REAR AIRBAG SYSTEM HAVING ADVANCED SAFETY PERFORMANCE

• US 20120049493A1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Seung Woo
• Granted Patent: US 8,336,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2078 in rear seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

A rear airbag system includes a rear-end collision sensor (10) installed on one side of a car body to sense the rear-end collision, a controller (20) outputting a control signal when an electrical signal input from the rear-end collision sensor (10) exceeds a reference value, a rear seat airbag module (100) mounted in a seat (30) and inflated to protrude upwards from the seat (30) so as to protect a rear head part of an occupant when receiving the control signal from the controller (20), and a support unit (200) sliding upwards along with the rear seat airbag module (100) when the rear seat airbag module (100) is inflated upwards out of the seat (30), supporting a rear of the rear seat airbag module (100), and protecting a head of the occupant from flying materials occurring in the event of the rear-end collision.

Claims

1. A rear airbag system having advanced safety performance comprising:

a rear-end collision sensor installed on a side of a car body to sense a rear-end collision;

a controller outputting a control signal when an electrical signal input from the rear-end collision sensor exceeds a reference value;

a seat airbag module which is mounted in a seat and an airbag cushion of the seat airbag module is inflated to protrude upwards from the seat so as to protect a rear head part of an occupant when the seat airbag module receives the control signal from the controller to activate the airbag cushion; and

a support unit connected to the airbag cushion of the seat airbag module and sliding upwards with the airbag cushion while the airbag cushion is inflated upwards out of the seat in other to support a rear portion of the airbag cushion such that a head of the occupant is protected from flying materials occurring in the event of the rear-end collision.

2. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the seat airbag module includes:

a hollow housing installed in the seat;

an inflator installed on a side of an interior surface of the housing and generating gas when the inflator receives the control signal from the controller; and

the airbag cushion which is held in the housing and inflates upwards along the interior surface of the housing out of the seat when supplied with the gas from the inflator.

3. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the inflator is disposed on a lower portion of the housing, and the airbag cushion is disposed on an upper portion of the inflator in the housing so as to cooperate with the inflator.

4. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the support unit includes:

a hollow case located in a rear side of the housing and disposed in the seat along a vertical direction thereof, wherein the case includes a guide opening; and

a plate which is slidably inserted into the case, is connected to the airbag cushion through the guide opening, wherein the plate protrudes upwards from the seat with the airbag cushion when the airbag cushion is inflated to protrude upwards from the seat, and supports a portion of the airbag cushion.

5. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the plate is coupled with a rear surface of the airbag cushion by sewing parts through the guide opening.

6. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the airbag cushion includes a recess corresponding to a head rest so as not to interfere with the head rest while the airbag cushion is inflated, and protrudes so as to be higher than the head rest.

7. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the seat includes an opening formed in an upper portion thereof and connected to an upper portion of the housing.

8. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 7, wherein a portion of the airbag cushion is mounted in the opening such that the airbag cushion is smoothly inflated through the opening.

9. The rear airbag system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the plate has a cover at an upper end thereof which closes the opening while the plate is refracted downward.