CURTAIN AIRBAG WITH OFFSET COUNTERMEASURE

• US 20160129875A1
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kalandek, Bruce A, Furtado, Roland, Stojanovski, Mike, Moniaci, Kenneth D, Massa, Joseph, Shkoukani, Mutaz, Volkmann, Matthias, Beattie, Calum, Bujaidar, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,701,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0023 Offset collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0053 Legs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0055 Pelvis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23388 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• 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 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A curtain airbag (10A-10F) for a vehicle (2) has an inflatable cushion. The cushion (10A-10F) has one or more side inflatable portions extending along one side of the interior of the vehicle (2) adjacent the interior door or doors on the one side and an inflatable frontal portion (12) projecting inwardly directionally toward the interior of the vehicle positioned in front of a seated occupant (1) and between the occupant (1) and an instrument panel or dash of the vehicle. Preferably, the inflatable frontal portion (12) is positioned between the occupant (1) and the steering wheel (4) wherein the frontal portion (12) laterally juts into the passenger compartment forming an inflatable barrier between a front pillar (60) of the vehicle (2) and the occupant (1).

Claims

1. A curtain airbag (10A-10F) for a vehicle (2) comprises:

an inflatable cushion (10A-10F), the cushion having one or more side inflatable portions extending along one side of the interior of the vehicle adjacent the interior door or doors on the one side and an inflatable frontal portion (12) projecting inwardly directionally toward the interior of the vehicle positioned in front of a seated occupant (1) and between the occupant and an instrument panel or dash of the vehicle (2).

2. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 1 wherein the inflatable frontal portion (12) is positioned between the occupant (1) and the steering wheel (4).

3. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 2 wherein the frontal portion (12) laterally juts into the passenger compartment forming an inflatable barrier between a front pillar (60) of the vehicle (2) and the occupant.

4. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 1 further comprises:

a front tether (16) anchored to a front pillar (60) and attached to the curtain airbag;

a rear tether (19) anchored to a rear pillar (50) and attached to the curtain airbag; and

wherein on deployment and inflation the front and rear tethers secure the inflated airbag along the interior side of the vehicle (2).

5. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 1 wherein the frontal portion (12) is formed as an enlarged bulge having an increased inflatable chamber projecting laterally inwardly.

6. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 4 wherein the front tether (16) is attached to the curtain airbag along a side of the cushion spaced a distance inward of the frontal portion (12).

7. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 5 wherein upon inflation of the airbag the enlarged frontal portion (12) further projects downwardly toward a seated occupant'"'"'s (1) lower torso and legs.

8. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 4 further comprises a front tether (16) affixed to the enlarged frontal portion (12) of the curtain airbag.

9. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 1 further comprises:

a frontal directing tether (40), the frontal directing tether being secured at a first end to the vehicle (2) and extending through the cushion toward the interior looping back through the cushion and extending along the cushion frontal portion (12) to a second end secure to the front pillar (60); and

wherein on deployment the curtain cushion inflates tensioning the frontal directing tether (40) to move the frontal portion (12) toward the interior of the vehicle (2) away from the door to create an inflatable cushion barrier between the occupant and the front pillar (60).

10. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 1 has a frontal directing tether (44), the frontal directing tether being secured to the vehicle (2) at a first end, at an intermediate location spaced from the front pillar (60), the frontal directing tether extending between the curtain and the vehicle (2) and then through the curtain and attached at a second end to the frontal portion (12) along an interior curtain panel;

and

wherein upon inflation the frontal directing tether is tensioned by the inflation of the cushion pulling the frontal portion (12) toward the interior to form an inflatable barrier between the occupant (1) and the front pillar (60).

11. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 1 wherein the inflatable cushion has a first panel side adjacent the door and a second panel side on an interior side of the passenger compartment, the inflatable space between the panels forming inflatable cushions, at least on being at a location between the occupant (1) and the steering wheel (4), the second panel has one or more pleats extending directionally vertically across the width of the airbag from a lower end to an upper end wherein the one or more pleats (14) being formed as a fold in the second panel shortens the length compared to the first panel causing the frontal portion (12) to bend laterally toward the interior upon inflation to form an inflatable barrier between the occupant (1) and the front pillar (60).

12. The curtain airbag (10A-10F) of claim 6 wherein the frontal portion (12) has a plurality of tethers extending from a first panel to a second spaced toward the interior of the vehicle, the first panel being longer than the second wherein upon inflation the tethers pull the frontal portion directionally toward the interior of the passenger compartment to form an inflatable barrier between an occupant (1) and the front pillar (60).