Curtain airbag module

• US 7,905,510 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Smith, Paul Michael, Marriott, Brandon Scott, Wiggins, Nicole, Messner, Thomas Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth; Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/232,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20090079172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 280/749, 280/729, 280/728.1, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0067 Buses
• 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 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover
• 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 bus or motor-coach includes a curtain airbag module. The airbag module comprises a curtain airbag, a trim cover, a plurality of fasteners to attach the curtain airbag module to an interior bus component or side wall of the bus, and an inflator to inflate the curtain airbag.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag module for a bus, comprising:

a curtain airbag;

a trim cover to prevent objects in a passenger compartment of the bus from contacting the curtain airbag in a stored state;

a plurality of fasteners to attach the curtain airbag module to an interior bus component or side wall of the bus;

an inflator to inflate the curtain airbag; and

a rod,

wherein the trim cover includes first and second chambers, the first chamber is configured to contain the curtain airbag in the stored state and the second chamber is configured to contain the inflator,

wherein the curtain airbag includes fabric tabs to connect the curtain airbag to the module, and

wherein the fabric tabs are connected to the rod to mount the curtain airbag in the module.

2. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, wherein a maximum of two of the plurality of fasteners are exposed to an interior of the bus.

3. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, wherein the rod is formed of glass-filled nylon, metal, or plastic.

4. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, wherein the rod extends a full length of the module.

5. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, further comprising a tether configured to maintain a position of the curtain airbag during impact.

6. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, wherein a ratio of stowed curtain airbag module size to filled curtain airbag coverage height is in a range of 0.51 to 0.8.

7. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, wherein the trim cover includes an opening for an inflator retainer fastener to extend through.

8. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, wherein the trim cover has a uniform cross-section.

9. The curtain airbag module of claim 1, wherein the trim cover is formed of an extruded plastic material.

10. A bus, comprising:

a plurality of seats;

a plurality of curtain airbag modules, the modules each including a curtain airbag, an inflator, and a trim cover to prevent objects in passenger compartment of the bus from contacting the curtain airbag in a stored state,

wherein the trim cover includes a socket configured to couple with at least one track member.

11. The bus of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of curtain airbag modules are configured to deploy to cover at least three rows of seats.

12. The bus of claim 10, further comprising a control module configured to selectively deploy one or more of the plurality of curtain airbag modules based on information from one or more sensors.

13. The bus of claim 12, wherein the bus includes a plurality of collision zones.

14. The bus of claim 13, wherein the control module deploys the one or more curtain airbag modules in one or more of the plurality of zones in the bus.

15. The bus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of curtain airbag modules are mounted to a roof of the bus, a side wall of the bus, or an interior compartment of the bus.

16. The bus of claim 10 wherein side walls of the bus adjacent a deployed curtain airbag have a vertical plane in a range of zero degrees to 10 degrees.

17. The bus of claim 10, wherein the at least one track member is attached to an inner wall of the bus.

18. The bus of claim 10, wherein the socket is configured to slidably connect to the at least one track member.

19. A bus, comprising:

a plurality of seats;

a plurality of curtain airbag modules, the modules each including a curtain airbag, an inflator, and a trim cover to prevent objects in passenger compartment of the bus from contacting the curtain airbag in a stored state,

wherein the plurality of curtain airbag modules are mounted to an overhead storage bin, each module including a track member that engages a socket in the overhead storage bin.

20. The bus of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of curtain airbag modules are mounted within the overhead storage bin.