External airbag mounted on the roof rack

Abstract

External vehicle airbag system, comprehensive: a spar link configured for attachment to the roof of a vehicle (10); an airbag arranged within the spar member (14); and an inflation device (20) configured to inflate the airbag (14), wherein the inflation device (20) is integrated into a housing of a rear high brake light (16) or tail light of the vehicle (10).

Description

Technical area

[0001] The following disclosure relates to an external airbag designed to mitigate the adverse effects of a vehicle rollover. Background of the invention

[0002] All vehicles are susceptible to rollovers to varying degrees. In general, the tendency to rollover increases with vehicle height, axle width, steering sensitivity, and increased speed. Trucks, SUVs, and large vans are more likely to roll over than passenger cars because they typically have higher bodies and greater ground clearance. Vehicle occupants can be exposed to danger in the event of a rollover. The vehicle's roof panel or roof side members can deform and contact an occupant. To protect occupants, rollover curtain airbags, which run the entire length of the interior of a vehicle along the side members, are now standard equipment in most vehicles.However, sometimes windows are broken during the onset of a rollover event, and the interior curtain airbag does not fully cover the open window, potentially allowing external objects to enter the vehicle. These objects can include exterior mirrors, objects thrown inward by a towed overturned trailer, or external objects dislodged and thrown into the vehicle's interior as a result of the accident. Accordingly, there is a need for a system to mitigate hazards in the event of a vehicle rollover.

[0003] Systems for reducing the negative effects of a vehicle rollover, in particular by means of an external airbag system, are already known from US 2009 / 0 266 226 A1, US 7 828 106 B1, US 2005 / 0 052 004 A1, US 6 749 220 B1, US 7 174 986 B2, KR 10 2002 0 052 295 A, US 6 237 939 B1, GB 2 506 270 A and DE 10 2005 028 190 A1. Summary of the invention

[0004] Systems are provided to mitigate the potential adverse effects of a vehicle rollover. The systems may include external airbags located within the roof pillars of a vehicle. In the event of a rollover, the airbags may be inflated by one or more inflators integrated with the vehicle's electrical system and rollover sensors. When deployed, the airbags may extend down the sides of the vehicle and may be held in place by one or more elastic restraint straps.

[0005] These and other embodiments and various implementations and aspects will become apparent and more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which set forth exemplary embodiments and illustrate the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation showing an embodiment of a system according to the invention. Fig. Figure 2 is an elevational view graphically showing an embodiment of the invention in which the airbags are in a deployed state. Fig. 3 is a rear view graphically showing an embodiment of the invention in which the airbags are in a deployed state. Fig. Figure 4 is a rear view graphically illustrating an embodiment of the invention with the airbags in a deployed state and showing further design details. Fig. 5 is an elevational view of an embodiment of an airbag according to the invention. Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

[0006] In the following description, one or more specific embodiments of the invention are described, shown, and illustrated according to the principles thereof. This description is not offered to limit the invention to the embodiments described herein, but rather to explain and teach the principles of the invention in such a manner that one skilled in the art will understand these principles and, with such understanding, will be able to apply them to practice not only the embodiments described herein, but also other embodiments conceivable according to these principles. The scope of the invention is intended to include all such embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or according to the doctrine of equivalents.

[0007] It should be noted that in the specification and the drawings, like or substantially like elements may be designated by the same reference numerals. However, sometimes these elements may be designated by different numbers, such as in cases where such designation facilitates a clearer description. Furthermore, the drawings relied upon herein are not necessarily to scale, and in some cases, proportions may be exaggerated to more clearly show certain features. Such designation and drawing practices do not necessarily have any substantive purpose. As noted above, the specification is to be considered as a whole and construed in accordance with the principles of the invention taught herein and as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0008] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates components of a system of one embodiment according to the invention. One or more pillars 12 may be mounted to an exterior portion of a vehicle 10, such as the roof. One or more airbags 14 may be disposed within each pillar 12 for deployment in the event of a vehicle rollover. In the present embodiment, the airbags 14 are tubular in shape and extend the entire length of each pillar 12. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of airbag shapes and sizes could be employed without departing from the novel scope of the present invention.

[0009] Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention with the airbags 14 in a deployed state. Upon deployment, the airbags 14 are inflated by an inflator 20. The inflator 20 may be housed within one or more of the pillars 12 in a separate housing mounted on the exterior of the vehicle 10 or within one or more of the existing interior vehicle components, such as the rear high-beam brake light 16 or taillight of the vehicle 10. The inflator 20 may have an independent power source or be electrically integrated into the vehicle circuitry at a convenient junction, such as at the rear high-beam brake light 16 or taillight. The inflator 20 may also communicate with the vehicle's rollover sensor.In the event of a vehicle rollover, the rollover sensor sends a signal to the inflator 20, which activates the airbags 14 and causes them to deploy.

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention may also include multiple inflators 20 depending on the particular requirements and dimensions of a vehicle 10 and the associated roof rails 12.

[0011] Fig. 4 and Fig.5 illustrate the positioning of deployed airbags 14 in one embodiment of the present invention. When deployed, the airbags 14 extend down the sides of the vehicle 10 to cover at least a portion of the vehicle's side windows. This positioning may be achieved by including one or more tethers 18. The tethers 18 may be made of a resilient material and attached to the airbags 14 such that the tethers 18 hold the deployed airbags 14 down in the desired position covering the sides of the vehicle 10. The number of tethers 18 may be reduced or increased based on the size of the airbag 14. The tethers 18 may also be attached to the pillars 12 to achieve a desired positioning of the airbag 14 during deployment.A desired positioning of the airbag 14 can result in a reduction of adverse effects in the event of a rollover. The airbags 14 can be constructed using tear- or puncture-resistant, lightweight, high-strength woven material with aligned strands to provide maximum protection. Various suitable materials that are commercially available include Dyneema from DSM and Energy Absorbing Fabric from Energetic Textile Partners, LLC.

[0012] It should be understood that the invention is not limited to any single embodiment and should be construed as to breadth and scope only as recited in the appended claims.

Claims

[1] External vehicle airbag system, comprising: a beam member configured for attachment to the roof of a vehicle (10); an airbag (14) arranged within the spar member; and an inflator (20) configured to inflate the airbag (14), wherein the inflation device (20) is integrated into a housing of a rear high brake light (16) or tail light of the vehicle (10). [2] The system of claim 1, wherein the airbag (14) is lengthwise coextensive with the beam member. [3] The system of claim 1, further comprising a rollover sensor. [4] The system of claim 3, wherein the rollover sensor is capable of communicating with the inflator (20). [5] The system of claim 1, wherein the inflator (20) is electrically connected to the vehicle (10). [6] The system of claim 5, wherein the inflator (20) is electrically connected to the tail lamp of the vehicle (10). [7] The system of claim 1, wherein the airbag (14) is configured to cover one or more windows on the side of the vehicle (10) when deployed. [8] The system of claim 1, further comprising a retaining strap (18) attached to the airbag (14). [9] System according to claim 8, wherein the retaining band (18) is made of an elastic material. [10] The system of claim 8, wherein the retaining strap (18) is further attached to the spar member. [11] The system of claim 8, wherein the retaining strap (18) is attached to the airbag (14) at two separate locations. [12] The system of claim 8, wherein the tether (18) is configured to pull an end of the airbag (14) toward the side of the vehicle (10) when the airbag (14) is deployed.

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