Headrest airbag for vehicle

• US 10,556,563 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2018
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Song, Ki Dong
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M
• Application Number:
  US15/962,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20190176739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2074 in head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A headrest airbag for a vehicle is provided. The headrest airbag has an airbag cushion that is deployed forward from a headrest to surround an occupant'"'"'s head which minimizes the occupant'"'"'s head movement by holding the occupant'"'"'s head in advance thus protecting the occupant'"'"'s head against impact. Further, a rear cushion is deployed backward from the headrest, whereby both a front seat occupant and a rear seat occupant are safely protected from impact by preventing an injury caused when the rear seat occupant hits the front seat.

Claims

1. A headrest airbag for a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of airbag cushions disposed in a headrest,

wherein the airbag cushions are deployed forward from opposite sides of an occupant'"'"'s head by being supplied with gas from an inflator,

wherein the airbag cushions have front end portions that protrude to face each other when deployed, and

wherein each of the airbag cushions includes;

an outer chamber disposed at a side of the occupant'"'"'s head when deployed by being supplied with the gas from the inflator; and

an inner chamber disposed in a front end portion of the outer chamber, deployed by being supplied with the gas from the outer chamber, and disposed in front of the occupant'"'"'s head when deployed.

2. The headrest airbag of claim 1, wherein the outer chamber includes a plurality of sealing portions that extend in forward and backward directions and are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction.

3. The headrest airbag of claim 1, wherein a diaphragm is disposed between the outer chamber and the inner chamber, and the diaphragm includes at least one communication aperture.

4. The headrest airbag of claim 3, wherein the inner chamber includes a plurality of inner tethers on an inner surface thereof to limit inflation of the inner chamber by being connected to the diaphragm.

5. The headrest airbag of claim 4, wherein the plurality of inner tethers are spaced apart from each other in the forward and backward directions, and lengths of the inner tethers are gradually increased in order from a rear inner tether to a front inner tether.

6. The headrest airbag of claim 3, wherein a vent aperture is disposed at a front end portion of the inner chamber and the vent aperture is configured to communicate with an outside, and the inner chamber includes a closing membrane configured to close the vent aperture, and a pulling tether having a first end thereof connected to the closing membrane and a second end thereof connected to the diaphragm to close the vent aperture by the closing membrane being pulled when the inner chamber is inflated.

7. The headrest airbag of claim 1, wherein each of the airbag cushions further includes:

an inner support tether having a first end thereof connected to an outer surface of the inner chamber and a second end thereof fixed to the headrest to provide a pulling force and the inner chamber is pulled toward an occupant side when the airbag cushion is inflated.

8. The headrest airbag of claim 1, wherein each of the airbag cushions further includes:

an outer support tether having a first end thereof connected to an outer surface of the outer chamber and a second end thereof fixed to the headrest to provide a pulling force and the outer chamber is pulled toward an occupant side when the airbag cushion is inflated.

9. The headrest airbag of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing disposed in the headrest, with the inflator and the airbag cushions disposed therein,

wherein the inflator is disposed in a center inside the housing, the airbag cushions are disposed at inner opposite sides of the housing, and a gas passage that extends from the inflator is connected to the airbag cushions.

10. The headrest airbag of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a guide portion that extends forward, with a front portion of the guide portion being open.

11. The headrest airbag of claim 9, further comprising:

a rear cushion disposed at a rear end portion of the housing, configured to communicate with the gas passage to be supplied with the gas from the inflator, and configured to be deployed backward from the headrest.

12. The headrest airbag of claim 11, wherein at least one fixed tether is disposed in the rear cushion and the at least one fixed tether has a first end connected to an inner surface of the rear cushion and a second end connected to the rear end portion of the housing to limit inflation of the rear cushion.

13. The headrest airbag of claim 11, wherein an-aperture is disposed at each of opposite ends of the rear cushion and the aperture is configured to communicate with an outside to discharge the gas therethrough.

14. The headrest airbag of claim 11, wherein the gas passage has a first portion that extends toward the airbag cushions and is formed to be wide and a second portion that extends toward the rear cushion and is formed to be narrower than the first portion.