Folding method of airbag for rear-end collision and airbag device for rear-end collision

• US 20080018079A1
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hiroyuki, Mori, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,621,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• 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 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/33 Arrangements for non-electric triggering of inflation electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

Both end portions in a second direction intersecting a first direction along which an airbag is deployed are folded to a center portion in the intersecting direction (first folding). The airbag is folded so that an upper side portion and a lower side portion are close to each other (second folding). The airbag has a bellows portion which is folded in a bellows shape between a connecting portion and a spiral portion. The airbag folded like this is enhanced in housing performance for the vehicle, and increases in stability of the deployment when the airbag is inflated and deployed.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for folding an airbag that is inflated and deployed at a position rearward of a rearmost seat of a vehicle to protect an occupant seated on the rearmost seat, wherein the airbag has a supply port through which gas is supplied and is accommodated in the interior of the vehicle while being folded in a state extending along a width direction of the vehicle, the supply port being located closer to one of the end portions of the airbag with respect to a deployment direction that intersects the width direction of the vehicle, wherein the airbag includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the first surface faces the seat and the second surface is located at a side opposite from the first surface, the method comprising:

folding the airbag in a spiral form onto the second surface such that the spirally folded portion is located apart from the supply port by a predetermined distance.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein a portion of the airbag between the supply port and the spirally folded portion is folded in a bellows form or is deployed without being folded.

17. An airbag apparatus for an occupant seated in a rearmost seat of a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag that is accommodated in the interior of the vehicle while being folded in a state extending along a width direction of the vehicle, wherein the airbag has a supply port through which gas is supplied, the supply port being located closer to one of the end portions of the airbag with respect to a deployment direction that intersects the width direction of the vehicle; and

an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag through the supply port, thereby inflating and deploying the airbag, wherein the airbag includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the first surface faces the seat and the second surface is located at a side opposite from the first surface,

wherein, in the accommodated state, the airbag is folded in a spiral form onto the second surface such that the spirally folded portion is located apart from the supply port by a predetermined distance.

18. The airbag apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a portion of the airbag between the supply port and the spirally folded portion is folded in a bellows form or is deployed without being folded.

19. An airbag apparatus for an occupant seated in a rearmost seat of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a roof panel and a roof headlining covering an inner surface of the roof panel, the airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag that is accommodated in the interior of the vehicle while being folded in a state extending along a width direction of the vehicle; and

an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag, thereby inflating and deploying the airbag,

wherein, in the accommodated state, the airbag is folded in a spiral form such that the spirally folded portion extends along the width direction of the vehicle between the roof panel and the roof headlining, and wherein, as viewed in the width direction, the size of the spirally folded portion in a first direction is smaller than that in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first direction being a direction of the distance between the roof panel and the roof headlining.

20. The airbag apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the spirally folded portion is substantially flat.

21. The airbag apparatus according to claim 19, wherein an inner panel is located between the roof panel and the roof headlining, the inner panel includes a rear roof rail provided at a rear end portion of the inner panel, wherein, in the accommodated state of the airbag, the spirally folded portion is located between the roof headlining and the rear roof rail.

22. An airbag apparatus for an occupant seated in a rearmost seat of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a roof panel and a roof headlining covering an inner surface of the roof panel, the airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag that is accommodated in the interior of the vehicle while being folded in a state extending along a width direction of the vehicle; and

an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag, thereby inflating and deploying the airbag,

wherein, in the accommodated state, the airbag is folded in a spiral form such that the spirally folded portion extends along the width direction of the vehicle between the roof panel and the roof headlining, and wherein the airbag has an inflation portion capable of being inflated between the roof panel and the roof headlining.

23. The airbag apparatus according to claim 22,

wherein the airbag has a supply port through which gas is supplied, the supply port being located closer to one of the end portions of the airbag with respect to a deployment direction of the airbag, wherein, in the accommodated state of the airbag, the spirally folded portion is located apart from the supply port by a predetermined distance, and wherein a portion of the airbag between the supply port and the spirally folded portion forms the inflation portion.

24. The airbag apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the portion of the airbag between the supply port and the spirally folded portion is folded in a bellows form or is deployed without being folded.

25. The airbag apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the inflation portion is adapted to be inflated before the spirally folded portion is unfolded.

26. The airbag apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the inflation portion, when inflated, presses the roof headlining to move away from the roof panel so that an opening directed to a rear window glass of the vehicle is formed between the roof headlining and the roof panel.