# US 10,766,445 B2 · Vehicle airbag

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- Number: US 10,766,445 B2
- Document ID: US10766445B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/166,269
- Filed: 2018-10-22
- Published: 2020-04-23
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-22
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: David R. Huelke; Eric Axel Smitterberg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766445B2

## CPC

- B60R 21/00: Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19)
- B60R 21/205: in dashboards
- B60R 21/231: characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
- B60R 2021/0032: {Position of passenger}
- B60R 2021/162: {Means for diverting, destroying or blocking the bag in case of dangerous deployment, e.g. during rescue operations or use of rear-facing children seats}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An airbag assembly includes a housing and an airbag supported by the housing. A sheet includes a first end fixed relative to the housing and a second end. A reinforcement is elongated on the sheet. The sheet is deployable below the airbag with the second end free from the airbag.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
an instrument panel elongated along an axis;
an airbag supported by the instrument panel;
a sheet including a first end fixed relative to the instrument panel and a second end free from the instrument panel; and
a reinforcement on the sheet;
the reinforcement being substantially parellel to the first end;
the reinforcement being spaced from the first end and the second end, and the reinforcement being closer to the second end than to the first end;
the sheet being deployable below the airbag with the second end free from the airbag and the reinforcement elongated along the axis;
the reinforcement including a pleat on the sheet;
the pleat defining a pocket and a spine in the pocket;
the spine being rigid relative to the sheet; and
the spine being polymeric.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the sheet is elongated in a direction from the first end to the second end.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a row of stitches between the pleat and the sheet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the airbag includes an inflation chamber and the sheet is external to the inflation chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the airbag includes a panel defining an inflation chamber and the sheet is external to the inflation chamber and abuts the panel.

### Claim 6

An airbag assembly comprising:
a housing;
an airbag supported by the housing;
a sheet including a first end fixed relative to the housing and a second end free from the housing; and
a reinforcement that is elongated on the sheet;
the reinforcement being substantially parallel to the first end;
the reinforcement being spaced from the first end and the second end, and the reinforcement being closer to the second end than to the first end;
the sheet being deployable below the airbag with the second end free from the airbag;
the reinforcement including a pleat on the sheet;
the pleat defining a pocket and a spine in the pocket;
the spine being rigid relative to the sheet; and
the spine being polymeric.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The airbag assembly of claim 6, further comprising a row of stitches between the pleat and the sheet.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The airbag assembly of claim 6, wherein the airbag includes an inflation chamber and the sheet is external to the inflation chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The airbag assembly of claim 6, wherein the airbag includes a panel defining an inflation chamber and the sheet is external to the inflation chamber and abuts the panel.