Vehicle side impact airbag with laterally extending thoracic chamber

摘要

A vehicle side impact airbag has an inflator, a main inflatable chamber disposed for contact with the side arm of the vehicle occupant when inflated, and a separate laterally extending thoracic chamber in metered fluid communication with the main inflatable chamber of the side airbag extending laterally into the passenger compartment. The laterally extending thoracic chamber of the airbag is disposed for contact with the lower thoracic region of the vehicle occupant below the occupant side arm when inflated, whereby the side airbag simultaneously engages the occupant lower thoracic region and side arm when inflated.

主权项

1. A side airbag for a restraining a vehicle occupant situated within a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle during a vehicle side impact event, the side airbag comprising an inflator in fluid communication with a main inflatable chamber, the main inflatable chamber having a longitudinal length adjacent an interior door surface of the motor vehicle and disposed to extend into the passenger compartment a first distance when inflated, and a separate laterally extending lower thoracic chamber attached to and in constant fluid communication with a lower portion of the main inflatable chamber of the side airbag, the lower thoracic chamber extending laterally into the passenger compartment a second distance exceeding the first distance when inflated, whereby the lower thoracic chamber of the side airbag fully extends across the longitudinal length of the lower portion only of the main inflatable chamber of the side airbag when inflated.