Head protection air bag device

• US 6,820,893 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiroyuki, Tanase, Toshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US10/055,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20020096863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/735, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• 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

In a head protection air bag device, a folded air bag receives inflation gas, and when its inflating operation is completed, inflation parts of front and rear inflatable protective shielding parts as partitioned by partitioning parts generate tensions in the longitudinal direction in the front and rear inflatable protective shielding parts per se. The front and rear inflatable protective shielding parts are interconnected to each other by inflation communicating part under a plate-like portion which blocks the inflow of the inflation gas, at the lower fringe side of the air bag. The inflation communication parts are longitudinally disposed along the lower fringe side of the air bag. Therefore, the front and rear inflatable protective shielding parts are interconnected without reducing the tensions in those parts. As a result, a high tension having the longitudinal direction is generated in the entire lower fringe of the air bag.

Claims

1. A head protection air bag device having an air bag which is stored, while being folded, along an upper fringe of an opening on a cabin-inside or indoor side of a vehicle, when receiving inflation gas, said air bag developing and inflating to cover an opening,

wherein said air bag includes a gas-inflow section which inflates so as to separate a cabin-inside side wall and a cabin-outside side wall one from the other, a non gas-inflow section which rejects inflation gas and a periphery part surrounding said non gas-inflow section,

said gas-inflow section includes a plurality of inflatable protective shielding parts being disposed such that said inflatable protective shielding parts are longitudinally spaced from one another and cover said opening, and inflation communicating parts,

each of said inflatable protective shielding parts includes a plurality of inflating parts which are arranged in a longitudinal direction and are vertically expandable so as to generate a tension in the longitudinal direction,

a plate-like portion disposed between said inflatable protective shielding parts, and partitioning parts being vertically disposed and defining said inflating parts in said inflatable protective shielding parts,

said inflation communicating parts are disposed in and along a lower fringe side of said air bag under said plate-like portion,

said inflatable protective shielding parts, which are adjacently located with said plate-like portion being interposed therebetween, are communicated with each other by said inflation communicating parts, and

the lower ends of said inflating parts are closed at peripheral lower-edge sides thereof.

2. A head protection air bag device according to claim 1, wherein one of the ends of said air bag is coupled to a body of the vehicle by coupling parts extending away from said gas-inflow section and said coupling parts are coupled to the periphery part of the airbag when inflated.

3. A head protection air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said inflatable protective shielding parts, which are adjacently located with said plate-like portion being interposed therebetween, include inflow ports allowing said inflation gas to flow thereinto which are located above said plate-like portion.