Occupant restraint device

• US 6,293,581 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kanda, Minoru, Aoki, Takashi, Ochiai, Fumiharu, Saita, Naohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/541,689
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag of an inflatable curtain device includes a first cell group and a second cell group whose internal spaces are independent from each other. A high-pressure gas discharged from opposite ends of a common inflater disposed between both of the first and second cell groups and is supplied to a high-pressure gas supply port in the first cell group and a high-pressure gas supply port in the second cell group. The first and second cell groups can be expanded simultaneously by the common inflater, whereby the entire air bag can be deployed promptly, but also even when one of the first and second cell groups and is damaged, the deployment of the other cell group can be achieved without hindrance.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle, comprising:

an air bag, disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle, further comprising;

a first cell group having a plurality of cells capable of expanding when filled with gas;

a second cell group having a plurality of cells capable of expanding when filled with gas and independent so as not to communicate with the first cell group;

a first high-pressure gas supply port connecting the first cell group to an inflator;

a second high-pressure gas supply port connecting the second cell group to the inflator; and

the inflator for supplying gas to the first cell group and the second cell group;

wherein the inflator inflates the first cell group and the second cell group and the air bag expands into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.

2. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle, comprising:

an air bag, disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle, further comprising;

a cell group having a plurality of cells which are capable of expanding when filled with gas and capable of communicating with each other;

a first high-pressure gas supply port connecting a front end of the cell group to a first inflator;

a second high-pressure gas supply port connecting a rear end of the cell group to a second inflator;

the first inflator for supplying gas to the front end of the cell group; and

the second inflator for supplying gas to the rear end of the cell group;

wherein the first inflator and the second inflator inflate the front end of the cell group and the rear end of the cell group, respectively, and the air bag expands into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.

3. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle comprising:

an air bag, disposed in a folded state in an air bag holder secured along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle;

the air bag holder further comprising;

a body portion longitudinally extending along the upper edge of the door opening and divided into a plurality of sections in a direction of length of the folded air bag;

support arms integrally formed and hingedly connected along the length of the body portion for supporting the folded air bag;

an inflator for supplying gas to the air bag;

wherein the air bag and the air bag holder are secured together by common means and the inflator inflates the air bag and the air bag expands into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.

4. The occupant restraint device of claim 3 wherein the body portion of the air bag holder is a hollow collapsible member.

5. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle having at least a front pillar, comprising:

an air bag disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle having a front end disposed between the front pillar and a front pillar garnish;

the front pillar garnish covering the front pillar, the front pillar garnish further comprising;

a plurality of energy absorbing members disposed on an inner surface and having a smooth surface on a portion facing the air bag;

a passage provided between the front pillar and the plurality of energy absorbing members for assisting in the deployment of the air bag;

an inflator for supplying gas to the air bag;

wherein the inflator inflates the air bag and the air bag expands through the passage into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.

6. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle, comprising:

an air bag, disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle, further comprising;

a plurality of high-pressure gas supply ports connecting the air bag to an inflator;

the inflator for supplying gas to the air bag; and

an inflator case for supporting the inflator having a plurality of high-pressure gas ejecting ports corresponding to the plurality of high-pressure gas supply ports in the air bag;

wherein the inflator inflates the air bag and the air bag expands into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.

7. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle, comprising:

an air bag, disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle, further comprising;

a cell group having a plurality of cells which are capable of expanding when filled with gas and capable of communicating with each other;

a high-pressure gas supply passage provided along a base of each of the plurality of cells for connecting the plurality of cells to an inflator;

a plurality of through-bores connecting the high-pressure gas supply passage to each of the plurality of cells, wherein the plurality of through-bores can be of varying diameter;

the inflator for supplying gas to the air bag;

wherein the inflator inflates the air bag and the air bag expands through the passage into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.

8. An occupant restraint device according to claim 7, wherein the opening area of the through-bore corresponding to the cell adjacent a vehicle body pillar is set larger than those of the through-bores corresponding to the other cells.

9. An occupant restraint device according to claim 7, wherein said through-bores are defined in a pipe member which is accommodated within said air bag to define said high-pressure gas supply passage.

10. An occupant restraint device according to claim 7, wherein said high-pressure gas supply passage is defined by fastening ground fabrics of said air bag to each other.

11. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle, comprising:

an air bag, disposed in a folded state secured along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle, said air bag is folded with a tip end superimposed on its surface on the side of the vehicle compartment followed by a fold made in a vertical and zigzag manner; and

an inflator for supplying gas to the air bag;

wherein the inflator inflates the air bag and the air bag expands into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.

12. An occupant restraint device for an interior of a vehicle, comprising:

an air bag, disposed in a folded state secured along an upper edge of a door opening in the vehicle, said air bag is folded in a vertically zigzag manner and then folded double in a widthwise manner so that a tip is covered by the air bag; and

an inflator for supplying gas to the air bag;

wherein the inflator inflates the air bag and the air bag expands into a curtain shape along the inner surface of the interior of the vehicle when the occupant restraint device is activated.