Bracket for use in curtain airbag and curtain airbag apparatus

• US 7,862,075 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• 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): ENGLISH, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US12/318,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20090278336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 241/97, 242/00, 248/300, 248/309.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A curtain airbag bracket is used to assemble a curtain airbag having an attaching piece, and an inflator connected to the curtain airbag, and to attach the same to a vehicle body. The inflator is connected to the curtain airbag for supplying a pressurized fluid for developing the curtain airbag. The curtain airbag bracket includes an airbag bracket having an airbag-attaching portion for attaching the attaching piece of the curtain airbag to hold the curtain airbag, and an inflator bracket coupled with the airbag bracket for holding the inflator so that the inflator is substantially in parallel with and adjacent to the curtain airbag. The airbag-attaching portion faces the inflator bracket with a gap therebetween.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag bracket for assembling a curtain airbag having an attaching piece and an inflator connected to the curtain airbag for supplying fluid thereto, and attaching the same to a vehicle body, comprising:

an airbag bracket including an airbag-attaching portion for attaching the attaching piece of the curtain airbag to hold the curtain airbag, and retainer-overlapping position-attaching portions; and

an inflator bracket coupled with the airbag bracket for holding the inflator so that the inflator is substantially held in parallel with and adjacent to the curtain airbag, the inflator bracket comprising a retainer and a retainer bracket, the retainer being adapted to surround and secure the inflator, the retainer bracket being connected to the retainer by a fastening device;

wherein the airbag-attaching portion faces the retainer bracket of the inflator bracket with a gap therebetween, and the retainer-overlapping position-attaching portions being attached to the retainer bracket.

2. The curtain airbag bracket according to claim 1, wherein the inflator bracket has a latching pawl proximate one end thereof for latching and temporarily fixing the inflator bracket to the vehicle body at an overlapping portion where the inflator bracket overlaps with the airbag bracket, and the airbag bracket has a visual confirmation hole for visually confirming a latching state of the latching pawl at the overlapping portion.

3. The curtain airbag bracket according to claim 1, wherein the retainer bracket has a recess at a fixing position in the retainer bracket to which the retainer is fixed so that the fixing implement does not project from an installation surface at which the retainer bracket is installed to the vehicle body.

4. The curtain airbag bracket according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration-limiting bracket connected to at least one of the inflator bracket and the airbag bracket and having a vibration-limiting portion covering at least a part of an outer periphery of a connecting portion of the inflator and the curtain airbag so as to limit a vibration at the connecting portion.

5. The curtain airbag bracket according to claim 4, wherein said airbag bracket has an elongated shape so that the inflator bracket is disposed above the airbag bracket, and is arranged to hold the airbag under the airbag bracket.

6. The curtain airbag bracket according to claim 3, wherein the recess forms a step-like fixing portion descending from the installation surface, said installation surface facing the vehicle body.

7. A curtain airbag apparatus, comprising:

the curtain airbag;

the inflator; and

the curtain airbag bracket according to claim 1.

8. The curtain airbag bracket according to claim 1, wherein the inflator bracket is located above the airbag bracket.

9. The curtain airbag bracket according to claim 1, wherein the retainer of the inflator bracket is located at an upper end of the retainer bracket of the inflator bracket and directly above the gap and the airbag bracket.