Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Utility Patent
1999-06-11
2001-01-02
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S743200
Utility Patent
active
06168191
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an inflatable air bag for an automotive vehicle and more particularly to a self-tensioning side impact air bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
Air bags mounted in an instrument panel or steering wheel to protect an occupant from a front impact have become standard in the automotive industry. Numerous variations of these air bags, deployment systems and housing devices have evolved over the years. However, these frontal air bags do not provide protection to the occupant during a side impact. Recent developments have focussed on technology directed to side impact air bags and related systems.
Side impact air bag systems are also known in the art. These side impact air bags are often mounted adjacent the vehicle's roof rail, doorframe or center pillars, or in some instances within the side door. It is desirable to have tensioning that positions the bag during side impact as well as any secondary events.
FIGS. 6A
,
6
B, and
7
depict a side impact air bag
1
of the related art. The air bag
1
includes an inflatable element
2
having a top edge
3
and a lower edge
4
. A front tether
5
and rear tether
6
connect the inflatable element
2
to corresponding front and rear pillars of an automotive vehicle. The top edge
3
has a plurality of mounting connections
7
for connection to the vehicle's roof rail. The inflatable element
2
has a plurality of straight substantially square zero length tethers
8
extending from the lower edge
4
to the top edge
3
.
FIG. 6B
depicts the air bag of
FIG. 6A
in an inflated state. The inflatable element
2
shrinks when inflated and induces tension in the lower edge
4
and the tethers
5
,
6
. This tension holds the air bag
1
in place relative to the vehicle. When the air bag
1
is mounted to the vehicle, the top edge
3
is fixed and cannot shrink in the horizontal direction when inflated and therefore the lower edge
4
tends to shrink as the top edge
3
retains its original shape. Thus the chambers
9
, created by the straight zero length tethers
8
tend to push against each other on the lower corners
10
, and tend to overlap. The amount of overlap, however, is restricted by the width of the zero length tethers
8
. Therefore, the amount the lower edge
4
is allowed to shrink is limited, thereby limiting the amount of tension induced during inflation. The air bag
1
of
FIGS. 6A & 6B
suffers from the drawback in that tension is created between the mounting connections
7
between the top edge
3
of the inflatable element
2
and the corner
11
of the chambers
9
as generally depicted by tension lines
12
. The tension lines
12
restrict the shrinkage potential along the lower edge
4
of the inflatable element
2
. Therefore, it is desirable to improve this arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved side impact air bag that overcomes the drawbacks of and improves upon the prior art and other related art.
The present invention is directed to a side impact air bag with a self-tensioned lower edge to position the air bag during a side impact, rollover event, or subsequent impact. A side air bag is secured to the vehicle along the roof rail between the front and rear pillars. A pair of tethers is secured to the air bag at a lower portion thereof and one each in turn secured to the front and rear pillars. A plurality of substantially inverted V-shaped zero length tethers extend from the lower portion to define a plurality of chambers, which when inflated, cause the lower portion of the air bag to shrink and induce tension therein as well as to the tethers. When the side impact air bag is inflated it positions itself between the occupant and vehicle window and is held in place by the tension created by the inflated chambers. The side impact airbag may also prevent an occupant from being ejected during a roll over event or subsequent impact.
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Mahmood Nicole M.
Webber James Lloyd
Weston Douglas Stephen
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Dickson Paul N.
Fleming Faye M.
Marra Kathryn A.
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