Curtain airbag device

• US 20050167957A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kumagai, Masayoshi, Noguchi, Atsushi
• Application Number:
  US11/008,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20050167957A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• 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 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A curtain airbag device and a guide unit to allow quick deployment of the curtain airbag are provided. When an inflator is activated, a curtain airbag is deployed downward. During the deployment, the rear portion of the curtain airbag is guided by a guide rod via a link strap. The curtain airbag is provided with a first vertical chamber extending along the guide rod from the upper edge to the lower edge of the curtain airbag. An opening area A of an upper portion of the first vertical chamber is equal to or greater than an opening area B of a gas-entrance portion for a vertical chamber and a bag chamber, which are adjacent to the first vertical chamber.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag device comprising:

a curtain airbag configured to deploy downward along an inner side surface of a vehicle cabin;

a gas generator for supplying gas to the curtain airbag so as to inflate the curtain airbag; and

a guide member attached to a pillar of a vehicle and extending vertically, for guiding the curtain airbag for the downward deployment,

wherein the curtain airbag includes a vertical chamber and an adjacent chamber adjacent to the vertical chamber, the vertical chamber being inflatable so as to extend vertically along the guide member,

wherein an upper portion of the curtain airbag is provided with a flow path for transferring the gas supplied by the gas generator,

wherein an upper portion of the vertical chamber and an upper portion of said adjacent chamber communicate with one end of the flow path, and

wherein an opening area A of a first communication section between the vertical chamber and said one end of the flow path is equal to or greater than an opening area B of a second communication section between said adjacent chamber and said one end of the flow path.

2. The curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein the flow path extends along the upper portion of the curtain airbag,

wherein the upper portion of the vertical chamber is open upward to said one end of the flow path, and

wherein the upper portion of said adjacent chamber is open horizontally to said one end of the flow path.

3. The curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein said adjacent chamber comprises a plurality of adjacent chambers, the adjacent chambers receiving the gas from the flow path via the second communication section having the opening area B.

4. The curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein the curtain airbag further comprises a link strap protruding from the lower end portion of the vertical chamber, the link strap being guided by the guide member.

5. The curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein the opening area A of the first communication section is five to ten time greater than the opening area B of a second communication section.

6. A curtain airbag device comprising:

a curtain airbag configured to deploy downward along an inner side surface of a vehicle cabin;

a gas generator for supplying gas to the curtain airbag so as to inflate the curtain airbag; and

a guide member attached to a pillar of a vehicle and extending vertically, for guiding the curtain airbag for the downward deployment,

wherein the curtain airbag includes a vertical chamber and an adjacent chamber adjacent to the vertical chamber, the vertical chamber being inflatable so as to extend vertically along the guide member,

wherein an upper portion of the curtain airbag is provided with a flow path for transferring the gas supplied by the gas generator,

wherein an upper portion of the vertical chamber communicates with one end of the flow path, and

wherein a lower portion of the vertical chamber communicates with a lower portion of the adjacent chamber.

7. The curtain airbag device of claim 6, wherein the curtain airbag further comprises a link strap protruding from the lower end portion of the vertical chamber, the link strap being guided by the guide member.

8. An occupant protection device, comprising:

a curtain airbag with a vertical chamber, and a horizontal chamber;

a gas generator for supplying gas to the curtain airbag; and

a guide member attached to a pillar of a vehicle,

wherein the vertical chamber is disposed near the guide member, and

wherein an upper portion of the vertical chamber communicates with a flow path of the gas to inflate the vertical chamber while the guide member guides the vertical chamber downward.

9. The curtain airbag device of claim 8, wherein the curtain airbag further comprises a link strap protruding from a lower end portion of the vertical chamber, the link strap being guided by the guide member.