Distal airbag assembly with pillow and sail

Abstract

A distal inflatable airbag assembly is disclosed that is installed to deploy adjacent to an occupant during a distal crash event or a distal oblique crash event and may hold the occupant in their vehicle occupant position to protect the occupant from impact with structures within the vehicle and from impact with other occupants of the vehicle. The distal inflatable airbag assembly of the present disclosure may be particularly beneficial when installed between vehicle occupant positions in a vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of automotive protection systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to airbag assemblies, such as a distal airbag assembly configured to deploy in response to a collision event.

Background Art

[0002] A protection system for protecting an occupant during a collision event is installed in a vehicle. Some protection systems include an inflatable distal airbag. Some protection systems have one or more drawbacks or may not function optimally in one or more respects. Certain embodiments disclosed herein can address one or more of these problems.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] This embodiment will become more fully apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the accompanying drawings illustrate only typical embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure, and the embodiments will be described and explained in detail specifically with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0004] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partial side view of the interior of a vehicle equipped with a distal inflatable airbag assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a partial side view of a vehicle having the distal inflatable airbag assembly of FIG. 1, with the distal inflatable airbag assembly partially deployed. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a partial side view of the interior of a vehicle having the distal inflatable airbag assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2A, with the inflatable airbag cushion substantially inflated, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3]This is a side view of a portion of the interior of a vehicle having the distal inflatable airbag assembly shown in Figures 1 to 2B, in which the inflatable airbag cushion is substantially deployed, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the vehicle occupant position of a vehicle having the distal inflatable airbag assembly shown in Figures 1 to 3, in which the inflatable airbag cushion is in the deployed state, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a plan view of the inflatable airbag cushion of the inflatable airbag assembly shown in Figures 1 to 4, in a state prior to installation, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Figures 1 to 5 are front views of the inflatable airbag cushion of the distal inflatable airbag assembly in a deployed state to receive an occupant seated in the vehicle occupant position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0005] It will be readily apparent that the components of the embodiments generally described and illustrated herein can be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following more detailed descriptions of the various embodiments illustrated are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed disclosure, but merely illustrate various embodiments. While various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, the drawings are not necessarily to scale unless specifically indicated.

[0006] Occupant protection systems, such as inflatable airbag assemblies, can be installed in various locations within a vehicle to reduce or minimize occupant injury during a collision event. Inflatable airbag assemblies are widely used to reduce or minimize occupant injury during a collision event. Airbag modules have been installed in various locations within a vehicle, including, but are not limited to, within the steering wheel, within the dashboard and / or instrument panel, within the side doors, within or adjacent to the seats, adjacent to the vehicle's roof rails, overhead, or at knee or leg positions. In the following disclosures, “airbag” generally refers to an inflatable airbag that deploys to protect an occupant during a collision event.

[0007] This disclosure relates to a distal airbag assembly configured to deploy to protect an occupant during a distal collision event, including an oblique distal collision event. A distal collision event occurs with respect to an occupant when the vehicle is struck on the side of the vehicle opposite to the side in which the occupant is positioned (e.g., the side), resulting in a force that tends to push the distal side of the vehicle directly or obliquely towards the occupant. In other words, in a distal collision event, the occupant is positioned facing the side of the vehicle opposite to the side that was struck during the event. For example, an occupant in a seat positioned to the left would experience a distal collision when the impact occurs on the right side of the vehicle. A distal inflatable airbag assembly may be installed to be positioned between the vehicle occupant position and the distal side of the vehicle for a particular vehicle occupant position. A distal inflatable airbag assembly may deploy an inflatable airbag cushion in response to a distal collision event, and the inflatable airbag cushion may be configured to reduce or eliminate the effects of distal collision forces on an occupant at a particular vehicle occupant position. The inflatable airbag cushion may reduce occupant movement toward or into a vehicle structure (e.g., inter-seat console, steering wheel, etc.), toward or into an adjacent vehicle occupant position, thereby reducing the possibility or degree of impact between the occupant and the vehicle structure or another occupant, and thereby reducing or preventing occupant injury in a distal collision event.

[0008] As used herein, the terms “dashboard” and “instrument panel” refer to the protruding area of ​​a vehicle that is in the face of the vehicle's occupants, which often includes the glove compartment in the area facing the occupants and may include, but is not required to include, equipment (e.g., radio and / or climate control) in its more central area.

[0009] The term "opposite" is a relational term used herein to refer to the arrangement of a particular feature or component in a position corresponding to another related feature or component, where the corresponding features or components are juxtaposed relative to each other. For example, a person's right hand is the opposite of a person's left hand.

[0010] As used herein, the term “inside” generally refers to a direction toward the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle; however, the present invention anticipates embodiments in which the seats are not limited to two side-by-side seats within a vehicle. In such embodiments, “inside” refers to a direction toward an adjacent vehicle occupant position. In one embodiment having three or more rows of side-by-side seats, each seat not located at the end of the row may, for the purposes of this disclosure, have an “inside” side toward one or both sides of the side of the vehicle occupant position. Furthermore, in some embodiments, “inside” refers to a direction toward the space or gap between the vehicle occupant position and the side structure of the vehicle, such as a cargo space adjacent to the vehicle seating position.

[0011] During installation, the airbag may typically be located inside the housing in a packaged state (e.g., rolled, folded, and / or otherwise compressed), i.e., in a compact configuration, and held in a packaged state behind the cover. During a collision event, the inflator is triggered, thereby rapidly filling the airbag with inflation gas. The airbag can rapidly transition from a packaged state (e.g., compact configuration) to a deployed or extended configuration. For example, an inflating airbag can pop out of the housing by opening the airbag cover (e.g., by tearing a rupture seam or by opening a door-like structure). The inflator may be triggered by any suitable device or system, the trigger may be in response to and / or influenced by one or more vehicle sensors. The airbag assembly can reduce occupant injury to the vehicle during a collision event by reducing the impact of occupant impact (body-structure collision) on structures within the vehicle (e.g., dashboard and door columns).

[0012] Several embodiments disclosed herein can provide improved positioning, protection, and / or safety to occupants involved in certain types of collisions. Examples of collision types in which certain embodiments may be advantageous include: (1) collisions in which the impacting object does not engage with the structural longitudinal components and / or engine block of the occupant's vehicle; (2) collisions in which the impact force acts primarily outside either the left or right longitudinal beam of the occupant's vehicle; (3) collisions classified as such in collision deformation classification schemes such as FLEE or FREE; (4) frontal impact collisions in which the occupant's vehicle is struck by an impact of 25% or less of its vehicle width; (5) collisions specified in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) small overlap frontal impact test; or (6) collisions specified in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) oblique impact test. The conditions for the IIHS small overlap frontal crash test and the NHTSA oblique impact test are disclosed in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Small Overlap Frontal Crashworthiness Evaluation Crash Test Protocol (2nd edition) (December 2012), and Saunders, J., Craig, M., and Parent, D., Moving Deformable Barrier Test Procedure for Evaluating Small Overlap / Oblique Crashes, SAE Int. J. Commer. Veh. 5(1): pp. 172-195 (2012). When used herein, the term “oblique” used to describe a collision (crash, impact, etc.) is intended to encompass any of the aforementioned collisions and any other collisions in which the direction of occupant movement as a result of the impact includes both forward and lateral components. In this disclosure, the longitudinal component of the occupant’s post-collision trajectory during or after an oblique collision may be directed forward of the vehicle.

[0013] Figure 1 is a partial side view of the interior of a vehicle 10 equipped with a distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The dashboard / instrument panel ("dash") 12 is shown for reference, as are the steering wheel 13, the windshield 14, the roof 16 of the vehicle 10, and the distal doors 20. The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle occupant position 30 defined by seats 32 (e.g., driver's seat, passenger seat, etc.), which may be the position in which an occupant is generally positioned when seated in the seats of the vehicle. The vehicle occupant position 30 may be the position in which the vehicle 10 and / or the seats 32 are designed to transport an occupant 50, and / or the position in which the occupant 50 may be seated before and / or during a collision event. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicle occupant position 30 is located on the left side of the vehicle 10, the door 20 is on the right side of the vehicle 10, and another vehicle occupant position (not shown, but similar in many respects to vehicle occupant position 30) may be located between the vehicle occupant position 30 and the door 20. In a left-hand drive vehicle with two side-by-side front seats, the illustrated vehicle occupant position 30 in this embodiment is defined by the driver's seat 32. In a right-hand drive vehicle with two side-by-side front seats, the vehicle occupant position 30 is defined by the passenger seat 32. The seat 32 comprises a seat base 34 and a backrest 36. The backrest 36 includes a gap 37 configured to receive and support the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 of the present disclosure. The gap 37 may be located in the inner portion of the backrest 36, and the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 may be at least partially mounted within the gap 37. The occupant 50 is shown seated in the vehicle occupant position 30. The occupant 50's head 52, forehand shoulder 54 (to the viewer of Figure 1), and torso 56 are identified for reference. The occupant 50 also has a distal shoulder 55. The vehicle occupant position 30 may include a shoulder 38 that is configured to receive the occupant 50's shoulders 54, 55, or that may be a position in which the occupant 50's shoulders can be positioned within the vehicle occupant position 30 in any other way.

[0014] Although a steering wheel 13 is shown, the occupant 50 may be the driver or passenger of the vehicle 10. In a typical embodiment of the present disclosure, an additional vehicle occupant position is located between the vehicle occupant position 30 and the door 20. A distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 is located within a gap 37, which is located on a portion of the backrest 36 on the door 20 side (e.g., the side). In one embodiment, the gap 37 may be located on the side of the backrest 36, positioned toward the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle, and the distance from laterally adjacent seats or vehicle occupant positions of the vehicle limits the inward lateral displacement of at least a portion of the occupants at the vehicle occupant position during a distal collision event.

[0015] In one embodiment, the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 may be a unitized airbag module comprising a packaged housing, an inflator, and an inflatable airbag cushion (see housing 102, inflator 104, and inflatable airbag cushion 110 in Figures 2A and 2B). In one embodiment, the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 may comprise individual components such as the packaged housing 102, inflator 104, and inflatable airbag cushion 110, which can be individually installed within the gap 37 of the backrest 36 of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, this disclosure anticipates that the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 may be installed in the vehicle 10 during or after the manufacture of the vehicle 10. The gap 37 within the backrest 36 is adjacent to the support structure of the backrest 36 and is located inward (towards the distal door 20). The distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 may be fixed to the support structure so as to be positioned within the gap 37.

[0016] Figure 2A is a partial side view of a vehicle 10 having the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 of Figure 1, with the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 at least partially deployed. The dash 12, windshield 14, and roof 16 are shown for reference, as are the vehicle occupant position 30 and backrest 36. The distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 comprises a housing 102, an inflator 104, and an inflatable airbag cushion 110. The inflatable airbag cushion 110 comprises an inflation throat 112, a main cushion 120, a pillow cushion 130, and a sail panel 140. The inflation throat 112 comprises a tube or channel connecting the inflatable airbag cushion 110 to the inflator 104. The inflation throat 112 is configured to guide the inflation gas from the inflator 104 into a gap defined by the main cushion 120. The pillow cushion 130 also defines a gap for receiving the inflation gas. In other words, the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130 each define a gap for receiving the expansion gas when deployed, while the sail panel 140 remains unexpanded.

[0017] In the situation shown in Figure 2A, one or more sensors (not shown) identify or detect a collision event that can be characterized as a distal collision event or a distal oblique collision event at the vehicle occupant position 30. Therefore, one or more sensors trigger the deployment of the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100. The deployment of the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 includes the operation of the inflator 104, the opening of the housing 102, and the inflation and positioning of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 adjacent to the occupant 50 and inward (between the occupant 50 and the distal door 20). The initial inflation of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 may force the closure (not shown) of the housing 102 to open.

[0018] The inflatable airbag cushion 110 inflates by introducing inflation gas from the inflator 104 through the inflation throat 112 into the main cushion 120 (106). As the inflatable airbag cushion 110 begins to inflate, it unfolds forward from the gap in the inner portion of the backrest 36 (see gap 37 in Figure 1) so that it is positioned adjacent to the vehicle occupant position 30, more specifically adjacent to the occupant 50. The upper part of the pillow cushion 130 is attached to the upper part of the main cushion 120. As the main cushion 120 inflates, inflation gas from within the gap of the main cushion 120 can be introduced from the main cushion 120 into the pillow cushion 130 (108). The first end of the sail panel 140 is attached to the lower part of the main cushion 120, and the second end of the sail panel 140 is attached to the lower part of the pillow cushion 130. The pillow cushion 130 and the sail panel 140 may unfold laterally during deployment. It is taught that when the main cushion 120 and pillow cushion 130 are inflated and unfolded, the sail panel 140 is pulled in. In the inflated state, the main cushion 120, pillow cushion 130, and sail panel 140 form a shape that can be characterized as substantially triangular or donut-shaped (hereinafter, "triangular shape"). In the unfolded state, the main cushion 120, pillow cushion 130, and sail panel 140 form a triangular shape in a plane lateral to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle 10. As will be described in more detail, the triangular shape allows the main cushion 120, pillow cushion 130, and sail panel 140 to support each other and provide resistance to lateral deflection of the inflatable airbag cushion 110.

[0019] Figure 2B is a partial side view of the interior of a vehicle 10 having the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 of Figures 1 and 2A, with the inflatable airbag cushion 110 in a deployed state (e.g., substantially inflated). In the deployed state, the triangular shape of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 extends across the distal shoulder 55 (relative to the viewpoint of a person viewing Figures 2A and 2B). In other words, the inflatable airbag cushion 110 may deploy forward within the shoulder 38 of the vehicle occupant position 30 positioned in the direction of a distal collision event. The first vertex 172 of the triangular shape is directed toward the roof 16, the second vertex 174 is directed downward, and the third vertex 176 of the triangular shape is positioned above the distal shoulder 55 and toward the occupant 50. The first vertex 172 is formed at the junction of the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130. The second vertex 174 is formed at the junction of the main cushion 120 and the sail panel 140. A third vertex 176 is formed at the joint between the pillow cushion 130 and the sail panel 140. The sail panel 140 may engage with the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50. The pillow cushion 130 and the sail panel 140 are configured to extend from the main cushion 120 in a direction laterally away from the main cushion 120 when deployed. In other words, when deployed, the vertex 176 extends laterally away from the main cushion 120 toward the vehicle occupant position 30. The pillow cushion 130 may be configured to receive and support the head 52 of the occupant 50.

[0020] The triangular shape of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 allows the main cushion 120, pillow cushion 130, and sail panel 140 to support each other. Furthermore, the triangular shape of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 provides a considerable degree of resistance to deflection. The pillow cushion 130 and sail panel 140 allow for a cushion width that, with a relatively small amount of inflation gas, limits deflection and allows for early acceptance of the occupant's shoulders 55 and head 52, thereby limiting the occupant's lateral movement. In other words, the triangular shape of the inflatable airbag cushion 110, in the deployed state, can resist deflection, including diagonal deflection, generally in the direction toward the distal side of the vehicle 10. The degree of resistance to deflection is a function of the width (or effective width) of the inflatable airbag cushion 110. The greater the effective width of the inflatable airbag cushion 110, the more difficult it is to bend laterally. In other words, the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130 can be combined (and formed by the sail panel 140) to achieve a width (relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 10, see, for example, the longitudinal axis 45 in Figure 6) and provide significant support for the occupant 50 during or immediately after a collision event. With respect to the relative timing between the collision event, the resulting vehicle moment transformation, and the relative moment transformation of the occupant 50 within the vehicle 10, the occupant 50 may receive support from the inflatable airbag cushion 110 before achieving a significant velocity (or vehicle moment transformation) relative to the vehicle 10. A lower relative velocity of the occupant 50 relative to the vehicle 10 may allow the inflatable airbag cushion 110 to hold the occupant 50 more effectively within the vehicle occupant position 30. Furthermore, a lower relative velocity of the occupant 50 relative to the vehicle 10 may prevent or mitigate injury to the occupant 50 resulting from the occupant 50 impacting the internal structure of the vehicle 10.

[0021] The triangular shape of the deployed inflatable airbag cushion 110 allows the pillow cushion 130 to receive and support the head 52 of the occupant 50, while the head 52, more specifically the neck 53, of the occupant 50 is roughly aligned with the torso 56 of the occupant 50. The triangular shape of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 may also allow the sail panel 140 to receive and support the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50, together with the pillow cushion 130 which engages with and supports the head 52 and neck 53 of the occupant 50. The pillow cushion 130, sail panel 140, and main cushion 120 form a triangular shape configured to engage with the occupant 50 early in a collision event, thereby reducing the lateral movement of the occupant 50. Furthermore, this early engagement can be achieved by the pillow cushion 130 and sail panel 140 without requiring a large amount of inflation gas. Supporting the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50 provides inherent support for the torso 56 of the occupant 50, and therefore, in the deployed state, the sail panel 140 is configured to limit the lateral displacement of the torso 56 of the occupant 50 in the vehicle occupant position 30. This combined support of the head 52, neck 53, and torso 56 can generally serve to keep the spine 57 of the occupant 50 in an aligned state, which in turn can reduce the possibility or degree of injury to each of the occupant 50's head 52, neck 53, distal shoulder 55, torso 56, and spine 57. The vertices 172, 174, and 176 can allow some degree of articulation of each of the main cushion 120, pillow cushion 130, and sail panel 140, and also transmit mutual support between each of these, providing some resistance to the deflection of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 away from the occupant 50.

[0022] Figure 3 is a side view of a portion of the interior of a vehicle 10 having a distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B, with the inflatable airbag cushion 110 being substantially in a deployed state. The dash 12, windshield 14, roof 16, and front door 22 of the vehicle 10 are shown for reference, as well as the vehicle occupant position 30 and the seatback 36. The head 52 and distal shoulder 55 (closer to the viewing plane in this figure) of the occupant 50 are shown for reference. The main cushion 120 of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 has a generally vertical orientation. The pillow cushion 130 and sail panel 140 are configured to deploy in a direction laterally away from the main cushion 120. The pillow cushion 130 is disposed toward the occupant 50, more specifically, toward the head 52 of the occupant 50, and is at least partially disposed above the distal shoulder 55. The sail panel 140 is disposed toward the occupant 50 and may be engaged with the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50.

[0023] The main cushion 120 is comprised of a first joint 122 (e.g., a tether, or a zero-length tether, or other non-inflatable region). The first joint 122 connects the two panels of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 (see the first panel and the second panels 150, 152 in Figure 5) to reduce the volume of the void defined by the main cushion 120. The first joint 122 can also provide some structural support to the main cushion 120, and therefore to the inflatable airbag cushion 110. In other words, the first joint 122 can limit the degree of deformation that the main cushion 120 is susceptible to by forming an anchor point near the center of the main cushion 120 relative to its periphery. Furthermore, by reducing the volume of the void defined by the main cushion 120, the first joint 122 can reduce the total volume of expansion gas required to inflate the inflatable airbag cushion 110, thereby reducing the time between the start of deployment and the achievement of substantial deployment. Reducing the total volume of expansion gas required to inflate the inflatable airbag cushion 110 may allow the use of a smaller inflator 104, resulting in a more compact distal inflatable airbag assembly 100.

[0024] Figure 4 is a plan view of the vehicle occupant position 30 of a vehicle 10 having the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 of Figures 1-3, with the inflatable airbag cushion 110 in the deployed state. The logical centerline 45 of the vehicle (see the vehicle in Figures 1-3) with a forward direction 47 is shown. The inflatable airbag cushion 110 is substantially inflated. In this example, but not limited to this, the occupant 50 is seated upright on the seat base 34 relative to the backrest 36. The main cushion 120 is positioned substantially perpendicular and inward of the occupant 50. The rear surface of the main cushion 120 may extend substantially upward and forward from the inflator 104, and the front surface of the main cushion 120 is inclined somewhat toward the vehicle occupant position 30. In other words, the inflatable airbag cushion 110 may first unfold upward from the backrest 36 and then forward, with a portion of the main cushion 120 positioned above the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50 and within (or above) the shoulder 38 of the vehicle occupant position 30. The pillow cushion 130 is positioned toward the occupant 50. More specifically, the pillow cushion 130 may extend laterally (relative to the vehicle logical centerline 45, and in at least some embodiments away from the vehicle logical centerline 45) so as to be positioned at least partially above or within the shoulder 38 of the vehicle occupant position 30. The pillow cushion 130 has a second joint 132. The second joint 132 connects two panels of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 (see the first panel 150 and the second panel 152 in Figure 5). The second joint 132 reduces the total volume of inflation gas required to inflate the inflatable airbag cushion 110. The second joint 132 also configures the inflatable airbag cushion 110 to form a first vertex (see first vertex 172 in Figure 2B) for positioning the pillow cushion 130 toward the head 52 of the occupant 50, and a third vertex (see third vertex 176 in Figure 2B) above the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50. The second joint 132 further configures the inflatable airbag cushion 110 to guide the inflation gas from the main cushion 120 to the pillow cushion 130. (Figure 2A above shows the inflation gas being introduced from the main cushion 120 to the pillow cushion 130 (108)).

[0025] The headrest cushion 130 in FIG. 4 has a panel 131 disposed toward the vehicle occupant position 30, and the panel 131 has a curved contour disposed toward the occupant 50 at the front end. The curved contour is configured to receive the head 52 of the occupant 50 and prevent or reduce damage to the head 52 by restricting one or more of forward movement of the head 52, lateral movement of the head 52, diagonal movement of the head 52, and rotation of the head 52.

[0026] The main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130 form a triangular first vertex 172 at the second joint 132. The lower surface of the main cushion 120 is joined to the lower surface of the sail panel 140 to form a second vertex 174. The lower surface of the pillow cushion 130 is joined to the upper surface of the sail panel 140 to form a third vertex 176. The sail panel 140 is configured to engage with the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50. The sail panel 140 and the pillow cushion 130 (for example, a panel 131 with a curved contour) engage with the distal shoulder 55 and head 52 of the occupant 50, respectively, to support the occupant 50's head 52, distal shoulder 55, torso 56, and neck 53 during a distal collision event or a distal oblique collision event. Therefore, the inflatable airbag cushion 110 configured in this manner can prevent or reduce the degree of injury to the occupant 50 in a distal collision event or a distal oblique collision event. More specifically, in the diagram of Figure 4, the distal collision event or distal oblique collision event occurs to the right of the reader, and the collision energy tends to push the vehicle occupant position 30 to the left, resulting in a tendency for the occupant 50 to be displaced relatively to the right. By deploying one embodiment of the inflatable airbag cushion 110, the occupant 50 can be effectively held in the vehicle occupant position 30 with a relatively gradual dissipation of the energy that tends to displace the occupant 50 to the right or to the right laterally. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a second vehicle occupant position 40 in many forms similar to the vehicle occupant position 30 may be located immediately to the right of the vehicle occupant position 30. The inflatable airbag cushion 110 can prevent the collision energy from tending to displace the occupant 50 upward or beyond the adjacent vehicle occupant position 40. When adjacent vehicle occupant positions are also occupied, the inflatable airbag cushion 110 can protect the occupants of the adjacent vehicle occupant positions and the occupant 50 of vehicle occupant position 30 from injuries that may otherwise result from an in-vehicle collision between occupants.

[0027] One embodiment of the present invention has three or more vehicle occupant positions 30, 40, etc. Each seat 32, 42, etc., arranged side by side, may have a distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 on one side of each seat that is adjacent to another seat. Each distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 may be configured to deploy only when a particular vehicle occupant position 30, 40, etc. is occupied, and only when that particular distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 is deployable between the occupied vehicle occupant position 30, 40, etc. and a distal collision event. In other words, for example, in a right-side collision event, only the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 located on the right side and attached to the occupied vehicle occupant position 30, 40, etc. may deploy, while the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 located on the left side may remain undeployed.

[0028] Figure 5 is a plan view of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 of the inflatable airbag assembly 100 shown in Figures 1-4 in its pre-installation state. The inflatable airbag cushion 110 comprises a first panel 150 and a second panel 152, the first panel 150 overlapping the second panel 152 in this figure. The first panel 150 and the second panel 152 are joined to each other at a peripheral joint 154. The first panel 150 comprises at least the first side of the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130. The second panel 152 comprises at least the second side of the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130. In one embodiment, the first panel 150 may further comprise a sail panel 140. In one embodiment, the second panel 152 may further comprise a sail panel 140.

[0029] In this embodiment, the peripheral joint 154 defines the periphery of the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130, surrounds a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 that defines the gap between the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130 for receiving the expansion gas, and is joined together. The first panel 150 and the second panel 152 are further joined to each other at the first joint 122 and the second joint 132. The first joint 122 and the second joint 132 reduce the total volume of expansion gas required to inflate the inflatable airbag cushion 110. The first joint 122 and the second joint 132 may provide structural support to the main cushion 120 and the pillow cushion 130 when deployed.

[0030] The inflatable airbag cushion 110 comprises a first tab 142 and a second tab 144 of the sail panel. During the assembly of the inflatable airbag cushion 110, the first tab 142 and the second tab 144 are joined together. By joining the first tab 142 and the second tab 144 together, the inflatable airbag cushion 110 is configured to form a roughly triangular or donut shape when deployed during a collision event. The second joint 132 helps to position the pillow cushion 130 laterally toward the occupant (see occupant 50 in Figure 2A4) and form the first vertex 172. The joint of the first tab 142 and the second tab 144 forms the second vertex 174. The joint of the first tab 142 and the second tab 144 is indicated by a pair of dashed lines drawn between the first tab 142 and the second tab 144. A portion of the peripheral joint 154 allows the inflatable airbag cushion 110 to form a third vertex 176.

[0031] The peripheral joint 154 removes portions of the first panel 150 and the second panel 152 to form the inflatable throat 112. The inflatable throat 112 may be coupled to an inflator (see inflator 104 in Figure 2A). The coupling of the peripheral joint 154, the first joint 122, the second joint 132, and the first tab 142 and the second tab 144 can be achieved by sewing, high-frequency welding, adhesive, or one or more of any other suitable means.

[0032] The inflatable airbag cushion 110 further comprises a tether 160. The tether 160 has a first end 162a and a second end 166a. During the assembly of the inflatable airbag cushion 110, the first end 162a of the tether 160 may be joined near or at the second joint 132 of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 (164). The first end 162b is shown joined at the second joint 132 for reference. The second end 166a of the tether 160 may be joined at a portion 168 of the peripheral joint 154. For reference, the second end 166b is shown joined at a portion 168 of the peripheral joint 154. The tether 160 may help to position the inflatable airbag cushion 110 as described in Figures 2A to 4.

[0033] Figure 6 is a front view of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 of the distal inflatable airbag assembly 100 of Figures 1-5, in its deployed state and receiving an occupant 50 seated in the vehicle occupant position 30. The inflatable airbag cushion 110 is shown in a substantially inflated state. The main cushion 120, pillow cushion 130, and sail panel 140 are shown as well as the first and second joints 122 and 132. The backrest 36 of the vehicle occupant position 30 is also shown for reference. The occupant 50 is shown seated in the vehicle occupant position 30. The sail panel 140 engages with or receives the distal shoulder 55 of the occupant 50.

[0034] The vehicle's logical centerline 45 is shown as a vertical plane along the vehicle's longitudinal axis for ease of reference. The inflatable airbag cushion 110 unfolds laterally 49 along the vehicle's logical centerline 45. A roughly triangular shape 170 formed by the unfolded inflatable airbag cushion 110 is shown, with the first vertex 172, second vertex 174, and third vertex 176 of the roughly triangular shape 170 also shown. The illustrated triangular shape 170 is generalized and is not intended to represent the exact form of the inflatable airbag cushion 110. For example, the vertices 172, 174, and 176 may be more rounded in some embodiments than in the embodiment of the inflatable airbag cushion 110 shown in Figure 6, and therefore the shape may be roughly donut-shaped 178. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the specific orientation of the roughly triangular shape 170 and the arrangement of the vertices 172, 174, and 176 may vary.

[0035] Throughout this specification, the term “joined” refers to any form of interaction between two or more objects, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, fluid, and thermal interactions. Two components may be joined to one another even if they are not in direct contact with each other.

[0036] The terms "a" and "an" may be used in the singular, but are not limited to the singular. For example, this disclosure may describe a tab having "a line of stitches," but this disclosure also intends that the tab may have two or more lines of stitches.

[0037] Unless otherwise stated, all ranges include both the endpoints and all numerical values ​​between the endpoints.

[0038] "Vehicle occupant position" refers to the position in which an occupant is typically positioned when seated in a vehicle seat, or the position in which they are typically expected to be positioned during vehicle operation. The term "occupant" refers to a person or crash test dummy inside the vehicle.

[0039] Throughout this specification, any reference to “an embodiment” or “the embodiment” means that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in relation to that embodiment are included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, not all words or variations of words described throughout this specification refer to the same embodiment.

[0040] Similarly, in the above description of embodiments, it should be understood that, in order to streamline the disclosure, various features may be grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description of those features. However, this method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim requires more features than those expressly described in that claim. Rather, as reflected in the following claims, embodiments of the invention consist of fewer combinations of features than all the features of any single aforementioned disclosed embodiment combined. Thus, the claims following embodiments for carrying out the invention are expressly incorporated into embodiments for carrying out the invention, and each claim stands on its own as a separate embodiment. The disclosure includes all sorts of independent claims and dependent claims of independent claims.

[0041] The use of the term “first” in the claims relating to a feature or element does not necessarily imply the existence of a second or additional such feature or element. Elements enumerated in means-plus-function form are intended to be interpreted in accordance with § 112(6) of the United States Patent Act. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the details of the above embodiments without departing from the fundamental principles of the invention. Embodiments of the invention for which exclusive ownership or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

Claims

1. An inflatable airbag system (100), Inflator (104), The vehicle (10) includes an inflatable airbag cushion (110) attached to the side of the seat (32) and configured to deploy forward from the side of the seat (32) so as to be positioned adjacent to the vehicle occupant position (30) determined by the seat (32), wherein the inflatable airbag cushion (110) A main cushion (120) coupled to the inflator (104), the main cushion (120) extending forward from the side of the seat (32), A pillow cushion (130) is attached to the upper part of the main cushion (120) at the upper part, and is positioned on the occupant side of the main cushion (120) and positioned between the main cushion (120) and the vehicle occupant position (30), It includes a sail panel (140) which is attached to the lower part of the main cushion (120) at a first end and to the lower part of the pillow cushion (130) at a second end, An inflatable airbag system (100) characterized in that, in the deployed state, the main cushion (120), the pillow cushion (130), and the sail panel (140) form a cylindrical shape with a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axis that is either substantially triangular (170) or substantially donut-shaped (178).

2. The inflatable airbag system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the main cushion (120) and the pillow cushion (130) each form a gap for receiving expansion gas when deployed, and the sail panel (140) remains uninflated.

3. The inflatable airbag system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the side portion of the seat (32) is an inner portion positioned toward the longitudinal centerline (45) of the vehicle (10), and the distance from laterally adjacent seats (40) of the vehicle (10) limits the inward lateral displacement of at least a portion of the occupants (50) at the vehicle occupant position (30) during a distal collision event.

4. An inflatable airbag system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the void formed by the pillow cushion (130) is in fluid communication with the void formed by the main cushion (120) so as to receive expansion gas from the main cushion (120).

5. An inflatable airbag system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pillow cushion (130) and the sail panel (140) are configured to be positioned in the deployed state to protect the head (52) of the occupant (50) of the vehicle occupant position (30) and provide lateral support during a collision event, by extending from the main cushion (120) in a direction laterally away from the main cushion (120) and above the shoulder portion (38) of the vehicle occupant position (30).

6. The inflatable airbag system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shape extends above the shoulder portion (55) of the occupant (50).

7. In the deployed state, the sail panel (140) is configured to engage with the shoulder portion (55) of the occupant (50) at the vehicle occupant position (30), the inflatable airbag system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The inflatable airbag system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the main cushion (120), the pillow cushion (130), and the sail panel (140) mutually support each other by the shapes they form (170, 178) to provide resistance to the deflection of the inflatable airbag cushion (110).

9. In the deployed state, the pillow cushion (130) is structurally supported by the main cushion (120), as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, for an inflatable airbag system (100).

10. In the deployed state, the sail panel (140) is positioned adjacent to the vehicle occupant position (30) so as to restrict the lateral displacement of the shoulder portion (55) of the occupant (50) at the vehicle occupant position (30), the inflatable airbag system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. In the deployed state, the pillow cushion (130) is configured to limit the lateral displacement of the head (52) of the occupant (50) at the vehicle occupant position (30), the inflatable airbag system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. In the deployed state, the pillow cushion (130) comprises a panel (131) positioned toward the vehicle occupant position (30), and the panel (131) has a curved contour (131p) configured to restrict the forward movement of the occupant's (50) head (52) at the vehicle occupant position (30), according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the inflatable airbag system (100).

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