HEAD-PROTECTING AIRBAG APPARATUS

• US 20120032426A1
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Motoyuki, Sato, Jun, Mizuno, Yushio, Ochiai, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,414,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• 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 21/2334 Expansion control features

Abstract

A head-protecting airbag apparatus mountable on a vehicle having a window is disclosed. The airbag apparatus includes an airbag adapted to be secured to a member of a vehicle body structure by an upper edge thereof in an upper edge of the window and housed in the upper edge of the window in a folded-up configuration. The airbag includes an inflatable shielding section that covers an inboard side of the window at full airbag deployment, a supporting inflatable region that is in gas communication with the shielding section and deployable between an outboard side of a vicinity of an upper end of the shielding section and the member of the vehicle body structure in an upper area of the window, and delaying means that delays inflation of the supporting inflatable region relative to the shielding section. The supporting inflatable region inflates after the shielding section does between the shielding section and the member of the vehicle body structure, and supports the outboard side of the vicinity of the upper end of the shielding section.

Claims

1. A head-protecting airbag apparatus mountable on a vehicle having a window, the airbag apparatus comprising an airbag adapted to be housed in an upper edge of the window in a folded-up configuration and deployable downward for covering an inboard side of the window when fed with an inflation gas, the airbag including:

an inflatable shielding section that is adapted to be secured to a member of a vehicle body structure by an upper edge thereof in the upper edge of the window and covers the window at full airbag deployment;

a supporting inflatable region that is in gas communication with the shielding section and deployable between an outboard side of a vicinity of an upper end of the shielding section and the member of the vehicle body structure in at least an upper area of the window, the supporting inflatable region inflating after the shielding section does and supporting the outboard side of the vicinity of the upper end of the shielding section; and

delaying means that delays inflation of the supporting inflatable region relative to the shielding section.

2. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the airbag further includes a communication channel that is generally tubular in shape and makes the supporting inflatable region communicate with the shielding section; and

the delaying means is located in an area of the communication channel.

3. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

in the airbag in a flattened and developed state before assembling into the airbag apparatus, the supporting inflatable region adjoins the shielding section having the communication channel interposed there between and the supporting inflatable region is folded over the outboard side of the shielding section on a crease that cuts across the communication channel; and

the delaying means is comprised of a turn-round region that is formed on the communication channel by said folding of the supporting inflatable region over the shielding section.

4. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the shielding section includes;

a protection region that is located proximate a lower end of the shielding section at full deployment; and

a gas feed channel that extends generally along a front and rear direction proximate an upper end of the shielding section at full deployment over a generally entire area in a front and rear direction of the shielding section for feeding an inflation gas to the protection region; and

in the airbag in a flattened and developed state before assembling into the airbag apparatus, the communication channel protrudes upward from the upper edge of the shielding section above the gas feed channel.

5. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein the shielding section includes, in an area thereof overlapping with the supporting inflatable region, a communicating area that makes the gas feed channel communicate with the protection region in a vertical direction.

6. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 3 wherein the airbag further includes means for preventing the supporting inflatable region from slipping upward at airbag deployment.

7. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the airbag further includes a plurality of mounting portions that are arranged along a front and rear direction on the upper edge of the shielding section for mounting the upper edge of the shielding section on the member of the vehicle body structure;

the supporting inflatable region is so elongate in a front and direction as to stride over at least one of the mounting portions; and

the mounting portion stridden by the supporting inflatable region acts as the means for preventing.

8. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 4 wherein the communication channel narrows toward the supporting inflatable region and the turn-round region is located in an intermediate position in a length direction of the communication channel.

9. The head-protecting airbag apparatus of claim 3 wherein the supporting inflatable region is prepared separate from the shielding section.