Flexible vehicle door with airbag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850698-B2
Application number	US-201916246488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2019
Priority date	Jan 12, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A side door for a motor vehicle is formed from a flexible material such as a fabric and has a chamber formed therein which houses an occupant protection side airbag or curtain airbag.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a fabric door adapted for attachment to a motor vehicle for repeated movement between a closed position wherein it covers a side door opening defined by a body of the vehicle and an open position wherein it allows an occupant to enter and exit a passenger space of the vehicle through the door opening, the fabric door having
a chamber defined therein and a tear-seam oriented toward the passenger space of the vehicle when the fabric door is in the closed position; and
an airbag housed in the chamber when in a non-inflated state and inflatable by a gas generator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is configured as a side airbag.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is configured as a curtain airbag.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas generator is secured to the body and in fluid connection with the airbag via a gas-conveying line.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the door comprises a window portion formed of a transparent material.

6. A fabric side door for a motor vehicle comprising:
a panel formed of a flexible material and adapted for fastening to a vehicle body to at least partially cover a side door opening formed therein when the door is in a closed position and repeatedly movable to an open position wherein it allows an occupant to enter and exit a passenger space of the vehicle through the side door opening, the panel having an opaque section and a transparent window portion disposed above the opaque section, the window portion having a chamber formed therein; and
an airbag housed in the chamber in a non-inflated state and inflatable by a gas generator.

7. The fabric side door of claim 6 , wherein the airbag is configured as a side airbag.

8. The fabric side door of claim 6 , wherein the airbag is configured as a curtain airbag.

9. The fabric side door of claim 6 , wherein the gas generator is secured to the vehicle body and in fluid connection with the airbag via a gas-conveying line.

10. A motor vehicle comprising:
a body defining a side door opening;
a side door comprising at least one panel formed of a non-rigid material and secured to the body to cover at least a portion of the side door opening when in a closed position and repeatedly movable to an open position wherein it allows an occupant to enter and exit a passenger space of the vehicle through the side door opening;
a chamber defined within the at least one panel; and
an occupant protection airbag housed in a non-inflated condition within the chamber.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the airbag is configured as a side air bag.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the airbag is configured as a curtain air bag.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising a gas generator secured to the body and in fluid connection with the airbag.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Koelsch Markus

Classifications

• B60J1/08

  arranged at vehicle sides · CPC title

• B60R21/21 Primary

  in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors (pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213) · CPC title

• B60J5/0486

  Special type · CPC title

• B60R21/264

  using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic (B60R21/268 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R21/23138

  specially adapted for side protection (B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence) · CPC title