Airbag assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535186-B2
Application number	US-202017136456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2020
Priority date	Dec 29, 2020
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle includes a floor defining a seating area. The vehicle includes a roof above the floor. The vehicle includes a panel supported by the roof and pivotable from a stowed position at the roof to a deployed position in front of the seating area. The vehicle includes an airbag supported by the panel and inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. The vehicle includes a pyrotechnic inflator in fluid communication with the airbag.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a floor defining a seating area;
a roof above the floor;
a panel supported by the roof and pivotable from a stowed position at the roof to a deployed position in front of the seating area;
a tray table supported by the panel;
an airbag supported by the panel and inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position; and
a pyrotechnic inflator in fluid communication with the airbag.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the panel in the deployed position includes a proximate end at the roof and a distal end spaced from the roof, the airbag being closer to the distal end than the proximate end.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the tray table is movable between a table stowed position and a table deployed position.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position urges the tray table toward the table stowed position.

5. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the tray table includes a bottom surface that faces the floor in the table deployed position, and wherein the airbag in the inflated position abuts the bottom surface of the tray table.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the airbag in the uninflated position is below the tray table when the panel is in the deployed position.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position includes a pair of side bolsters and a depression between the side bolsters.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the pair of side bolsters and the depression are elongated along a vertical axis.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the pair of side bolsters and the depression face the seating area.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position encloses an inflation chamber that surrounds a passage elongated between a pair of open ends.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the passage is outside the inflation chamber.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a brace connected to the panel and the roof.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the brace extends forward from the panel, away from the seating area, and toward the roof.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the brace is slidable along at least one of the roof or the panel.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a lock operatively engaged with the brace to selectively maintain the panel in the deployed position.

16. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the panel in the stowed position is parallel to the roof, and in the deployed position is transverse to the roof.

17. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle seat supported by the floor within the seating area.

18. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a personal mobility device attachment assembly supported by the floor within the seating area.

19. A vehicle, comprising:
a floor defining a seating area;
a roof above the floor;
a panel supported by the roof and pivotable from a stowed position at the roof to a deployed position in front of the seating area;
a brace connected to the panel and the roof, the brace slidable along at least one of the roof or the panel;
an airbag supported by the panel and inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position; and
a pyrotechnic inflator in fluid communication with the airbag.

20. A vehicle, comprising:
a floor defining a seating area;
a roof above the floor;
a panel supported by the roof and pivotable from a stowed position at the roof to a deployed position in front of the seating area;
a brace connected to the panel and the roof,
a lock operatively engaged with the brace to selectively maintain the panel in the deployed position;
an airbag supported by the panel and inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position; and
a pyrotechnic inflator in fluid communication with the airbag.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jaradi Dean M
• Farooq S M Iskander
• Kalra Anil
• Faruque Mohammad Omar

Classifications

• B60R2021/23153

  specially adapted for rear seat passengers · CPC title

• B60R21/264

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

• B60N3/001

  of tables or trays · CPC title

• B60R2021/2173

  the module or part thereof being movably mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• B60N3/002

  of trays · CPC title