Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Morton International, Inc.

Chrysler Corporation

John G Bauer

Kurt F Fischer

Charles E Steffens, Jr

Daniel L Steimke

James H Repp

Roy C Turnbull

Steven R Fredin

Alberto Rodriguez

Heather R Kramer

Amit Sharma

David F Sutter

Mary C Petit

John M Seybold

Ronald W Bonatz

David M Jackson

An apparatus () helps protect an occupant () of a vehicle (). The apparatus () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () that includes panel () of material that helps define an inflatable volume () of the protection device. A vent opening () vents inflation fluid from the inflatable volume (). A pleat () is folded in the panel (). The pleat () is positioned against a vehicle surface () while the protection device () is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening ().

Vented air bag

An apparatus () for helping to protect a vehicle occupant () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () having a stored, deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect the occupant. An inflator () provides inflation fluid to inflate the protection device (). The apparatus () also includes a flap () made of fabric material. The flap () is stored with the protection device (). The flap () is deployed by inflation of the protection device () into a position engaging and covering a head () of the vehicle occupant for guiding deployment of the protection device () over the head of the occupant.

Air bag module with occupant engaging flap

An air bag ( ) has a deflated condition stored in a container ( ) in a vehicle and has an inflated condition. The air bag ( ) when in the inflated condition has lower and upper sections ( ). The air bag ( ) has a first portion ( ) forming the lower section ( ) of the air bag, and a second portion ( ) forming the upper section ( ). The air bag ( ) includes a back panel ( ) disposed farthest from a vehicle occupant ( ) and a front panel ( ) disposed closest to the occupant. The first portion ( ) of the air bag ( ) is folded into a compact shape and stored in a lower portion ( ) of the container ( ). The second portion ( ) of the air bag ( ) is rolled into a compact shape and stored in an upper portion ( ) of the container ( ). The second portion ( ) inflates upward and unrolls in a direction away from the occupant ( ) so that the front panel ( ) is presented toward the occupant. The first portion ( ) of the air bag ( ) inflates before the second portion ( ).

Folded air bag

An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) comprises flexible material defining an inflation fluid volume ( ) for receiving inflation fluid. The material includes a first panel portion ( ) on which is located a set of first points (A-D) and a second panel portion ( ) on which is located a set of second points (A&prime;-D&prime;). A rupturable stitching section ( ) holds the set of first points (A-D) closely adjacent the set of second points (A&prime;-D&prime;)when the device ( ) is in the deflated condition and when the device is in a partially inflated condition. The rupturable stitching section ( ) is rupturable in response to the application of a force greater than a predetermined force in response to inflation of the protection device ( ). Rupturing of the stitching section ( ) enables movement of the first panel portion ( ) away from the second panel portion ( ).

Dual volume air bag with vent

A vehicle safety apparatus (,) includes a vehicle steering column (,) connected to a vehicle steering wheel (,) to turn rotatable steerable vehicle wheels. A module (,) has an inflatable device (,) for helping to protect an occupant (,) of a vehicle (,) and an inflator (,) is connected with the inflatable device to provide inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device. The apparatus (,) also includes at least one actuatable fastener (,) connected between the steering column (,) and a vehicle part (,). The actuatable fastener (,) has an unactuated condition blocking movement of the steering column (,) in a forward direction (,) in the vehicle (,) relative to the vehicle part (,). The actuatable fastener (,) has an actuated condition releasing the steering column (,) for movement in the vehicle (,) relative to the vehicle part (,) under load applied to the inflatable device (,) by the vehicle occupant (,). The forward movement of the steering column (,) effects forward movement of the inflatable device (,). The actuatable fastener (,) is preferably a pyrotechnic fastener.

Vehicle safety apparatus including movable inflatable occupant protection device

An occupant sensor system (40) has an array (42) of sensors (48.sub.I -48.sub.IV). Each of the sensors (48.sub.I -48.sub.IV) senses the presence of a body portion of an occupant (14) proximately located to the respective sensor and provides a signal (50) indicative of the presence. A controller (30) processes information derived from the signals (50) to characterize the type of the body portion.

Characterizing a proximately located occupant body portion with a sensor

The reaction canister of a passenger-side motor vehicle airbag module is extruded with a groove in at least one side wall forming a thinned section running the length of the canister. This creates a weakened and bendable region which allows the side wall to buckle under an impact through the instrument panel of the vehicle. This buckling absorbs impact energy, avoiding or reducing injury to the occupant.

Airbag reaction canister with collapsible side wall

An airbag module installed in a vehicle comprises a deployment door which comprises a face panel which covers the open top of a reaction canister and is positioned at an opening in the instrument panel of the vehicle and further comprises key and keyway connecting structure for securely holding the deployment door to the reaction canister before and during deployment of an airbag. This connecting structure allows limited movement of the deployment door in three directions with respect to the reaction canister and thus permits adjustment of the position of the face panel of the deployment door to obtain accurate fit and finish at the instrument panel. In preferred embodiments the invention further comprises structure for immovably fixing the position of the deployment door at the instrument panel after the deployment door has been adjusted. Reaction forces acting on the deployment door during deployment and inflation of the airbag are transmitted to the reaction canister through the adjustable connection that fastens the deployment door to the reaction canister, thereby avoiding transmission of damaging reaction forces to the instrument panel.

Adjustable deployment door for airbag module

An air bag formed of thin flexible sheet material is mounted in a housing within a motor vehicle in a deflated condition and is rapidly inflatable for protecting an occupant in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The air bag has an elongated, generally cylindrical shape when deployed to inflate for expanding directly and more rapidly from the housing into protective cushioning contact with the occupant thus reducing the chances that the occupant will be subjected to excessive movement or velocity relative to the interior of the vehicle and further reducing the possibility that the occupant will be subjected to unwanted contact with closely adjacent surfaces in a relatively small passenger compartment of the vehicle. The novel air bag is formed from three pieces including a pair of generally circular inner and outer end walls joined together with a cylindrically-shaped side wall.

Cylindrical air bag

A cover is mounted on an airbag canister in a manner which allows relative movement in three directions to permit a proper fit of the cover to the instrument panel of the vehicle in which the airbag is mounted. The airbag canister has a plurality of mounting holes in an upper sidewall with a plurality of threaded studs mounted therein and extending axially, generally transversely outwardly from the sidewall. An airbag cover is provided with a forwardly extending door portion which is adapted to fit in an opening of the instrument panel. The cover has a rearwardly extending portion with a plurality of openings therein adapted to receive the threaded studs for attaching the cover to the airbag canister. A shoulder nut is mounted on each of the studs for retaining the cover on the canister with sufficient structural integrity to maintain the attachment of the cover to the canister during airbag deployment. The openings in the rearwardly extending portion of the airbag cover are larger than the diameter of the threaded shoulder nuts. The shoulder nut has a head larger than the openings in the cover. The size of the openings in the rearwardly extending portion of the cover and the distance between the head of the shoulder nuts and the sidewall of the canister are such that three directions of relative movement between the canister and cover are provided to enable proper fit and finish of the airbag covers with the vehicle instrument panel.

Passenger airbag canister to cover attachment

The reaction canister of a passenger-side airbag module is locked into position behind the instrument panel in such a manner as to permit freedom of movement of a retaining member along three axes while retaining structural integrity. This results from an arm depending from the reaction canister passing through an enlarged opening in the retaining member extending from the panel, or a portion thereof. The arm carries a rod which limits relative vertical movement of the retaining member between the canister and rod.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

John G Bauer