Tether guided inflatable sail panel

• US 20080079246A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dix, Jeffery Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A side curtain airbag to be deployed downward along an inner side surface of a passenger compartment of a vehicle can include at least one expandible chamber having an inflatable curtain portion and an inflatable sail portion extending forwardly from a foremost anchor point of the curtain portion with respect to the vehicle, and a tether attached to the expandible chamber at one end and attachable to a structural pillar of the vehicle at an opposite end for guiding a direction of expansion of the sail portion during inflation. A method for folding a side curtain airbag can include forming an expandible chamber from an inflatable curtain portion and an inflatable sail portion, positioning the sail portion to be overlying the inboard side of the curtain portion with a Z-shaped fold portion, and locating the inboard side of the chamber facing inboard when in a stowed position.

Claims

1. A side curtain airbag to be deployed downward along an inner side surface of a passenger compartment of a vehicle comprising:

at least one expandible chamber having an inflatable curtain portion and an inflatable sail portion extending forwardly from a foremost anchor point of the curtain portion with respect to the vehicle; and

a tether attached to the expandible chamber at one end and attachable to a structural pillar of the vehicle at an opposite end for guiding a direction of expansion of the sail portion during inflation.

2. The side curtain airbag of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one eyelet associated with the sail portion and operably engaged with the tether for guiding the direction of expansion of the sail portion during inflation.

3. The side curtain airbag of claim 1 further comprising:

a Z-shaped fold of the sail portion with respect to the curtain portion prior to folding the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle.

4. The side curtain airbag of claim 3 further comprising:

an accordion fold of the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle.

5. The side curtain airbag of claim 3 further comprising:

a roll fold of the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle.

6. The side curtain airbag of claim 3 further comprising:

a combination of accordion fold and roll fold of the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle.

7. The side curtain airbag of claim 1 further comprising:

an anchor at one end of the tether connected to the curtain portion of the expandible chamber.

8. A side curtain airbag comprising:

an expandible chamber having an inflatable curtain portion and an inflatable sail portion to be installed within a vehicle in a stowed condition proximate a roof rail of the vehicle, and when inflated, the chamber expands from the stowed condition to a deployed condition generally in front of an adjacent side of the vehicle, the sail portion extending forwardly from a foremost anchor point of the curtain portion with respect to the vehicle;

a Z-shaped fold of the sail portion with respect to the curtain portion prior to folding the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle; and

a tether attached to the expandible chamber at one end and attachable to a structural pillar of the vehicle at an opposite end for guiding a direction of expansion of the sail portion during inflation.

9. The side curtain airbag of claim 8 further comprising:

at least one eyelet associated with the sail portion and operably engaged with the tether for guiding the direction of expansion of the sail portion during inflation.

10. The side curtain airbag of claim 8 further comprising:

an accordion fold of the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle.

11. The side curtain airbag of claim 8 further comprising:

a roll fold of the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle.

12. The side curtain airbag of claim 8 further comprising:

a combination of accordion fold and roll fold of the curtain portion into a stowed condition for installation in the vehicle.

13. The side curtain airbag of claim 8 further comprising:

an anchor at one end of the tether connected to the curtain portion of the expandible chamber.

14. A side curtain airbag for installation in a stowed condition proximate a roof rail of a vehicle and to be inflated to a deployed condition extending downward along an inner side surface of a passenger compartment of a vehicle comprising:

an expandible chamber defined by an inboard side and an outboard side, the chamber forming an inflatable curtain portion and an inflatable sail portion, the sail portion extending forwardly from a foremost anchor point of the curtain portion with respect to a vehicle;

a Z-shaped fold portion positioning the sail portion to be overlying the inboard side of the curtain portion; and

a fold portion of the curtain and overlying sail portions locating the inboard side of the chamber facing inboard when in a stowed position.

15. The side curtain airbag of claim 14, wherein the fold portion is an accordion fold portion.

16. The side curtain airbag of claim 14, wherein the fold portion is a roll fold portion.

17. The side curtain airbag of claim 14, wherein the fold portion is a combination accordion fold portion and roll fold portion.

18. A method for folding a side curtain airbag for installation in a stowed condition proximate a roof rail of a vehicle and to be inflated to a deployed condition extending downward along an inner side surface of a passenger compartment of a vehicle comprising:

forming an expandible chamber defined by an inboard side and an outboard side, the chamber forming an inflatable curtain portion and an inflatable sail portion, the sail portion extending forwardly from a foremost anchor point of the curtain portion with respect to a vehicle;

positioning the sail portion to be overlying the inboard side of the curtain portion with a Z-shaped fold portion; and

locating the inboard side of the chamber facing inboard when in a stowed position with a fold portion of the curtain and overlying sail portions, wherein the fold portion is selected from a group consisting of an accordion fold, a roll fold, and a combination accordion and roll fold.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

attaching a tether to the expandible chamber at one end and having an opposite end attachable to a structural pillar of the vehicle for guiding a direction of expansion of the sail portion during inflation.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

threading the tether through at least one eyelet associated with the sail portion for guiding the direction of expansion of the sail portion during inflation.