Curtain airbag system

• US 8,579,322 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Saimura, Kazuya, Katsumata, Shunichi, Kawabe, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US13/494,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/749
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

Abstract

A curtain airbag system for a vehicle is stored in a folded state in a roof side portion, and includes a gas supply passage to be deployed along the roof side portion, a rear main chamber that is inflated and deployed below the gas supply passage in the event of a side impact or rollover of the vehicle, with gas supplied through the gas supply passage, a rear auxiliary chamber that is deployed at a front side of the rear main chamber in the event of at least rollover, with gas supplied through the gas supply passage or the rear main chamber, and a concave deployment portion having a looped line that restricts deployment of a part of the rear auxiliary chamber or a part of a space between the rear auxiliary chamber and the gas supply passage as seen in a side view.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag system for a vehicle, comprising:

a curtain airbag that is stored in a folded state in an upper edge portion of a portion of a vehicle body in which a side windshield is mounted, wherein

the curtain airbag comprises;

a gas supply passage that is deployed along the upper edge portion of the portion of the vehicle body in which the side windshield is mounted;

a first deployment portion to which gas is supplied through the gas supply passage, so that the first deployment portion is inflated and deployed below the gas supply passage in the event of a side impact or rollover of the vehicle;

a second deployment portion to which gas is supplied through the gas supply passage or the first deployment portion, so that the second deployment portion is deployed at a vehicle front side of the first deployment portion, in the event of at least rollover of the vehicle, the second deployment portion is deployed below the gas supply passage, as seen in the side view, such that a lower end portion of the second deployment portion is located below a belt line, and the second deployment portion includes two cells that are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the lower end of the second deployment portion extends beyond a lower end of the first deployment portion; and

a concave deployment portion formed within the second deployment portion or in a part of a space between the second deployment portion and the gas supply passage as seen in a side view, the concave deployment portion being defined by a looped line;

the looped line forming a stitched portion defined by a generally triangular shape that includes a base and is line-symmetrical;

wherein the stitched portion provides a partition between a lower edge of the gas supply passage and upper end portions of the cells arranged in the longitudinal direction and operable to restrict deployment of a part of the second deployment portion or the part of the space between the second deployment portion and the gas supply passage.

2. The curtain airbag system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first deployment portion comprises a rear main chamber operable to protect a head of an occupant seated in a rear seat of the vehicle; and

the second deployment portion comprises a rear auxiliary chamber that communicates with the rear main chamber.

3. The curtain airbag system according to claim 2, wherein the concave deployment portion is located at a position where the head of the occupant is likely to strike the curtain airbag in the event of rollover of the vehicle.

4. The curtain airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the concave deployment portion is located at a position where the head of the occupant is likely to strike the curtain airbag in the event of rollover of the vehicle.

5. The curtain airbag system of claim 1 wherein the two cells arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle are defined by a pair of substantially vertically outer seams and an inner seam portion that runs substantially vertically.

6. A curtain airbag system for a vehicle, comprising:

a curtain airbag that is stored in a folded state in an upper edge portion of a portion of a vehicle body in which a side windshield is mounted, wherein

the curtain airbag comprises;

a gas supply passage that is deployed along the upper edge portion of the portion of the vehicle body in which the side windshield is mounted;

a first deployment portion to which gas is supplied through the gas supply passage, so that the first deployment portion is inflated and deployed below the gas supply passage in the event of a side impact or rollover of the vehicle;

a second deployment portion to which gas is supplied through the gas supply passage or the first deployment portion, so that the second deployment portion is deployed at a vehicle front side of the first deployment portion, in the event of at least rollover of the vehicle, the second deployment portion is deployed below the gas supply passage, as seen in the side view, such that a lower end portion of the second deployment portion is located below a belt line, and the second deployment portion includes two cells that are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the lower end of the second deployment portion extends beyond a lower end of the first deployment portion; and

a concave deployment portion formed within the second deployment portion or in a part of a space between the second deployment portion and the gas supply passage as seen in a side view, the concave deployment portion comprising a generally polygonal line;

the generally polygonal line forming a stitched portion defined by a generally triangular shape that includes a base and is line-symmetrical;

wherein the stitched portion provides a partition between a lower edge of the gas supply passage and upper end portions of the cells arranged in the longitudinal direction and operable to restrict deployment of a part of the second deployment portion or the part of the space between the second deployment portion and the gas supply passage.

7. The curtain airbag system of claim 6 wherein the two cells arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle are defined by a pair of substantially vertically outer seams and an inner seam portion that runs substantially vertically.