Curtain airbag assembly for a motor vehicle

• US 8,474,865 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Grindle, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US13/312,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20120139217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• 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 assembly for occupant protection in a motor vehicle includes a forward airbag stored above a forward window for deployment to a position wherein a main body portion overlies a forward window and a rear end portion extending rearward from the main body overlies a post separating the windows, such as a B-post or C-post, and a rear airbag stored above a rear window for deployment to a position wherein a main body portion overlies the rear window and a forward end portion extends rearward from the main body and overlies the post. The forward and rear end portions vertically overlap one another where they overlie the post, and each has an end lip defining a recess in an outer face of the respective airbag, the end lips shaped to engage with the post.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a forward airbag having a main body portion and a rear end portion extending rearward from the main body portion; and

a rear airbag having a main body portion and a forward end portion extending forward from the main body portion, the forward end portion vertically overlapping with the rear end portion, the forward and rear end portions each having an end lip defining a recess in an outer face of the respective airbag, the recesses shaped to wrap around an outer surface of a structural member of the vehicle.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear end portion is L-shaped and the forward end portion is inverted L-shaped.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear end portion is located adjacent to a lower edge of the forward airbag and the forward end portion is located adjacent to an upper edge of the rear airbag.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end lips of the forward and rear end portions are shaped to engage with a B-post of the vehicle, the forward airbag further has a front edge adapted to overlie an A-post of the vehicle, and the rear airbag further has a rear edge adapted to overlie a C-post of the vehicle.

5. A motor vehicle comprising;

a post separating a forward window opening and a rear window opening;

a forward airbag stored in an uninflated condition above the forward window for deployment downward to an inflated condition wherein a main body portion overlies a portion of the forward window and a rear end portion extending rearward from the main body portion, the rear end portion having an end lip defining a recess in an outer face thereof shaped to wrap around an outer surface of the post; and

a rear airbag stored in an uninflated condition above the rear window for deployment downward to an inflated condition wherein a main body portion overlies a portion of the rear window and a forward end portion extends rearward from the main body portion, the forward end portion having an end lip defining a recess in an outer face thereof shaped to wrap around the outer surface of the post, the forward end portion vertically overlapping with the rear end portion at the post.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 5 further comprising:

a post separating the rear window opening from third window opening to the rear of the rear window opening; and

a third airbag stored in an uninflated condition above the third window for deployment downward to an inflated condition wherein a main body portion overlies a portion of the third window and a forward end portion extending forward from the main body portion overlies the second post;

the rear airbag having a rear end portion extends rearward from the main body portion to overlie the second post, the forward end portion of the third airbag vertically overlapping with the rear end portion of the rear airbag at the second post.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the rear end portion is L-shaped and the forward end portion is inverted L-shaped.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the rear end portion is located adjacent to a lower edge of the forward airbag and the forward end portion is located adjacent to an upper edge of the rear airbag.