Roof airbag for vehicle

• US 10,449,923 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Son, Yu Ji, Lee, Seok Min, Min, Byung Ho, Park, Hea Kwon, Lee, Kyu Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanaman, Frank B
• Application Number:
  US15/804,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20190016292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23192 Roof bags, i.e. protecting the occupant in a roll-over situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• 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 21/262 Elongated tubular diffusers, e.g. curtain-type

Abstract

A roof airbag for a vehicle may include an inflator at a first end portion of a front and a rear end portions of a sunroof frame configured to discharge deployment gas when activated; a reinforcement member connecting a first and a second side of the sunroof frame at a position between the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame; and an airbag cushion at the first end portion of the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame in a folded state, and configured with a first chamber configured to cover from the first end portion of the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame to a position before reaching the reinforcement member and a second chamber configured to cover from the reinforcement member to the second end portion of the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame.

Claims

1. A roof airbag apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an inflator disposed at a first end portion of one of a front end portion of a sunroof frame and a rear end portion of the sunroof frame and configured to discharge deployment gas when activated;

a reinforcement member configured to connect a first side and a second side of the sunroof frame to each other at a position between the front end portion of the sunroof frame and the rear end portion thereof;

an airbag cushion provided at the first end portion of the one of the front end portion of the sunroof frame and the rear end portion thereof in a state of being folded, configured to receive the deployment gas supplied from the inflator and deploy to cover the sunroof frame, and configured with a first chamber to cover from the first end portion of the one of the front end portion of the sunroof frame and the rear end portion thereof to a position before reaching the reinforcement member and a second chamber to cover from the reinforcement member to a second end portion of the other of the front end portion of the sunroof frame and the rear end portion thereof; and

a guide bar formed along both of the first and second sides of the sunroof frame, configured to pass through a plurality of connectors that are formed at a first side and a second side of the airbag cushion, and guiding the airbag cushion to slide along the sunroof frame when the inflator actuates,

wherein each of the plurality of connectors is provided with a coupler integrally formed at one of the first side or the second side of the airbag cushion and formed in a hook shape, and a ring, including a metal material, is coupled to the coupler and inserted into the guide bar, sliding according to the activation of the inflator.

2. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a fixed bracket separating the inflator from the airbag cushion, which is folded, by a predetermined distance in a state in which the inflator is in parallel to the airbag cushion and fixing the inflator to a vehicle body; and

a gas guider connecting between the inflator and the first chamber of the airbag cushion and supplying the deployment gas of the inflator to the first chamber.

3. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 2, wherein an external sewing line is formed at the airbag cushion separating the first chamber from the second chamber and allows communication between the first chamber and the second chamber.

4. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 3, wherein the external sewing line forms a connection path configured to allow communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, and the connection path extends within the first chamber by a predetermined length.

5. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein an inlet, which is configured to receive the deployment gas supplied from the inflator, and a ‘

U’

-shaped first guide sewing line, which is formed at a position separated from the inlet by a predetermined distance and is configured to guide the flow of the deployment gas to a first side and a second side of the first chamber and then to flow in a direction of the second end portion from the first end portion of the sunroof frame or the rear end portion of the sunroof frame, are formed at the first chamber.

6. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 5, wherein the connection path of the external sewing line is formed at a position corresponding to an intermediate position of the first guide sewing line in a width direction of the vehicle.

7. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 2, further including:

a diffuser internally disposed within the first chamber and having a first end portion connected to the gas guider and configured to receive the deployment gas supplied from the gas guider and a second end portion branching off to a first side and a second side of the first chamber and formed in a T-shape to distribute the deployment gas.

8. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 5, wherein a ‘

U’

-shaped second guide sewing line, which is formed at a position which is separated from the connection path by a predetermined distance and is configured to guide the flow of the deployment gas to a first side and a second side of the second chamber and then to flow in a direction of the second end portion from the front end portion of the sunroof frame or the rear end portion of the sunroof frame, is formed at the second chamber.

9. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 1, further including:

an anti-sagging cover having a first end portion fixed to a vehicle body and a second end portion formed in an L-shape configured to support a lower portion of the airbag cushion which is folded.

10. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a plurality of guide holders, each of which has a first end portion coupled to the sunroof frame and a second end portion at which a through-hole is formed allowing the guide bar to pass therethrough and be coupled to the plurality of guide holders,

wherein the plurality of guide holders is coupled to first and second end portions of the guide bar.

11. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 10, wherein a nut is engaged with each of the first and second end portions of the guide bar preventing the plurality of guide holders from escaping from the guide bar.