Occupant restraint apparatus
First Claim
1. An occupant restraint apparatus installed on a vehicle having a window defined between first and second pillar portions, comprising:
- an airbag provided with a plurality of cells and folded to be housed on an upper part of the window, said airbag being inflatable downward to cover an interior side of the window by introducing an inflating gas thereinto;
a guide rail extending along the first pillar portion;
a guide block engaged with the guide rail to be guided downward;
a stopper mechanism by which the guide block is engaged with the guide rail so as to allow a downward movement of the guide block and to restrict an upward movement thereof; and
a hauling device provided in a vicinity of a peripheral part of the window so as to be connected to a flexible end portion connecting material which is extended from the airbag;
wherein a portion on a lower edge of the airbag, which is disposed in a vicinity of the first pillar portion when the airbag is deployed, is connected to the guide block through a block connecting material, an end portion in the lower edge of the airbag, which is disposed in a vicinity of a lower portion of the second pillar portion when the airbag is deployed, is connected to the end portion connecting material;
wherein, the guide block is moved downward so that the block connecting material moves downward and the hauling device is activated to haul the end portion connecting material, when the airbag is deployed, whereby a tension is generated along a longitudinal direction in the lower edge of the airbag between connection portions connected to the block connecting material and the end portion connecting material, respectively when the airbag has been fully inflated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An occupant restraint apparatus includes a head protecting airbag which is housed on an upper part of windows. In the airbag, a front end portion of a lower edge thereof is connected to a pretensioner situated in the vicinity of a lower portion of a pillar portion, via a connecting material, and a rear end portion on the lower edge is connected to a guide block, which engages with a guide rail of a pillar portion, via a connecting material. When the airbag is deployed, a tension is generated in the lower edge of the airbag between the connecting materials by moving the block downward and by hauling by the pretensioner.
22 Citations
4 Claims
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1. An occupant restraint apparatus installed on a vehicle having a window defined between first and second pillar portions, comprising:
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an airbag provided with a plurality of cells and folded to be housed on an upper part of the window, said airbag being inflatable downward to cover an interior side of the window by introducing an inflating gas thereinto;
a guide rail extending along the first pillar portion;
a guide block engaged with the guide rail to be guided downward;
a stopper mechanism by which the guide block is engaged with the guide rail so as to allow a downward movement of the guide block and to restrict an upward movement thereof; and
a hauling device provided in a vicinity of a peripheral part of the window so as to be connected to a flexible end portion connecting material which is extended from the airbag;
wherein a portion on a lower edge of the airbag, which is disposed in a vicinity of the first pillar portion when the airbag is deployed, is connected to the guide block through a block connecting material, an end portion in the lower edge of the airbag, which is disposed in a vicinity of a lower portion of the second pillar portion when the airbag is deployed, is connected to the end portion connecting material;
wherein, the guide block is moved downward so that the block connecting material moves downward and the hauling device is activated to haul the end portion connecting material, when the airbag is deployed, whereby a tension is generated along a longitudinal direction in the lower edge of the airbag between connection portions connected to the block connecting material and the end portion connecting material, respectively when the airbag has been fully inflated. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An occupant restraint apparatus installed on a vehicle having a window defined by at least one pillar portion, comprising:
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an airbag provided with a plurality of cells juxtaposed in a longitudinal direction of the airbag and folded to be housed on an upper part of the window, said airbag being inflatable downward to cover an interior side of the window by introducing an inflating gas thereinto so that the cells are inflated y narrowing in the longitudinal direction, wherein a stationary end portion of a lower edge of the airbag is attached to a vicinity of an end portion on a lower part of the window, and a movable end portion of the lower edge of the airbag is provided on the pillar portion on the peripheral part of the window; and
the hauling device including;
a screw rod and a guide rod extending around an area defined from a vicinity of an upper part of the window to a vicinity of a lower part of the window such that axial directions thereof become substantially in parallel with each other, a movable piece having a threaded hole which is fittingly screwed on the screw rod and a guide hole through which the guide rod is passed and connected to the movable end portion of the airbag, and a drive source for rotationally driving the screw rod, whereby when the screw rod is rotationally driven, the movable end portion of the airbag which is housed on the upper part of the window is lowered together with the movable piece so as to generate a tension which is exerted on the lower edge of the airbag between the stationary side and movable end portions along a longitudinal direction of the airbag, when an internal pressure of the airbag is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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Specification