Airbag cushion construction
AssigneeAutoliv ASP, Inc.
InventorsLarry Rose, Ronald Casper, Trudy Lewis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are embodiments of methods and apparatus relating to automotive airbags. In one embodiment of the invention, an airbag cushion is provided having four primary panels. A front panel is provided having a substantially rectangular front face. Two substantially triangular side faces are positioned opposite from one another in the inflated airbag cushion, both of which are connected with the front panel. A rear panel including an upper rear face and a lower rear face is also provided. The upper rear face is connected to a first side of both the first and second side faces and the lower rear face is connected to a second side of both the first and second side faces.
Claims42
An airbag cushion, the airbag cushion upon inflation comprising:
- a front panel comprising a substantially rectangular front face;
- a first substantially triangular side face connected with the front panel;
- a second substantially triangular side face positioned opposite from the first side face and connected with the front panel;
- and
- a rear panel comprising an upper rear face and a lower rear face, wherein the upper rear face is connected to a first side of both the first and second side faces and the lower rear face is connected to a second side of both the first and second side faces.
An airbag cushion comprising:
- a front panel;
- a first substantially triangular side panel connected with the front panel;
- a second substantially triangular side panel positioned opposite from the first side panel and connected with the front panel;
- and
- a rear panel, wherein the airbag cushion is configured such that the first and second side panels stretch during inflation to a significantly greater degree than the front and rear panels.
An airbag cushion, comprising:
- a first woven panel having first yarns extending approximately laterally relative to an occupant following inflation of the airbag cushion and second yarns extending approximately vertically relative to the occupant following inflation of the airbag cushion;
- a second woven panel connected to the first woven panel, wherein the second woven panel is substantially triangular in shape, and wherein the second woven panel has first yarns extending at an angle relative to both the first and second yarns of the first woven panel following inflation of the airbag cushion;
- and
- a third woven panel connected to the first woven panel, wherein the third woven panel is substantially triangular in shape, and wherein the third woven panel has first yarns extending at an angle relative to both the first and second yarns of the first woven panel following inflation of the airbag cushion.
An airbag cushion, comprising:
- a rear panel having an inflator opening formed therein;
- a front panel, wherein the front panel is folded along a first line to form a first side portion and along a second line to form a second side portion, wherein the front panel includes a front face portion defined by the first line and the second line, and wherein the front face portion has a width approximately equal to the width of the rear panel;
- a first side panel connected to both the rear panel and the front panel;
- and
- a second side panel connected to both the rear panel and the front panel and positioned opposite from the first side panel.
An airbag cushion, the airbag cushion upon inflation comprising:
- a rear panel having an inflator opening formed therein;
- a front panel;
- a first side panel connected to both the rear panel and the front panel;
- and
- a second side panel connected to both the rear panel and the front panel and positioned opposite from the first side panel, wherein the panels are connected to one another at a plurality of connection seams, and wherein the minimum distance from the center of the inflator opening to a connection seam is at least about 140 mm.
A method for constructing an airbag cushion, comprising:
- providing a first substantially triangular side panel;
- providing a second substantially triangular side panel, wherein the second side panel is approximately the same size and shape as the first side panel such that the first and second side panels can be nested together into a substantially rectangular shape;
- providing a substantially rectangular rear panel;
- providing a front panel;
- reconfiguring the rear panel such that it has at least two faces;
- connecting the first side panel to the rear panel and the front panel;
- and
- connecting the second side panel to the rear panel and the front panel such that the first side panel is positioned opposite from the second side panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.