US 11,865,991 B1
Overhead airbag cushions and related systems
David W. Schneider, Waterford, MI (US); and Frank J. Herzenstiel, Davisburg, MI (US)
Assigned to Autoliv ASP, Inc., Ogden, UT (US)
Filed by Autoliv ASP, Inc., Ogden, UT (US)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/879,656.
Int. Cl. B60R 21/214 (2011.01); B60R 21/231 (2011.01); B60R 21/239 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 21/214 (2013.01) [B60R 21/231 (2013.01); B60R 21/239 (2013.01); B60R 2021/23107 (2013.01); B60R 2021/23192 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An overhead airbag cushion comprising:
a main chamber to receive inflation gas to expand from a packaged state above a vehicle seating position and deploy downward to be disposed forward of the vehicle seating position in a deployed state;
an elongate head chamber that extends from the main chamber toward the vehicle seating position at an angle, the elongate head chamber defining an upper surface configured to, in a collision event, receive a head of an occupant seated in the vehicle seating position,
wherein the elongate head chamber deflects vertically relative to the main chamber when the head of the occupant engages the elongate head chamber thereby changing the angle between the elongate head chamber and the main chamber;
a lower chamber, wherein the extension chamber is disposed between the main chamber and the lower chamber; and
a vertical internal panel tether that couples to a vehicle facing portion of the main chamber and to an occupant facing portion of the main chamber, wherein the vertical internal panel tether comprises a planar surface arranged vertically within the overhead airbag cushion in the deployed state, and wherein the vertical internal panel tether extends across a first opening between the main chamber and the elongate head chamber and across a second opening between the main chamber and the lower chamber.