Side curtain airbag

• US 20100225097A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Trovato, Sandi Marie, Steinbach, Mark Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A side airbag for use in a vehicle includes a main chamber extending along a ceiling of the vehicle and configured to restrain a head of a vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed. The main chamber includes an inboard panel and an outboard panel that are joined together. The airbag also includes a forward chamber extending from the main chamber and configured to restrain at least a portion of the vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed. The forward chamber at least partially overlaps at least one of the inboard and outboard panels of the main chamber when the airbag is stowed.

Claims

1. An airbag module for use in a vehicle to protect an occupant of the vehicle from a side impact type collision, comprising:

an inflator configured to generate gas; and

an airbag coupled to the inflator and configured to deploy upon receiving gas from the inflator, the airbag comprising;

a main chamber extending along a side of an interior roof the vehicle and configured to restrain a head of a vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed, the main chamber comprising an inboard panel and an outboard panel joined together; and

a forward chamber extending from the main chamber towards an A-pillar of the vehicle and configured to restrain at least a portion of the vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed, the forward chamber at least partially overlapping at least one of the inboard and outboard panels of the main chamber when the airbag is stowed.

2. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the forward chamber is folded when the airbag is stowed.

3. The airbag module of claim 2, wherein the forward chamber is folded over the inboard panel when the airbag is stowed.

4. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the forward chamber is at least partially tucked within the inboard and outboard panels of the main chamber when the airbag is stowed.

5. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the airbag further comprises a panel connecting the airbag to the A-pillar and wherein the forward chamber is configured to deploy inboard and overlapping with the connecting panel.

6. The airbag module of claim 5, wherein the connecting panel is connected to the airbag at the same location wherein the forward chamber overlaps with the inboard or outboard panel in a stored condition.

7. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the forward chamber is rolled over the inboard panel or within the main chamber when the airbag is stowed.

8. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the airbag is stowed with a combination of Z-folds and rolls.

9. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein during a vehicle collision the forward chamber is configured to deploy with a trajectory positioning the forward chamber between the occupant and a portion of the vehicle before the occupant can collide with the portion of the vehicle.

12. The airbag of claim 11, wherein the forward chamber is folded over the inboard panel when the airbag is stowed.

10. A side airbag for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a main chamber extending along a side of an interior roof of the vehicle and configured to restrain a head of a vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed, the main chamber comprising an inboard panel and an outboard panel joined together; and

a forward chamber extending from the main chamber towards an A-pillar of the vehicle and configured to restrain at least a portion of the vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed, the forward chamber at least partially overlapping at least one of the inboard and outboard panels of the main chamber when the airbag is stowed.

11. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the forward chamber is folded when the airbag is stowed.

13. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the forward chamber overlaps the inboard panel when the airbag is stowed.

14. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the forward chamber is rolled over the inboard panel or is at least partially rolled or tucked within the inboard and outboard panels the main chamber when the airbag is stowed.

15. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the airbag is stowed with a combination of Z-folds and rolls.

16. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the airbag is configured to be coupled to a roof rail of the vehicle.

17. A side airbag for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a main chamber extending along a side of an interior roof of the vehicle and configured to restrain a head of a vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed, the main chamber comprising an inboard panel and an outboard panel joined together; and

a chamber extending from the main chamber and configured to restrain at least a portion of the vehicle occupant when the airbag is deployed, the chamber located at the forwardmost or rearwardmost end of the airbag and, when the airbag is in a storage condition, at least partially overlapping at least one of the inboard and outboard panels of the main chamber.

18. The airbag of claim 17, wherein the chamber is folded over the inboard panel when the airbag is stowed.

19. The airbag module of claim 18, wherein the airbag further comprises a panel connecting the airbag to either the A-pillar or the C-pillar and wherein the chamber is configured to deploy inboard and overlapping with the connecting panel.

20. The airbag module of claim 19, wherein the connecting panel is connected to the airbag at the same location wherein the chamber overlaps with the inboard or outboard panel in a stored condition.