Head-protection air-bag device

• US 6,361,069 B1
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Hiroshi, Saito, Etsuji, Shimazu, Katsuya, Chida, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US09/727,704
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/749, 280/801.1, 280/801.2, 280/808, 296/39.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23184 Tubular air bags connected to the vehicle at their two extremities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A head-protection air-bag device includes a head-protection air-bag body that can be mounted in a folded state along a roof side rail, and is deployed like a curtain so as to cover at least a center pillar from the inside of a vehicle compartment. A deployment-direction regulator (e.g., a projecting portion of a center-pillar garnish) that regulates the deployment direction of the head-protection air-bag body toward the inside of the vehicle compartment is provided at a position above and adjacent to an interior projection of the vehicle compartment such as a slip joint at the center pillar. Alternatively, or in addition to the deployment-direction regulator, a lower end of a portion of the air-bag body that covers the center pillar can be shaped so as not to project downward from an inflation chamber, and/or can be provided with a longitudinal inflation chamber at its lower end that inflates during an early stage of inflation and deployment to prevent that portion of the air-bag body from catching on the interior projection of the vehicle compartment.

Claims

1. A head-protection air-bag device in combination with an edge of a door opening that includes a roof side rail and a center pillar having an interior projection that projects into a vehicle compartment, comprising:

a head-protection air-bag body mountable in a folded state along the roof side rail, and deployable in the form of a curtain so as to cover at least the center pillar from an inside of the vehicle compartment; and

a deployment-direction regulator, provided on the center pillar at a position above and adjacent to the interior projection, to regulate a deployment direction of the air-bag body toward an inside of the vehicle compartment.

2. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the interior projection includes an inner surface that faces an inside of the vehicle compartment, and wherein the deployment-direction regulator has a surface that extends from a surface of the center pillar toward an upper portion of the inner surface.

3. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment-direction regulator is a projection provided integral with a pillar garnish of the center pillar and is substantially triangular in vertical cross section.

4. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment-direction regulator includes at least one rib that is substantially triangular in vertical cross section.

5. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment-direction regulator is a member separate from a pillar garnish of the center pillar, and is fixed to the pillar garnish.

6. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment-direction regulator is a projection provided integral with an assist grip and is substantially triangular in vertical cross section, the assist grip being fixedly attached to an upper portion of the center pillar.

7. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment-direction regulator is a projection provided integral with a slide plate and is substantially triangular in vertical cross section, the slide plate being mounted to an adjustable anchor that is vertically adjustable in position on the center pillar while supporting a slip joint.

8. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 7, wherein the deployment-direction regulator includes at least one rib that is substantially triangular in vertical cross section.

9. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment-direction regulator is a projection separate from the slide plate, and is fixed to the slide plate, and the projection is substantially triangular in vertical cross section, the slide plate being mounted to an adjustable anchor that is vertically adjustable in position on the center pillar while supporting a slip joint.

10. The head-protection air-bag device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment-direction regulator is provided with a plurality of ribs that form a grating structure and absorb an energy, in an inner space of the deployment-direction regulator.