Head protecting airbag device

• US 6,695,342 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakane, Katsunobu, Tanase, Toshinori, Oguchi, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son T
• Application Number:
  US10/152,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• 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 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A head protecting airbag device comprising an airbag folded and housed above the upper edge of a window inside of a vehicle and expanded while being extended to cover the inner side of the window when it admits an inflating gas. The airbag includes a body portion and an extension portion. The body portion covers the inner side of a side window positioned on the side face of the vehicle. The extension portion is arranged on at least the front end of the body portion, and extends on the inner side generally perpendicular to the side window. Moreover, the extension portion is formed into a sheet shape having flexibility such that it can be arranged in front of a passenger upon completion of the expansion of the airbag. Moreover, the body portion is fixed at its upper edge upon completion of the expansion on the body side while allowing the lower edge upon completion of the expansion to move generally perpendicular to the side window. The extension portion is fixed at its leading end removed from the body portion to the vehicle body and is housed in a roof portion over the portion of the cabin in front of the passenger such that it can protrude downward along with the body portion housed above the upper edge of the side window. In this head protecting airbag device, the body portion of the airbag can be smoothly arranged between the passenger and the side window by moving its lower edge. Moreover, the extension portion can protect the passenger moving forward.

Claims

1. A head protecting airbag device comprising an airbag folded and housed above the upper edge of a window inside of a vehicle and expanded while being extended to cover the inner side of said window when it admits an inflating gas,

wherein said airbag includes:

a body portion for covering the inner side of a side window positioned on the side face of the vehicle; and

a sheet-shaped flexible extension portion arranged on at least the front of said body portion and extending on the inner side generally perpendicular to said side window so that it can be arranged in front of a passenger when said airbag expands,

wherein said body portion fixes the upper edge upon completion of the expansion on the body side while allowing the lower edge upon completion of the expansion to move generally perpendicular to said side window, and

wherein said extension portion is fixed at its leading end, removed from said body portion, on the vehicle body and housed in a roof portion over the front side of the passenger such that it can protrude downward along with said body portion housed above the upper edge of said side window.

2. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said extension portion is formed to extend from substantially the whole vertical length of the front end of said body portion.

3. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said extension portion is formed into a mesh shape for retaining forward visibility.

4. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said body portion is constructed:

such that it is housed and covered with a door portion and extends when it admits the inflating gas pushing and thereby opens said door portion; and

such that it includes a gas inflow portion for admitting said inflating gas,

wherein said gas inflow portion includes a gas distributing passage portion extending longitudinally along the upper edge of said body portion for distributing said inflating gas inflow longitudinally of said body portion, and

wherein said body portion is fixed on said vehicle body so that it may protrude said gas distributing passage portion downward from said door portion upon completion of the expansion.

5. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said body portion includes a gas inflow portion for admitting said inflating gas, and

wherein said extension portion is housed and covered by a door portion that is opened by pushing, and includes at its upper edge an extended gas inflow portion which can open said door portion and which is extended from the gas inflow portion of said body portion, for pushing and opening said door portion when it admits said inflating gas.

6. A head protecting airbag device comprising an airbag folded and housed above the upper edge of a window inside of a vehicle and expanded while being extended to cover the inner side of said window when it admits an inflating gas,

wherein said airbag includes:

a body portion for covering the inner side of a side window positioned on the side face of the vehicle; and

a sheet-shaped flexible extension portion arranged on at least one longitudinal end of said body portion, extending on the inner side generally perpendicular to said side window, and fixing its leading end removed from said body portion on the vehicle body,

wherein said body portion is fixed at its upper edge upon completion of the expansion on the vehicle body while allowing the lower edge upon completion of the expansion to move generally perpendicular to said side window, and

wherein said body portion is constructed to have a smaller longitudinal length when it admits inflating gas than that of its extended but non-expanded state.

7. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 6,

wherein said extension portions are arranged on each of the two longitudinal ends of said body portion.

8. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 7,

wherein said vehicle is constructed to have said side window on each of the two transverse sides, and

wherein said airbag body portion is constructed to cover at least one of the transverse sides of said vehicle.

9. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 6,

wherein said vehicle is constructed to have a pillar portion extending generally vertically and to arrange said side windows in front of and to the rear of said pillar portion, and

wherein said body portion is constructed to cover said side windows and said pillar portion between them.

10. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 6,

wherein said body portion includes a gas inflow portion for admitting said inflating gas, and

wherein said gas inflow portion is constructed to have a plurality of expansion portions of vertical rod shape juxtaposed longitudinally.

11. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 6,

wherein said body portion is constructed:

such that it is housed and covered with a door portion and expands, pushing and opening said door portion, when it admits the inflating gas; and

such that it includes a gas inflow portion for admitting said inflating gas,

wherein said gas inflow portion includes a gas distributing passage portion extending longitudinally on the upper edge of said body portion for distributing said inflating gas inflow longitudinally along said body portion, and

wherein said body portion is so fixed on said vehicle body that it may protrude said gas distributing passage portion downward of said door portion upon completion of the expansion.

12. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 6,

wherein said body portion includes a gas inflow portion for admitting said inflating gas, and

wherein said extension portion is housed and covered by a door portion that is opened by pushing, and

wherein said extension portion includes at its upper edge an extended gas inflow portion which can open said door portion and which is extended from the gas inflow portion of said body portion, for pushing and opening said door portion when it admits said inflating gas.

13. A head protecting airbag device comprising an airbag folded and housed above the upper edge of a window inside of a vehicle and expanded while being extended to cover the inner side of said window when it admits an inflating gas,

wherein said airbag includes:

a body portion for covering the inner side of a side window positioned on the side face of the vehicle; and

a sheet-shaped flexible extension portion arranged on at least one longitudinal end side of said body portion, extending on the inner side generally perpendicular to said side window, and fixed at its leading end, removed from said body portion, on the vehicle body, and

wherein said body portion is fixed at its upper edge upon completion of the expansion to the vehicle body while allowing the lower edge upon completion of the expansion to move generally perpendicular to said side window,

wherein said body portion is housed, when said airbag is housed, so that it is covered with a roof head lining above the upper edge of said side window, and

wherein said extension portion is housed, when said airbag is housed, so that it is covered with said roof head lining, can protrude downward, and is connected with said body portion above the upper edge of a window adjoining said side window.

14. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 13,

wherein said extension portion is arranged on each of the two longitudinal ends of said body portion,

wherein the front extension portion of said body portion is housed above the upper edge of a front window, and

wherein the rear extension portion of said body portion is housed above the upper edge of a rear window.

15. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 13,

wherein said body portion is constructed:

such that it is housed and covered with a door portion and extends when it admits the inflating gas, pushing and opening said door portion; and

such that it includes a gas inflow portion for admitting said inflating gas,

wherein said gas inflow portion includes a gas distributing passage portion extending longitudinally on the upper edge of said body portion for distributing said inflating gas inflow longitudinally of said body portion, and

wherein said body portion is so fixed on said vehicle body that it may protrude said gas distributing passage portion downward from said door portion upon completion of the expansion.

16. A head protecting airbag device according to claim 13,

wherein said body portion includes a gas inflow portion for admitting said inflating gas, and

wherein said extension portion is housed and covered by a door portion that is opened by pushing, and includes at its upper edge an extended gas inflow portion which can open said door portion and which is extended from the gas inflow portion of said body portion, for pushing and opening said door portion when it admits said inflating gas.