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US 8,322,747 B2Granted
Inflatable airbag assemblies with arm-manipulating side airbags
AssigneeAutoliv ASP, Inc.
InventorBalaskandan Shankar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Inflatable side airbags are employed to cushion an occupant in the event of a side impact. An occupant's outboard arm may become trapped between a deploying side airbag and the occupant's torso. This situation may cause injury to the occupant's ribs. Side airbags can be engineered such that the occupant's arm is moved out of the way by the airbag during deployment.
Claims20
An inflatable airbag assembly, comprising:
- an inflatable side airbag having an inboard panel, an outboard panel, and a top panel, wherein the inboard and outboard panels comprise upper portions and lower portions, and
- wherein the inboard and outboard panels are coupled together at bottom portions of the inboard and outboard panels and each of the upper portions of the inboard and outboard panels are coupled to the top panel, such that the side airbag comprises an upper region and a lower region,
- wherein an average cross-sectional width of the upper region is greater than an average cross-sectional width of the lower region
- wherein the upper region comprises an upper chamber and the lower region comprises a lower chamber,
- wherein the top panel is tucked into the upper chamber and is retained in a tucked configuration prior to deployment of the inflatable side airbag, and
- wherein the top panel is configured such that, after deployment of the lower chamber, inflation gas causes the top panel to become untucked and fully expanded, which expands the width and height of the upper chamber.
3 more elements
An inflatable airbag assembly, comprising
- an inflatable side airbag having an inboard panel, an outboard panel, and a top panel, wherein the inboard and outboard panels comprise upper portions and lower portions,
- wherein an inflatable button is coupled to the top panel such that the inflatable button is in fluid communication with the inflatable side airbag,
- wherein the inboard and outboard panels are coupled together at bottom portions of the panels and each of the upper portions of the inboard and outboard panels are coupled to the top panel, and
- wherein the airbag comprises an upper region and a lower region and wherein an average cross-sectional width of the upper region is greater than an average cross-sectional width of the lower region.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.