Curtain air-bag device

• US 10,434,971 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arima, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Karen
• Application Number:
  US15/523,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20170327073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 2807302, 2807432, 280749
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

A curtain airbag device capable of preventing a cushion from damaging a front pillar trim or being caught by the front pillar trim upon deployed. A cushion 102 of a curtain airbag device 100 is inflated and deployed at a side wall of a vehicle interior to restrain an occupant. The curtain airbag device 100 includes: a cushion 102 having a bag shape and inflated and deployed on the vehicle front side of a passenger seat; and a first strap 148. The first strap 148 has one end 156 attached to a front pillar 104 and the other end 162 attached on the vehicle inner side of the cushion 102 in an elongate stored form. The first strap 148 moves to the vehicle inner side and is strained by inflation and deployment of the cushion 102 pushing out a front pillar trim 184 that covers the front pillar 104 to the vehicle inner side.

Claims

1. A side curtain airbag device adapted to be stored along a front pillar of a vehicle and a roof side rail that form an upper part of a side wall of the vehicle with a front pillar trim that covers the front pillar on a vehicle inner side, and an inflator configured to supply the airbag device with a gas for inflation and deployment, comprising;

a cushion having a bag-shape and being stored as a rolled up or folded cushion in a longitudinally elongated stored form;

a first strap having a first end attached to the front pillar and a second end attached on a surface of the rolled up or folded cushion that, in the longitudinally elongated stored form, is an outside surface of the rolled up or folded cushion on a vehicle inner side;

the second end of the first strap is attached to a part of the cushion that continues to be positioned on the outside surface of the cushion on the vehicle inner side until the cushion is inflated and deployed from the stored form; and

the first strap moving to the vehicle inner side and being strained by inflation and deployment of the cushion, thereby pushing out the front pillar trim that covers the front pillar to the vehicle inner side.

2. The side curtain airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the first strap is attached to the part of the cushion in the stored form that is stored in the roof side rail, and the entire first strap from the first end to the second end is arranged at the surface of the cushion in the stored form on the vehicle inner side.

3. The side curtain airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the first strap is attached to a region of the cushion that is to be initially supplied with the gas for inflation and deployment from the inflator.

5. The side curtain airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the first strap is attached adjacent to a center pillar.

6. The side curtain airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising a second strap configured to connect a front end of the cushion in the inflated and deployed state and the front pillar, wherein the second strap provides the cushion with tension at least in a vehicle front-back direction when the cushion is inflated and deployed.

7. The side curtain airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the second strap further connected to the front pillar by a fastener.

8. The side curtain airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the second strap connected to a lower portion of the front end of the cushion.

4. A side curtain airbag device adapted to be stored along a front pillar of a vehicle and a roof side rail that form an upper part of a side wall of the vehicle with a front pillar trim that covers the front pillar on a vehicle inner side, and an inflator configured to supply the airbag device with a gas for inflation and deployment, comprising;

a cushion having a bag-shape and being stored as a rolled up or folded cushion in a longitudinally elongated stored form, the cushion having a plurality of chambers, and a duct positioned above the plurality of chambers to distribute the gas for inflation and deployment to the plurality of chambers; and

a first strap having a first end attached to the front pillar and a second end attached on a surface of the rolled up or folded cushion that, in the longitudinally elongated stored form, is an outside surface of the rolled up or folded cushion on a vehicle inner side, and the second end of the first strap is attached on the duct;

the first strap moving to the vehicle inner side and being strained by inflation and deployment of the cushion thereby pushing out the front pillar trim that covers the front pillar to the vehicle inner side.

9. A side curtain airbag device adapted to be stored along a front pillar of a vehicle and a roof side rail that form an upper part of a side wall of the vehicle with a front pillar trim that covers the front pillar on a vehicle inner side, and an inflator configured to supply the airbag device with a gas for inflation and deployment, comprising;

a cushion having a bag-shape and being stored as a rolled up or folded cushion in a longitudinally elongated stored form;

the cushion has a plurality of chambers, and a duct positioned above the plurality of chambers to distribute the gas for inflation and deployment to the plurality of chambers,

a first strap having a first end attached to the front pillar and a second end attached on a vehicle inner side to an outside surface of the rolled up or folded cushion in the longitudinally elongated stored form, and the second end of the first strap is attached above the duct; and

the first strap moving to the vehicle inner side and being strained by inflation and deployment of the cushion thereby pushing out the front pillar trim that covers the front pillar to the vehicle inner side.