Driver airbag for oblique and frontal impacts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414370-B2
Application number	US-201715623629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2017
Priority date	Jun 15, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

An airbag includes a first panel and a second panel. A first wing is formed with one of the first panel and the second panel, the first wing being coupled to the other of the first panel and the second panel. At least a second wing is formed with one of the first panel and the second panel, the second wing being coupled to the other of the first panel and the second panel. The airbag includes a first depth that extends from the first panel to the second panel proximate the first wing and the second wing when the airbag is in the deployed position and at least a second depth extending from the first panel to the second panel proximate the first base, wherein the second depth is less than the first depth.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An airbag configured to be coupled to a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, the airbag comprising:
a first panel extending from a first base with a first base width to a first top with a first top width greater than the first base width, the first panel forming:
a first centerline that extends between a first base midpoint of the first base width and a first top midpoint of the first top width;
a second panel extending from a second base with a second base width to a second top with a second top width, the second panel including:
a second centerline that extends between a second base midpoint of the second base width and a second top midpoint of the second top width;
a first side that extends from the second base to the second top;
a second side spaced apart from the first side, the second side extending from the second base to the second top;
a first wing extending a first wing distance laterally away from the first centerline in a first direction, the first wing extending from the first top to the first base; and
at least a second wing extending a second wing distance laterally away from the first centerline in a second direction opposite the first direction, the second wing extending from the first top to the first base;
wherein the second base is coupled to the first base, the second top is coupled to the first top, the first side is coupled to the first wing and the second side is coupled to the second wing, and
wherein the first panel and the second panel are formed from a contiguous piece of a material adjoining at the first base and the second base, and a lateral shape of each of the first panel and the second panel are asymmetric about the first base or the second base.

2. The airbag of claim 1 , further comprising a non-rotating hub configured to couple to an airbag housing for the airbag.

3. The airbag of claim 1 , further comprising an airbag housing configured to receive and to store the airbag when the airbag is in an undeployed condition.

4. The airbag of claim 1 , wherein the first wing and the second wing are configured to extend in a direction away from the steering wheel when the airbag is in a deployed position.

5. The airbag of claim 1 , further comprising an inflator coupled to the first panel.

6. The airbag of claim 1 , further comprising a first depth extending from the first panel to the second panel proximate the first wing and the second wing when the airbag is in a deployed position and at least a second depth extending from the first panel to the second panel proximate the first base and the second base, wherein the second depth is less than the first depth.

7. The airbag of claim 6 , further comprising a third depth extending from the first panel to the second panel at a position between the first depth and the second depth, wherein the third depth is less than the first depth and greater than the second depth.

8. An airbag configured to be coupled to a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, the airbag comprising:
a first panel extending from a first base with a first base width to a first top with a first top width greater than the first base width;
a second panel extending from the first base to a second top with a second top width, the second top being coupled to the first top;
a first wing integrally formed with one of the first panel and the second panel, the first wing being coupled to the other of the first panel and the second panel;
at least a second wing integrally formed with one of the first panel and the second panel, the second wing being coupled to the other of the first panel and the second panel; and
a first depth extending from the first panel to the second panel proximate the first wing and the second wing when the airbag is in a deployed position, at least a second depth extending from the first panel to the second panel proximate the first base, and a third depth extending from the first panel to the second panel at a position between the first depth and the second depth,
wherein the second depth is less than the first depth, and third depth is less than the first depth and greater than the second depth; and,
wherein the first, second, and third depths form a three-dimensional wedge shape of the airbag.

9. The airbag of claim 8 , wherein the first panel further comprises a first centerline that extends between a first base midpoint of the first base width and a first top midpoint of the first top width; wherein the second panel further comprises a second centerline that extends between the first base midpoint and a second top midpoint of the second top width;
wherein the first wing extends a first wing distance laterally away from one of the first centerline and the second centerline, the first wing extending from the first base to whichever of the first top and the second top associated with the first centerline and the second centerline from which the first wing extends; and,
wherein the second wing extends a second wing distance laterally away from one of the first centerline and the second centerline in a direction away from the first wing, the second wing extending from the first base to whichever of the first top and the second top associated with the first centerline and the second centerline from which the second wing extends.

10. The airbag of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first wing and the second wing are configured to extend in a direction away from the steering wheel when the airbag is in the deployed position.

11. The airbag of claim 8 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are formed of a contiguous piece of a material.

12. The airbag of claim 8 , wherein the first panel faces the steering wheel when the airbag is in the deployed position.

13. An airbag with an airbag housing configured to be coupled to a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, the airbag comprising:
a first panel extending from a first base with a first base width to a first top with a first top width greater than the first base width, the first panel including:
a first centerline that extends between a first base midpoint of the first base width and a first top midpoint of the first top width;
a second panel extending from the first base to a second top with a second top width, the second top being coupled to the first top, the second panel including:
a second centerline that extends between the first base midpoint and a second top midpoint of the second top width;
a first wing coupled to the first panel and the second panel, the first wing extending a first wing distance laterally away from one of the first centerline and the second centerline, the first wing extending from the first base to whichever of the first top and the second top associated with the first centerline and the second centerline from which the first wing extends; and,
at least a second wing coupled to the first panel and the second panel, the second wing extending a second wing distance laterally away from one of the first centerline and the second centerline in a direction away from the first wing, the second wing extending from the first base to whichever of the first top and the second top associated with the first centerline and the second centerline from which the second wing extends,
wherein at least one of the first wing and the second wing is coupled integrally with the first panel to form, in part, a three-dimensional wedge shape of the airbag, which is stored in the airbag housing directly coupled to the steering wheel when the airbag is undeployed.

14. The airbag of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first wing and the second wing are configured to extend in a

Assignees

• Autoliv Asp Inc

Inventors

• Schneider David
• Morris Christina
• Jacobson James

Classifications

• B60R2021/23382

  Internal tether means · CPC title

• B60R21/2338

  Tethers · CPC title

• B60R2021/0004

  Frontal collision · CPC title

• B60R21/235

  characterised by their material · CPC title

• B60R2021/0009

  Oblique collision · CPC title