Head-protecting airbag

• US 7,163,233 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kino, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To; Toan C.
• Application Number:
  US10/765,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A head-protecting airbag according to the present invention is normally folded and housed in an upper edge of windows inside a vehicle, and deployable downward from the upper edge of windows upon inflow of inflation gas to cover the vehicle'"'"'s inner side of the windows. The airbag internally includes a tether joined to the vehicle'"'"'s inner side wall and the vehicle'"'"'s outer side wall for regulating the clearance between the inner side wall and the outer side wall as the airbag is completely inflated. The tether is disposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. A joint portion of the tether to the vehicle'"'"'s inner side wall is located at lower level than a joint portion of the tether to the vehicle'"'"'s outer side wall as viewed in a vertical section taken along the vehicle'"'"'s transverse direction. The head-protecting airbag of the present invention is able to expand along the windows.

Claims

1. A head-protecting airbag normally folded and housed in an upper edge of windows inside a vehicle, and deployable downward from the upper edge of windows upon inflow of inflation gas to cover the vehicle'"'"'s inner side of the windows, the airbag comprising:

an inner side wall and an outer side wall, wherein inner and outer side walls separate from each other upon inflation of the airbag; and

a tether, wherein the tether is joined to the inner side wall and the outer side wall internally of the airbag such that the tether regulates a clearance between the inner side wall and the outer side wall as the airbag is completely inflated,

a joint portion of the tether to the vehicle'"'"'s inner side wall being located at lower level than a joint portion of the tether to the vehicle'"'"'s outer side wall as viewed in a vertical section taken along the vehicle'"'"'s transverse direction, wherein in an inflatable portion of the airbag above the tether, a length of the inner side wall above the joint portion of the tether is greater than a corresponding length of the outer side wall above the joint portion of the tether.

2. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the airbag below the tether is a substantial protection area of an occupant'"'"'s head.

3. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein the tether comprises a through hole between the joint portions to the inner side wall and the outer side wall, the hole communicating upper side with lower side of the tether.

4. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 3, wherein:

the tether is disposed along the front-rear direction of vehicle; and

the tether includes a plurality of the through holes arranged intermittently along the front-rear direction of vehicle.

5. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 1, wherein:

the airbag is formed into bag shape by sewing work; and

the tether is joined to the inner side wall and the outer side wall by sewing work.

6. The head-protecting airbag according to claim 5, wherein:

the airbag comprises a body cloth as a constituent part for constituting the inner side wall and the outer side wall, the body cloth having a shape in which the inner side wall and the outer side wall are connected at lower ends of each other; and

the bag shape of the airbag is formed by folding the body cloth on a fold located at the lower end of the airbag and sewing up overlapped outer peripheries of the cloth.