U.S. patent application number 14/673935 was filed with the patent office on 2016-10-06 for vehicle impact absorbing system.
This patent application is currently assigned to FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Ford Global Technologies, LLC. Invention is credited to James Chih Cheng, Mangala A. Jayasuriya, Robert William McCoy.
Application Number | 20160288761 14/673935 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56896008 |
Filed Date | 2016-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160288761 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jayasuriya; Mangala A. ; et
al. |
October 6, 2016 |
VEHICLE IMPACT ABSORBING SYSTEM
Abstract
A vehicle includes an instrument panel, a front airbag, a first
side curtain airbag, and a second side curtain airbag and two front
seats. The front seats are disposed between the first side curtain
airbag and the second side curtain airbag. The vehicle includes a
roof, and the front airbag is supported by the roof. The front
airbag extends from the first side curtain airbag to the second
side curtain airbag between the instrument panel and the front
seats to absorb energy from occupants during an impact event to
reduce the likelihood of head injury and to urge the occupants to
remain seated in an upright position to reduce chest loading by
seat belts. The front airbag may protect an unbelted occupant
ejecting out of the vehicle through a windshield in a crash
event.
Inventors: |
Jayasuriya; Mangala A.;
(Bloomfield Hills, MI) ; McCoy; Robert William;
(Ann Arbor, MI) ; Cheng; James Chih; (Troy,
MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ford Global Technologies, LLC |
Dearborn |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES,
LLC
Dearborn
MI
|
Family ID: |
56896008 |
Appl. No.: |
14/673935 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 21/213 20130101;
B60R 2021/23107 20130101; B60R 21/231 20130101; B60R 2021/23504
20130101; B60R 21/232 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60R 21/232 20060101
B60R021/232; B60R 21/01 20060101 B60R021/01; B60R 21/233 20060101
B60R021/233; B60R 21/213 20060101 B60R021/213 |
Claims
1. A vehicle comprising: an instrument panel; a roof; a first side
curtain airbag; a second side curtain airbag; two front seats
disposed between the first side curtain airbag and the second side
curtain airbag; and a front airbag supported by the roof extending
from the first side curtain airbag to the second side curtain
airbag between the instrument panel and the front seats; wherein
the front airbag further includes a protruded chamber extending
toward at least one of the front seats.
2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a headliner with the
front airbag extending from the headliner.
3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first and second side
curtain airbags extend from the headliner.
4. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising an inflator disposed
in the headliner.
5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a steering wheel,
wherein the front airbag extends between the steering wheel and the
front seats.
6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the steering wheel is movable
from a deployed position to a stowed position beneath the
instrument panel, the front airbag extending between the steering
wheel and the front seats in the deployed position.
7. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the front airbag includes a
bottom edge disposed beneath the steering wheel.
8. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the front airbag includes a
transparent panel adjacent to the steering wheel.
9. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle pillar and
the front airbag includes an inflator disposed in the vehicle
pillar.
10. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising an impact sensor and
a controller in communication with the inflator.
11. (canceled)
12. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for
selectively releasing the protruded chamber toward at least one of
the front seats.
13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first side curtain airbag
includes an end proximal to the instrument panel, the front airbag
extending between the end of the first side curtain airbag and the
instrument panel.
14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the front airbag includes a
bottom edge, the first side curtain airbag has an end proximal to
the instrument panel, the second side curtain airbag has an end
proximal to the instrument panel, and the bottom edge extends from
the end of the first side curtain airbag to the end of the second
side curtain airbag.
15. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a windshield and a
steering wheel disposed between the windshield and the front
airbag.
16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the front airbag further
includes a protruded chamber extending toward the windshield.
17. A vehicle comprising: a steering wheel; a roof; a headliner; a
first side curtain airbag extending from the headliner; a second
side curtain airbag extending from the headliner; two front seats
disposed between the first side curtain airbag and the second side
curtain airbag; and a front airbag supported by the roof extending
from the headliner and extending from the first side curtain airbag
to the second side curtain airbag between the steering wheel and
the front seats; wherein the front airbag includes a bottom edge
disposed beneath a bottom edge of the steering wheel.
18. The vehicle of claim 17, further comprising an instrument
panel, wherein the first airbag has an end proximal to the
instrument panel the front airbag extending between the end of the
first side curtain airbag and the instrument panel.
19. (canceled)
20. A vehicle, comprising: a roof; a headliner supported by the
roof; a first side curtain airbag extending from the headliner; a
second side curtain airbag extending from the headliner; a first
front seat and a second front seat each disposed between the first
and second side curtain airbags; a first front airbag extending
from the headliner adjacent the first side curtain airbag; and a
second front airbag extending from the headliner adjacent the
second side curtain wherein the first front airbag includes a
protruded chamber extending toward the first front seat and the
second front airbag includes a protruded chamber extending toward
the second front seat.
21. A vehicle comprising: an instrument panel; a roof; a first side
curtain airbag; a second side curtain airbag; two front seats
disposed between the first side curtain airbag and the second side
curtain airbag; a steering wheel; and a front airbag supported by
the roof extending from the first side curtain airbag to the second
side curtain airbag between the instrument panel and the front
seat; wherein the front airbag extends between the steering wheel
and the front seats and wherein the front airbag includes a
transparent panel adjacent to the steering wheel.
22. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the front airbag further
includes a protruded chamber extending toward at least one of the
front seats.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] An interior of a vehicle, such as automobile, typically
includes various safety devices for absorbing energy from an
occupant of the vehicle during an impact of the vehicle. For
example, the vehicle may include an airbag affixed in a steering
wheel or an instrument panel. The airbag may be configured to
absorb energy and soften impact between the body of the occupant
and the steering wheel or the instrument panel.
[0002] Automobiles are subject to a variety of crash tests,
including standard tests regulated by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA). For example, these tests may be
directed toward oblique impacts, i.e., impacts that occur at an
angle of 10-50 degrees relative to a vehicle's trajectory. During
the oblique impact, the occupant may move forward and laterally,
and a seat belt may impart a load onto a chest of the occupant.
[0003] Several types of information are measured during the oblique
crash test, including airbag performance, test dummy reaction, etc.
One type of measurement is the Brain Injury Criteria (BrIC) values
during the oblique impact. The BrIC values characterize occupant
movement in particular angular velocities of the head. Occupants
may move toward a vehicle pillar, e.g., an A-pillar, or toward the
center of an instrument panel. There remains an opportunity to
design an energy absorber to slow occupant movement in various
frontal crashes, including oblique impacts, and reduce loading on
the chest of the occupant from the seat belt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a front airbag.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a forward-facing view of the vehicle with the
front airbag extending between a first side curtain airbag and a
second side curtain airbag.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a forward-facing view of the vehicle with the
front airbag having an opening and a transparent panel covering the
opening.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a forward-facing view of the vehicle where the
front airbag has inflatable protruded chambers.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a forward-facing view of the vehicle where the
front airbag has inflatable protruded chambers separately connected
to the front airbag.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the vehicle with the front airbag
extending between an instrument panel and the first and second side
curtain airbags.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an inflator and an impact
sensing system.
[0011] FIG. 8 is a forward-facing view of the vehicle including a
first front airbag and a second front airbag.
[0012] FIG. 9 is a side view of the vehicle where the front airbag
has inflatable protruded chambers extending toward a
windshield.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals
indicate like parts throughout the several views, a vehicle 10
includes an instrument panel 12, a first side curtain airbag 14,
and a second side curtain airbag 16, as shown in FIG. 1. The
vehicle 10 includes two front seats 18 disposed between the first
side curtain airbag 14 and the second side curtain airbag 16. A
front airbag 20 extends from the first side curtain airbag 14 to
the second side curtain airbag 16 between the instrument panel 12
and the front seats 18. The vehicle 10 includes a roof 11, and the
front airbag 20 is supported by the roof 11.
[0014] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the front airbag 20 may
absorb energy from vehicle occupants during an impact event.
Because the front airbag 20 extends from the first side curtain
airbag 14 to the second side curtain airbag 16, the front airbag 20
absorbs energy from vehicle occupants, e.g. a driver and a
passenger, from a variety of impact scenarios, e.g., frontal
impacts, side impacts, and oblique impacts.
[0015] By effectively enclosing the occupants between the front
airbag 20 and the first and second side curtain airbags 14, 16,
occupant impact energy is absorbed from several directions. For
example, in an oblique impact, the momentum of the vehicle
occupants may move the driver toward a vehicle pillar 40, e.g., an
A-pillar, and the passenger may move toward the center of the
instrument panel 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The intersection of the
first side curtain airbag 14 and the front airbag 20 absorbs the
impact energy from the driver during the oblique impact.
Furthermore, in an oblique impact the driver may move toward the
center of the instrument panel 12, and the front seat passenger may
move toward a vehicle pillar 41, e.g., an A-pillar.
[0016] During the oblique impact, a seat belt may impart a load
onto a chest of one of the occupants. Because the front airbag 20
extends between the instrument panel 12 and the front seats 18, the
front airbag 20 may urge the occupants to remain upright during the
impact event, reducing loading on the chest of the occupant from
the seat belt. As shown in FIGS. 2-5, the vehicle 10 may include a
headliner 28. The headliner 28 is disposed above the front seats
18. The headliner 28 may be of any suitable construction and may be
formed of any suitable material, e.g., foam, thermoplastic, and/or
other polymeric material. The front airbag 20 may extend from the
headliner 28. The first and second side curtain airbags 14, 16 may
extend from the side roof rails (not shown) and through the
headliner 28.
[0017] The front airbag 20 may be supported by the roof 11, as
shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the front airbag 20 may be mounted
to a roof header. The front airbag 20 may be supported by the roof
11 in any suitable manner, e.g., fastened directly to the roof
header, disposed between the roof 11 and the headliner 28, etc.
[0018] The vehicle 10 may include the vehicle pillars 40 and 41.
The vehicle pillar 40 may be disposed adjacent to the instrument
panel 12 and may extend toward the headliner 28.
[0019] The vehicle 10 may include a front airbag module including
the front airbag 20 and an inflator 42. The inflator 42 may be in
communication with the front airbag 20 to inflate the front airbag
20 from an uninflated position to an inflated position during the
impact event. The front airbag 20 may be constructed of any
suitable material, e.g. nylon 6,6.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the inflator 42 may be disposed,
for example, in the vehicle pillar 40, 41. Alternatively, the
inflator 42 may be disposed in the headliner 28, mounted to the
roof 11, e.g. the roof header, or disposed in any other suitable
location. The inflator 42 may be fluidly connected to the front
airbag 20 in any suitable way. The inflator 42 may be of any
suitable type, e.g., a cold gas inflator. In the uninflated
position, the front airbag 20 may be entirely disposed in the
headliner 28. During the impact event, the front airbag 20 may
extend out of the headliner 28 in any suitable manner, e.g.,
through a frangibly connected panel, a frangible seam, etc.
[0021] The front airbag 20 may include a bottom edge 22, as shown
in FIGS. 2-5. The bottom edge 22 is defined as the portion of the
front airbag 20 farthest from the headliner 28 in a vertical
direction when the front airbag 20 is in the inflated position. The
bottom edge 22 may extend blow the steering wheel to provide
protection to the occupant chest area and control forward movement
of the torso and hip. Depending on the size, number of chambers,
tethering pattern; inflation and venting characteristics of the
front airbag 20, the deployed size and coverage area may be
modified to allow customization of the energy absorbing
characteristics of the front airbag 20 during the impact event.
[0022] The vehicle 10 may include a first curtain module including
the first side curtain airbag 14 and an inflator 56 and a second
curtain module including the second side curtain airbag 16 and an
inflator 58. The first curtain module and the second curtain module
may be supported by the roof 11, e.g., by the roof header. For
example, the inflators 56, 58 and/or the first and second side
curtain airbags 14, 16 may be mounted to the roof. Alternatively,
the inflators 56, 58 may be disposed in any suitable location,
e.g., disposed in the vehicle pillar 40, the headliner 28, etc.
[0023] The inflator 56 may be in communication with the first side
curtain airbag 14 to inflate the first side curtain airbag 14 from
an uninflated position to an inflated position. The inflator 58 may
be in communication with the second side curtain airbag 16 to
inflate the second side curtain airbag 16 from an uninflated
position to an inflated position. The inflators 56, 58 may be of
any suitable type, e.g., a cold gas inflator.
[0024] The first side curtain airbag 14 may extend along a driver
side front door of the vehicle 10 in the inflated position and the
second side curtain airbag 16 may extend along a passenger side
front door of the vehicle 10 in the inflated position. The first
and second side curtain airbags 14, 16 are spaced from each other
when in the inflated position. The first side curtain airbag 14 and
the second side curtain airbag 16 may absorb energy from the
vehicle occupants during the impact event. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2,
and 6, the first and second side curtain airbags 14, 16 may be
disposed to receive the lateral movement of the occupants in the
inflated position. In the uninflated position, the first and second
side curtain airbags 14, 16 may be disposed in the headliner 28.
During the impact event, the first side curtain airbag 14 and the
second side curtain airbag 16 may extend out of the headliner 28 in
any suitable manner, e.g., through a frangibly connected panel, a
frangible seam, etc. The first and second side curtain airbags 14,
16 may be constructed of any suitable material, e.g. nylon 6,6.
[0025] As set forth above, the front airbag 20 may contact the
first side curtain airbag 14 and the second side curtain airbag 16,
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. Specifically, the front airbag 20 may
extend from the first side curtain airbag 14 to the second side
curtain airbag 16. Contacting the first side curtain airbag 14 and
the second side curtain airbag 16 allows the front airbag 20 and
the first side curtain airbag 14 to receive occupants and absorb
occupant impact energy from several directions. One embodiment of
the front airbag 20 and the first and second side curtain airbags
14, 16 is shown in FIG. 1, and another embodiment is shown in FIG.
6. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first side curtain airbag 14 is
disposed between the front airbag 20 and a left door of the vehicle
10 and the second side curtain airbag 16 is disposed between the
front airbag 20 and a right door of the vehicle 10. In other words,
an end 24 of the first side curtain airbag 14 and an end 26 of the
second side curtain airbag 16 are disposed forward of the front
airbag 20.
[0026] In the embodiment of the front airbag 20 and the first and
second side curtain airbags 14, 16 shown in FIG. 6, the front
airbag 20 may extend between the end 24 of the first side curtain
airbag 14 and the instrument panel 12. The second side curtain
airbag 16 may similarly have an end 26 proximal to the instrument
panel 12, as shown in FIG. 6, and the front airbag 20 may extend
between the end 26 of the second side curtain airbag 16 and the
instrument panel 12. The bottom edge 22 of the front airbag 20 may
extend from the end 24 of the first side curtain airbag 14 to the
end 26 of the second side curtain airbag 16.
[0027] The vehicle 10 may include a steering wheel 30, as shown in
FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 6. The front airbag 20 may extend between the
steering wheel 30 and the front seats 18 to receive the driver
during the impact event. Specifically, the front seats 18 may each
have a seat back 60, and the front airbag 20 may extend between the
steering wheel 30 and the seat backs 60, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the bottom edge 22 of the front airbag 20
may be disposed below the steering wheel 30 in a vertical direction
relative to the headliner 28, such that the steering wheel 30 may
be entirely disposed between the instrument panel 12 and the front
airbag 20. Alternatively, the bottom edge 22 of the front airbag 20
may extend across the steering wheel 30.
[0028] The steering wheel 30 may retract along a steering column
(not shown) and may be movable from a deployed position to a stowed
position. In the deployed position, the front airbag 20 may be
disposed between the steering wheel 30 and the front seats 18. In
the stowed position, the steering wheel 30 may be retracted along
the steering column and moved beneath the instrument panel 12. The
steering wheel 30 may be moved to the stowed position in, e.g., an
autonomous driving mode.
[0029] The deployment and venting characteristics of the front
airbag 20 may be varied based on the size of the occupants, seating
position and crash mode. For example a larger occupant seated with
the seat moved rearward may have a longer duration and late venting
to keeping the pressure inside the bag relatively high compared to
a small occupant seated close to the steering wheel may require a
softer bag with faster deployment timing.
[0030] The vehicle 10 may include a windshield 32, as shown in
FIGS. 1, 3, and 6. The front airbag 20 may include a transparent
panel 34, as shown in FIG. 3 to allow the driver to view the
windshield 32 through the transparent panel 34. In other words, the
front airbag 20 may define an opening 36 and the transparent panel
34 may cover the opening 36. The opening 36 may be rectangular or
any other shape and size. The transparent panel 34 may be
constructed of any suitable material, e.g., transparent nylon 6,6
or other transparent polymeric material. The opening 36 and the
transparent panel 34 may be disposed above the steering wheel 30 to
allow the driver to see through the windshield 32. The front airbag
20 may include additional transparent panels (not shown) covering
an additional opening (not shown). The transparent panel 34 may be
attached to the front airbag 20 in any suitable manner, e.g.,
stitching, adhesives, fusing, etc.
[0031] The front airbag 20 may include at least one protruded
chamber 38. For example, the protruded chamber 38 may be inflatable
portions of the front airbag 20 extending toward the front seats
18, as shown in FIG. 4. In another example, the protruded chamber
62 may be separately connected to the rest of the front airbag 20,
as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIGS. 4-5, the front airbag 20 may
include a plurality of protruded chambers 38, 62 disposed to absorb
occupant impact energy from several directions. During the oblique
impact event, the protruded chamber 38 adjacent to the first side
curtain airbag 14 may receive the driver, while the protruded
chamber 38 adjacent to the center of the instrument panel 12 may
receive the passenger.
[0032] During an oblique impact, front seat occupants (the driver
and the front passenger) may move forward and laterally such that
their heads may contact the front airbag 20 before significantly
increasing the head rotational speeds. The front airbag 20 absorbs
energy from the moving head while the protruded chambers 38, 62
restrain rotation of the head. Furthermore, the front airbag 20 may
assist in retaining an unbelted occupant in the vehicle 10.
[0033] The vehicle 10 may include decision-making electronics,
algorithms and a mechanism (not shown) for selectively releasing
the protruded chamber 38. For example, the mechanism may be a
frangible tether (not shown). The frangible tether may be connected
to the protruded chamber 38 such that when the oblique impact is
detected, the tether breaks, allowing the protruded chamber 38 to
extend toward the front seats 18 and receive the occupant. The
tether may be connected to the protruded chamber 38 from inside the
front airbag 20, or may be connected along the outside surface of
the front airbag 20. With reference to FIG. 7, the vehicle 10 may
include an impact sensing system 54. The impact sensing system 54
may include an impact sensor 44 and a controller 46. The controller
46 is in communication with the inflator 42 and may include a
processor 48 and a memory 50. The memory 50 stores instructions
executable by the processor 48 to control the inflator 42. The
controller 46 may be programmed to, upon identification of an
impact, cause triggering of the inflator 42, extending the front
airbag 20.
[0034] The impact sensor 44 may be in communication with the
controller 46 to communicate data to the controller 46. The impact
sensor 44 may be of any suitable type, e.g., using accelerometers,
radar, lidar, and/or a vision system. The vision system may include
one or more cameras, CCD image sensors, and/or CMOS image sensors,
etc. Based on data communicated by the impact sensor 44, the
controller 46 may cause triggering the inflator 42.
[0035] Communications between the controller 46, the impact sensor
44, the inflator 42, and/or other components in the vehicle 10, may
be connected to a communication bus 52, such as a controller area
network (CAN) bus, of the vehicle 10. The controller 46 may use
information from the communication bus 52 to control the triggering
of the inflator 42. The inflator 42 may be connected to the
controller 46 or may be connected to the communication bus 52.
[0036] In another example shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle 10 may
include a first front airbag 120 and a second front airbag 121. The
first front airbag 120 may extend from the headliner 28 adjacent
the first side curtain airbag 14, and the second front airbag 121
may extend from the headliner 28 adjacent the second side curtain
airbag 16. The first and second front airbags 120, 121 may be
supported by the roof 11 shown in FIG. 1. The inflator 42 may be
fluidly connected to the first front airbag 120 to inflate the
first front airbag 120 from an uninflated position to an inflated
position, and a second inflator (not shown) may be fluidly
connected to the second front airbag 121 to inflate the second
front airbag 121 from an uninflated position to an inflated
position. The first front airbag 120 may abut the second front
airbag 121 near the center of the instrument panel 12 when the
first and second front airbags 120, 121 are in the inflated
position.
[0037] The vehicle 10 may include a first front seat 118 and a
second front seat 119. The first and second front seats 118, 119
may be disposed between the first and second side curtain airbags
14, 16. The first front airbag 120 may be disposed between the
steering wheel 30 and the first front seat 118, and the second
front airbag 121 may be disposed between the instrument panel 12
and the second front seat 119. The first front airbag 120 may have
a bottom edge 122 that extends below the steering wheel 30. The
second front airbag 121 may have a bottom edge 123. In an oblique
impact, the second front airbag 121 may selectively deploy
depending on several conditions, e.g., whether the second front
seat 119 is occupied.
[0038] The first and second front airbags 120, 121 may include
inflatable protruded chambers 138, as shown in FIG. 8. The
protruded chambers 138 may be inflatable portions of the first and
second front airbags 120, 121 extending toward the first and second
front seats 118, 119, or may be separately connected (not shown) to
the rest of the first and second front airbags 120, 121. When the
protruded chambers 138 extend toward the first and second front
seats 118, 119, the protruded chambers 138 may receive occupants
during, e.g., an oblique impact. In addition, the protruded
chambers 138 may extend toward the windshield 32. The windshield 32
may support the first and second front airbags 120, 121 during the
impact event. Specifically, the windshield 32 may act as a reaction
surface to maintain the position of the first and second front
airbags 120, 121 relative to the windshield 32 during the impact
event.
[0039] FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of a front airbag 220.
Common elements from FIGS. 1-7 are shown with common numerals. The
front airbag 220 may include protruded chambers 238 extending
toward the windshield 32. The windshield 32 may support the front
airbag 220 during the impact event. In other words, the windshield
32 may act as a reaction surface to maintain the position of the
front airbag 220 relative to the windshield 32 during the impact
event. The protruded chambers 238 may be inflatable portions of the
front airbag 220 extending toward the windshield 32 or may be
separately connected (not shown). The protruded chambers 238 may be
disposed at select points along the front airbag 220, or may extend
the length of the front airbag 220.
[0040] The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner,
and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used
is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than
of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present
disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the
disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically
described.
* * * * *