Airbag for head-protecting airbag device

• US 7,080,853 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogata, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/703,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/729, 280/743.1, 280/753, 280/749
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

An airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to the present invention is normally folded and housed in an upper edge of windows including a front pillar. The airbag includes a gas admissive portion. An inflatable shielding portion of the gas admissive portion includes a plurality of protection portions, at least one of which located toward front end of the airbag acts as front protection portion, and remaining protection portions located rearward of the front protection portion act as rear protection portions. The front protection portion includes a plurality of vertical chambers juxtaposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and each of the vertical chambers is arranged vertically. The rear protection portions include a plurality of horizontal chambers juxtaposed in the vertical direction, and each of the horizontal chambers is arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An airbag for head-protecting airbag device normally folded in an upper edge of windows inside a vehicle including a front pillar sloping down forward, and deployable upon inflow of inflation gas to cover the vehicle'"'"'s inner side of the windows,

the airbag comprising:

a gas admissive portion inflatable by admitting inflation gas while separating an inner side wall and an outer side wall respectively thereof; and

a non-admissive portion admitting no inflation gas,

the gas admissive portion comprising an inflatable shielding portion for covering the vehicles s inner side of the windows upon deployment of the airbag,

the inflatable shielding portion comprising a plurality of protection portions juxtaposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle as the airbag is completely inflated,

out of the plurality of protection portions, at least one protection portion located toward a front end of the airbag acting as a front protection portion, and remaining protection portions located rearward thereof acting as at least one rear protection portion,

the front protection portion comprising a plurality of vertical chambers juxtaposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, each of the vertical chambers being arranged vertically, each of the vertical chambers having a width in the vertical direction set larger than a width in a front-rear direction, and

the at least one rear protection portion comprising a plurality of horizontal chambers juxtaposed in the vertical direction, the horizontal chambers having a rod shaped horizontal partition arranged therebetween, each of the horizontal chambers being adjacent and arranged along the front-rear direction, each of the horizontal chambers having a width in the front-rear direction set larger than a width in the vertical direction, each rod shaped horizontal partition being arranged along the front-rear direction,

wherein, upon deployment of the airbag, the front protection portion has a shrinking ratio in the front-rear direction larger than the shrinking ratio of the at least one rear protection portion in the front-rear direction.

2. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 1, the at least one rear protection portion including at least one vertical chamber, wherein the horizontal chambers are juxtaposed vertically, and wherein the at least one rear protection portion is provided at at least one of a front and rear end with the at least one vertical chamber, the at least one vertical chamber being arranged vertically and communicated with the horizontal chambers.

3. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the rearmost protection portion of the airbag covers the vehicles s inner side of a window disposed at the side of a third row seat of the vehicle upon deployment of the airbag.

4. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 1, wherein there are provided two of the at least one rear protection portion.

5. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 1, wherein there are provided four vertical chambers of the front protection portion.

6. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 5, wherein one vertical chamber of the plurality of vertical chambers of the front protection portion includes a closer at an upper end of the one vertical chamber.

7. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising a triangular panel portion projected forward from a front edge of the inflatable shielding portion.

8. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 1, wherein each of the vertical chambers of the front protection portion are communicated with an adjacent vertical chamber at least on a vertical end side.

9. The airbag for head-protecting airbag device according to claim 2, wherein each of the horizontal chambers of the at least one rear protection portion are communicated with an adjacent horizontal chamber at least on a horizontal end side via the at least one vertical chamber of the at least one rear protection portion.