Claims:We Claim:
1. An airbag assembly 100 for a vehicle interior, the airbag assembly 100 comprising:
an airbag housing 200;
an airbag chute channel 210 to guide at least an airbag towards the vehicle interior; and
a supporting member 300 configured on an interior panel to support the airbag assembly 100,
wherein, at least one bracket 110, 120 is configured to connect between the supporting member 300 and the airbag chute channel 210, the bracket 110, 120 deforms its shape while absorbing impact energy to prevent the breakage of the bracket 110, 120.

2. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket 110, 120 is arcuate in shape.

3. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein upon deployment of the airbag from the airbag housing 200 the bracket 110, 120 absorbs energy in a perpendicular direction of a longitudinal axis of the supporting member 300.

4. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket 110, 120 regains the shape when impact energy of the deployment is nullified.

5. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket 110, 120 has two flap portions 112, 114 connecting with the supporting member 300 and a clamp portion 116 connecting the chute channel 210.

6. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket 110, 120 has a mid-portion 118 between the flap portion 112, 114 and the clamp portion 116 which upon deployment of an airbag from the airbag housing 200 expands and contracts with the absorption of energy.

7. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamp portion 116 of the bracket 110, 120 and the chute channel 210 are connected together with fasteners such as a screw.

8. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flap portions 112, 114 of the bracket 110, 120 is welded to the supporting member 300.

9. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flap portion 112, 114, the clamp portion 116 and the mid-portion 118 are an integral construction with the mid-portion 118 forming the arcuate bracket shape.

10. The airbag assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket 110, 120 is made of pure steel.
, Description:Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag inside a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an airbag assembly inside a vehicle interior.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Airbags are safety arrangements arranged interior to a vehicle. The airbags provide a soft cushioning to an occupant during a crash event of the vehicle. The airbag provides an energy-absorbing surface between the vehicle's occupants and the vehicle interior. Most of the vehicles are now configured with multiple airbags inside the vehicle to provide safety for both front seat occupants and rear seat occupants.

[0003] Usually, for the front seat occupants, the airbag assembly is arranged below the instrument panel of the vehicle. Specifically, the airbag is arranged in an airbag holder of the airbag assembly. The airbag assembly includes a chute housing for guiding of the propagation of the airbag through a chute channel during airbag deployment. The airbag assembly receives support from a support beam arranged below the instrument panel during the deployment. The support beam is instrumental in the absorption of impact energy, minimization of steering wheel displacement in case of a collision, reduction of overall cockpit vibration, and in providing higher strength and control of the steering wheel.
[0004] The airbag assembly has a bracket which connects the airbag chute channel with the support beam. During the airbag deployment, the collision force acts on the bracket, which results in breakage of the bracket. Hence separate designs of chute channels and support beams are required, which is expensive.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for an airbag assembly, which overcomes few or all the drawbacks of the existing airbag assemblies.

Objects of the Invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag assembly for a vehicle interior.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an airbag assembly for a vehicle interior, which obviates usage of separate design for a chute channel and a support beam.

[0008] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an airbag assembly for a vehicle interior, which absorbs the collision force and reduces the force distribution over the airbag assembly.
[0009] One more object of the present invention is to provide an airbag assembly for a vehicle interior, which is economical and robust in construction.

Summary of the invention

[0010] According to the present invention, an airbag assembly for a vehicle interior in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The airbag assembly is arranged on an instrument panel of the vehicle interior. In an embodiment, the airbag assembly is arranged below the instrument panel of the vehicle. The airbag assembly includes a chute housing and a supporting member arranged below the instrument panel. The supporting member is a cross-car beam which absorbs impact energy, minimization of steering wheel displacement in case of a collision, reduction of overall cockpit vibration, and in providing higher strength and control of the steering wheel.

[0011] The supporting member is an elongated member extending horizontally below the instrument panel of the vehicle. The airbag chute channel and the supporting member are connected together for holding and supporting the airbag chute housing. The airbag chute channel and the supporting member are connected by at least one bracket. Specifically, two brackets are configured to connect between the supporting member and the airbag chute channel. The bracket is arcuately shaped which is connectable between the supporting member and the airbag chute channel by fasteners.

[0012] In an embodiment, the bracket is "U" shaped. The brackets are flexible in nature such that the brackets deform its shape while absorbing impact energy. Specifically, when the airbag unit is deployed after a vehicle collision, the deployment of the airbag unit creates sudden impact energy on the bracket. The bracket successfully absorbs this energy by deforming its shape. The impact energy is distributed on the supporting member to nullify the impact energy and to prevent the breakage of the bracket. Specifically, the brackets absorb energy in a perpendicular direction of a longitudinal axis of the supporting member.

[0013] The brackets regain its shape after distributing the energy on the supporting member or after nullifying the impact energy. The brackets have a mid-portion between a flap portion and a clamp portion which upon deployment of an airbag from the airbag housing which expands and contracts with the absorption of energy. When the bracket absorbs energy, the mid-portion is widened and, when the energy is released, the bracket regains the "U shape". The "U" shape of the bracket provides maximum tolerance to the brackets, thereby preventing the breakage of the brackets.

[0014] In an embodiment, the bracket has two flap portions on one side which connects with the supporting member and the clamp portion which connects with the chute channel. The clamp portion of the bracket and the airbag chute channel are connected together with fasteners such as a screw. The flap portions of the brackets are welded to the supporting member. The flap portion, the clamp portion and the mid-portion are an integral construction with the mid-portion to form the arcuate bracket shape or "U" shape of the bracket. Further, in an embodiment, the bracket is made of pure steel.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] The advantages and features of the present invention will be understood better with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

[0016] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an airbag assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 illustrates the arrangement of a bracket on a chute channel;

[0018] Figure 3 illustrates a backside perspective view of the bracket connected with a supporting member;

[0019] Figure 4 illustrates another perspective view of the bracket connected with the supporting member in accordance with the present invention;
[0020] Figure 5 illustrates a perspective side view of the airbag assembly;

[0021] Figure 6 illustrates a side view of the airbag assembly; and

[0022] Figure 7 illustrates a side of the airbag assembly when the bracket absorbs impact energy in Z-direction.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0023] An embodiment of this invention, illustrating its features, will now be described in detail. The words "comprising, "having, "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open-ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

[0024] The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “an” and “a” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

[0025] The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.
[0026] Referring to figure 1, an airbag assembly 100 for a vehicle interior in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The airbag assembly 100 is arranged on an instrument panel of the vehicle interior. The airbag assembly 100 is specifically arranged for front-seat passengers. In this embodiment, the airbag assembly 100 is arranged below the instrument panel of the vehicle. The airbag assembly 100 includes a chute housing 200 for guiding of the propagation of an airbag through a chute channel 210 during airbag deployment. The airbag assembly 100 receives support from a supporting member 300 arranged below the instrument panel during the deployment. The supporting member 300 is a cross-car beam which absorbs impact energy, minimization of steering wheel displacement in case of a collision, reduction of overall cockpit vibration, and in providing higher strength and control of the steering wheel.

[0027] The supporting member 300 is an elongated member extending horizontally below the instrument panel of the vehicle. The airbag chute channel 210 and the supporting member 300 are connected together for holding and supporting the airbag chute housing 200, as shown in figure 5. The airbag cute channel 210 and the supporting member 300 are connected by at least one bracket. Specifically, in this embodiment, two brackets 110, 120 are configured to connect between the supporting member 300 and the airbag chute channel 210. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to configure more than two brackets to connect between the supporting member 300 and the airbag chute channel 210. The brackets 110, 120 are arcuately shaped as shown in figure 2, 3 and 4, which is connectable between the supporting member 300 and the airbag chute channel 210 by fasteners.

[0028] In the present embodiment, the brackets 110, 120 are “U” shaped. The brackets 110, 120 are flexible in nature such that the brackets 110, 120 deforms its shape while absorbing impact energy. Specifically, when the airbag unit is deployed after a vehicle collision, the deployment of the airbag unit creates sudden impact energy on the bracket 110, 120. This energy is successfully absorbed by the bracket 110, 120 by deforming its shape. The impact energy is distributed on the supporting member 300 to nullify the impact energy and to prevent the breakage of the brackets 110, 120. Specifically, the brackets 110, 120 absorbs energy in the perpendicular direction of a longitudinal axis of the supporting member 300, specifically in a Z-direction.

[0029] The brackets 110, 120 regains its shape after distributing the energy on the supporting member 300 or after nullifying the impact energy of the deployment. In the present embodiment, the brackets 110, 120 has two flap portions 112, 114 on one side which connects with the supporting member 130 as shown in figures 3 and 4 and a clamp portion 116 which connects with the chute channel 210. In this embodiment, the clamp portion 116 of the bracket 110, 120 and the airbag chute channel 210 are connected together with fasteners such as a screw. The flap portions 112, 114 of the brackets 110, 120 are welded to the supporting member 300. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to connect the clamp portion 116 and the flap portions with respective airbag chute channel 210 and the supporting member with any other obvious arrangements.

[0030] Further, the brackets 110, 120 has a mid-portion 118 between the flap portion 112, 114 and the clamp portion 116 which upon deployment of an airbag from the airbag housing 200 expands and contracts with the absorption of energy. When the bracket 110, 120 absorbs energy, the mid-portion 118 is widened as shown in figure 7 and, when the energy is released, the brackets 110, 120 regains the “U shape” as shown in figure 6. The “U” shape provides maximum tolerance to the brackets 110, 120 thereby preventing their breakage. The flap portion 112, 114, the clamp portion 116 and the mid-portion 118 are an integral construction with the mid-portion 118 to form the arcuate bracket shape or "U" shape of the bracket. Further, in an embodiment the bracket 110, 120 is made of pure steel.

[0031] Therefore the present invention has the advantage of providing an airbag assembly 100 for a vehicle interior. The airbag assembly 100 obviates usage of separate design for the chute channel 210 and the supporting member 300. The bracket 110, 120 absorbs the collision force and reduces the force distribution over the airbag assembly. Further, the airbag assembly 100 is economical and robust in construction.

[0032] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.