Head-protecting airbag

• US 20050121887A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Michio, Tanase, Toshinori
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• 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 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A head-protecting airbag of the present invention includes an airbag body having a gas admissive portion for covering side windows upon deployment, and a belt for pulling a lower part of the airbag body toward exterior of vehicle during deployment. The gas admissive portion includes an initially inflatable portion located along upper edge of the airbag body, and a protective portion located at side of an occupant'"'"'s head. The protective portion includes a main cell that inflates thickly when a temporary joint joining the inner wall and the outer wall is separated. The airbag body folded together with the belt and housed above the windows is provided, in the initially inflatable portion, with a folded and piled portion folded and piled in vertical direction, and below the folded and piled portion, with a roll-folded portion rolled toward exterior of vehicle from lower edge side. The head-protecting airbag of the present invention is developed smoothly and stably in a clearance between the side windows and occupants'"'"' heads, even if the clearance is narrow.

Claims

1. A head-protecting airbag folded and housed in upper edges of side windows and deployable downward when fed with inflation gas, the airbag comprising:

an airbag body for covering the side windows upon deployment and a belt, the airbag body including a gas admissive portion, wherein;

the gas admissive portion inflates by admitting inflation gas between a vehicle'"'"'s inner wall and a vehicle'"'"'s outer wall;

the gas admissive portion includes an initially inflatable portion located along upper edge of the airbag body and admitting inflation gas in the initial stage of inflation, and a protective portion located below the initially inflatable portion and disposed at side of an occupant'"'"'s head as the airbag is completely inflated;

the protective portion includes a main cell having a temporary joint, the temporary joint joining the inner wall and the outer wall together, and separating the inner wall and the outer wall when internal pressure of the protective portion rises along with inflation,

whereby the main cell is inflated thinly before the separation of the inner wall and outer wall by the temporary joint, and inflated thickly after the separation;

the belt is located in exterior side of the airbag body, upper end of the belt being connected to the vicinity of upper edge of the airbag body, and lower end of the belt being connected to a position below the initially inflatable portion of the airbag body, whereby the belt pulls a lower part of the airbag body toward exterior of vehicle during deployment; and

the airbag body is provided;

in at least part of the initially inflatable portion, with a folded and piled portion formed by folding and piling the inner wall and outer wall on folds together with the belt; and

, below the folded and piled portion, with a roll-folded portion rolled toward exterior of vehicle from lower edge side,

whereby the initially inflatable portion pushes out the protective portion downward when inflated with inflation gas.

2. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein:

the temporary joint includes a substantially vertical portion; and

the temporary joint separates the inner and outer walls from lower ends thereof.

3. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 2, wherein the main cell includes a gas inlet port at lower part thereof, such that the main cell admits inflation gas from lower side.

4. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein the temporary joint in the main cell adjoins the initially inflatable portion at upper end part thereof.

5. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein an entire area of the initially inflatable portion is the folded and piled portion formed by folding and piling the inner wall and outer wall on folds, and an entire area below the initially inflatable portion is the roll-folded portion rolled toward exterior of vehicle from lower edge side.

6. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 5, wherein the folded and piled portion is formed by a bellows-folding method that folds and piles overlapped inner and outer walls in vertical direction.

7. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 5, wherein the folded and piled portion is formed by folding and piling each of the inner and outer walls in vertical direction.

8. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 5, wherein the folded and piled portion is formed by folding and piling each of the inner and outer walls in exterior-interior direction of vehicle.

9. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein:

the folded and piled portion is formed by bellows-folding a part of the initially inflatable portion in vertical direction from a state in which the inner wall and outer wall are overlapped; and

a remaining portion of the initially inflatable portion below the folded and piled portion is located to encircle the roll-folded portion from exterior side to lower side.

10. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein:

the folded and piled portion is formed by bellows-folding the overlapped inner and outer walls, and the roll-folded portion is located along folding direction of the folded and piled portion; and

the airbag body is housed above side windows with the roll-folded portion located obliquely below and toward exterior of the folded and piled portion.

11. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein:

the folded and piled portion is formed by bellows-folding the overlapped inner and outer walls, and the roll-folded portion is located along folding direction of the folded and piled portion; and

the airbag body is housed above side windows with the roll-folded portion located obliquely below and toward interior of the folded and piled portion.

12. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of the belt is connected to either one longitudinal end of the airbag body, and the lower end is connected to the vicinity of longitudinal center in the lower edge of the airbag body.

13. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein:

the airbag body covers interior side of a plurality of side windows and a pillar located between the side windows; and

the upper and lower ends of the belt are located in the vicinity of the pillar.