Airbag housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11529922-B2
Application number	US-202117242677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2021
Priority date	Apr 28, 2021
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

An assembly includes an airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The assembly includes an airbag housing supporting the airbag, the airbag housing having a side wall that is movable outward to a deployed position upon inflation of the airbag. The assembly includes a display screen moveable from an initial position to a stowed position, the display screen operatively coupled to the side wall such that movement of the side wall to the deployed position moves the display screen to the stowed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly, comprising:
an airbag inflatable to an inflated position;
an airbag housing supporting the airbag, the airbag housing having a side wall that is movable outward to a deployed position upon inflation of the airbag;
a display screen moveable from an initial position to a stowed position, the display screen operatively coupled to the side wall such that movement of the side wall to the deployed position moves the display screen to the stowed position; and
a rod operatively coupling the side wall to the display screen.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rod has a first portion and a second portion, the rod is movable from an engaged position to a disengaged position, the first portion is connected to the second position in the engaged position, and the first portion is disconnected from the second portion in the disengaged position.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rod has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion slidable within the second portion.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an instrument panel supporting the airbag housing and the display screen.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a track supported by the instrument panel, the display screen movable along the track from the initial position to the stowed position.

6. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the display screen is supported by the instrument panel at a hinge, the display screen rotatable about the hinge from the initial position to the stowed position.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the rod is supported by the instrument panel at a pivot, the side wall operatively coupled to the rod at one side of the pivot, and the display screen operatively coupled to the rod at an opposite side of the pivot.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a second rod extending from the rod to the side wall at the one side of the pivot and a third rod extending from the rod to the display screen at the opposite side of the pivot.

9. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the hinge is below the rod.

10. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the hinge is above the rod.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a windshield, and wherein the display screen is between the airbag housing and the windshield along a longitudinal axis.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the rod extends from the side wall toward the windshield.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the side wall defines a first slot and a second slot, the side wall has a press plate between the first slot and the second slot, and the press plate is movable outward to the deployed position.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the press plate of the side wall is operatively coupled to the display screen such that movement of the press plate to the deployed position moves the display screen to the stowed position.

15. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the airbag housing includes a bottom, wherein the side wall extends from the bottom to a top edge, and wherein the first slot and the second slot extend from the top edge toward the bottom.

16. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the airbag housing includes a hinge, and the press plate pivots about the hinge from the initial position to the deployed position.

17. An assembly, comprising:
an airbag inflatable to an inflated position;
an airbag housing supporting the airbag, the airbag housing having a side wall that is movable outward to a deployed position upon inflation of the airbag, the side wall defining a first slot and a second slot, the side wall having a press plate between the first slot and the second slot, and the press plate movable outward to the deployed position; and
a display screen moveable from an initial position to a stowed position, the display screen operatively coupled to the side wall such that movement of the side wall to the deployed position moves the display screen to the stowed position.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the press plate of the side wall is operatively coupled to the display screen such that movement of the press plate to the deployed position moves the display screen to the stowed position.

19. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the airbag housing includes a bottom, wherein the side wall extends from the bottom to a top edge, and wherein the first slot and the second slot extend from the top edge toward the bottom.

20. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the airbag housing includes a hinge, and the press plate pivots about the hinge from the initial position to the deployed position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Mihm Russell Joseph
• Medoro Michael Steven
• Senatore Andres Almeida
• Mandelbaum Dylan
• Allen Otis
• Selvasekar Siddharthan
• Puckett Sydney

Classifications

• B60K2360/652

  Crash protection features · CPC title

• B60R2021/161

  characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory · CPC title

• B60R2011/0005

  Dashboard · CPC title

• B60R11/0235 Primary

  of flat type, e.g. LCD · CPC title

• B60R21/205 Primary

  in dashboards · CPC title