Curtain airbag cushion and curtain airbag module using the same

• US 8,366,145 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Choi, Jae Ho, Choi, Hyeong Ho, Choi, Jun Yeol, Kwon, Hyock In, Lee, Soon Bok, Oh, Hyong Sok, Lee, Seong Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US12/956,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20120043740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/729, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a curtain airbag cushion. The cushion has a length appropriate for being deployed to the chest of a passenger. A blocking part which partitions the interior of the cushion into portions is oriented in the vertical direction. The lower end of the blocking part is spaced apart from the bottom of the cushion by a predetermined distance. Thus, when an inflator explodes, gas discharged from the inflator is guided towards the lower portion of the cushion and then guided towards the front or upper portion of the cushion through the space between the lower end of the blocking part and the bottom of the cushion.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag cushion, provided at a position adjacent to a roof panel of a vehicle by a cushion holder, the curtain airbag cushion being deployed downwards to protect a passenger by explosion of an inflator, comprising:

the inflator connected to a portion of an upper end of the cushion, wherein the curtain airbag cushion has a predetermined length such that the cushion is deployed to a position at which the cushion covers a body of the passenger when the inflator explodes; and

a blocking part formed in the cushion at a position adjacent to the inflator and extending in a predetermined length in a vertical direction to partition an interior of the cushion into a plurality of portions fluid-communicating with each other,

wherein the blocking part has a lower end spaced apart from a lower end of the cushion by a predetermined distance to form a space, so that when the inflator explodes, gas is guided towards a lower portion of the cushion by the blocking part and then guided towards an upper portion or a front portion of the cushion through the space,

wherein the blocking part comprises a plurality of blocking parts, one of which is adjacent to the inflator and oriented in the vertical direction and the others are oriented in the vertical direction, in a forward and rearward direction or in a diagonal direction, and

wherein size of the plurality of blocking parts is sequentially reduced along an input direction of gas at the portion of the cushion connected to the inflator.

2. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower end of the cushion is curved so that the gas supplied from the inflator into the cushion is easily guided from the lower portion of the cushion towards the front portion of the cushion.

3. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein a peripheral portion of the cushion adjacent to an upper portion of a safety belt of the vehicle is depressed inwards to prevent the cushion from being impeded by the upper portion of the safety belt when the cushion is deployed.

4. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blocking part has a curved shape which is convex along the input direction of the gas at the portion of the cushion connected to the inflator.

5. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blocking part comprises a plurality of blocking parts parallel to each other in the vertical direction of the cushion.

6. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower end of the blocking part has a circular cross-section at a junction between the lower end of the blocking part and each of a left side and a right side of the cushion.

7. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cushion has, with respect to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a length capable of protecting all passengers who sit on front and rear seats of the vehicle.

8. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blocking part has an upper end in contact with the upper end of the cushion so that the gas supplied from the inflator into the cushion is guided downwards.

9. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 8, wherein the upper end of the blocking part has a circular cross-section at a junction between the upper end of the blocking part and each of a left side and a right side of the cushion.

10. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blocking part has an upper end spaced from the upper end of the cushion.

11. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 10, wherein the upper end of the blocking part has a circular cross-section at a junction between the upper end of the blocking part and each of a left side and a right side of the cushion.

12. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blocking part is provided by adhering left and right opposite fabrics of the cushion to each other or by an OPW (one piece woven) method in a shape in which the left and right opposite fabrics are put in contact with each other.

13. The curtain airbag cushion as set forth in claim 12, wherein the lower end of the blocking part has a circular cross-section at a junction between the lower end of the blocking part and each of the left and right fabrics of the cushion.