Guide member for curtain airbag

• US 6,896,288 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2003
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kumagai, Masayoshi, Tanaka, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/620,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20040012174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2, 280/730.2, 280/749, 280/801.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• 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 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A guide member for a curtain airbag that a pipe or rod shaped guide extending vertically relative to the vehicle body along a C pillar. The guide member includes, upper and lower fixing sections for fixing the upper and lower ends of the guide to the C pillar. The guide member also includes temporarily tacking sections for tacking the upper and lower fixing sections to the C pillar, when the guide member is mounted to the C pillar. The C pillar has temporarily-tacking-section insertion openings corresponding to the temporarily tacking sections. When the guide member is mounted to the C pillar, the temporarily tacking sections are inserted into the corresponding temporarily-tacking-section insertion openings for engagement, so that the guide member can be temporarily tacked to the C pillar.

Claims

1. A guide member for guiding a curtain airbag which is deployed downward along a side structure of a compartment of a vehicle, wherein the guide member extends vertically and is mounted to a pillar of the vehicle, wherein the guide member includes:

a mooring section formed by a bend or curved section of the guide member so as to prevent the ends of a deployed curtain airbag from returning upward;

an upper section extending upward from the mooring section and slanting toward the rear of the vehicle as the upper section extends upwardly; and

a vertical portion extending upward from the upper section.

2. The guide member of claim 1, further comprising a section that is configured to be temporarily connected to the vehicle prior to permanent installation of the guide member in the vehicle.

3. The guide member of claim 2, wherein the guide member is a pipe.

4. The guide member of claim 2, further comprising a section of the guide member that is configured to be permanently connected to the vehicle during installation of the guide member.

5. The guide member of claim 2, wherein the section of the guide member that is configured to be temporarily connected to the vehicle includes a projection that is configured to extend through openings in a vehicle pillar.

6. The guide member of claim 3, wherein the section of the guide member that is configured to be permanently connected to the vehicle during installation of the guide member includes openings for fasteners to pass through.

7. The guide member of claim 5, wherein the projection is hook shaped.

8. The guide member of claim 1, wherein the mooring section includes a looped section of the guide member.

9. The guide member of claim 1, wherein the mooring section includes a section of the guide member that is bent at least ninety degrees.

10. The guide member of claim 1, wherein each of an upper part and a lower part of the guide member includes a temporary tacking section for tacking the guide member to the pillar.

11. The guide member of claim 10, wherein the temporary tacking section extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide member.

12. The guide member of claim 1, further comprising a leg shaped section extending toward the pillar for separating the vertical portion of the guide member from the pillar.

13. The guide member of claim 12, wherein the leg shaped section includes a curved portion for integrally connecting to the vertical portion.

14. The guide member of claim 13, wherein the leg shaped section is connected to an upper fixing portion for permanently connecting the guide member to the vehicle.