Driver side aspirated airbags

A combined steering wheel assembly and occupant protection system for use by a driver situated in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

• a rotatable steering column;
• a steering wheel arranged at an end of said steering column and to rotate with said steering column;
• an airbag module arranged on a first side of said steering wheel and to rotate with said steering wheel, said airbag module including an airbag having an interior and at least one opening communicating with said interior;
• an aspirated inflator assembly coupled to said steering column and including a gas generator that generates gas to inflate said airbag and a nozzle, said inflator assembly being arranged on a second side of said steering wheel opposite the first side of said steering wheel;
• and
• bearings positioned between said inflator assembly and said steering wheel and steering column to enable said inflator assembly to remain stationary when said steering wheel and said steering column rotate,
• said steering wheel including a conduit situated between said nozzle and said at least one opening, said conduit extending from the second side of said steering wheel through said steering wheel to the first side of said steering wheel,
• said inflator assembly being arranged to induce air from the passenger compartment into said nozzle, mix the induced air with the gas generated by said generator in said nozzle and then cause the mixed air and gas to flow from said nozzle into and through said conduit to said at least one opening and then into the interior of said airbag to thereby aspirate the gas generated by said gas generator.

An airbag assembly mounted in connection with a steering wheel assembly in a vehicle, the steering wheel assembly includes a rotatable steering column and a steering wheel arranged at one end of the steering column and to rotate with the steering column, comprising:

• a housing arranged on a first side of the steering wheel and including an airbag having an interior and an opening communicating with the interior;
• a gas generating inflator arranged on a second side of the steering wheel opposite the first side of the steering wheel, the inflator generating gas to inflate the airbag through the opening and directing the generated gas into a conduit situated between the inflator and the interior of the airbag, the conduit extending from the second side of the steering wheel through the steering wheel to the first side of the steering wheel;
• and
• an aspirating structure connected to the steering wheel and arranged on the second side of the steering wheel and in connection with the conduit, the aspirating structure being arranged to induce air from a passenger compartment in the vehicle into the aspirating structure, mix the induced air with the gas generated by the inflator within the aspirating structure and then cause the mixed air and gas to flow into and through the conduit so that the mixed air and gas then flows into the interior of the airbag to thereby aspirate the gas generated by the inflator,
• wherein the housing is arranged to rotate with the steering wheel, the inflator being arranged to remain stationary while the steering column and the steering wheel rotate.

An airbag assembly mounted in connection with a steering wheel assembly in a vehicle, the steering wheel assembly includes a rotatable steering column and a steering wheel arranged at one end of the steering column and to rotate with the steering column, comprising:

• a housing arranged on the steering wheel and including an airbag having an interior and an opening communicating with the interior;
• a gas generating inflator arranged on the steering wheel, the inflator generating gas to inflate the airbag through the opening;
• and
• an aspirating structure connected to the steering wheel and including a nozzle having an inlet and an outlet, the inflator being arranged to direct gas into the nozzle between the inlet and the outlet to induce air from the passenger compartment to flow into the inlet of the nozzle and mix with the gas from the inflator, and to then cause the mixed air and gas to flow toward the opening of the airbag and then into the airbag.