Airbag with breakable band

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953833-B2
Application number	US-201916379200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2019
Priority date	Apr 9, 2019
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A restraint system includes a housing, an airbag, and a band. The airbag is inflatable from an uninflated position in the housing to a fully inflated position extending from the housing, and the airbag has a rear panel spaced from the housing when the airbag is in the fully inflated position. The band is elongated from a first end to a second end, and the first and second ends are attached to the housing. When the airbag is in a partially inflated position, the band extends across the rear panel and is stretched to a maximum length.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A restraint system comprising:
a housing;
an airbag inflatable from an uninflated position in the housing to a fully inflated position extending from the housing, the airbag having a rear panel spaced from the housing when the airbag is in the fully inflated position; and
a stretchable band elongated from a first end to a second end, the first and second ends attached to the housing;
wherein when the airbag is in a partially inflated position, the band extends across an exterior surface of the rear panel and is stretched to a maximum length;
the airbag includes a top panel extending from the rear panel to the housing and facing upward, and a bottom panel extending from the rear panel to the housing and facing downward; and
the band is spaced from the top panel and bottom panel when the airbag is in the partially inflated position.

2. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein a tensile force exerted on the band from inflation of the airbag to the fully inflated position is greater than a yield force of the band.

3. The restraint system of claim 1 , further comprising an instrument panel in which the housing is disposed.

4. The restraint system of claim 3 , further comprising a display screen extending upward from the instrument panel, wherein the housing is disposed in a vehicle-forward direction from the display screen.

5. The restraint system of claim 4 , wherein the airbag extends rearward past the display screen when the airbag is in the partially inflated position.

6. The restraint system of claim 4 , wherein the airbag contacts the display screen when the airbag is in the fully inflated position.

7. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the maximum length of the band is at least 25% longer than an unstretched length of the band.

8. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the band is an elastic material.

9. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the airbag includes a loop through which the band extends.

10. The restraint system of claim 9 , wherein the loop is on the rear panel.

11. The restraint system of claim 9 , wherein
the airbag includes two side panels each extending from the rear panel to the housing and facing in a horizontal direction; and
the airbag includes a loop on one of the rear panel or side panels and through which the band extends.

12. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes a first bracket at which the first end of the band is attached and a second bracket at which the second end of the band is attached; and
the first bracket is positioned horizontally from the second bracket.

13. The restraint system of claim 12 , wherein the band is a first band, the restraint system further comprising a second band elongated from the first bracket to the second bracket.

14. The restraint system of claim 13 , wherein the second band extends across the rear panel and is stretched to a maximum length when the airbag is in the partially inflated position.

15. The restraint system of claim 14 , wherein when the airbag is in the partially inflated position, a portion of the first band crossing the rear panel is spaced from a portion of the second band crossing the rear panel.

16. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is a front passenger airbag.

17. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the airbag includes two side panels each extending from the rear panel to the housing and facing in a horizontal direction, and when the airbag is in the partially inflated position, the band extends across exterior surfaces of the side panels.

18. The restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the band extends outside the airbag from the first end to the second end.

19. A restraint system comprising:
a housing;
an airbag inflatable from an uninflated position in the housing to a fully inflated position extending from the housing, the airbag having a rear panel spaced from the housing when the airbag is in the fully inflated position; and
a stretchable band elongated from a first end to a second end, the first and second ends attached to the housing;
wherein when the airbag is in a partially inflated position, the band extends across an exterior surface of the rear panel and is stretched to a maximum length;
the housing includes a first bracket at which the first end of the band is attached and a second bracket at which the second end of the band is attached; and
the first bracket is positioned horizontally from the second bracket.

20. A restraint system comprising:
a housing;
an airbag inflatable from an uninflated position in the housing to a fully inflated position extending from the housing, the airbag having a rear panel spaced from the housing when the airbag is in the fully inflated position; and
a stretchable band elongated from a first end to a second end, the first and second ends attached to the housing;
wherein when the airbag is in a partially inflated position, the band extends across an exterior surface of the rear panel and is stretched to a maximum length; and
the airbag includes two side panels each extending from the rear panel to the housing and facing in a horizontal direction, and when the airbag is in the partially inflated position, the band extends across exterior surfaces of the side panels.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jindal Pardeep Kumar
• Makwana Rahul
• Malapati Srinivas Reddy

Classifications

• B60R21/205 Primary

  in dashboards · CPC title

• B60R21/2338 Primary

  Tethers · CPC title

• B60R2021/161

  characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory · CPC title

• B60R21/201 Primary

  Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members · CPC title

• B60R2021/23386

  External tether means · CPC title