Head-protecting airbag apparatus

• US 20060131849A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ochiai, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,673,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• 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 2021/23547 one piece weaving
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

The head-protecting airbag apparatus of the present invention includes an airbag and a guide bracket. The guide bracket includes two guide walls and a joint wall, thereby has a generally U-shaped cross section, and accommodates the folded airbag between the two guide walls. The guide bracket is located above a pillar portion while being covered by an airbag cover, and serves to guide the inflating airbag toward vehicle'"'"'s inner side and prevent the airbag from entering vehicle'"'"'s outer side of the pillar garnish. The dimension of a clearance between the two guide walls is set such that: a gap arises between the housed airbag and at least one of the guide walls, thereby the airbag is allowed to inflate in the gap in the initial stage of airbag inflation; and that the deployment direction of the airbag is controlled by the guide walls, toward vehicle'"'"'s inner side. In the head-protecting airbag apparatus of the present invention, the airbag housed in the upper periphery of windows smoothly protrudes inward of vehicle without providing any gas-leakage preventing means such as a reinforcing patch.

Claims

1. A head-protecting airbag apparatus mounted inside a vehicle in the upper periphery of windows inclusive of upper part of a pillar covered by pillar garnish at vehicle'"'"'s inner side, the airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag folded and housed in the upper periphery of windows inclusive of upper part of the pillar, the airbag deploying downward from the upper periphery of the windows to cover the inner side of the pillar and windows when fed with inflation gas;

an airbag cover for covering the folded and housed airbag, the airbag cover being pushed and opened by the airbag upon airbag inflation; and

a guide bracket located above the pillar while being covered by the airbag cover for guiding the inflating airbag toward vehicle'"'"'s inner side while preventing the airbag from entering vehicle'"'"'s outer side of the pillar garnish, wherein;

the guide bracket comprises two guide walls extending inward of vehicle while confronting each other generally in the vertical direction, and a joint wall joining the two guide walls at the outer ends of the guide walls, whereby the guide bracket has a generally U-shaped cross section;

the guide bracket accommodates the folded airbag between the two guide walls, and allows the airbag to protrude inward of vehicle from an opening provided between vehicle'"'"'s inner side ends of the two guide walls;

dimension of a clearance between the two guide walls is set so as to leave a gap between the housed airbag and at least one of the guide walls, whereby the airbag is allowed to inflate in the gap in the initial stage of airbag inflation; and

the dimension of the clearance is also set such that the deployment direction of the airbag is controlled by the guide walls, toward vehicle'"'"'s inner side.

2. The head-protecting airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the clearance between the two guide walls of the guide bracket gradually enlarges as it heads for vehicle'"'"'s inner side from the part of the joint wall.

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

the airbag comprises;

a gas admissive portion inflatable with inflation gas to separate a vehicle'"'"'s inner wall and a vehicle'"'"'s outer wall each thereof; and

a gas feed passage, as part of the gas admissive portion, the gas feed passage being disposed along the upper edge of the airbag as completely deployed, as upstream part of inflation gas flown into the gas admissive portion, and supplying the inflation gas in front and rear directions; and

the dimension of the clearance between the two guide walls of the guide bracket is set such that inner surfaces of the two guide walls and the joint wall contact the outer surface of the gas feed passage in the initial stage of airbag inflation.

4. The head-protecting airbag apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the airbag includes a protective portion for covering vehicle'"'"'s inner side of the windows, as part of the gas admissive portion, below the gas feed passage;

the gas feed passage is bellows-folded on folds extending in front-rear direction from a state where the vehicle'"'"'s inner and outer walls of the airbag are overlaid one on the other, whereby provides a bellows-folded portion;

the protective portion is roll-folded toward the vehicle'"'"'s outer wall from the lower edge thereof, whereby provides a roll-folded portion; and

the airbag is housed in the guide bracket in such a manner that the bellows-folded portion is located proximate to an intersection of the guide wall located in upper side and the joint wall while locating the roll-folded portion apart from the intersection, whereby the roll-folded portion is pushed out of the guide bracket when the bellows-folded portion in the gas feed passage unfolds.

5. The head-protecting airbag apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the airbag is housed in the guide bracket in such a manner that the airbag is placed on a top surface of the guide wall located in lower side and proximate to an intersection of the lower guide wall and the joint wall.

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

the guide bracket comprises, in the front and rear thereof, extended portions where only the joint wall and the lower guide wall extend in the front and rear directions; and

each of the extended portions comprises a mounting piece in the upper edge of the joint wall, the mounting piece being secured to the vehicle body.