Frontal center curtain airbag for vehicle

• US 8,602,448 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Choi, Jun Yeol, Yoo, Wan Dong, Lee, Sung Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker, Robert A
• Application Number:
  US13/682,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/740, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A frontal center curtain airbag for a vehicle may include a pair of housing frames spaced from each other in forward and rearward directions to cross the vehicle in a widthwise direction of the vehicle, a plurality of connecting frames connecting upper ends and opposite side ends of the spaced housing frames in forward and rearward directions to form an installation space together with the housing frames, an airbag cushion installed in the installation space and surrounded by the housing frames and the connecting frames, and an airbag door coupled to lower ends of the housing frames and the connecting frames to close a lower end of the installation space.

Claims

1. A frontal center curtain airbag apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of housing frames spaced from each other in forward and rearward directions of the vehicle to cross the vehicle in a widthwise direction of the vehicle;

a plurality of connecting frames connecting upper ends and opposite side ends of the spaced housing frames in the forward and rearward directions of the vehicle to form an installation space together with the housing frames;

an airbag cushion installed in the installation space and surrounded by the housing frames and the connecting frames; and

an airbag door coupled to lower ends of the housing frames and the connecting frames to close a lower end of the installation space;

wherein pillars are coupled to the opposite side ends of the housing frames or the connecting frames;

wherein a roof outer panel is coupled to an upper end of the housing frames or the connecting frames;

wherein a periphery of the airbag door is coupled to a headliner;

wherein a coupling flange is formed to extend upwards on an upper end surface of the airbag door at a point spaced inward along a periphery thereof; and

wherein a lower end of the housing frames or the connecting frames is coupled to the coupling flange.

2. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein an outer periphery of the coupling flange of the airbag door is coupled to the headliner.

3. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1,

wherein a hollow portion corresponding to a shape of the airbag door is formed in the headliner such that the periphery of the airbag door is coupled to the hollow portion, and

wherein steps are formed at a portion where the headliner and the airbag door are engaged with each other such that lower end surfaces of the headliner and the airbag door are formed coplanar.

4. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opposite side ends of the housing frames are formed to be stepped to be coupled to the pillars while surface-contacting the pillars.

5. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein the opposite side ends of the housing frames are connected to each other by an opposite side portion.

6. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein the opposite side ends of the housing frames are connected to each other by an auxiliary bracket.

7. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of roof rail brackets installed at front and rear sides of the pair of housing frames to cross the vehicle in the widthwise direction of the vehicle to reinforce a strength of a body of the vehicle,

wherein the front ends and rear ends of the pair of housing frames are coupled to the roof rail brackets, respectively.

8. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 7, wherein lower ends of the roof rail brackets are coupled together with a periphery of the airbag door and the headliner.

9. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1,

wherein an inflator is coupled to one side of the installation space of the housing frames along a lengthwise direction of the housing frames, and

wherein a gas injection hole of the inflator is located at a middle portion of the housing frames.

10. The frontal center curtain airbag apparatus of claim 9, wherein a gas guide for dividing a gas into left and right parts is coupled to the gas injection hole of the inflator.

11. A frontal center curtain airbag apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of housing frames spaced from each other in forward and rearward directions of the vehicle to cross the vehicle in a widthwise direction of the vehicle;

a plurality of connecting frames connecting upper ends and opposite side ends of the spaced housing frames in the forward and rearward directions of the vehicle to form an installation space together with the housing frames;

an airbag cushion installed in the installation space and surrounded by the housing frames and the connecting frames; and

an airbag door coupled to lower ends of the housing frames and the connecting frames to close a lower end of the installation space; and

a pair of roof rail brackets installed at front and rear sides of the pair of housing frames to cross the vehicle in the widthwise direction of the vehicle to reinforce a strength of a body of the vehicle;

wherein pillars are coupled to the opposite side ends of the housing frames or the connecting frames;

wherein a roof outer panel is coupled to an upper end of the housing frames or the connecting frames;

wherein a periphery of the airbag door is coupled to a headliner;

wherein the front ends and rear ends of the pair of housing frames are coupled to the roof rail brackets, respectively;

wherein steps engaged with each other are formed at portions where the headliner and the airbag door are matched to be coupled to each other;

wherein coupling holes are formed at overlapping step portions;

wherein coupling bosses inserted into the coupling holes from the upper side is formed at lower ends of the roof rail brackets; and

wherein a fastener is inserted into lower sides of the coupling holes and coupled to the coupling bosses.