Housing for airbag module

An elongated housing for use in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a windshield proximate the instrument panel, comprising:na first wall; a second wall; a bottom wall joining said first and second walls such that a first width is defined by said bottom wall; and a cushion deployment opening opposite said bottom wall, said cushion deployment opening being defined between a first edge of said first wall and a second edge of said second wall, said cushion deployment opening having a second width, said second width extending in the same direction as said first width and being in a range defined by an upper limit of about 90 percent of said first width and a lower limit of about 30 percent of said first width, said cushion deployment opening remaining substantially a predetermined size during cushion deployment, said second width allowing said housing to be installed proximate said instrument panel such that said first wall is disposed closer to said windshield than said second wall, said second wall being disposed at a predetermined location away from said windshield, said predetermined location being closer to said windshield than a forward most location of a substantially spherical area having a radius of at least 82 millimeters, said forward most location of said substantially spherical area being defined by a position where a portion of said spherical area makes contact with said windshield at one point and another portion of said spherical area makes contact with said instrument panel at another point.

An airbag module for use in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a windshield proximate the instrument panel, comprising:na housing defining a first chamber, a second chamber, a deployment opening at one end of said housing, and an inflation gas opening providing fluid communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, said deployment opening having a first width in a first direction, said housing having a second width extending in said first direction, said second width being disposed at a bottom of said housing and said deployment opening being disposed at a top of said housing, said first width being in a range defined by an upper limit of about 90 percent of said second width and a lower limit of about 30 percent of said second width, wherein said deployment opening remains substantially said first width during inflatable cushion deployment; an inflator for providing a quantity of inflation gas to said first chamber; and an inflatable cushion stored in a folded condition in said second chamber, said inflatable cushion having an inflation opening secured across said inflation gas opening such that said quantity of inflation gas causes said inflatable cushion to deploy from said housing through said deployment opening, said housing being configured to be installed proximate said instrument panel, said instrument panel having a deployment door defined therein, said housing being positioned with respect to said deployment door such that said deployment opening is proximate said deployment door, said quantity of inflation gas inducing said inflatable cushion to deploy from said housing through said deployment opening to open said deployment door, said deployment door having a forward edge proximate said windshield and a rearward edge remote from said windshield, said deployment door pivoting about said forward edge such that said rearward edge travels alone a door opening path during the opening of said deployment door, said door opening path being defined through a first area, wherein a second area is defined by a spherical region having a radius of at least 82 millimeters, wherein a forward most point of said second area is defined by said second area making contact with said windshield and said instrument panel, wherein said forward most point of the second area does not contact said first area.

An air bag housing for use with an inflatable cushion and an inflator, the air bag housing being configured for use in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a windshield proximate the instrument panel, comprising:nfirst and second opposing side walls and a bottom wall disposed therebetween, the first and second side walls and the bottom wall define a receiving volume configured to receive the inflatable cushion and the inflator, the housing having a first dimension in a first direction and a second dimension in a second direction, the housing having an opening communicating with the receiving volume with a first width corresponding to the first dimension and a second width corresponding to the second dimension wherein the first width is substantially smaller than the first dimension, the opening remaining substantially a predetermined size during inflatable cushion deployment, the first width allowing the housing to be installed proximate the instrument panel such that the first wall is disposed closer to the windshield than the second wall, the second wall being disposed at a predetermined location away from the windshield, the predetermined location being closer to the windshield than a forward most location of a substantially spherical area having a radius of at least 82 millimeters, the forward most location of the substantially spherical area being defined by a position where a portion of the spherical area makes contact with the windshield at one point and another portion of the spherical area makes contact with the instrument panel at another point.

An air bag module for use in a vehicle interior having an instrument panel, a windshield proximate the instrument panel and a deployment door positioned in the instrument panel, the air bag module comprising:na housing including first and second side walls and a bottom wall disposed therebetween, the first and second side walls and the bottom wall define a receiving volume configured to receive the inflatable cushion and the inflator, the housing having a first dimension in a first direction and a second dimension in a second direction, the housing having an opening communicating with the receiving volume with a first width corresponding to the first dimension and a second width corresponding to the second dimension, wherein the first width is substantially smaller than the first dimension, the opening having a periphery smaller than a periphery of the deployment door, the opening maintaining substantially the first width during inflatable cushion deployment, the first width allowing the housing to be installed proximate the instrument panel such that the first wall is disposed closer to the windshield than the second wall, the second wall being disposed at a predetermined location away from the windshield of the vehicle, the predetermined location being closer to the windshield than a forward most location of a substantially spherical area having a radius of at least 82 millimeters, the forward most location of the substantially spherical area being defined by a position where a portion of the spherical area makes contact with the windshield at one point and another portion of the spherical area makes contact with the instrument panel at another point.

An elongated housing for use in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a windshield proximate the instrument panel, comprising:na first wall; a second wall; a rectangular bottom wall coupled to the first and second walls, the rectangular bottom wall having opposing first and second edges each having a first length, the bottom wall further including third and fourth opposing edges each having a second length, the first length being less than the second length; and, an opening opposite said rectangular bottom wall, the opening having a first dimension extending generally parallel to the first edge, the first dimension being substantially smaller than the first length of the first edge, the opening remaining substantially a constant size during inflatable cushion deployment, the first dimension allowing the housing to be installed proximate the instrument panel such that the first wall is disposed closer to the windshield than the second wall, the second wall being disposed at a predetermined location away from the windshield, the predetermined location being closer to the windshield than a forward most location of an arc having a radius of at least 82 millimeters, the forward most location of the arc being defined by a position where a portion of the arc makes contact with the windshield at one point and another portion of the arc makes contact with the instrument panel at another point.

An elongated housing for use in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a windshield proximate the instrument panel, comprising:na first wall; a second wall; and, a rectangular bottom wall coupled to the first and second walls, the bottom wall having opposing first and second edges, the first wall extending from the first edge at an acute angle with respect to the bottom wall, the second wall extending from the second edge at an acute angle with respect to the bottom wall generally toward the first wall, adjacent ends of the first and second walls defining an opening opposite the bottom wall, the width of the opening being substantially smaller than the distance from the first and second edges, wherein the width of the opening remains substantially a predetermined width during inflatable cushion deployment, the width of the opening allowing the housing to be installed proximate the instrument panel such that the first wall is disposed closer to the windshield than the second wall, the second wall being disposed at a predetermined location away from the windshield, the predetermined location being closer to the windshield than a forward most location of a substantially spherical area having a radius of at least 82 millimeters, the forward most location of the substantially spherical area being defined by a position where a portion of the spherical area makes contact with the windshield at one point and another portion of the spherical area makes contact with the instrument panel at another point.

An elongated housing for use in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a windshield proximate the instrument panel, the elongated housing comprising:na first wall; a second wall; and, a rectangular bottom wall coupled to the first and second walls, the bottom wall having opposing first and second edges and being configured to hold at least a portion of both an inflatable cushion and an inflator, the first wall extending from the first edge at an acute angle with respect to the bottom wall, the second wall extending from the second edge at an acute angle with respect to the bottom wall generally toward the first wall, adjacent ends of the first and second walls defining an opening opposite the bottom wall, the width of the opening being substantially smaller than the distance from the first and second edges, wherein the width of the opening remains substantially a predetermined width during inflatable cushion deployment.