Occupant restraint system

• US 7,011,337 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2002
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Aoki, Takashi, Utsumi, Hidetoshi, Saito, Yuichi, Ochiai, Fumiharu, Saita, Naohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son T.
• Application Number:
  US10/167,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20030006590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0414 using energy absorbing ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0435 associated with the side or roof pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings
• 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

An occupant restraint system includes an airbag and an inflator. A gas supply pipe extending from the inflator is inserted into the interior of the airbag and immovably fixed in a manner in which the gas supply pipe is clamped from above and below by a pipe support formed in the airbag from a part of stitching defining a plurality of cells. The gas supply pipe can thus be fixed without employing any special fixing member, thereby reliably preventing blockage of the gas nozzle that would cause interference with smooth issuing of the gas and preventing damage to a base fabric of the airbag by the heat and pressure of the gas.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint system comprising:

an airbag for placement in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening of a vehicle body; and

an inflator that is adapted to generate a gas when the vehicle is involved in a collision, the gas inflating the airbag so that it is deployed into a curtain shape along an inner face of a side of an occupant compartment; and

a gas supply pipe for routing gas from the inflator into the interior of the airbag in the event of a collision, the gas supply pipe having a first diameter;

wherein

the airbag comprises stitching defining a plurality of separate inflatable cells and a gas communication passage,

the gas communication passage is formed from a part of said stitching so as to extend along the upper edge of the airbag, the gas communication passage having an inlet portion which receives said gas supply pipe therethrough and openings which communicate with the plurality of separate inflatable cells, and the gas communication passage having a second diameter significantly larger than said first diameter,

a pipe support is formed from a part of said stitching at a longitudinally intermediate portion of said gas communication passage spaced apart from said inlet portion of said gas communication passage, including an upper pipe support portion extending significantly downwardly from the part of the stitching forming the gas communication passage and a lower pipe support portion extending significantly upwardly from the part of the stitching forming the gas communication passage so that the gas supply pipe is clamped between the upper and lower pipe support portions,

a portion of the gas supply pipe is supported by the pipe support, and each of said cells includes an opening in communication with said gas supply pipe via the gas communication passage in said folded state of the airbag.

2. The occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein all said inflatable airbag cells are disposed below said gas supply pipe when said airbag is inflated and said pipe support is disposed at a longitudinally intermediate portion of said gas communication passage.

3. The occupant restraint system according to claim 1, further comprising a band disposed about a portion of said gas supply pipe at the inlet portion of said gas supply passage and securing the gas supply pipe to the airbag.

4. The occupant restraint system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said pipe supports disposed in a longitudinally spaced manner along said gas communication passage, and supporting longitudinally spaced portions of said gas supply pipe.

5. An occupant restraint system, comprising:

an airbag for placement in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening of a vehicle body; and

an inflator that is adapted to generate a gas when the vehicle is involved in a collision, the gas inflating the airbag so that it is deployed into a curtain shape along an inner side face of an occupant compartment; and

a gas supply pipe for routing gas from the inflator into the interior of the airbag in the event of a collision;

wherein the airbag comprises a gas communication passage and a pipe support formed from stitching on the airbag, the gas communication passage formed from a part of said stitching so as to extend along the upper edge of the airbag, the gas communication passage having a diameter significantly larger than that of the gas supply pipe and an inlet portion receiving said gas supply pipe therethrough, the pipe support being spaced apart from said inlet portion of said gas communication passage and comprising an upper pipe support portion extending downward from an upper side of the part of the stitching forming the gas communication passage and a lower pipe support portion extending upward from the part of the stitching forming the wall of the gas communication passage so as to clamp the gas supply pipe therebetween, wherein a portion of the gas supply pipe is supported by the pipe support, the airbag includes a plurality of separate inflatable cells, and each of said cells includes an opening in communication with said gas supply pipe in said folded state of the airbag.

6. The occupant restraint system according to claim 5, wherein all said airbag cells are disposed below said gas supply pipe when said airbag is inflated.

7. The occupant restraint system according to claim 5, further comprising a band disposed about a portion of said gas supply pipe at the inlet portion of said gas supply passage and securing the gas supply pipe to the airbag.

8. The occupant restraint system according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of said pipe supports disposed in a longitudinally spaced manner along said gas communication passage, and supporting longitudinally spaced portions of said gas supply pipe.