CURTAIN AIRBAG FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20120025501A1
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ward, Marcus John Scott, Grindle, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 8,459,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2334 Expansion control features

Abstract

An inflatable curtain airbag is secured along an upper edge to a body structure of the motor vehicle and deploys downwardly when inflated. Prior to deployment, the lower edge of the curtain is not tethered to the vehicle body. When nearly or fully deployed, the lower edge of the curtain engages an adjacent part of the motor vehicle so as to form a virtual tether therebetween resisting relative movement between the curtain and the adjacent part.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

an inflatable curtain secured along an upper edge to a body structure of the motor vehicle, the curtain when deployed engaging an adjacent part of the motor vehicle so as to form a virtual tether therebetween resisting relative movement between the curtain and the adjacent part.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the virtual tether is adjacent to a bottom edge of the curtain.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the virtual tether is adjacent to at least one of a front edge and a rear edge of the curtain.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the virtual tether comprises a bulbous portion of the curtain and an elongate recess formed in the adjacent part of the motor vehicle, the bulbous portion engageable with the recess.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the bulbous portion of the curtain is inflatable.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the recess comprises a lip formed along one edge to resist disengagement of the bulbous portion of the curtain from the recess.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the virtual tether comprises a bulbous end of the curtain defining a recess therein and a projecting lip formed as part of the adjacent body part, the recess engageable with the lip.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the recess is inflatable.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the virtual tether comprises a projecting lip on the curtain and a recess formed as part of the adjacent body part, the lip engageable with the recess.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the recess is an elongate recess having a second projecting lip formed along one edge to resist disengagement of the projecting lip of the curtain from the elongate recess.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the virtual tether comprises an aperture and a projecting finger formed as part of the adjacent body part, the aperture engageable with the projecting finger.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the elongate recess is omega-shaped in transverse cross-section having an entrance portion that is narrower than a main chamber portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the virtual tether comprises a first half of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to the curtain and a second half of the hook-and-loop fastener attached to the adjacent part of the motor vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adjacent part of the motor vehicle is a trim member of the motor vehicle.

15. Apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:

an inflatable curtain secured along an upper edge to a body structure of the motor vehicle for deployment in a downward direction adjacent to a side wall of the vehicle and having a first engagement feature disposed adjacent to a lower edge of the curtain; and

an interior part of the motor vehicle disposed adjacent to the lower edge of the curtain when the curtain is deployed and having a second engagement feature that matingly engages with the first engagement feature to resist relative movement between the curtain and the interior part.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first engagement feature comprises an inflatable bulbous portion of the curtain and the second engagement feature comprises an elongate recess formed in the interior part of the motor vehicle.

17. An inflatable curtain airbag securable along an upper edge to a body structure of a motor vehicle for deployment downward adjacent to an interior side wall of the vehicle comprising:

a first engagement feature disposed adjacent to a lower edge of the curtain when the curtain is deployed, the first engagement feature adapted to matingly engage with a portion of the interior side wall disposed adjacent to the lower edge of the curtain when the curtain is deployed, the engagement resisting relative movement between the curtain and the interior side wall.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first engagement feature comprises an inflatable bulbous portion of the curtain.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first engagement feature comprises a projecting lip on the curtain.