Head protecting airbag device

• US 6,783,152 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Totani, Chiharu, Tanase, Toshinori, Oguchi, Shinji, Sakane, Katsunobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/134,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/195 with means to tension the belt in an emergency, e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel typeelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

A passenger'"'"'s seat airbag device is mounted on a vehicle in which a rear wall portion is arranged on the rear side of a side window. The airbag is folded and housed on the upper edge side of the side window to cover the side window. The airbag is mounted on its two longitudinal ends. The rear side leading end is mounted on the rear wall portion. In the vicinity of the corner portion a guide guides the downward protrusion of the airbag and can regulate the movement of the airbag to the interior side when the airbag is extending and expanding.

Claims

1. A head protecting airbag device to be mounted on a vehicle including:

a side window positioned on the side face of the vehicle, a rear wall portion arranged on the rear side of said side window; and

a pillar portion arranged on the front side of said side window, wherein said rear wall portion is arranged to intersect said side window generally perpendicularly, and wherein said pillar portion is arranged to extend generally vertically, comprising;

an airbag folded and housed on the upper edge side of said side window on the interior side so that it can cover said side window when extending and expanding,

wherein said airbag is mounted at its two longitudinal ends on the vehicle body so as to develop a longitudinal tension when the airbag is extending and expanding,

wherein said airbag is mounted at its front side leading end on said pillar portion, and

wherein said airbag is mounted at its rear side leading end at a position of said rear wall portion spaced from said vehicle side face; and

guide means arranged near a corner portion between said rear wall portion and said vehicle side face so as to guide the downward protrusion of said airbag when the airbag is extending and expanding and to regulate the movement of said airbag at said corner portion to the interior side upon completion of the extension and expansion.

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

wherein said airbag includes at least one vertical expansion portion on the side window side when the airbag is extending and expanding for expanding vertically by admitting an inflating gas.

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

wherein said airbag upon completion of the expansion arranges said vertical expansion portion in the vicinity of and along said guide means, and

wherein said airbag is so mounted on said rear wall portion as to extend generally linearly from the vicinity of the lower end of said vertical expansion portion.

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

wherein the portion of said airbag to be arranged on the exterior side of said guide means when the airbag is extending and expanding is constructed of a non-inlet portion for admitting no inflating gas.

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

wherein said guide means is formed of a guide fixture made of a long metal member and includes a guide regulating portion extending vertically and a joint portion to be jointed to said vehicle body,

wherein said guide regulating portion can guide and regulate the movement of said airbag, and

wherein said joint portion is arranged on at least one side of the upper and lower end sides of said guide regulating portion.

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

wherein said guide means is formed of a band-shaped belt having a flexibility and includes a guide regulating portion extending vertically and joint portions to be jointed to said vehicle body,

wherein said guide regulating portion can guide and regulate the movement of said airbag, and

wherein said joint portions are arranged on the upper and lower end sides of said guide regulating portion.

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

wherein said guide means is mounted on a passenger seating seat arranged on said vehicle body.