Bracket for use in curtain airbag and curtain airbag apparatus

• US 7,815,216 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Minamikawa, Takeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US12/318,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 244/58, 248/220.31, 248/220.41, 248/225.21, 248/300, 403/13, 403/14
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• 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

A curtain airbag having an attaching piece at an edge portion is attached to a vehicle body through a bracket. The bracket includes a plate portion, and a plurality of airbag-attaching portions attached to the plate portion for attaching the attaching piece. The attaching piece of the curtain airbag is selectively attached to one of the plurality of airbag-attaching portions.

Claims

1. A bracket for attaching a curtain airbag to a vehicle body, said curtain airbag having an attaching piece formed at an edge portion thereof, said bracket comprising:

a plate portion, and

a plurality of airbag-attaching portions extending upwardly from and integral with an edge of the plate portion, said plurality of airbag-attaching portions being laterally spaced apart from each other for attaching the attaching piece so that the attaching piece of the curtain airbag is selectively attached to one of the plurality of airbag-attaching portions, each of the plurality of airbag-attaching portions having an insertion hole adapted for receiving an attaching implement,

wherein the bracket has a bilaterally-symmetric shape in one direction corresponding to a longitudinal direction of the curtain airbag in a state where the curtain airbag is attached, and

a common number of the airbag-attaching portions are provided on two sides along said one direction of the bracket,

the bracket further comprising;

one vehicle-body attaching portion fixed to the plate portion for attaching the bracket to the vehicle body, said vehicle-body attaching portion being located at about a center position in said one direction thereof, and

a projecting portion adapted to fit into a fitting hole provided in the vehicle body,

wherein said airbag-attaching portions and said vehicle-body attaching portion are arranged to generally face each other on opposite sides of the plate portion with a space therebetween.

2. The bracket for attaching the curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the common number of the projecting portions are provided on left and right sides relative to the one vehicle-body attaching portion, respectively.

3. The bracket for attaching the curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein said projecting portion projects in a direction away from the airbag-attaching portion.

4. A. curtain airbag apparatus comprising:

the curtain airbag;

the bracket according to claim 1; and

an inflator for supplying a gas into the curtain airbag.

5. The curtain airbag apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the airbag comprises a covering member which encloses the air bag in a folded condition, and which has a rupturing portion.

6. A bracket for attaching a curtain airbag to a vehicle body, said curtain airbag having an attaching piece formed at an edge portion thereof, said bracket comprising:

a plate portion, and

a plurality of airbag-attaching portions extending upwardly from and integral with an edge of the plate portion, said plurality of airbag-attaching portions being laterally spaced apart from each other for attaching the attaching piece so that the attaching piece of the curtain airbag is selectively attached to one of the plurality of airbag-attaching portions, each of the plurality of airbag-attaching portions having an insertion hole adapted for receiving an attaching implement,

wherein the plate portion has an elongated portion, and an upwardly extending wall portion projecting upwardly from one side of the elongated portion adapted to be connected to a vehicle panel and provided with an aperture for receiving an attaching element; and

two upwardly extending wall portions are formed at the other side of the elongated portion as the airbag-attaching portions, each having one insertion hole adapted for receiving an attaching implement.

7. The bracket for attaching the curtain airbag according to claim 6, further comprising downwardly extending portions formed at both ends of the elongated portion, and a space between the downwardly extending portions adapted to allow an airbag covering member to enter therebetween.