Curtain airbag system

• US 20050189745A1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Hirai, Fumiyasu, Tanaka, Masami
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A curtain airbag system capable of protecting heads and the like of vehicle occupants and reliably preventing the occupants and the like from being thrown out of the vehicle when a predetermined or greater side impact is applied to the side body of the vehicle. Stretching member is provided along a curtain airbag that covers side windows so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and reach over a B pillar and a C pillar.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag system deployed to protect an occupant when a predetermined or greater side impact is applied to a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag housed at least in a roof side rail portion of the vehicle for covering at least a part of an interior side face of the vehicle when deployed to form a curtain-like inflatable body as a whole;

an inflator connected to said airbag for injecting gas into said airbag when the predetermined or greater side impact is applied to the vehicle, to thereby expand said airbag; and

a stretching member formed to extend along said airbag in a longitudinal direction of said vehicle.

2. The curtain airbag system according to claim 1, wherein:

said stretching member is provided only to a part of said airbag, which is housed in said roof side rail portion.

3. The curtain airbag system according to claim 1, wherein:

said stretching member reaches over at least two pillar portions of said vehicle at the time of deployment of said airbag.

4. The curtain airbag system according to claim 1, wherein:

a material of said stretching member is resin.

5. The curtain airbag system according to claim 1, wherein:

said stretching member is provided to a lower end portion of said airbag and extends in the longitudinal direction of said vehicle.

6. The curtain airbag system according to claim 5, wherein:

said stretching member is provided only to a part of said airbag, which is housed in said roof side rail portion.

7. The curtain airbag system according to claim 5, wherein:

said stretching member reaches over at least two pillar portions of said vehicle at the time of deployment of said airbag.

8. The curtain airbag system according to claim 6, wherein:

said stretching member is housed in between a vehicle body component constructing said roof side rail portion of said vehicle and an interior member fixed onto a surface of said vehicle body component together with said airbag so that said stretching member is positioned under said airbag; and

said stretching member presses said interior member when said airbag is deployed, to thereby detach at least a part of said interior member from said vehicle body component.

9. The curtain airbag system according to claim 5, wherein:

a material of said stretching member is resin.

10. The curtain airbag system according to claim 1, wherein:

said stretching member is provided to one side of said airbag, which faces the outside of the vehicle at the time of deployment of said airbag, so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of said vehicle.

11. The curtain airbag system according to claim 10, wherein:

plural stretching members are provided and arranged in a vertical direction of said airbag in parallel with one another when said airbag is in its deployed position.

12. The curtain airbag system according to claim 10, wherein:

said stretching member is provided only to a part of said airbag, which is housed in said roof side rail portion.

13. The curtain airbag system according to claim 10, wherein:

said stretching member reaches over at least two pillar portions of said vehicle when said airbag is in its deployed position.

14. The curtain airbag system according to claim 10, wherein:

a material of said stretching member is resin.