Passenger airbag with a diffuser
AssigneeTK Holdings Inc.
InventorsVivekananda S. Maripudi, Tom Lipscomb
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-panel, passenger-side airbag includes main, right, and left panels, and a diffuser provided adjacent a rear side of the main panel. The main panel includes a front impact said and a rear inflation side. The front impact side is formed of upper and lower portions. When the airbag is inflated, the upper portion is configured to be directed toward the upper torso of a passenger and the lower portion in configured to be directed toward the passenger's lower torso, groin, and legs. The diffuser is configured to direct inflation gas toward the lower portion so that the lower portion inflates faster than the upper portion.
Claims19
A passenger-side airbag comprising:
- a front impact side;
- a rear inflation side;
- a diffuser provided adjacent the rear side, wherein the diffuser is formed of a single sheet folded into an upper layer and a lower layer;
- and
- a heat shield positioned adjacent the upper layer of the diffuser,
- wherein the front impact side has an upper portion and a lower portion,
- wherein, when the airbag is inflated, the upper portion is configured to be directed toward the upper torso of a passenger and the lower portion in configured to be directed toward the passenger's lower torso, groin, and legs, and
- wherein the diffuser is configured to direct inflation gas toward the lower portion so that the lower portion inflates faster than the upper portion.
An airbag apparatus comprising:
- a passenger-side airbag comprising:
- a front impact side;
- a rear inflation side;
- and
- a diffuser provided adjacent the rear inflation side, the diffuser including a sheet with a first end portion and a second end portion, an edge of the first end portion is sewn to an edge of the second end portion creating a pocket between the first and second end portions;
- and
- an inflator configured to inflate the airbag,
- wherein the front impact side has an upper portion and a lower portion,
- wherein, when the airbag is inflated, the upper portion is configured to be directed toward the upper torso of a passenger and the lower portion in configured to be directed toward the passenger's lower torso, groin, and legs, and
- wherein the diffuser is configured to direct inflation gas toward the lower portion so that the lower portion inflates faster than the upper portion.
A three-panel, passenger-side airbag comprising:
- a main panel comprising:
- a front impact side;
- and
- a rear inflation side;
- a right panel attached to one edge of the main panel;
- a left panel attached to a second edge of the main panel;
- a diffuser provided adjacent the rear side,
- wherein the front impact side has an upper portion and a lower portion,
- wherein, when the airbag is inflated, the upper portion is configured to be directed toward the upper torso of a passenger and the lower portion in configured to be directed toward the passenger's lower torso, groin, and legs, and
- wherein the diffuser is configured to direct inflation gas toward the lower portion so that the lower portion inflates faster than the upper portion, and
- wherein the diffuser includes a tether.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.