IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,864,876
Granted Patent B2
US 10,864,876 · App. 16/263,975 · Granted Dec 15, 2020

Deployable panel for an airbag

Inventors: Srinivas Reddy Malapati (Novi, MI); Mangesh Kadam (Canton, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60R21/205B60R2021/01252B60R2021/0273B60R2021/161
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,864,876
App. No.
16/263,975
Granted
Dec 15, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An assembly includes a vehicle interior component. The assembly includes an airbag mounted to the vehicle interior component. The assembly includes a deployable panel supported by the vehicle interior component adjacent the airbag, the deployable panel being movable relative to the vehicle interior component between a retracted position and an extended position. The assembly includes a spring between the vehicle interior component and the deployable panel. The spring biases the deployable panel toward the extended position.

Claims (35)

1. An assembly, comprising:

a vehicle interior component;

an airbag mounted to the vehicle interior component;

a deployable panel supported by the vehicle interior component adjacent the airbag, the deployable panel being movable relative to the vehicle interior component between a retracted position and an extended position; and

a spring between the vehicle interior component and the deployable panel and biasing the deployable panel toward the extended position;

an actuator releasably coupled to the deployable panel;

the spring biasing the deployable panel toward the actuator.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a pyrotechnic release.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle interior component defines a cavity, the deployable panel being in the cavity in the retracted position and extendable from the cavity to the extended position.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a slidable rail between the deployable panel and the vehicle interior component.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deployable panel is translatable between the retracted position and the extended position.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a windshield, the deployable panel being positioned to be between the airbag and the windshield in the extended position.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deployable panel has a reaction surface positioned to abut the airbag in an inflated position when the deployable panel is in the extended position.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle interior component is an instrument panel.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a controller programed to actuate the actuator in response to a vehicle impact.

10. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the deployable panel is rigid relative to the airbag.

11. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the deployable panel is elongated in a cross-vehicle direction.

12. An assembly, comprising:

a vehicle interior component;

an airbag mounted to the vehicle interior component;

a deployable panel supported by the vehicle interior component adjacent the airbag, the deployable panel being movable relative to the vehicle interior component between a retracted position and an extended position;

a spring between the vehicle interior component and the deployable panel and biasing the deployable panel toward the extended position; and

a windshield, the deployable panel being positioned to be between the airbag and the windshield in the extended position.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the deployable panel is translatable between the retracted position and the extended position.

14. The assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the deployable panel is rigid relative to the airbag.

15. The assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the deployable panel is elongated in a cross-vehicle direction.

16. An assembly, comprising:

a vehicle interior component, the vehicle interior component is an instrument panel;

an airbag mounted to the vehicle interior component;

a deployable panel supported by the vehicle interior component adjacent the airbag, the deployable panel being movable relative to the vehicle interior component between a retracted position and an extended position; and

a spring between the vehicle interior component and the deployable panel and biasing the deployable panel toward the extended position.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the deployable panel is translatable between the retracted position and the extended position.

18. The assembly as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the deployable panel is rigid relative to the airbag.

19. The assembly as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the deployable panel is elongated in a cross-vehicle direction.

20. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the deployable panel has a reaction surface positioned to abut the airbag in an inflated position when the deployable panel is in the extended position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2019
From: MALAPATI, SRINIVAS REDDY; KADAM, MANGESH
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 048211/0860 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200247345A1 · Aug 6, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,319,222