expandable portion to protrude toward the other surface that is directed toward the inside of an interior of a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2015Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.Inventor: Hyung Ho Je
-
Patent number: 9771047Abstract: An inflatable airbag system can be configured to be mounted to a frontal region of a vehicle. The inflatable airbag system includes an airbag and a positioning member, and is configured to deploy in various configurations in response to frontal and oblique collision events and based on an impact angle and a rotational angle of the steering wheel.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Dion Kruse, Mika Himilainen, Terry Sella
-
Patent number: 9758121Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems for supplementing a primary airbag cushion, particularly during oblique angle vehicle impacts. Some embodiments may comprise an airbag module comprising an airbag cushion and a supplemental airbag support system configured to provide support to at least one of the airbag cushion and a vehicle occupant during oblique angle impact events. The supplemental airbag support system may comprise a deployable support structure configured to deploy adjacent to the airbag cushion during a vehicle impact event. The deployable support structure may be configured to supplement impact support provided by the airbag cushion during oblique angle vehicle impact events.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2015Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.Inventors: Donald James Paxton, Michael Brian Kutchey, David Robert Palm, Jr., Dion Karl-Axel Kruse, Russell Scott Gans, Christina Renee Morris
-
Patent number: 9751487Abstract: A side airbag for motor vehicles is provided. The side airbag comprises a gas bag which is to be arranged as intended on a vehicle seat, so that, in order to protect a vehicle occupant situated on the vehicle seat, it can be deployed laterally beside the vehicle occupant, and a gas generator for filling the gas bag with a gas, so that the same deploys. The gas bag and the gas generator are configured and provided to be arranged on the vehicle seat such that in the deployed state the gas bag supports itself on a backrest frame of the vehicle seat.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2013Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: TAKATA AGInventors: Hans-Peter Sendelbach, Uwe Dierks
-
Patent number: 9707921Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) having a seat (16 or 22) for receiving the occupant (20) includes an inflatable protection device (14) inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle (12) adjacent a reaction surface (19, 23, 36) to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant (20). The protection device (14) includes a front portion (62) presented toward the seat (22) and an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant (20?) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition. A rear portion (64) connected to the front portion (62) has an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion (62) by a space (110). The front portion (62) is positioned between the vehicle occupant (20) and the rear portion (64) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.Inventors: Kurt F. Fischer, Roy Turnbull, Douglas M. Gould
-
Patent number: 9701273Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag deployable out of a housing when fed with inflation gas, a limitation member capable of constraining a part of the airbag from unfolding and deploying, a wrapping member which wraps the airbag for keeping the folded-up configuration, and a flap member capable of covering an abnormally-seated vehicle occupant from the airbag. The limitation member has flexibility and includes a temporal holding section which holds a folded region of the airbag in a releasable fashion, a mounting section by which the limitation member is mounted on the housing and a connecting section connecting the mounting section and the temporal holding section. The temporal holding section includes a holding recess and frees the folded region via an opening of the holding recess when a periphery of the opening is deformed at airbag deployment. The flap member is disposed between the limitation member and the wrapping member.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2016Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Wataru Miura, Tsuyoshi Furuno, Takashi Shigemura
-
Patent number: 9688233Abstract: A curtain airbag apparatus includes an inflator configured to generate gas, an airbag configured to be inflated when the gas flows into the airbag, and a diffuser pocket disposed in the airbag and coupled to the inflator to distribute the gas to front and rear sides of the airbag. The diffuser pocket includes a first surface, a second surface, a first concave portion formed at a rear end of the first surface, a second concave portion formed at a rear end of the second surface, a first main sewed portion formed by sewing lower ends of the first and second surfaces, a second main sewed portion formed by sewing the first and second concave portions, and a tear seam portion formed by sewing the first surface in proximity to the first concave portion and the second surface in proximity to the second concave portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2016Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jong Seob Lee
-
Patent number: 9676363Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a multi-chambered airbag system employing the use of baffle vents to achieve pressure differentials between the different chambers and methods of using the same.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Zhibing Deng, Krish E. Aekbote, Srinivas Reddy Malapati, Gustavo Morales Cabrera
-
Patent number: 9676355Abstract: An inflatable airbag system can be configured to be mounted to a frontal region of a vehicle. The inflatable airbag system includes an airbag and an active control mechanism, and is configured to deploy in various configurations in response to frontal and oblique collision events. An active portion of the inflatable airbag deploys to an expanded configuration when a collision event is an oblique collision event and deploys to a less expanded configuration when the collision event is a frontal collision event. The active control mechanism can include one or more tethers or an inflatable member.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventor: Dion Kruse
-
Patent number: 9676362Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a multi-chambered airbag system employing the use of baffle vents to achieve pressure differentials between the different chambers and methods of using the same.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Zhibing Deng, Krish E. Aekbote, Srinivas Reddy Malapati