Occupant protection device of vehicle

• US 6,375,214 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Nishikaji, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US09/605,546
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.1, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.2, 280/749
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• 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 type airbag device A in which an airbag is disposed on each of left and right sides of the vehicle and is extended from a roof side rail 5 downward so as to cover an inside of each of side windows when an impact load is acted on a side of the vehicle, whereby an improvement of a vehicle occupant protection device performance and a manufacturing cost reduction are achieved by reducing an amount of seams on the airbag while securing a restraint performance for the occupant by providing a tension to the expanded airbag in the longitudinal direction. A front tether and a rear tether are provided for connecting a front lower end and a rear lower end of the airbag to a front pillar and a quarter pillar respectively. A through-hole is formed in a rear side of an expanding portion disposed on a front end of the airbag, and an end of the front tether is wound around the expanding portion from a front right side of the expanding portion, and is passed through the hole to be returned back frontward at an opposite left side of the expanding portion, and is sewn to the seams of the airbag together with being wound around on the left side of the expanding portion.

Claims

1. In an occupant protection device of a vehicle, said vehicle including a front side pillar and a rear side pillar disposed on front and rear sides of a side window of said vehicle respectively, and a roof side rail longitudinally extended to connect respective upper ends of said pillars;

said occupant protection device comprising;

an airbag folded and housed in a range from said front side pillar to said rear side pillar through said roof side rail so that said airbag is expanded to cover an inside of said side window when an impact load is acted on a side of said vehicle,

an upper edge of said airbag fixed to at least said roof side rail;

a front connecting member for connecting a front lower end of said airbag to a body of said vehicle positioned frontward of said side window;

a rear connecting member for connecting a rear lower end of said airbag to the body of said vehicle positioned rearward of said side window; and

a slack absorbing device attached to at least one of said front and rear connecting members for absorbing a slack in said connecting members in an expanded condition of said airbag;

said slack absorbing device including an expanding portion which is formed in at least one of the front and rear ends of said airbag and is expanded in the expanded condition of said airbag,

a hole formed in said airbag positioned in a central direction more than said expanding portion with laterally penetrating said airbag, and

at least one of said connecting members includes an end which is passed through said hole from either side of said expanding portion to the opposite side of said expanding portion and fixed at said opposite side of said expanding portion and wound around said opposite side of said expanding portion.

3. An occupant protection device of a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said slack absorbing device is disposed between at least one of said connecting members and a body of said vehicle.

6. An occupant protection device of a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said front and rear connecting members is housed between one of said pillars of said body and an interior member of said pillar in the housed condition of said airbag.

7. An occupant protection device of a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes:

a plurality of seats disposed longitudinally, said plurality of seats having a front seat and a rear seat positioned rearward with respect to said front seat;

a front pillar positioned forward of said front seat; and

a quarter pillar extending from a vicinity of a lateral side of said rear seat to the rear of said rear seat, wherein;

said front side pillar is said front pillar,

said rear pillar is said quarter pillar; and

said airbag is expanded to cover a side window disposed between said front pillar and said quarter pillar.

8. An occupant protection device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes:

a front pillar and a rear pillar disposed on front and rear sides of a side window of said vehicle respectively, said front and rear pillars extending substantially vertically along said front and rear edges of said side window respectively; and

a roof rail extending in the longitudinal direction of said vehicle to connect respective upper ends of said front and rear pillars, said occupant protection apparatus farther comprising;

a first expansion area of said airbag housed along at least said roof rail expanded into a compartment of said vehicle to cover said side window when an impact load is acted to a side of said vehicle; and

said rear connecting member connected between a rear end of said airbag and a body of said vehicle is positioned on a rear side of said airbag for providing a longitudinal tension to a lower portion of the airbag during the expansion of said airbag, wherein said airbag includes a second expansion area which is expanded into a compartment of said vehicle positioned rearward of an exit portion through which said first expansion area is expanded into said compartment of said vehicle.

11. An occupant protection device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said rear pillar is disposed on a side of an occupant seated on a rear seat of said vehicle;

and said second expansion area of said airbag is expanded to overlap with said rear pillar when viewed from a side of said vehicle.

2. In an occupant protection device of a vehicle, said vehicle including a front side pillar and a rear side pillar disposed on front and rear sides of a side window of said vehicle respectively, and a roof side rail longitudinally extended to connect respective upper ends of said pillars;

and said occupant protection device comprising;

an airbag which is folded and housed in the range from said front side pillar to said rear side pillar through said roof side rail so that said airbag is expanded to cover an inside of said side window when an impact load is acted on a side of said vehicle,

an upper edge of said airbag fixed to at least said roof side rail;

a front connecting member for connecting a front lower end of said airbag to a body of said vehicle positioned frontward said side window; and

a rear connecting member for connecting a rear lower end of said airbag to the body of said vehicle positioned rearward said side window; and

a slack absorbing device including

an expanding portion which is formed in at least one of the front and rear ends of said airbag and is expanded in the expanded condition of said airbag,

a hole formed in said airbag positioned in the central direction more than said expanding portion with laterally penetrating said airbag, and

at least one of said connecting members includes an end passed through said hole from either side of said expanding portion to the opposite side of said expanding portion and fixed at said opposite side of said expanding portion and wound around said opposite side of said expanding portion.

5. An occupant protection device of a vehicle in accordance with claim 2, wherein at least one of said connecting members includes an end connected to the airbag, said end being sewn to said airbag at or in the vicinity of a seam of said airbag.

9. An occupant protection device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said vehicle includes:

a front pillar and a rear pillar disposed on front and rear sides of a side window of said vehicle respectively, said front and rear pillars extending substantially vertically along said front and rear edges of said side window respectively; and

a roof rail extended in the longitudinal direction of said vehicle to connect respective upper ends of said front and rear pillars, said occupant protection apparatus comprising;

a first expansion area of said airbag housed along at least said roof rail expanded into a compartment of said vehicle to cover said side window when an impact load is acted to a side of said vehicle; and

said rear connecting member connected between a rear end of said airbag and a body of said vehicle is positioned on a rear side of said airbag for providing a longitudinal tension to a lower portion of the airbag during the expansion of said airbag, wherein said airbag includes a second expansion area which is expanded into a compartment of said vehicle positioned rearward of an exit portion through which said first expansion area is expanded into said compartment of said vehicle.

12. An occupant protection device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said rear pillar is disposed on a side of an occupant seated on a rear seat of said vehicle;

and said second expansion area of said airbag is expanded to overlap with said rear pillar when viewed from a side of said vehicle.

14. An occupant protection device in accordance with either of claim 9, wherein said second expansion area of said airbag is expanded earlier than said first expansion area.

15. An occupant protection device in accordance with either of claim 9, wherein said second expansion area of said airbag is expanded earlier than said first expansion area.

4. In an occupant protection device of a vehicle, said vehicle including a front side pillar and a rear side pillar disposed on front and rear sides of a side window of said vehicle respectively, and a roof side rail longitudinally extended to connect respective upper ends of said pillars;

said occupant protection device comprising;

an airbag folded and housed in a range from said front side pillar to said rear side pillar through said roof side rail so that said airbag is expanded to cover an inside of said side window when an impact load is acted on a side of said vehicle,

an upper edge of said airbag fixed to at least said roof side rail;

a front connecting member for connecting a front lower end of said airbag to a body of said vehicle positioned frontward of said side window;

a rear connecting member for connecting a rear lower end of said airbag to the body of said vehicle positioned rearward of said side window; and

a slack absorbing device attached to at least one of said front and rear connecting members for absorbing a slack in said connecting members in an expanded condition of said airbag;

wherein at least one of said connecting members includes a first end connected to said airbag and a second end connected to said body, said first end being disposed upward of said second end in a housed condition of said airbag; and

said slack absorbing device includes a guide member for guiding said at least one of said connecting members with said at least one of said connecting members, bending when said first end is moved downward in the expanded condition of said airbag, and

said guide member includes a bank portion for pushing said at least one of said connecting members in the inward direction with respect to a compartment of said vehicle in the expanded condition of said airbag.

10. An occupant protection device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said vehicle includes:

a front pillar and a rear pillar disposed on a front and rear sides of a side window of said vehicle respectively, said front and rear pillars being extended approximately vertically along said front and rear edges of said side window respectively; and

a roof rail extended in the longitudinal direction of said vehicle to connect respective upper ends of said front and rear pillars, said occupant protection apparatus comprising;

a first expansion area of said airbag housed along at least said roof rail expanded into a compartment of said vehicle to cover said side window when an impact load is acted to a side of said vehicle; and

said rear connecting member connected between a rear end of said airbag and a body of said vehicle is positioned on a rear side of said airbag for providing a longitudinal tension to a lower portion of the airbag during the expansion of said airbag, wherein said airbag includes a second expansion area which is expanded into a compartment of said vehicle positioned rearward of an exit portion through which said first expansion area is expanded into said compartment of said vehicle.

13. An occupant protection device in accordance with either of claim 10, wherein said rear pillar is disposed on a side of an occupant seated on a rear seat of said vehicle;

and said second expansion area of said airbag is expanded to overlap with said rear pillar when viewed from a side of said vehicle.

16. An occupant protection device in accordance with either of claim 10, wherein said second expansion area of said airbag is expanded earlier than said first expansion area.