Air bag assembly having an integral exterior nozzle

An air bag assembly includes an inflatable bag which has an entrance for receiving pressurized gas. The entrance of the inflatable bag is connected with an outlet of a nozzle disposed integrally with and at an exterior of the inflatable bag. The pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable bag through the nozzle. An inlet of the nozzle is provided with a mouthpiece through which pressurized gas is injected.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates generally to passenger restraint systems and more 
particularly to an air bag assembly which has a nozzle mounted integrally 
to an exterior of an inflatable air bag. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Conventional air bag assemblies typically include an inflatable air bag and 
a gas generator mounted within the inflatable air bag. In such typical 
conventional air bag assemblies, pressurized gases are directed through 
injection ports of the gas generator. 
In the conventional air bag assemblies which have a gas generator mounted 
outside of the inflatable bag, pressurized gases are introduced into the 
inflatable bag either directly or through a separate gas conduit which is 
not an integral component of the air bag assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide an automobile passenger restraint 
system which includes an air bag assembly having a nozzle integrally 
attached to an exterior of an inflatable air bag. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an air bag assembly having a 
nozzle which is flexible. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide an air bag assembly 
having a nozzle shaped asymmetrically. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide an air bag assembly 
which permits the inflatable air bag to be folded in a variety of unique 
patterns. 
The above and other objects of the invention are accomplished with an air 
bag assembly including an inflatable bag having an entrance for receiving 
pressurized gas. The entrance of the inflatable bag is connected with an 
outlet of a nozzle disposed integrally with and at an exterior of the 
inflatable bag. The pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable bag 
through the nozzle. An inlet of the nozzle is provided with a mouthpiece 
through which pressurized gas is injected. 
In other embodiments of the invention, the nozzle is flexible, or is shaped 
asymmetrically with respect to an axis normal to the entrance of the 
inflatable air bag. Further, a diffuser, which is disposed within an 
interior of the inflatable air bag and which is connected with the 
entrance of the inflatable air bag, can be provided. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the 
description which follows. The objects and advantages of the invention may 
be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and 
combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an air bag module 100 of a passenger 
restraint system aligned with respect to a normal axis 110 of the air bag 
module. As shown in FIG. 2, the air bag module 100 is mounted in the 
dashboard portion of an automobile 200 above the glove compartment 210 and 
directly in front of the passenger seat 120. 
The air bag module includes a module cover 10, an air bag assembly 20 
including an inflatable air bag 30 and a mouthpiece 50 (nozzle 40 which is 
hidden from view in FIG. 1 by the folds of the inflatable bag 30, and a 
diffuser 25 disposed within the inflatable air bag 30, are illustrated in 
FIG. 3), a retainer 60, an inflator 70, and a nut 80. When the passenger 
restraint system is activated, the inflator 70 generates pressurized gases 
which are directed into a defined opening 32 (see FIG. 3) of the 
inflatable air bag 30 through the nozzle 40 and the diffuser 25. The 
pressurized gases inflate the inflatable air bag 30 to provide a cushion 
for the passenger. Blow holes (not shown) are arranged on the inflatable 
air bag 30 along a surface opposite to the defined opening 32 to 
facilitate venting of the pressurized gases. 
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the air bag assembly 20 which is used as a 
component of an air bag module for a passenger side of an automobile, but 
the air bag assembly 20 is not limited to this application. For example, 
the air bag assembly 20 can be used as a component of an air bag module 
for a driver side of an automobile or an air bag module installed in side 
panels of an automobile for protection against side impacts. 
The air bag assembly 20 is encased in the retainer 60 by the module cover 
10. The module cover 10 is secured to the retainer 60 through a plurality 
of holes 15 which receive therein a corresponding plurality of tabs 65 of 
the retainer 60. The inflator 70 is inserted into an opening 52 of the 
mouthpiece 50 and secured in the retainer 60 by the nut 80. The retainer 
60 is also provided with a pair of holes. One of the holes 62 is provided 
for easy insertion and removal of the inflator 70 and the other hole (not 
shown) is provided to secure a threaded end 72 of the inflator 70 with the 
nut 80. 
FIG. 3 illustrates in more detail the air bag assembly 20. In FIG. 3, the 
portions above and below the inflatable air bag's rear panel 30a 
respectively represent the interior and exterior portions of the 
inflatable air bag 30. The interior patch 22 and the diffuser flaps 27 are 
stitched to the inflatable air bag's rear panel 30a to secure the diffuser 
25 integrally at a fixed position at an interior position of the 
inflatable air bag 30. The diffuser 25 is aligned with a defined opening 
32 of the inflatable air bag 30 such that gaseous communication is 
possible through the defined opening 32 and diffuser openings 26 (only one 
diffuser opening is shown in FIG. 3; the other diffuser opening is on the 
opposite side and hidden from view). FIG. 4 illustrates, in an interior 
cut-away view of the air bag assembly 20, the attachment of the diffuser 
25 to the inflatable air bag's rear panel 30a by the interior patch 22. 
The exterior patch 55 and the nozzle flaps 42 are stitched to the 
inflatable air bag's rear panel 30a to secure the nozzle 40 integrally at 
an exterior position of the inflatable air bag 30. The nozzle is aligned 
with the defined opening or boundary 32 of the inflatable air bag 30 such 
that gaseous communication is possible through a nozzle passageway 41 and 
the defined opening 32. FIG. 5 illustrates, in a bottom exterior cut-away 
view of the air bag assembly 20, the attachment of the nozzle 40 
integrally to the inflatable air bag's rear panel 30a by the exterior 
patch 55. 
At the lower end of the nozzle 40 is a nozzle neck 45 from which the 
mouthpiece 50 extends. The nozzle neck 45 functions as a nozzle inlet 
through which pressurized gases generated from the inflator 70, which is 
arranged within the opening 52, flow into the nozzle neck 45. 
The mouthpiece 50 consists of a pair of opposing members, or first and 
second portions, 51a and 51b, each of which has first and second ends, 
stitched together with the nozzle neck 45 at one end, the respective first 
ends, and with each other at the other end, or second ends. Alternatively, 
the first and second opposing members or portions 51a and 51b are stitched 
together at one end with the nozzle neck 45 but, at the other end, the 
opposing members or portions 51a and 51b are respectively attached to the 
inside wall of the retainer 60 as shown in FIG. 6. 
All of the components of the air bag assembly 20, including the nozzle 40, 
and the mouthpiece 50, are made from a sheet of fabric, for example, 
Tyvek. For this reason, they are flexible and can thus be folded in a 
variety of different patterns and housed within retainers of various 
types. In the preferred embodiment, the nozzle 40, the nozzle flaps 42, 
the nozzle neck 45, the mouthpiece 50 are formed from a single sheet of 
fabric and are coated with silicon. 
It is also envisioned that the components of the air bag assembly 20 can be 
made of different sheets of fabric or of a different type of material 
altogether. For example, the nozzle 40, the mouthpiece 50, or both, may be 
made of any type of flexible material, such as plastic with a relatively 
thin cross-sectional dimension. 
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the air bag assembly 20 in an 
inflated condition, wherein the nozzle 40 is formed symmetrically with 
respect to an axis 43 which is normal to the defined opening 42 of the 
inflatable air bag. Alternatively, the nozzle 40 may be formed 
asymmetrically with respect to the axis 43 which is normal to the defined 
opening 42 of the inflatable air bag 20 as illustrated in FIG. 8. As a 
result of the asymmetric arrangement, side 40a of the nozzle 40 is shorter 
than side 40b of the nozzle 40 and the direction (indicated by arrow 44) 
of the pressurized gas flow through the nozzle is at an oblique angle with 
respect to the defined opening 42 of the inflatable air bag 20. It is also 
noted here that the nozzle 40 illustrated in FIG. 3 corresponds to the 
asymmetric nozzle 40 of the alternative embodiment. 
The folds of the inflatable air bag 30 can be provided in a variety of 
different patterns. FIG. 1 illustrates the folds in a vertically 
undulating pattern. The folds as shown in FIG. 1 can be arranged 
vertically in such a manner that they are substantially parallel to a 
normal axis of the air bag module 100. There are other folding patterns 
which are possible using the air bag assembly according to the invention. 
FIGS. 9A-9D illustrate four different ways the inflatable air bag 30 can 
be folded within the air bag module 100. 
FIG. 9A is substantially the vertically undulating pattern shown in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 9B is a combination pattern which includes both vertically and 
horizontally undulating, or substantially parallel and perpendicular, 
patterns. FIGS. 9C and 9D respectively illustrate interlocking patterns in 
a vertical and a horizontal direction. 
While particular embodiments according to the invention have been 
illustrated and described above, it will be clear that the invention can 
take a variety of forms and embodiments within the scope of the appended 
claims.