Head protecting airbag device

• US 20030178824A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogata, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 6,866,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A head protecting airbag device of the invention is provided with an airbag which expands to cover the vehicular interior sides of a window and a pillar garnish. Near the front or rear edge of an inner panel, a guide member is so arranged in the vertical direction that its vehicular interior side is covered by the edge portion of the pillar garnish. A flexible connection member, which is slidably connected to the guide member, is connected to a portion of the airbag toward the center of the window. Moreover, the connection member pushes open the edge portion of the pillar garnish toward the vehicular interior side as the connection member slides downward along the guide member when the airbag expands.

Claims

1. A head protecting airbag device comprising:

an airbag folded and housed above the upper edge of a window on the interior side of a vehicle and extending above a pillar portion adjacent to said window,

wherein said airbag is constructed to expand downward when it admits inflating gas, thereby to cover the vehicular interior sides of said window and a pillar garnish of a synthetic resin arranged on the vehicular interior side of the inner panel of said pillar portion,

wherein a guide member is vertically arranged near one longitudinal edge of said inner panel so that its vehicular interior side is covered by the edge portion of said pillar garnish,

wherein a flexible connection member slidably connected to said guide member is connected to said airbag,

wherein said connection member is connected to said airbag at a portion to the front or the rear of the front or rear edge portion of said pillar garnish toward the center of said window, and

wherein said connection member can push and open the edge portion of said pillar garnish toward the vehicular interior side as it slides downward along said guide member when said airbag expands and inflates.

2. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein a regulating member is arranged over the vehicular exterior side of said pillar garnish, thereby to regulate the protruding direction of said airbag housed over said pillar garnish toward the vehicular interior side,

wherein said guide member is arranged to the front or the rear of said regulating member, and

wherein said connection member is arranged on the side of the guide member opposite from said regulating member.

3. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said connection member is connected to said airbag near the lower edge of said airbag, and

wherein said connection member contacts said guide member when said airbag completes its inflation at a position which allows tension to be generated in the lower edge of said airbag in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

4. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said guide member is made of a band-shaped woven fabric.

5. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 4,

wherein said guide member is fixed on the body of said vehicle at its upper end together with the upper edge of said airbag which has been folded and housed,.

6. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 4,

wherein said guide member is formed integrally with said airbag so that the upper end of the guide member is connected to the upper edge of said airbag.

7. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said guide member is arranged near the edge facing said window of the inner panel of said pillar portion.