Head-protecting airbag

• US 20060138756A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: C/O Toyoda Gosei Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamada, Tadashi, Ochiai, Yasuo, Ikeda, Takanobu
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,602 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 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

The head-protecting airbag according to the present invention is formed by hollow-weaving method, and includes a gas admissive portion inflatable with inflation gas to separate its vehicle'"'"'s inner wall and vehicle'"'"'s outer wall, and a non-admissive portion admitting no inflation gas. The non-admissive portion includes mounting portions arranged in the upper edge of the airbag, and a marginal portion located around the gas admissive portion. The non-admissive portion partially has a two-ply structure where the hollow-woven cloth material separates into vehicle'"'"'s inner cloth part and outer cloth part from the marginal portion having a one-ply structure. At least one of the mounting portions is formed by folding back a region of the two-ply cloth part to have a four-ply structure. The head-protecting airbag of the present invention remains stably attached to the vehicle body without breakage of the mounting portions even when a strong tension force rapidly and directly acts on mounting-hole peripheries of the mounting portions upon airbag deployment.

Claims

1. A head-protecting airbag folded and housed in the upper periphery of windows inside a vehicle, the airbag deploying to cover the inner side of the windows when fed with inflation gas, wherein:

the airbag is formed by hollow-weaving method;

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 non-admissive portion admitting no inflation gas;

the non-admissive portion comprises;

mounting portions for attaching the airbag to vehicle body in the upper periphery of the windows; and

a marginal portion located around the gas admissive portion;

the mounting portions are arranged in plurality in the upper edge of the airbag as deployed, each of the mounting portions comprising a mounting hole for inserting a mounting member for attachment to the vehicle body therethrough;

the non-admissive portion partially has a two-ply structure where the hollow-woven cloth material separates into vehicle'"'"'s inner cloth part and outer cloth part from the marginal portion having a one-ply structure; and

at least one of the mounting portions is formed by folding back a region of the two-ply cloth part such that the region has a four-ply structure.

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

the mounting portion having a four-ply structure comprises a stitched-up portion in a periphery of the mounting hole and in an opposite side of the direction toward which a tension force acts upon airbag deployment; and

the stitched-up portion stitches up the four-ply cloth by sewing yarn.

3. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 2, wherein the stitched-up portion has an inverted-U shape enclosing the mounting hole from upper side and front and rear sides.

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

the airbag comprises a joint cloth prepared separately from the remaining part of the airbag and sewn to the remaining part as part of the non-admissive portion; and

the joint cloth is sewn to the remaining part of the airbag with the same sewing yarn as that for forming the stitched-up portion, at the same time as a sewing work of the stitched-up portion.

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

the two-ply cloth part comprises connecting portions dotted about the cloth part, the connecting portions connecting vehicle'"'"'s inner cloth part and outer cloth part of the two-ply cloth part together; and

each of the connecting portions is formed by weaving a warp or a weft of at least one of the inner or outer cloth part into the other cloth part.

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

the two-ply region for defining the mounting portion is provided in a lower edge thereof with a slit extending along the front-rear direction of the airbag; and

the mounting portion is formed by folding back the two-ply region on a fold extending upward from an end of the slit.