Arched center airbag
An airbag assembly including: an inflator; a diffuser; and an airbag defining an air chamber. The airbag includes: an opening to the air chamber in communication with the inflator; an upper end; a lower end; an outer side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end; and an inner side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end opposite to the outer side surface. The inner side surface is concave and configured to face an occupant of a seat when the airbag is deployed. The airbag is a single chamber airbag defining only the air chamber. The outer side surface and the inner side surface are curved to provide the airbag with an arched shape.
1 . An airbag assembly comprising:
an inflator;
a diffuser; and
an airbag defining an air chamber, the airbag including:
an opening to the air chamber in communication with the inflator;
an upper end;
a lower end;
an outer side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end;
an inner side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end opposite to the outer side surface, the inner side surface is concave and configured to face an occupant of a seat when the airbag is deployed; and
an internal tether system including a support spine extending at least partially along a length of the airbag, anchors at the inner side surface, and tethers connecting the support spine to the anchors,
wherein:
the airbag is a single chamber airbag; and
the outer side surface and the inner side surface are curved to provide the airbag with an arched shape; and
the tethers are configured to draw the upper end and the lower end towards each other to provide the inner side surface with a concave shape.
2 . The airbag assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer side surface is convex.
3 . The airbag assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air chamber extends completely from the upper end to the lower end of the airbag.
4 . The airbag assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner side surface is shorter than the outer side surface.
5 . The airbag assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner side surface includes an inner tapered portion configured to arch the inner side surface.
6 . The airbag assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is configured to be deployed from a side of the seat.
7 . The airbag assembly of claim 6 , wherein the airbag is configured as a side impact airbag.
8 . The airbag assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airbag includes a tapered portion between the upper end and the lower end, at the tapered portion the outer side surface and the inner side surface are closer together than at both an upper midpoint between the tapered portion and the upper end and a lower midpoint between the tapered portion and the lower end.
9 . An airbag assembly comprising:
an inflator;
a diffuser; and
an airbag configured as a side impact airbag to be deployed from a side of a seat, the airbag including:
an opening to an interior of the airbag that is in communication with the inflator;
an upper end;
a lower end;
a convex outer side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end;
a concave inner side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end opposite to the convex outer side surface, the concave inner side surface is configured to face an occupant of the seat when the airbag is deployed;
an internal tether system including a support spine extending at least partially along a length of the airbag, anchors at the concave inner side surface, and tethers connecting the support spine to the anchors, the tethers configured to draw the upper end and the lower end towards each other to provide the concave inner side surface with a concave shape;
a tapered portion between the upper end and the lower end, at the tapered portion the convex outer side surface and the concave inner side surface are closer together than at both an upper midpoint between the tapered portion and the upper end and a lower midpoint between the tapered portion and the lower end; and
a single air chamber defined by the upper end, the lower end, the convex outer side surface, and the concave inner side surface, the single air chamber extending completely from the upper end to the lower end of the airbag.
10 . The airbag assembly of claim 9 , wherein the convex outer side surface and the concave inner side surface are curved to provide the airbag with an arched shape.
11 . The airbag assembly of claim 9 , wherein the concave inner side surface is shorter than the convex outer side surface.
12 . The airbag assembly of claim 9 , wherein the concave inner side surface includes an inner tapered portion configured to arch the concave inner side surface.
13 . A vehicle comprising:
a seat; and
an airbag mounted adjacent to the seat and configured as a side impact airbag to be deployed from a side of the seat, the airbag including:
an opening to an interior of the airbag that is in communication with an inflator;
an upper end;
a lower end;
a convex outer side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end;
a concave inner side surface extending from the upper end to the lower end opposite to the convex outer side surface, the concave inner side surface is configured to face an occupant of the seat when the airbag is deployed;
an internal tether system including a support spine extending at least partially along a length of the airbag, anchors at the concave inner side surface, and tethers connecting the support spine to the anchors, the tethers configured to draw the upper end and the lower end towards each other to provide the concave inner side surface with a concave shape;
a tapered portion between the upper end and the lower end, at the tapered portion the convex outer side surface and the concave inner side surface are closer together than at both an upper midpoint between the tapered portion and the upper end and a lower midpoint between the tapered portion and the lower end; and
a single air chamber defined by the upper end, the lower end, the convex outer side surface, and the concave inner side surface, the single air chamber extending completely from the upper end to the lower end of the airbag.
14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the convex outer side surface and the concave inner side surface are curved to provide the airbag with an arched shape.
15 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the concave inner side surface is shorter than the convex outer side surface.
16 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the concave inner side surface includes an inner tapered portion configured to arch the concave inner side surface.
17 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the airbag is mounted on an inner side surface of the seat.