Vehicle airbag apparatus

• US 10,442,387 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: Yamane, Kazuya, Kamibayashi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US15/872,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20180272974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01286 Electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23388 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle airbag apparatus includes a curtain airbag, a collision direction detector, a deployment inhibitor, and an airbag controller. The curtain airbag is deployable in an interior of a vehicle from an upper portion on a side of the vehicle so as to cover a side window of the vehicle. The collision direction detector detects a collision direction of a collision object and the vehicle. The deployment inhibitor partially suppresses deployment of the curtain airbag. In response to the collision direction detector detecting a substantially forward collision of the vehicle, the airbag controller deploys the curtain airbag in such a manner as to activate the deployment inhibitor to suppress deployment of the curtain airbag over an area interfering with an extending portion of a seat belt being worn by an occupant.

Claims

1. A vehicle airbag apparatus comprising:

a curtain airbag deployable in an interior of a vehicle from an upper portion on a side of the vehicle so as to cover a side window of the vehicle;

a collision direction detector configured to detect a collision direction of a collision object and the vehicle;

a deployment inhibitor configured to partially suppress deployment of the curtain airbag; and

an airbag controller configured to, in response to the collision direction detector detecting a substantially forward collision of the vehicle, deploy the curtain air bag in such a manner as to activate the deployment inhibitor to suppress deployment of the curtain airbag over an area interfering with an extending portion of a seat belt being worn by an occupant.

2. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a head-on collision airbag deployable in response to detection of a head-on collision of the vehicle, wherein

the airbag controller deploys the head-on collision airbag in response to the collision direction detector detecting the substantially forward collision of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in response to the collision direction detector detecting a substantially side collision of the vehicle, the airbag controller deploys the curtain airbag in such a manner as to disable the deployment inhibitor to cancel suppression of the deployment of the curtain airbag over the area interfering with the extending portion of the seat belt.

4. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a head-on collision airbag deployable in response to detection of a head-on collision of the vehicle, wherein

the airbag controller deploys the head-on collision airbag in response to the collision direction detector detecting the substantially forward collision of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle airbag apparatus comprising:

a curtain airbag deployable in an interior of a vehicle from an upper portion on a side of the vehicle so as to cover a side window of the vehicle;

a detector configured to detect a collision direction of a collision object and the vehicle; and

circuitry configured to

partially suppress deployment of the curtain airbag, and

in response to the detector detecting a substantially forward collision of the vehicle, deploy the curtain airbag in such a manner as to suppress deployment of the curtain airbag over an area interfering with an extending portion of a seat belt being worn by an occupant.