Vehicle airbag appendage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9475445-B2
Application number	US-201414467490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2014
Priority date	Aug 25, 2014
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

An airbag includes a primary portion and a secondary portion. The primary portion defines a first chamber and the secondary portion defines a second chamber fluidly connected to the first chamber. The primary portion further defines a center axis and the secondary portion is disposed at least partially along the center axis. In its unexpanded state, the airbag may be disposed under an instrument cluster.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An airbag comprising:
a primary portion; and
a secondary portion extending from the primary portion,
wherein the primary portion defines a first chamber and the secondary portion defines a second chamber fluidly connected to the first chamber, and
wherein the primary portion defines a center axis and the secondary portion extends along the center axis in a direction perpendicular to the center axis, the secondary portion extending beyond the primary portion in the direction perpendicular to the center axis;
wherein the secondary portion is configured to expand to a location between a vehicle occupant's lower legs and to reduce lateral movement of the lower legs;
wherein the primary portion expands at a first time and the secondary portion expands at a second time, wherein the second time begins after the primary portion has finished expanding.

2. The airbag of claim 1 , wherein the secondary portion defines a first projection and a second projection spaced from the first projection.

3. The airbag of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first projection and the second projection define the second chamber.

4. The airbag of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first projection and the second projection define a third chamber.

5. The airbag of claim 1 , wherein the primary portion and the secondary portion are configured to expand in response to a vehicle impact.

6. The airbag of claim 1 , further comprising a vent disposed on at least one of the primary portion and the secondary portion.

7. The airbag of claim 1 , wherein the secondary portion is configured to expand to a location between the vehicle occupant's legs in response to a vehicle impact.

8. The airbag of claim 1 , wherein the secondary portion is configured to reduce a force applied to the vehicle occupant's leg or foot from a vehicle impact.

9. The airbag of claim 1 , wherein the secondary portion is configured to reduce lateral movement of the vehicle occupant's leg or foot after a vehicle impact.

10. A vehicle system comprising:
an airbag stowed in an unexpanded state below an instrument panel and configured to expand in response to a vehicle impact;
wherein the airbag includes a primary portion defining a first chamber and a secondary portion defining a second chamber fluidly connected to the first chamber,
wherein the primary portion defines a center axis and the secondary portion extends along the center axis in a direction perpendicular to the center axis, the secondary portion extending beyond the primary portion in the direction perpendicular to the center axis,
wherein the secondary portion is configured to expand to a location between a vehicle occupant's lower legs in response to the vehicle impact and to reduce lateral movement of the lower legs,
wherein the primary portion expands at a first time and the secondary portion expands at a second time, wherein the second time begins after the primary portion has finished expanding.

11. The vehicle system of claim 10 , wherein the secondary portion defines a first projection and a second projection spaced from the first projection.

12. The vehicle system of claim 10 , wherein the airbag further includes a vent.

13. The vehicle system of claim 10 , wherein the secondary portion is configured to reduce a force applied to the vehicle occupant's leg or foot from the vehicle impact.

14. The vehicle system of claim 10 , wherein the secondary portion is configured to reduce lateral movement of the vehicle occupant's leg or foot after the vehicle impact.

15. A vehicle system, comprising:
an airbag stowed in an unexpanded state below an instrument panel and configured to expand in response to a vehicle impact wherein the airbag includes a primary portion defining a first chamber and a center axis; and
means for reducing lateral movement of a vehicle occupant's lower legs including a secondary portion configured to extend along the center axis in a direction perpendicular to the center axis, the secondary portion extending beyond the primary portion in the direction perpendicular to the center axis,
wherein the primary portion expands at a first time and the secondary portion expands at a second time, wherein the second time begins after the primary portion has finished expanding.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jindal Pardeep Kumar
• Midoun Djamal Eddine
• Abramoski Edward Joseph
• Makwana Rahul

Classifications

• B60R21/231

  characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration · CPC title

• B60R21/233

  comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other (B60R21/232 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R2021/23308

  the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag · CPC title

• B60R21/206 Primary

  in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees · CPC title

• B60R2021/23176

  specially adapted for foot protection · CPC title