Window air bag system and method of mounting the same

• US 20040130129A1
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahara, Isamu
• Granted Patent: US 7,059,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0435 associated with the side or roof pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings
• 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

In a window air bag system in which an air bag (10) designed to be inflated into the shape of a curtain in a lateral region of a passenger compartment by being supplied with gas from an inflator (22) is stored in a folded state along a pillar portion (32) and a roof side rail (31). A hollow energy-absorbing member (51, 52) is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the pillar portion (32) and the roof side rail (31) in such a manner as to be contiguous to a position where the air bag (10) is stored in a folded state between the pillar portion (32) and pillar garnish (42) for covering the pillar portion (32) and between the roof side rail (31) and a side rail garnish (41) for covering the roof side rail (31). The direction of deployment of the air bag (10) can thus be stabilized. By reducing the amount of the garnish (42, 41) protruding into the passenger compartment, spaciousness of the passenger compartment, good visibility, and considerable ease with which a passenger can get on and off the vehicle can be guaranteed.

Claims

1. A window air bag system in which an air bag (10) designed to be inflated into the shape of a curtain in a lateral region of a passenger compartment by being supplied with gas from an inflator (22) is stored in a folded state along a structural member (31, 32) of a vehicle body such as a pillar portion (32) and a roof side rail (31),

characterized in

that a hollow energy-absorbing member (51, 52) is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the structural member (31, 32) between the structural member (31, 32) and a garnish (41, 42, 43) for covering the structural member (31, 32) in such a manner as to be contiguous to a position where the air bag (10) is stored in a folded state between the structural member (31, 32) and the garnish (41, 42).

2. The window air bag system according to claim 1, characterized in

that a guide surface (51b, 52b) for guiding the air bag during deployment of the air bag (10) is formed on one lateral surface of the energy-absorbing member (51, 52).

3. The window air bag system according to claim 2, characterized in

that a portion (12) of the air bag (10) stored in a folded state in a pillar portion (32) is disposed substantially parallel to the guide surface (51b).

4. The window air bag system according to claim 2, characterized in

that the portion (12) of the air bag (10) stored in a folded state in a pillar portion (32) is disposed in such a direction as to intersect with the guide surface (S 1b).

5. The window air bag system according to claim 2, characterized in

that the portion (12) of the air bag (10) stored in a folded state in a pillar portion (32) is disposed apart from the guide surface (51b).

6. The window air bag system according to claim 2, characterized in

that the portion (12) of the air bag (10) stored in a folded state in a pillar portion (32) is disposed in contact with the guide surface (51b).

7. The window air bag system according to claim 1, characterized in

that the pillar portion is an A-pillar (32) or a C-pillar, and

that the portion (12) of the air bag (10) is made from a base cloth having no inflatable portion.

8. The window air bag system according to claim 1, characterized in

that the holow energy-absorbing member (52) is disposed on a portion (31a) of the roof side rail (31) above an upper end portion of a B-pillar garnish (43) and below the folded air bag (10), and

that the energy-absorbing member (52) is provided with a guide surface (52b) for ensuring deployment of the air bag (10) into the passenger compartment.

9. The window air bag system according to claim 8, characterized in

that the guide surface (52b) is inclined with respect to a body-side mounting surface of the energy-absorbing member (52).

10. The window air bag system according to one of the preceeding claims, characterized in

that each of the energy-absorbing members (51, 52) is a hollow member made from an extrudable metal or a hollow member made from paper and metal foil.

11. A method of mounting a window air bag system in which an air bag (10) designed to be inflated into the shape of a curtain in a lateral region of a passenger compartment by being supplied with gas from an inflator (22) is stored in a folded state along a structural member (31, 32) of a vehicle body such as a pillar portion (32) and a roof side rail (31), characterized by comprising the steps of:

fitting hollow energy-absorbing members (51, 52) along a longitudinal direction of the structural member (31, 32) of the vehicle body; and

fitting the air bag (10) to the vehicle body after the energy-absorbing members (51, 52) have been fitted to the vehicle body.