Airbag

• US 20090212537A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Slaats, Paul Maria Antonius, Boumarafi, Moe, Karlow, Jim, Wipasuramonton, Pongdet Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,235,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An airbag system for a vehicle includes an inflatable rear curtain airbag configured to deploy adjacent a rear window positioned between rear pillars in the vehicle, a housing for the rear curtain airbag, and an inflator to inflate the rear curtain airbag. The housing, rear curtain airbag, and inflator are mounted to a roof of the vehicle. The rear curtain airbag is configured to deploy to prevent ejection of an occupant out of the rear window and to prevent objects intruding through the rear window from contacting an occupant.

Claims

1. An airbag system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable rear curtain airbag configured to deploy adjacent a rear window positioned between rear pillars in the vehicle, the rear curtain airbag including a plurality of vertical inflatable chambers;

a housing for the rear curtain airbag; and

an inflator configured to provide inflation gas for inflating the rear curtain airbag,

wherein the rear curtain airbag is configured to extend between the rear pillars and covering the rear pillars and at least a majority of the rear window when fully deployed.

2. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the rear curtain airbag is configured to deploy to a position in order to prevent ejection of an occupant out of the rear window and to prevent objects that intrude through the rear window from contacting an occupant.

3. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the housing, the rear curtain airbag, and the inflator are mounted to a roof of the vehicle on a rear roof rail that extends between the rear pillars.

4. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the inflator includes an outflow opening, wherein inflation gas exits the inflator and enters the rear curtain airbag, wherein the outflow opening is positioned approximately midway between the rear pillars of the vehicle proximate a lateral center of the rear curtain airbag.

5. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the rear curtain airbag includes at least one mounting tab for attaching the rear curtain airbag to a roof of the vehicle.

6. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the airbag housing is mounted to a rear roof rail behind a roof headliner.

7. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the rear curtain airbag includes a central region comprising a plurality of vertical inflatable chambers, a first inflatable pillar lobe located on one side of the central region, and a second inflatable pillar lobe located on an opposite side of the central region, wherein the pillar lobes comprise vertically extending inflatable chambers.

8. The airbag system of claim 7 wherein the first and second pillar lobes are fluidly connected to the plurality of vertical chambers via an inflation path located at a top of the rear curtain airbag

9. An airbag system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable rear curtain airbag configured to deploy adjacent a rear window positioned between rear pillars in the vehicle, the rear curtain airbag including a plurality of vertical inflatable chambers;

a housing for the rear curtain airbag; and

an inflator configured to provide inflation gas for inflating the rear curtain airbag.

10. The airbag system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of vertical inflatable chambers are separated by internal seams that connect opposing surfaces of material forming the rear curtain airbag.

11. The airbag system of claim 9, wherein the rear curtain airbag includes an inflation path located at a top of the rear curtain airbag, wherein the inflation path is connected to each of the plurality of vertical inflatable chambers to provide inflation gases to fill the plurality of vertical inflation chambers.

12. The airbag system of claim 9, wherein the vertical inflatable chambers are arranged approximately symmetrical along the rear curtain airbag.

13. The airbag system of claim 9, wherein the rear curtain airbag includes a central region comprising the plurality of vertical inflatable chambers, a first inflatable pillar lobe located on one side of the central region, and a second inflatable pillar lobe located on an opposite side of the central region, wherein the pillar lobes comprise vertically extending inflatable chambers.

14. The airbag system of claim 13, wherein the first and second pillar lobes are fluidly connected to the plurality of vertical chambers via an inflation path located at a top of the rear curtain airbag.

15. The airbag system of claim 13, wherein the first and second pillar lobes are configured to deploy adjacent first and second rear pillars in the vehicle, respectively.

16. An airbag system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable rear curtain airbag configured to deploy adjacent a rear window positioned between rear pillars in the vehicle, wherein the rear curtain airbag includes an inflatable central region positioned between the rear pillars and first and second inflatable pillar lobes, wherein each of the first and second pillar lobes are positioned adjacent one of the rear pillars;

a housing for the rear curtain airbag; and

an inflator configured to provide inflation gas for inflating the rear curtain airbag,

wherein the housing, rear curtain airbag, and inflator are mounted to a roof of the vehicle,

wherein the rear curtain airbag is configured to bend along a substantially vertically extending first bend line dividing the central region from the first pillar lobe, and

wherein the rear curtain airbag is configured to bend along a substantially vertically extending second bend line dividing the central region from the second pillar lobe.

17. The airbag system of claim 16, wherein the first and second bend lines each include a zero depth tether.

18. The airbag system of claim 17, wherein the tether comprises a seam connecting opposing surfaces of the rear curtain airbag.

19. The airbag system of claim 16, wherein the first and second pillar lobes are configured so that when the pillar lobes are inflated, each of the pillar lobes curves around the adjacent rear pillar.

20. The airbag system of claim 16, further comprising a sail panel attached to the rear curtain airbag.

21. An airbag system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable rear curtain airbag configured to deploy adjacent a rear window positioned between rear pillars in the vehicle;

a housing for the rear curtain airbag;

an inflator configured to provide inflation gas for inflating the rear curtain airbag;

an external deployment strap connected at one end to the rear curtain airbag, wherein the deployment strap is configured to control a position of the rear curtain airbag when deployed; and

a rear tether rod fixed to one of the rear pillars in the vehicle, wherein a second end of the external deployment strap is connected to the rear tether rod and configured to slide along the rear tether rod during deployment of the rear curtain airbag.

22. The airbag system of claim 21, wherein the one end of the external deployment strap is fixed to the rear curtain airbag at a zero depth tether forming a bend line.