United States Patent [19]
`Vaillancourt et al.
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`US005470103A
`[11] Patent Number:
`5,470,103
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Nov. 28, 1995
`
`[54]
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`[75]
`[13]
`[21]
`[22]
`[51]
`[52]
`[58]
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`MOTOR VEHICLE HEAD IMPACT AIR BAG
`SYSTEM
`
`Inventors: Glenn M. Vaillancourt, Saco, Me.; Lee
`E. Gridley, Ossipee, N.H.
`Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc., Dover, N.H.
`
`Appl. No.: 364,638
`Filed:
`Dec. 27, 1994
`Int. Cl* ~~~~ B60R 21/08
`U.S. Cl. ........................
`... 280/730.1; 280/730.2
`Field of Search .............................. 280/730.1, 730.2,
`280/732
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`|U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`2,834,606 5/1958 Bertrand ............................... 280/730.1
`3,603,535 9/1971 DePolo ................................. 280/730.1
`3,795,412 5/1974 John ..................................... 280/730.1
`3,897,961
`8/1975 Leising et al. ....................... 280/730.1
`3,981,518 9/1976 Pulling ................................. 280/730.2
`4,536,008 8/1985 Brown, Jr. ........................... 280/730.1
`
`5,251,931 10/1993 Semchena et al. .................. 280/730.2
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`2667831 10/1990 France ........................... B60R 21/22
`2041741 2/1972 Germany .............................. 63 C 70
`Primary Examiner—Kenneth R. Rice
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Reising, Ethington, Barnard &
`Perry
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`A motor vehicle is provided with an air bag system having
`a singular air bag that deploys downward from the ceiling to
`cushion the front and both sides of both the driver and afront
`seat passenger from over their head and to at least their
`shoulders to prevent their impacting with upper interior
`portions of the vehicle and with each other in a collision. The
`air bag includes an elongated front section that extends
`transverse of the vehicle along the front of the seats,
`elongated side sections that extend rearwardly from the front
`section along the outer side of the respective seats, and an
`elongated intermediate section that extends rearwardly from
`the front section between the seats.
`
`9 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sheet 2 of 3
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`U.S. Patent
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`Nov. 28, 1995
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`MOTOR VEHICLE HEAD IMPACT AIR BAG
`SYSTEM
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`5,470,103
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention offers a very effective, low cost
`solution in the use of only one air bag to protect side-by-side
`occupants, such as the driver and a front seat passenger,
`against direct injury to their head in frontal, rear and side
`collisions. Moreover, the single air bag of the present
`invention also prevents the two occupants from impacting
`with each other in a side impact collision. This is accom
`plished by deploying the air bag from the ceiling of the
`vehicle and structuring it with an enveloping configuration
`that protects the head of both the driver and front seat
`passenger from impacting with the upper interior portions of
`the vehicle and from impacting with each other. The air bag
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`TECHNICAL FIELD
`This invention relates to motor vehicle air bag systems
`and more particularly to those for protecting an occupant
`against head injury in a frontal, side and rear collision.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Motor vehicle occupants are presently protected against
`injury in a collision by seat belts, energy management
`materials and air bag systems. The air bag systems that are
`currently available typically have a driver-side air bag that
`is deployed from the steering wheel and a separate passen
`ger-side air bag that is deployed from the instrument panel.
`These dual airbags are capable of providing good protection
`against injury from the instrument panel, steering wheel and
`windshield in front and rear collisions but are restricted
`because of their deployment location in protecting against
`head injury on side impacts and against head injury by upper
`portions of the vehicle structure in front, side and rear
`collisions. Protection with respect to the head of the occu
`pant and more particularly with respect to those from side
`impacts has proved to be a problem in that the necessary air
`bag deployment must occur in the limited space between the
`head of the occupant and the adjacent interior vehicle side
`structure and door including side window. Various proposals
`have been made to protect against injury on side impacts
`such as by providing air bags that deploy from the doors as
`disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,518, that deploy from the
`seats as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,931 and French
`Patent No. 2,667,831, and that deploy from the ceiling and
`side pillars as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,961 and
`German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,041,741. It has also been
`proposed to deploy an air bag arrangement from the ceiling
`of the passenger compartment that completely surrounds an
`individual occupant including the seat as disclosed in U.S.
`Pat. No. 3,795,412.
`In the above air bag systems, those that use only one air
`bag to provide protection in both front and side impacts
`employ a relatively complicated air bag construction that is
`quite costly compared to the presently used driver-side and
`passenger-side air bags that deploy directly toward the front
`of the driver and passenger. And those that require separate
`airbags for protecting against both front and side impact are
`also quite costly in comparison. Motor vehicle air bag
`systems are generally an option for the buyer and there is a
`substantial on going effort by the automobile manufacturers
`and others to add side impact protection and enhanced head
`protection in an air bag system without dramatically adding
`to the cost of the present systems.
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`is structured with an elongated front section that extends
`transversely of the vehicle at an overhead position at the
`front of the seats and three elongated parallel branch sec
`tions that extend rearwardly from the front section at over
`head positions along the opposite sides of both of the seats.
`The two outer most branch sections extend overhead
`along the outer side of the respective seats and the interme
`diate branch Section extends overhead between the seats. At
`least one gas generator is connected to the singular air bag
`at its front section and the air bag on deployment surrounds
`the front and both sides of each of the occupants from their
`head to at least their shoulders to prevent their contact with
`the upper interior portions of the vehicle and with each other.
`Where the vehicle has rear seats, a similar low cost air bag
`may added to the ceiling in the rear of the passenger
`compartment to protect rear seat occupants.
`The elongated sections of the air bag are configured
`cross-wise so as to be expandable to fill the different size
`spaces at the front and sides of the occupants from the
`ceiling down to at least about the level of the shoulders of
`the occupants. As a result, the normally open space in the
`ceiling area at the front and both sides of the heads of the
`occupants is completely filled by the single air bag on
`deployment from the ceiling downward to separately cush
`ion the heads of the occupants from impacting with the
`upper interior portions of the passenger compartment and
`with each other. In the case of a frontal or rear collision, the
`front section of the air bag provides the primary cushioning
`protection. In the case of side collisions, the outer branch
`sections of the air bag provide the primary cushioning
`protection between the respective occupants and side por
`tions of the vehicle interior while the center or intermediate
`air bag section provides excellent cushioning protection
`directly between the heads of the occupants to prevent their
`impacting with each other. Furthermore, the heads of the
`occupants are protected in a downwardly progressive man
`ner on deployment of the airbag so that priority is thus given
`thereto as compared to their upper torso from the shoulder
`down which can be restrained by seatbelts in a conventional
`I?lann??.
`The air bag is hidden in the ceiling behind panels in a
`vinyl cover which are opened by the inflation of the air bag
`to allow its downward deployment. The panels are coexten
`sive with the respective sections of the air bag and are each
`defined by a tear seam and a living hinge formed in the vinyl
`cover. The tear seams of the panels are adapted to tear from
`the force of the inflating air bag and the panels then swing
`downward about their living hinge to cooperatively create an
`opening in the cover for the deployment of the air bag.
`It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide
`a new and improved motor vehicle head impact air bag
`system providing both front and side cushioning protection.
`Another object is to provide a motor vehicle head impact
`air bag system employing a single multisection bag that is
`deployed from the ceiling of the vehicle and cushions the
`front and both sides of adjacent occupants from their head to
`their shoulders to protect them from impacting with the
`interior of the vehicle and with each other in a collision.
`Another object is to provide a motor vehicle head impact
`air bag system employing a single multisection bag that is
`deployed from the ceiling of the vehicle from behind cover
`panels each with a living hinge and tear seam at each section
`of air bag and cushions the front and both sides of adjacent
`occupants from their head to their shoulders to protect them
`from impacting with the interior of the vehicle and with each
`other in a collision.
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`Another object is to provide a motor vehicle air bag
`system employing a single multisection bag that is deployed
`from the ceiling of the vehicle and has an elongated section
`extending transversely of the driver and a passenger and
`three elongated sections extending rearwardly therefrom
`along side these occupants that cooperatively provide front
`and side surrounding cushioning protection for these occu
`pants from their head to their shoulders in a downwardly
`directed manner to protect them against injury in frontal,
`rear and side collisions.
`These and other objects, advantages and features of the
`present invention will become more apparent from the
`following description and accompanying drawings wherein:
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a motor vehicle having
`an airbag system according to the present invention wherein
`the system is illustrated in its stored condition;
`FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the
`singular air bag deployed;
`FIG. 3 is side view of the driver side of the vehicle in FIG.
`2 with a part of the door and side window broken away;
`FIG. 4 is an enlarged view taken along the line 4–4 in
`FIG. 1 when looking in the direction of the arrows;
`FIG. 5 is an enlarged view taken along the line 5–5 in
`FIG. 1 when looking in the direction of the arrows; and
`FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line 6–6 in FIG. 2 when
`looking in the direction of the arrows.
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`4
`four hinged ceiling panels 32A, 32B, 32C and 32D of
`rectangular shape that cover the respective air bag sections
`36A, 36B, 36C and 36D.
`The ceiling 32 includes a self-supporting vinyl cover 38
`that is attached to the underside of the vehicle roof structure
`37F by suitable conventional attaching means (not shown).
`The panels 32A, 32B, 32C and 32D hiding the airbag 36 are
`integrally formed in the cover 38. These panels are all of
`similar construction whose details will be described with
`reference to the front panel 32A and the center panel 33D as
`illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively.
`Referring to FIG. 4, the panel 32A is defined by a tear
`seam 44A formed in the vinyl cover 38 and by a living hinge
`46A that is also formed in the vinyl cover. The tear seam 44A
`extends along three edges of the panel and the living hinge
`46A extends along the fourth edge which is one of the two
`long edges and they together normally hold the respective
`air bag section in place in its stored or uninflated condition
`hidden from view. The tear seam 44A is formed with
`substantially less thickness than the remainder of the cover
`so as to provide a weakened section in the cover that is torn
`by the force of the air bag on its inflation at the respective
`air bag section 36A as illustrated in FIG. 2. The panel 32A
`then swings downward about its living hinge 46A to create
`a rectangular shaped opening in the ceiling cover 38 through
`which the respective elongated section 36A of the air bag
`can pass as it inflates. The ceiling panel 32D is of Similar
`construction as illustrated in FIG. 5 with a tear seam 44D
`and living hinge 46D and operates in the same manner to
`allow the deployment of the air bag section 36D. The other
`ceiling panels 32B and 32C have similar tear seams 44B and
`44C and living hinges 46B and 46C, respectively, and
`operate in a similar manner to allow deployment of the air
`bag sections 36B and 36C, respectively. The front shortedge
`of the panels 32B, 32C and 32D abuts with the long rear
`edge of the front panel 32A as illustrated in FIG. 1 and on
`air bag deployment as illustrated in FIG. 2 the panels open
`downward to cooperatively create a E-shaped opening in the
`cover conforming to the configuration of the air bag 36 to
`freely allow its deployment vertically downward into the
`passenger compartment and about both the driver and pas
`senger as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6.
`The airbag 36 is attached at its upper side along the length
`thereof of each of its sections 36A, 36B, 36C and 36D to the
`underside of the vehicle roof structure 37F with fasteners 50
`as illustrated in FIG. 4. The airbag 36 is inflated with at least
`a pair of gas generators 52A and 52B that are directly
`connected to its front section 36A at locations between the
`respective branch sections. It is preferred, however, to have
`additional gas generators 52C, 52D and 52E that are directly
`connected to the other air bag sections 36B, 36D and 36C,
`respectively. The gas generators 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D and
`52E are all Similar and of a suitable conventional type and
`are simultaneously operated by an impact sensor 54 that is
`also of a suitable conventional type. The sensor 54 is
`operable to sense when the vehicle has incurred a collision
`at the front, rear and/or side of the vehicle and immediately
`operates the gas generators to inflate the air bag 36 causing
`it to expand along its length in a vertically downward
`direction from the ceiling into the passenger compartment.
`The air bag 36 is configured and arranged in its stored
`condition so that the front section 36A extends overhead
`along the front of the seat bottoms 24A and 26A between
`points adjacent the doors 14 and 16, the outer branch
`sections 36B and 36C extend overhead along the outer side
`of the respective seat bottoms 24A and 26A between points
`adjacent the edges of the respective doors 14 and 16, and the
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a motor vehicle 10
`having a windshield 12, a left-side door 14, a right-side door
`16, and a passenger compartment 18. Located in the pas
`senger compartment 18 are an instrument panel 20, a steer
`ing wheel 22, and a pair of front seats 24 and 26 for a driver
`28 and a passenger 30, respectively. The seats may be bucket
`seats with a console 31 therebetween as illustrated or a
`bench seat arrangement. The passenger compartment further
`includes a ceiling or headliner 32 behind which is mounted
`an air bag system 34 according to the present invention.
`The air bag system 34 comprises a singular inflatable
`multisection air bag 36 for simultaneously protecting both
`the driver and the front seat passenger from impacting with
`interior portions of the vehicle in front, side and rear
`impacts. Those portions of the passenger compartment
`which present potential harm to the head of the driver and/or
`passenger include the windshield 12, the instrument panel
`20, the steering wheel 22, the doors 14 and 16 including their
`window 14A and 16A respectively, and the trimmed interior
`of the body structure 37 including the roof pillars 37A and
`37B, the side rails 37C and 37D and the transverse front rail
`37E at the upper edge of the windshield. The multisection air
`bag 36 is also adapted to prevent these occupants from
`impacting with each other in a side impact.
`The multisection air bag 36 has a generally E-shaped
`configuration as viewed from over head or in plan view and
`comprises four elongated integral sections; namely, a trans
`verse front section 36A that extends transverse of the vehicle
`and three parallel branch sections 36B, 36C and 36D of
`equal length that extend rearwardly from the front section
`36A longitudinally of the vehicle. As illustrated in FIGS. 4
`and 5, the air bag 36 in its deflated state assumes an
`accordion shape to allow its compact storage in an overhead
`space above the ceiling 32 where it is hidden from view by
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`center branch section 36D extends overhead between the
`two seat bottoms 24A and 26A from the front of the seat
`bottoms to the respective seat backs 24B and 26B. The air
`bag is configured in cross-section so that in its inflated state
`or condition, all of its sections extend downward to past the
`heads of the occupants to at least about the level of their
`shoulders thereby surrounding the occupant in each seat
`from their head to their shoulders with an air bag cushion
`arrangement that essentially fills the space about the occu
`pants between their heads and between their heads and the
`adjacent upper interior portions of the passenger compart
`ment as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6. The shoulders of the
`average person will be at about the level of the top of the
`seats 24 and 26 (i.e. the top of the seat backs 24B and 26B)
`and this is the level to which the multisection air bag 36 is
`preferably configured to extend downward to as illustrated
`in FIGS. 2 and 3. The air bag may also be configured to
`extend further downward to about the level of the seat
`bottoms to engage the thighs of the occupants but the
`shoulder level is preferred to minimize the size of the airbag
`and thereby the inflation pressure that is necessary.
`The invention has been described in an illustrative manner
`with respect to presently preferred embodiments, and it is to
`be understood that the terminology that has been used is
`intended to be in the nature of words of description rather
`than words of limitation. Obviously, many modifications and
`variations of the present invention in light of the above
`teachings may be made. For example, the airbag system has
`been illustrated for use in protecting the driver and a front
`seat passenger. Where the vehicle has a rear seat, a similar
`air bag system could likewise be added in the ceiling in the
`rear of the passenger compartment to similarly protect the
`rear seat passengers. It is therefore to be understood that
`within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may
`be practiced otherwise than as specifically shown and
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`described.
`What is claimed is:
`1. An air bag system for a motor vehicle having a pair of
`adjacent seats and a ceiling located above said seats, said
`seats have a bottom and a back, said airbag system including
`a singular inflatable multisection air bag mounted in said
`ceiling for deployment vertically downward in a front and
`side and in between manner with respect to said seats, said
`air bag configured in an E-shape as viewed from overhead
`and in cross-section so as to form on inflation a singular air
`bag cushion that extends downward to at least about the
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`level of the top of said seat backs along a front side of both
`of said seats and along an outer side of both of said seats and
`along an inner side of both said seats.
`2. An air bag system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
`air bag on inflation extends downward to about the level of
`said seat bottoms.
`3. An air bag system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
`air bag comprises an elongated front section that extends
`transversely of the motor vehicle along said front side of
`both said seats, elongated outer branch sections that extend
`rearwardly from said front section along said outer side of
`the respective said seats, and an elongated center branch
`section that extends rearwardly from said front section
`between said outer branch sections and along said inner side
`of both said seats.
`4. An airbag system as set forth in claim 3 wherein at least
`one gas generator is directly connected to each said section
`of said air bag.
`5. An air bag system as set forth in claim 3 wherein a pair
`of gas generators are directly connected to said front section,
`said gas generators being connected to said front section at
`a location between said center branch section and the
`respective outer branch sections.
`6. An air bag system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said
`sections of said air bag are attached at an upper side along
`the length thereof to an interior side of a roof portion of the
`vehicle.
`7. An air bag system as set forth in claim 5 wherein gas
`generators are directly connected to said center and outer
`branch sections respectively.
`8. An air bag system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said
`airbag is concealed in said ceiling behind a cover, said cover
`having an integral panel coextensive with each said section
`of said air bag, each said panel defined by a living hinge and
`a tear seam formed in said cover, said tear seams adapted to
`tear by the force of said air bag on inflation acting at the
`respective said sections of said air bag on the respective said
`panels, said panels adapted to swing downward about their
`said living hinge on tearing of their said tear seam to form
`openings in said cover for deployment of the respective said
`sections of said air bag.
`9. An air bag system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said
`openings have a rectangular shape and cooperatively define
`an E-shape opening in said cover for deployment of said air
`bag.
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