Patent Description:
Inflatable airbags may be mounted within a vehicle and may deploy during a collision event. The deployed airbag may cushion an occupant and prevent detrimental impact with other vehicular structures and other occupants. Some airbags suffer from one or more drawbacks or may perform less than optimally in one or more respects. Certain embodiments disclosed herein can address one or more of these issues. Document <CIT> discloses an airbag device to be mounted on an inboard side of a vehicle seat wherein the airbag comprises a first chamber a second chamber and a third chamber and wherein the second chamber is located on the inboard side of the first chamber and the third chamber is located rear of the first chamber.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle having a seat and an airbag assembly according to claim <NUM>.

The present embodiments will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that the accompanying drawings depict only typical embodiments, and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of the scope of the disclosure, the embodiments will be described and explained with specificity and detail in reference to the accompanying drawings.

It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of various embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, as claimed, but is merely representative of various embodiments.

Inflatable airbag systems are widely used to reduce or minimize occupant injury during a collision event. Airbag modules have been installed at various locations within a vehicle, including, but not limited to, in the steering wheel, in the dashboard and/or instrument panel, within the side doors or side seats, adjacent to a roof rail of the vehicle, in an overhead position, or at the knee or leg position. In the following disclosure, "airbag" generally refers to an inflatable side airbag, such as, for example, an airbag that is typically housed in a seat of a vehicle, although the principles discussed may apply to other types of airbags (e.g., driver airbags housed within the steering wheel or otherwise near the driver, side airbags housed in doors, roof, or pillars, knee airbags, and frontal passenger airbags).

During installation, the disclosed airbags are typically disposed at an interior of a housing in a packaged state (e.g., are rolled, folded, and/or otherwise compressed) or a compact configuration and may be retained in the packaged state behind a cover. During a collision event, an inflator is triggered, which rapidly fills the airbag with inflation gas. The airbag can rapidly transition from the packaged state of the compact configuration to an expanded state of a deployed configuration. For example, the expanding airbag can open an airbag cover (e.g., by tearing through a burst seam or opening a door-like structure) to exit the housing. The inflator may be triggered by any suitable device or system, and the triggering may be in response to and/or influenced by one or more vehicle sensors.

During side impact crashes it is possible for an occupant to move in a predominantly lateral direction toward another adjacent occupant. For example, a passenger in a front row of a vehicle may move laterally toward a driver of the vehicle in the front row of the vehicle. Alternatively, the driver in the front row of the vehicle may move laterally toward the passenger in the front row of the vehicle. If and when adjacent occupants in the same row contact one another, serious injury or death may occur. Far-side airbags, or front-center airbags have been developed to prevent occupant-to-occupant interaction but current versions can easily be moved out of the ideal position due to rapid movement of the occupant(s). Certain embodiments of airbag assemblies that are disclosed herein are particularly well suited for cushioning a front-seat passenger, and may be mounted in a seat of a vehicle.

Far-side airbags and front-center airbags are currently used in vehicles. Most single-sided countermeasures can move out of position when contacted by the occupant. Some single-sided countermeasures rely heavily on interaction with the opposite side seat while the seats are aligned, but do not take into consideration when the seat are not aligned, for example, when the passenger seat is laterally in front of or behind the driver's seat. Other versions use two airbags, one deployed from each of the driver's seat and the passenger's seat, which is effective, but adds cost, variability, and complexity.

Benefits of the disclosed forked far-side airbag assembly include that it is a singular module, as opposed to an alternative which uses two modules. Another benefit of the disclosed forked far-side airbag assembly is the assembly is not dependent on the comparative lateral position of the driver's seat and the passenger's seat and therefore is more reliable than other alternatives.

<FIG> is a front cut-away view of a vehicle <NUM> depicting an interior of the vehicle and having an inflatable airbag assembly <NUM>, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle <NUM> includes multiple vehicle seating positions. For example, the vehicle <NUM> may include a driver vehicle seating position <NUM> and a passenger vehicle seating position <NUM> which are both located in a front row of the vehicle <NUM>. The vehicle seating positions <NUM> and <NUM> are defined by a seat assembly <NUM>, <NUM>, which includes a seat <NUM>, <NUM>, a seatback <NUM>, <NUM>, and a restraint harness <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., a seat belt). Occupants <NUM>, <NUM> are shown in the vehicle seating positions <NUM> and <NUM> for reference. The occupant <NUM> in the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> may be a driver of the vehicle <NUM>. There are some embodiments in which the vehicle <NUM> is a self-driving car, so the occupant <NUM> may simply be a passenger. The occupant <NUM> in the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM> may also be a passenger.

The inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM> and an inflator <NUM> that is mounted between the occupant <NUM> in the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> and the occupant <NUM> in the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing <NUM> may be mounted to an inboard portion of the seatback <NUM> of the driver vehicle seating position <NUM>. The inflator <NUM> may be coupled to the housing, and may be disposed partially or completely within the housing <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> may be mounted in a number of different positions between the occupant <NUM> in the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> and the occupant in the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. In some embodiments, the housing <NUM> may be mounted to an inboard portion of the seat <NUM> of the driver vehicle seating position <NUM>. In some embodiments, the housing <NUM> may be mounted to an inboard portion of the seatback <NUM> of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. In some embodiments, the housing <NUM> may be mounted to an inboard portion of the seat <NUM> of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. In some embodiments, the housing <NUM> may be mounted in a console <NUM> disposed between the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> and the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>.

Although <FIG> and other figures may illustrate the occupants <NUM>, <NUM> with their restraint harnesses <NUM>, <NUM> employed, the operation of the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> is independent of, and does not depend in any way on, the restraint harness <NUM> or <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> in a deployed configuration. <FIG> is a front view into the interior of the vehicle <NUM>, showing the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> deployed and at least partially inflated. This front view of <FIG> provides a rearward perspective of the interior of the vehicle <NUM>. <FIG> is a rear view of the interior of the vehicle <NUM>, showing the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> deployed and at least partially inflated. This rear view of the interior of the vehicle <NUM> provides a forward perspective from behind the vehicle seating positions <NUM>, <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> may comprise a plurality of inflatable chambers. In one embodiment, the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> may comprise a first chamber <NUM>, a second chamber <NUM>, and a third chamber <NUM>. In some embodiments, the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> may comprise a single chamber that accomplishes the functions of the three separate chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. In some embodiments, the chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be distinct chambers. The inflator <NUM> may simultaneously inflate the three chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> and in some embodiments, the inflator <NUM> may inflate the chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> in a specific order based on the flow of the inflation gas into the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> or through vents (or a pattern or arrangement thereof) within the three chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>.

The second chamber <NUM> is shown in <FIG> and the third chamber <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be inflated via an inflator port to an inflation pressure. The inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> may be deployed by action of the inflator <NUM>, which may be activated by, for example, one or more sensors detecting the vehicle <NUM> being involved in a collision event. The inflator <NUM> may provide inflation gas to the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> via the inflator port and thereby cause the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> to deploy from the housing <NUM> and begin inflating.

The first chamber <NUM> of the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> may act as a barrier between the occupants <NUM>, <NUM> in the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> and the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. For example, during a side impact collision, it is possible for an occupant (e.g., occupant <NUM>) to move in a predominantly lateral direction toward another adjacent occupant (e.g., occupant <NUM>). Accordingly, if one of the occupants moves laterally toward to the other occupant during a collision event, the deployed first chamber <NUM> acts as a barrier and prevents the occupant from hitting the other occupant.

In the deployed configuration, the first chamber <NUM> extends in a substantially longitudinal direction of the vehicle <NUM>. For example, in one embodiment, the first chamber <NUM> extends longitudinally from a seatback <NUM> of the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> toward a dashboard (see <FIG>) of the vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the first chamber <NUM> may engage with the dashboard of the vehicle <NUM>. The first chamber <NUM> may extend in a substantially vertical direction of the vehicle <NUM>. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the first chamber <NUM> may extend vertically from a seat <NUM> of the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> toward a roof <NUM> of the vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the first chamber <NUM> engages with the roof <NUM> of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the first chamber <NUM> extends above the seatback <NUM> of the vehicle but does not engage with the roof <NUM> of the vehicle. In other words, the height of the first chamber <NUM> may be high enough that the first chamber <NUM> acts as a barrier against a head of the nearest occupant <NUM>.

The first chamber <NUM> may have a number of different shapes. For example, in some embodiments, a side view of the first chamber <NUM> would reveal a rectangular shape. However, the present disclosure is not so limited, and the first chamber <NUM> may have an oval shape, a polygonal shape, a circular shape, and the like. The shape of the first chamber <NUM> simply provides a barrier to prevent contact between adjacent occupants <NUM>, <NUM> during a collision event. The size and shape of the first chamber <NUM> is designed to meet the proposed Euro NCAP coverage requirements for far-side airbags.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the second chamber <NUM> in the deployed configuration is partially deployed in front of the seatback <NUM> of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. In situations where the occupant <NUM> is disposed or present in the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>, the second chamber <NUM> may be configured to extend in front of the occupant <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The deployment of the second chamber <NUM> may be reversed if the airbag assembly is disposed in the inboard side of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM> in that the second chamber <NUM> is deployed in front of the seatback <NUM> of the driver vehicle seating position <NUM>.

The second chamber <NUM> may further include adaptive vents and/or internal pressure differential chambers which may prevent unwanted interaction with the passenger <NUM> if the passenger happens to be out of position. The deployment of the second chamber <NUM> occurs independent of the occupant presence/position and provides a reaction surface for the first chamber <NUM> to thereby limit or prevent occupant-to-occupant interaction.

The second chamber <NUM> may have a variety of different shapes. In some embodiments, the second chamber <NUM> may have a circular shape. In other embodiments, the second chamber <NUM> may have a rectangular shape, a polygonal shape, a triangular shape, and the like.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the third chamber <NUM> in the deployed configuration is partially deployed behind the seatback <NUM> of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. The deployment of the third chamber <NUM> may be reversed if the airbag assembly is disposed in the inboard side of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM> in that the third chamber <NUM> is deployed in back of the seatback <NUM> of the driver vehicle seating position <NUM>.

The third chamber <NUM> may further include adaptive vents and/or internal pressure differential chambers which may prevent unwanted interaction with out-of-position passengers in a second row of the vehicle <NUM>.

The third chamber <NUM> may have a variety of different shapes. In some embodiments, the third chamber <NUM> may have a circular shape. In other embodiments, the second chamber <NUM> may have a rectangular shape, a polygonal shape, a triangular shape, and the like. In some embodiments, the third chamber <NUM> is smaller than the second chamber <NUM>. In some embodiments, the second chamber <NUM> may extend higher vertically than the third chamber <NUM>. The third chamber <NUM> is designed to require a minimum amount of inflation gas as possible.

<FIG> illustrates a top view of the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> in the deployed configuration. As previously discussed, the first chamber <NUM> extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle <NUM> from the seatback <NUM> of the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> toward the dashboard of the vehicle <NUM>. The first chamber <NUM> includes an outboard side <NUM> and an inboard side <NUM>. A longitudinal axis <NUM> of the first chamber <NUM> is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle <NUM>.

As discussed previously, in the deployed configuration the second chamber <NUM> is partially disposed in front of the seatback <NUM> of the adjacent seating position <NUM> and the third chamber <NUM> is partially disposed behind the seatback <NUM> of the adjacent seating position <NUM>. The second chamber <NUM> includes a front face <NUM> and a back face <NUM>, and a tip <NUM>. The second chamber <NUM> is disposed on an inboard side <NUM> of the first chamber <NUM>. The second chamber <NUM> is oriented at a first angle θ<NUM>, such that it extends away from the first chamber <NUM> in a direction transverse (nonparallel) to an axis <NUM> of the first chamber <NUM>.

The third chamber <NUM> includes a front face <NUM> and a back face <NUM>, and a tip <NUM>. The third chamber <NUM> is disposed on an inboard side <NUM> of the first chamber <NUM>. The third chamber <NUM> is oriented at a second angle θ<NUM>, such that it extends away from the first chamber <NUM> in a direction transverse to the axis <NUM> of the first chamber <NUM> and transverse to the second chamber <NUM>. The first angle θ<NUM> is different from the second angle θ<NUM>. In some embodiments, the first angle θ<NUM> forms an acute angle relative to the axis <NUM> of the first chamber <NUM> and the second angle θ<NUM> forms an obtuse angle relative to the axis <NUM> of the first chamber <NUM>. In some embodiments, the difference between the second angle θ<NUM> and the first angle θ<NUM> may be less than <NUM> degrees. The orientations of the second chamber <NUM> and the third chamber <NUM> provide a forked configuration between the chambers <NUM> and <NUM>.

The inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> further comprises a tether <NUM> that couples the second chamber <NUM> to the third chamber <NUM>. A first end <NUM> of the tether <NUM> couples to a rear side <NUM> of the second chamber <NUM> and the second end <NUM> of the tether couples to a forward side <NUM> of the third chamber <NUM>. The first end <NUM> of the tether <NUM> is coupled near a tip <NUM> of the second chamber <NUM>. The second end <NUM> of the tether <NUM> is coupled near a tip <NUM> of the third chamber <NUM>. In some embodiments, the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> may comprise a plurality of tethers that are coupled to the second chamber <NUM> and the third chamber <NUM>. Each tether may have a different length. For example, a tether closer to the adjacent seatback <NUM> may be longer than a tether farther away from the adjacent seatback <NUM>.

The second chamber <NUM>, the third chamber <NUM>, and the tether <NUM> act together to stabilize the first chamber <NUM> during a collision event. During deployment, the tether <NUM> engages with the adjacent seatback, in the illustrated embodiment, and the adjacent seatback is seatback <NUM> of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. When the tether <NUM> engages with the adjacent seatback <NUM>, the tether <NUM> pulls the second chamber <NUM> toward the third chamber <NUM>. Accordingly, the second chamber <NUM> and the third chamber <NUM> pinch the adjacent seatback <NUM>. In other words, the second chamber <NUM> engages a front surface of the seatback <NUM> and the third chamber <NUM> engages a back surface of the seatback <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates that the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> and the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM> are laterally aligned. One of the benefits of the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> is that the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> is designed to deploy correctly whether or not the vehicle seating positions <NUM>, <NUM> are laterally aligned.

In <FIG>, the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> is not laterally aligned with the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. The driver vehicle seating position <NUM> is disposed longitudinally in front of the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. However, despite the fact that the vehicle seating positions <NUM>, <NUM> are not laterally aligned, the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> deploys correctly because the forked configuration of the second chamber <NUM>, the third chamber <NUM>, and the tether <NUM> are able to engage with the seatback <NUM> of the adjacent vehicle seating position, e.g., the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the driver vehicle seating position <NUM> is also not laterally aligned with the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. The driver vehicle seating position <NUM> is disposed longitudinally in back of or behind the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. However, despite the fact that the vehicle seating positions <NUM>, <NUM> are not laterally aligned, the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> deploys correctly because the forked configuration of the second chamber <NUM>, the third chamber <NUM>, and the tether <NUM> are able to engage with the seatback <NUM> of the adjacent vehicle seating position, e.g., the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>.

<FIG> do not illustrate the passenger <NUM> in the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. However, the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> is not dependent on a passenger being present in or absent from the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. In some embodiments, the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM> may include a sensor to detect whether the passenger <NUM> is sitting in the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>. In some embodiments, if the sensor detects the passenger <NUM> the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> deploys, and if the sensor does not detect the passenger <NUM> the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> does not deploy. In some embodiments, the inflatable airbag assembly <NUM> will deploy whether or not the passenger <NUM> is in the passenger vehicle seating position <NUM>.

Throughout this specification, the phrases "coupled to" and "in communication with" refer to any form of interaction between two or more entities, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, fluid, and thermal interaction. Two components may be coupled to each other even though they are not in direct contact with each other. The terms "abut" and "abutting" refer to items that are in direct physical contact with each other, although the items may not necessarily be attached together.

As used herein, "inboard" refers to a direction toward a centerline of a vehicle and "outboard" refers to a direction out of the vehicle and away from a centerline of the vehicle.

The phrases "attached to" or "attached directly to" refer to interaction between two or more entities which are in direct contact with each other and/or are separated from each other only by a fastener of any suitable variety (e.g., mounting hardware or an adhesive).

The phrase "fluid communication" is used in its ordinary sense, and is broad enough to refer to arrangements in which a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid) can flow from one element to another element when the elements are in fluid communication with each other.

The terms "a" and "an" can be described as one, but not limited to one. For example, although the disclosure may recite an airbag having "a chamber," the disclosure also contemplates that the airbag can have two or more chambers.

The terms "longitudinal" and "longitudinally" refer to a direction or orientation extending or spanning between a front of a vehicle and a rear of the vehicle.

As used herein, the terms "forward" and "rearward" are used with reference to the front and back of the relevant vehicle. For example, an airbag cushion that deploys in a rearward direction deploys toward the back of a vehicle. Furthermore, other reference terms, such as "horizontal," are used relative to a vehicle in which an airbag assembly is installed, unless it is clear from context that a different reference frame is intended. Thus, a term such as "horizontal" is used relative to the vehicle, whether or not the vehicle itself is oriented horizontally (e.g., is positioned upright on level ground) or angled relative to true horizontal (e.g., is positioned on a hill).

Unless otherwise stated, all ranges include both endpoints and all numbers between the endpoints.

The phrase "vehicle seating position" refers to the position in which an occupant is generally positioned when seated in a seat of a vehicle. The term "occupant" refers to a person or crash test dummy within a vehicle.

Reference throughout this specification to "an embodiment" or "the embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment.

Claim 1:
A vehicle (<NUM>) having a seat (<NUM>) and an airbag assembly (<NUM>), the airbag assembly (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) mounted in an inboard portion of the seat (<NUM>);
an inflator assembly (<NUM>) at least partially disposed within the housing (<NUM>); and
an airbag in a packaged state within the housing (<NUM>), the airbag configured to receive inflation gas to expand and deploy from the housing to a deployed state, wherein the airbag in the deployed state comprises a first inflatable chamber (<NUM>) having a longitudinal axis (<NUM>) and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle (<NUM>); and characterized in that the airbag in the deployed state comprises:
a second inflatable chamber (<NUM>) disposed on an inboard side (<NUM>) of the first chamber (<NUM>) and oriented at a first angle (θ1) to said longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the first chamber (<NUM>) such that the second chamber (<NUM>) extends away from the first chamber (<NUM>) in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the first chamber (<NUM>); and
a third inflatable chamber (<NUM>) disposed on an inboard side (<NUM>) of the first chamber (<NUM>) and oriented at a second angle (θ2) to said longitudinal axis of the first chamber (<NUM>) such that the third chamber (<NUM>) extends away from the first chamber (<NUM>) in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the first chamber (<NUM>) and transverse to the second chamber (<NUM>),
wherein the first angle (θ1) is different from the second angle (θ2).