SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG ASSEMBLY

• US 20110187086A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Damman, Alex S., Fulmer, Brian, DeAguiar, Rebecca Ann
• Granted Patent: US 8,708,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a side curtain airbag assembly for protecting an occupant of a vehicle is provided. The side curtain airbag assembly comprises an inflatable cushion configured to be installed between a roof rail and an upper vehicle trim of the vehicle. The inflatable cushion is deployable from an uninflated state to an inflated state by gas from a gas generator. The inflatable cushion includes a side protection panel having an upper perimeter portion and one or more sub chambers. The sub chambers inflate downward from the upper perimeter portion. An upward deploying chamber is in fluid communication with the side protection panel and inflates upward between the roof rail and the upper vehicle trim.

Claims

1. A side curtain airbag assembly for protecting an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof rail covered by an upper vehicle trim, the side curtain airbag assembly comprising:

an inflatable cushion configured to be installed between the roof rail and the upper vehicle trim and to be deployed from an uninflated state to an inflated state by gas produced from a gas generator, the inflatable cushion including;

a side protection panel having an upper perimeter portion and one or more sub chambers which receive the gas when the inflatable cushion is deployed, the one or more sub chambers inflating downward from the upper perimeter portion;

a plurality of attachment features disposed adjacent to the upper perimeter portion for attaching the inflatable cushion along the roof rail; and

an upward deploying chamber in fluid communication with the side protection panel to receive the gas when the inflatable cushion is deployed, the upward deploying chamber inflating upward from a section of the upper perimeter portion that is positioned below the attachment features to inflate above the attachment features between the roof rail and the upper vehicle trim.

2. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 1 wherein the inflatable cushion is configured to be attached along the roof rail extending between a forward position and a rearward position of the vehicle, the upward deploying chamber being connected to the section of the upper perimeter portion that is proximate to the rearward position.

3. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 2 wherein the upward deploying chamber inflates to a position corresponding laterally to the head of the occupant when the occupant is positioned in a rear seat of the vehicle.

4. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 1 wherein the inflatable cushion has a gas flow duct formed therein for directing flow of the gas, the gas flow duct being adjacent to the upper perimeter portion and proximate to the upward deploying chamber facilitating inflation of the upward deploying chamber.

5. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 4 wherein the inflatable cushion has an inlet for receiving the gas generator and the gas flow duct is in fluid communication with the inlet, the gas generator also being proximate the upward deploying chamber further facilitating inflation of the upward deploying chamber.

6. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 1 wherein the upward deploying chamber is positioned in the inflated state to provide lateral protection to the head of the occupant.

7. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 1 wherein the inflatable cushion has a plurality of tabs that are spaced apart from each other and that extend upwardly from the upper perimeter portion, each of the tabs having an aperture formed therethrough, the apertures defining the attachment features.

8. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 1 wherein the inflatable cushion has an inboard side and an outboard side that is opposite the inboard side, the inboard side is positioned toward the occupant of the vehicle when the inflatable cushion is in the inflated state, and wherein the inflatable cushion in the uninflated state has a rolled portion and a folded portion that extends from the rolled portion, a lower section of the side protection panel that is opposite the upper perimeter portion is rolled in a direction towards the outboard side to form the rolled portion, and the folded portion is formed by folding at least the upper perimeter portion back over the rolled portion toward the inboard side of the inflatable cushion.

9. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 8 wherein the upward deploying chamber in the uninflated state extends from the folded portion over the rolled portion toward the inboard side of the inflatable cushion.

10. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 8 wherein the upward deploying chamber in the uninflated state extends from the folded portion and is folded back toward the inboard side of the inflatable cushion interposed between the folded portion and the rolled portion.

11. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 8 wherein the inflatable cushion in the uninflated state is covered by a wrapper, the wrapper being pre-weakened to facilitate releasing the inflatable cushion from the wrapper during deployment.

12. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 11 wherein the inflatable cushion has a plurality of tabs extending from the folded portion through the wrapper, the tabs having apertures formed therethrough defining the attachment features.

13. A side curtain airbag assembly for protecting an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof rail covered by an upper vehicle trim, the side curtain airbag assembly comprising:

an inflatable cushion configured to be installed between the roof rail and the upper vehicle trim and to be deployed from an uninflated state to an inflated state by gas produced from a gas generator, the inflatable cushion including;

a side protection panel having an upper perimeter portion and one or more sub chambers which receive the gas when the inflatable cushion is deployed, the one or more sub chambers inflating downward from the upper perimeter portion;

an upward deploying chamber configured to be positioned laterally to the head of the occupant and in fluid communication with the side protection panel to receive the gas when the inflatable cushion is deployed, the upward deploying chamber inflating upward from a section of the upper perimeter portion of the side protection panel between the roof rail and the upper vehicle trim to provide lateral protection to the head of the occupant; and

a plurality of tabs being spaced apart from each other and from the upward deploying chamber, the tabs extending upwardly from the upper perimeter portion and having attachment features for attaching the inflatable cushion along the roof rail.

14. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 13 wherein the inflatable cushion is configured to be attached along the roof rail extending between a forward position and a rearward position of the vehicle, the upward deploying chamber being connected to the section of the upper perimeter portion that is proximate to the rearward position.

15. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 13 wherein the inflatable cushion has a gas flow duct formed therein for directing flow of the gas, the gas flow duct being adjacent to the upper perimeter portion and proximate to the upward deploying chamber facilitating inflation of the upward deploying chamber.

16. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 15 wherein the inflatable cushion has an inlet for receiving the gas generator and the gas flow duct is in fluid communication with the inlet, the gas generator proximate the upward deploying chamber, further facilitating inflation of the upward deploying chamber.

17. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 13 wherein the inflatable cushion has an inboard side and an outboard side that is opposite the inboard side, the inboard side positioned toward the occupant of the vehicle when the inflatable cushion is in the inflated state, and wherein the inflatable cushion in the uninflated state has a rolled portion and a folded portion that extends from the rolled portion, a lower section of the side protection panel that is opposite the upper perimeter portion is rolled in a direction towards the outboard side to form the rolled portion, and the folded portion is formed by folding at least the upper perimeter portion back over the rolled portion toward the inboard side of the inflatable cushion.

18. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 17 wherein the upward deploying chamber in the uninflated state extends from the folded portion over the rolled portion toward the inboard side of the inflatable cushion.

19. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 17 wherein the upward deploying chamber in the uninflated state extends from the folded portion and is folded back toward the inboard side of the inflatable cushion interposed between the folded portion and the rolled portion.

20. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 17 wherein the inflatable cushion in the uninflated state is covered by a wrapper, the wrapper being pre-weakened to facilitate releasing the inflatable cushion from the wrapper during deployment.

21. The side curtain airbag assembly of claim 20 wherein the tabs extend from the folded portion through the wrapper for attaching the inflatable cushion along the roof rail via the attachment features.