Side airbag with necking chamber
A side airbag for a vehicle includes a main chamber and a necking chamber. The main chamber has an opening for connecting to an inflator and a first thickness in an inflated condition. The necking chamber is peripherally surrounded by the main chamber and is connected to the main chamber by a restrictive vent. The necking chamber has a second thickness in the inflated condition less than the first thickness and is aligned with a targeted body area.
1. A side airbag for a vehicle comprising:
a main chamber including an opening for connecting to an inflator and including a first airbag thickness in an inflated condition;
a necking chamber peripherally surrounded by the main chamber and connected thereto by a restrictive vent and including a second airbag thickness in the inflated condition less than the first airbag thickness and aligned with a targeted body area; and
a wall separating the main chamber from the necking chamber and in part defining the second airbag thickness;
wherein a plurality of restrictive vents are disposed in the wall.
2. The side airbag of claim 1 , wherein the opening for connecting to the inflator is at a rear of the airbag in the inflated condition and no restrictive vent is on a rear side of the necking chamber.
3. The side airbag of claim 1 , wherein the airbag in the inflated condition is sized to extend substantially from a seat bottom to a top of a seat back.
4. The side airbag of claim 1 , wherein the targeted body area is one of a rear rib-cage area and a pelvic area.
5. A side airbag module for a passenger vehicle comprising:
a housing shaped for mounting in a seat back;
an inflator connected to the housing; and
an airbag disposed in the housing in a deflated condition and including:
a main chamber including an opening for receiving an inflator and including a first airbag thickness in an inflated condition,
a necking chamber peripherally surrounded by the main chamber connected thereto by a restrictive vent and including a second airbag thickness in the inflated condition less than the first airbag thickness and aligned with a targeted body area; and
a wall separating the main chamber from the necking chamber and in part defining the second airbag thickness;
wherein a plurality of restrictive vents are disposed in the wall.
6. The module of claim 5 , wherein the opening for connecting to the inflator is at a rear of the airbag in the inflated condition and no restrictive vent is on a rear side of the necking chamber.
7. The module of claim 5 , wherein the airbag in the inflated condition is sized to extend substantially from a seat bottom to a top of a seat back.
8. The module of claim 5 , wherein the targeted body area is one of a rear rib-cage area and a pelvic area.
9. A side airbag system for use in a passenger vehicle comprising:
a seat back including a cover; and
a side airbag module shaped for mounting in a seat back fixed to the seat back beneath the cover, the side airbag module including:
a housing shaped for mounting in a seat back,
an inflator connected to the housing, and
an airbag disposed in the housing in a deflated condition and including:
a main chamber including a part of the inflator disposed therein and including a first airbag thickness in an inflated condition, and
a necking chamber peripherally surrounded by the main chamber connected thereto by a restrictive vent and including a second airbag thickness in the inflated condition less than the first airbag thickness and aligned with a targeted body area;
a wall separating the main chamber from the necking chamber and in part defining the second airbag thickness;
wherein a plurality of restrictive vents are disposed in the wall with none of the vents being in a rear portion of the wall.
10. The side airbag system of claim 9 , wherein the airbag in the inflated condition is sized to extend substantially from a seat bottom to a top of a seat back.
11. The side airbag system of claim 9 , wherein the targeted body area is one of a rear rib-cage area and a pelvic area.