Systems, apparatuses, and methods of a button bridge installed with a curtain side airbag

• US 10,220,808 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Moberg, Joshua L., Lavoie-Mayer, John J., Scheick, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US15/332,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20180111582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2334 Expansion control features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A button bridge system can include a curtain side airbag and a button bridge attached to the curtain side airbag. The button bridge can be attached to the curtain side airbag at various portions of the curtain side airbag such that a lower portion of curtain side airbag can be folded to a predetermined fold length. The lower portion of curtain side airbag and a corresponding portion of the button bridge can be stored in a storage position such that the button bridge is pulled taut when the curtain side airbag is deployed.

Claims

1. A button bridge system, comprising:

a curtain side airbag; and

a button bridge attached to the curtain side airbag, the attachment of the button bridge to the curtain side airbag including

a first bridge sew attaching the button bridge to the curtain side airbag at a first predetermined portion of the curtain side airbag such that the curtain side airbag can be folded in a first direction such that the first bridge sew is a predetermined distance from a fold line,

a second bridge sew attaching the button bridge to a second predetermined portion of the curtain side airbag, and

a storage position such that the first bridge sew is rolled a predetermined amount in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

2. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the button bridge is attached to the curtain side airbag such that the button bridge is facing an occupant of a vehicle in which the curtain side airbag is installed.

3. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the button bridge is configured to deploy to a predetermined tautness when the curtain side airbag is deployed, the predetermined tautness being based on the predetermined distance of the first bridge sew from the fold line.

4. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the button bridge is configured to deploy with a uniform surface, the uniform surface configured to minimize rotation of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head.

5. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the first bridge sew to the fold line is adjustable, each adjustment corresponding to a predetermined tautness of the button bridge when the curtain side airbag is deployed.

6. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined portion to which the first bridge sew is attached is a lower portion of the curtain side airbag.

7. The button bridge system according to claim 6, wherein the second bridge sew is attached to the curtain side airbag at an upper portion of the curtain side airbag, the upper portion of the curtain side airbag being opposite of the lower portion of the curtain side airbag.

8. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the button bridge is attached to the curtain side airbag at a forward portion of the curtain side airbag and a rearward portion of the curtain side airbag.

9. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the first direction corresponds to folding the first predetermined portion of the curtain side airbag toward the occupant of the vehicle in which the curtain side airbag is installed.

10. The button bridge system according to claim 1, wherein the second direction corresponds to rolling the first predetermined portion of the curtain side airbag away from the occupant of the vehicle in which the curtain side airbag is installed.

11. A method of deploying a button bridge, comprising:

calculating a fold length, the fold length being a distance from a fold line to a point at which the button bridge is attached to a lower portion of a curtain side airbag;

folding a lower portion of the curtain side airbag based on the fold length;

attaching the button bridge to the curtain side airbag;

storing the curtain side airbag and the button bridge in a storage position; and

deploying the button bridge from the storage position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the button bridge is deployed to a predetermined tautness based on the fold length when the curtain side airbag is deployed.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the calculation of the fold length includes values for the year, make, and model of a vehicle in which the button bridge is installed, a button bridge material, an inflator pressure/size of the curtain side airbag, an inflation time of the curtain side airbag, and curtain chamber size.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the button bridge material is the same material as the curtain side airbag.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the button bridge is attached to the lower portion and an upper portion of the curtain side airbag.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the button bridge is attached to a forward portion and a rearward portion of the curtain side airbag.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the fold length is adjustable, each adjustment corresponding to a predetermined tautness of the button bridge when the curtain side airbag is deployed.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the button bridge is attached to the curtain side airbag such that the button bridge is facing an occupant of the vehicle in which the curtain side airbag is installed.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the lower portion of curtain side airbag is folded in a first direction, the first direction being toward an occupant of the vehicle in which the curtain side airbag is installed.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the lower portion of the curtain side airbag and corresponding portion of the button bridge reach the storage position in response to being rolled in a second direction, the second direction being away from the occupant of the vehicle in which the curtain side airbag is installed.