Air bag in use for head protection air bag device

• US 6,616,179 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohno, Mitsuyoshi, Tanabe, Choko, Tanase, Toshinori, Urushi, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US09/916,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20020020991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/729, 280/728.1
• 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 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An air bag is stored in the upper fringe of the openings on the cabin-inside side, while being folded. The air bag includes a gas inflow part for flowing inflation gas into the air bag, and a main body that inflates when receiving the inflation gas. The main body includes front- and rear-seat inflation chambers, and a gas passage extending forwardly from the gas inflow part and allowing the inflation gas to flow from inflow ports opened in the upper parts of the front- and rear-seat inflation chambers to the front- and rear-seat inflation chambers per se. The inflow port of the rear-seat inflation chamber is opened in a direction substantially orthogonal to an axial direction of the gas passage. A front-side peripheral edge is disposed to be higher than a rear-side peripheral edge.

Claims

1. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device in which said air bag, while being folded, is stored in an upper fringe of openings on a cabin-inside side of a vehicle, said air bag comprising:

a gas inflow part for flowing inflation gas;

a gas passage extending forwardly from said gas inflow part;

a front-seat inflation chamber located at a position near a side of a front seat for receiving the inflation gas;

a rear-seat inflation chamber located at a position near a side of a rear seat for receiving the inflation gas, said front- and rear-seat inflation chambers being disposed below said gas passage through respective inflow ports formed in upper parts of said front- and rear-seat inflation chambers to allow the inflation gas to flow into said front- and rear-seat inflation chambers; and

a partitioning part dividing said gas passage from said rear-seat inflation chamber to thereby define said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber, said partitioning part comprising a beginning part and a linear part linearly slanting downwardly from said beginning part in a frontward direction and a rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is positioned at a forward end of said linear part;

wherein said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is opened in a direction substantially orthogonal to an axial direction of said gas passage, and a front-side peripheral edge of said inflow port is disposed to be higher than said rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port.

2. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said front-side peripheral edge of said inflow port is higher than said rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port by a dimension of 20 mm.

3. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 1, wherein a height dimension of said front-side peripheral edge of said inflow port from said rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port is in a range of 15 to 40% of a height dimension of said gas passage.

4. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide formed on an upper peripheral wall of said gas passage located above an inflow port of said front-seat inflation chamber such that the upper peripheral part is gradually projected downwardly in a frontward direction and wherein said guide is for deflecting the inflation gas passing through said gas passage downwardly and for directing the inflation gas toward said inflow port of said front-seat inflation chamber and wherein said inflow port of said front-seat inflation chamber is located adjacent to a center pillar.

5. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 4, wherein a projection quantity between a lower end of said guide and said upper peripheral wall of said gas passage is set at 30 mm.

6. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 4, wherein a projection quantity between a lower end of said guide and said upper peripheral wall of said gas passage is in a range of 20 to 50% of a height dimension of said gas passage.

7. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device in which said air bag, while being folded, is stored in an upper fringe of openings on a cabin-inside side of a vehicle, said air bag comprising:

a gas inflow part for flowing inflation gas;

a gas passage extending forwardly from said gas inflow part;

a front-seat inflation chamber located at a position near a side of a front seat for receiving the inflation gas; and

a rear-seat inflation chamber located at a position near a side of a rear seat for receiving the inflation gas, said front- and rear-seat inflation chambers being disposed below said gas passage through respective inflow ports formed in upper parts of said front- and rear-seat inflation chambers to allow the inflation gas to flow into said front- and rear-seat inflation chambers; and

a guide formed on an upper peripheral wall of said gas passage located above an inflow port of said front-seat inflation chamber such that the upper peripheral wall is gradually projected downwardly in a frontward direction, the guide terminating at or closely adjacent to the inflow port,

wherein said guide is for deflecting the inflation gas passing through said gas passage downwardly and for directing the inflation gas toward said inflow port of said front-seat inflation chamber and wherein said inflow port of said front-seat inflation chamber is located adjacent to a center pillar.

8. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 7, wherein a projection quantity between a lower end of said guide and said upper peripheral wall of said gas passage is set at 30 mm.

9. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 7, wherein a projection quantity between a lower end of said guide and said upper peripheral wall of said gas passage is in a range of 20 to 50% of a height dimension of said gas passage.

10. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 7, wherein said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is opened in a direction substantially orthogonal to an axial direction of said gas passage, and a front-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is disposed to be higher than a rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber.

11. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 10, wherein said front-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is higher than said rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber by a dimension of 20 mm.

12. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 10, wherein a height dimension of said front-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber from said rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is in a range of 15 to 40% of a height dimension of said gas passage.

13. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 10, further comprising a partitioning part parting said gas passage from said rear-seat inflation chamber to thereby define said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber, said partitioning part comprising a beginning part and a linear part linearly slanting downwardly from said beginning part in a frontward direction and said rear-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is positioned at a forward end of said linear part.

14. An air bag in use for a head protection air bag device according to claim 10, further comprising a partitioning part dividing said gas passage from said rear-seat inflation chamber to thereby define said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber, said partitioning part comprising a beginning part and a linear part linearly slanting downwardly from said beginning part in a rearward direction and said front-side peripheral edge of said inflow port of said rear-seat inflation chamber is positioned at a forward end of said linear part.