# US 9,004,216 B1 · Front rail mounted airbag

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- Number: US 9,004,216 B1
- Document ID: US9004216B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/082,438
- Filed: 2013-11-18
- Granted: 2015-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-18
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Mohamed Ridha Baccouche; Ping Chen; Manoharprasad K. Rao; Jialiang Le; James Chih Cheng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9004216B1

## CPC

- B60R 21/36: using airbags
- B60R 19/00: Wheel guards; Radiator guards, {e.g. grilles}; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions ({reinforcement elements for side doors B60J5/0412; } mudguards B62D)
- B60R 19/16: having deflecting members, e.g. rollers, balls
- B60R 19/34: destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type
- 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 21/0136: responsive to actual contact with an obstacle {, e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle (monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558)}
- B62D 21/15: having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body (bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F)
- B60R 2021/343: {using deformable body panel, bodywork or components}
- B60R 2021/346: {means outside vehicle body}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)

## Abstract

An airbag system mitigates intrusion in the event of an offset rigid barrier impact to a forward corner of a motor vehicle. An airbag is attached proximate a distal end of a front rail. When in the inflated condition, the airbag has an angular leading edge. An impact detection sensor generates a signal upon a corner impact event, whereby a controller processes the signal generated by the detection sensor and electrically actuates an inflator upon a predetermined impact severity. The angular leading edge of the airbag in the inflated condition acts against the offset rigid barrier to generate a lateral force against the offset rigid barrier to push the motor vehicle away from the barrier and thereby redirect impact energy by lateral movement of the motor vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An airbag system for mitigating intrusion from an impact with an offset rigid barrier to a forward corner of a motor vehicle having a front side body panel having an exterior and interior surface, the airbag system comprising:
a motor vehicle front rail having a forward projecting distal end;
an airbag attached proximate the distal end of the front rail, the airbag having a stowed condition and an inflated condition, wherein the airbag in the inflated condition has a triangular configuration defined in part by an angular leading edge corresponding to a hypotenuse of the triangular configuration and a rearward end corresponding to a base of the triangular configuration, wherein the angular leading edge of the airbag is disposed proximate the interior surface of the front side panel when in the inflated condition;
an inflator operationally coupled with the airbag responsive to electrical actuation for inflating the airbag with a gas;
an impact detection sensor for generating a signal upon an impact event; and
a controller for processing the signal generated by the detection sensor and electrically actuating the inflator upon computing a predetermined impact severity to the forward corner of the motor vehicle, wherein the angular leading edge of the airbag in the inflated condition acts through the front side panel against the offset rigid barrier so as to generate a lateral force against the offset rigid barrier to push the motor vehicle away from the barrier and thereby redirect impact energy by lateral movement of the motor vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the airbag system further comprises a pair of airbags, wherein one of the pair of airbags are mounted on each side of the motor vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a front wheel mounted proximate the front rail, and the airbag is mounted forward of the front wheel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the airbag has a substantially triangular configuration when in the inflated condition, wherein a forward end of the airbag corresponds to an apex of the triangular configuration.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The airbag system of claim 4, wherein the apex of the triangular configuration has an angle of about 30 degrees.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is equipped with an automatic occupant restraint system having occupant restraint system deployment sensor, and the impact detection sensor is also the deployment sensor for the automatic occupant restraint system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a front bumper beam having an exterior and interior surface and the impact detection sensor is mounted to the interior surface of the front bumper beam.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The airbag system of claim 7, wherein the impact detection sensor detects bending of the front bumper beam during the impact event.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The airbag system of claim 8, wherein the impact detection sensor is a conductive film that generates an electrical signal when bent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The airbag system of claim 8, wherein the impact detection sensor is a fiber optic cable that generates a variable output signal in response to bending of the fiber optic cable.

### Claim 11

An airbag system for a motor vehicle comprising a front rail, an airbag attached to the front rail, and a front side body panel having an exterior and interior surface proximate the airbag, the airbag when inflated having a triangular configuration defined in part by an angular leading edge corresponding to a hypotenuse of the triangular configuration and a rearward end corresponding to a base of the triangular configuration, wherein the angular leading edge of the airbag is disposed proximate the interior surface of the front side panel when inflated, an inflator, a sensor for generating a signal upon an impact to a corner of the vehicle by an object, and a controller for receiving the signal from the sensor and actuating the inflator, wherein the leading edge is proximate to and acts through the front side body panel to generate a lateral force against the object.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the front rail has a distal end and an outer side surface, wherein the airbag is attached to the distal end of the front rail on the outer side surface of the front rail.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The airbag system of claim 12, wherein a pair of the front rails extend forward from each side of the motor vehicle and one each of a pair of the airbags are mounted on each of the outer side surfaces thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the airbag has a stowed condition and the inflated condition, wherein a forward end of the airbag corresponds to an apex of the triangular configuration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The airbag system of claim 14, wherein the apex of the triangular configuration has an angle of about 30 degrees.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The airbag system of claim 11, wherein the object is an offset rigid barrier and the motor vehicle has a front wheel mounted proximate the front rail, wherein the airbag is mounted forward of the front wheel and disposed proximate the interior surface and thereby acts through the body panel to generate the lateral force against the offset rigid barrier.

### Claim 17

A method of employing an airbag system mounted in a forward corner of a motor vehicle to generate a lateral force against an offset rigid barrier to push the motor vehicle away from the barrier and thereby redirect impact energy by lateral movement of the motor vehicle, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
providing a motor vehicle front rail having a forward projecting distal end;
providing a front side panel body having an exterior and interior surface;
attaching an airbag proximate the distal end of the front rail, the airbag having a stowed condition and an inflated condition, wherein the airbag in the inflated condition defines a triangular configuration defined in by an angular leading edge corresponding to a hypotenuse of the triangular configuration and a rearward end corresponding to a base of the triangular configuration, wherein the angular leading edge of the airbag is disposed proximate the interior surface of the front side panel when in the inflated condition;
equipping the airbag with an inflator operationally coupled with the airbag responsive to electrical actuation for inflating the airbag with a gas;
providing an impact detection sensor for generating a signal upon an impact event; and
providing a controller for processing the signal generated by the detection sensor;
electrically actuating the inflator upon a predetermined impact severity to the forward corner of the motor vehicle; and
presenting the angular leading edge of the airbag in the inflated condition to act through the front side body panel against the offset rigid barrier so as to generate a lateral force against the offset rigid barrier to push the motor vehicle away from the barrier and thereby redirect impact energy by lateral movement of the motor vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the airbag has a substantially triangular configuration when in the inflated condition, wherein a forward end of the airbag corresponds to an apex of the triangular configuration having an angle of about 30 degrees.