Airbag device for a vehicle bonnet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200286-A1
Application number	US-201414908999-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 24, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An airbag device for installing in a bonnet of a vehicle to manage energy transferred during an impact with a pedestrian. In one aspect, the airbag device comprises a housing containing an airbag and a deployable cover panel, wherein the cover panel includes an outer member coupled to a carrier member, wherein the carrier member is coupled to the airbag housing and configured to separate from the airbag housing upon inflation of the airbag. In another aspect, the airbag device comprises an airbag housing and a cover panel, the cover panel being separable from and tethered to the housing so as to limit displacement of the cover from the housing.

First claim

1 . An airbag device for installing in a bonnet of a vehicle, the airbag device comprising a housing containing an airbag and a deployable cover panel, and wherein the cover panel includes an outer member coupled to a carrier member, wherein the carrier member is coupled to the airbag housing and configured to separate from the airbag housing upon inflation of the airbag.

2 . The airbag device of claim 1 , wherein the outer member is adhesively bonded to the carrier member.

3 . The airbag device of claim 2 , wherein the outer member is adhesively bonded to the carrier member about its perimeter.

4 . The airbag device of claim 3 , wherein the outer member is adhesively bonded to the carrier member about its perimeter by a substantially continuous bead of bonding compound.

5 - 6 . (canceled)

7 . The airbag device of claim 1 , wherein the carrier member includes a strengthening member attached thereto.

8 . The airbag device of claim 7 , wherein the strengthening member is metal.

9 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . The airbag device of claim 1 , wherein the cover panel is coupled to the housing by one or more fasteners configured to break under a predetermined tension load during deployment of the airbag.

17 . The airbag device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more fasteners are heat stakes, the dimensions of which are selected such that the one or more heat stakes break under a predetermined tension load during deployment of the airbag.

18 . An airbag device for installing in a bonnet of a vehicle, the airbag device comprising an airbag housing and a cover panel, the cover panel being separable from and tethered to the housing by one or more tethers so as to limit displacement of the cover from the housing, wherein the airbag housing contains an airbag that is deployable into a deployed condition, and wherein the airbag includes one or more channels corresponding to the one or more tethers such that when the airbag is in the deployed condition the one or more channels accommodate a respective one of the one or more tethers.

19 . The airbag device of claim 18 , wherein the cover panel has leading and trailing edges corresponding to leading and trailing edges of the housing, wherein the cover panel is tethered to the housing at one or more locations along the leading edge by one or more respective tethers.

20 . The airbag device of claim 19 , wherein the cover panel is tethered to the housing at one or more locations along the trailing edge by one or more respective tethers.

21 . The airbag device of claim 20 , wherein the lengths of the one or more tethers along the leading edge are less than the lengths of the one or more tethers along the trailing edge.

22 . The airbag device of claim 19 , wherein the cover panel is tethered at one or more locations along the leading edge of the cover panel to the housing at one or more locations along the trailing edge of the housing by one or more respective tethers.

23 . The airbag device of claim 19 , wherein the lengths of the one or more tethers are selected to control the position and orientation of the cover panel when in a deployed condition.

24 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . The airbag device of claim 18 , wherein the cover panel includes an outer member defining a skin surface of a bonnet within which the device is installed, and a carrier member secured to the outer member.

27 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . The airbag device of claim 18 , wherein the airbag includes a central airbag portion intermediate first and second outer airbag portions such that in the deployed condition the first and second outer airbag portions extend further than the central airbag portion.

36 - 38 . (canceled)

39 . A vehicle bonnet assembly having a panel defining an aperture within which is mounted an airbag device as claimed in claim 1 .

40 - 44 . (canceled)

45 . A vehicle incorporating an airbag device in accordance with claim 1 .

46 - 48 . (canceled)

49 . The airbag device of claim 1 , wherein the carrier member comprises an upper surface including a plurality of spacer members to control the spacing between said upper surface and an underside of the outer member.

50 . The airbag device of claim 1 , wherein the carrier member comprises an underside including one or more locating posts for positioning the carrier member on the housing.

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Farrington Roy

Classifications

• B60R2021/21506

  comprising tearing tabs, legs or the like for holding the lid before deployment · CPC title

• B60R21/36 Primary

  using airbags · CPC title

• B60R21/38

  using means for lifting bonnets · CPC title

• B60R2021/0004

  Frontal collision · CPC title

• B62D25/12

  Parts or details thereof (locks E05B, {E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042}; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; {checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; } springs, {e.g. pneumatic springs} F16F) · CPC title