Curtain airbag device

• US 8,770,618 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukawatase, Osamu, Taguchi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US13/714,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams

Abstract

A curtain airbag device that is housed at a top edge portion of a side window glass placement location of a vehicle body, and the curtain airbag device comprising a gas supply passage that receives supplied gas and is deployed along a top portion of the side window glass placement location and towards a vehicle bottom direction; an occupant protection portion that is deployed to a lower side of the gas supply passage by receiving supplied gas through the gas supply passage; a gas release section that releases gas from inside the gas supply passage when an internal pressure of the gas supply passage reaches a specific pressure or higher, the specific pressure being higher than a design deployment pressure; and an internal pressure regulation chamber that accepts gas released by the gas release section.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag device that is housed at a top edge portion of a side window glass placement location of a vehicle body, the curtain airbag device comprising:

a gas supply passage that receives supplied gas and is deployed along a top portion of the side window glass placement location and towards a vehicle bottom direction;

an occupant protection portion that is deployed to a lower side of the gas supply passage by receiving supplied gas through the gas supply passage;

a gas release section that releases gas from inside the gas supply passage when an internal pressure of the gas supply passage reaches a specific pressure or higher, the specific pressure being higher than a design deployment pressure;

a plurality of attachment tabs that project out towards a vehicle top from a vehicle top end side of the gas supply passage at intervals along a vehicle front-rear direction, the plurality of attachment tabs are respectively attached to the top edge portion; and

an internal pressure regulation chamber that accepts gas released by the gas release section, the internal pressure regulation chamber is integrally provided to the gas supply passage at a vehicle top side of the gas supply passage, the internal pressure regulation chamber is disposed between the plurality of attachment tabs;

wherein the gas release section is configured such that when the internal pressure of the gas supply passage reaches the specific pressure or higher, the internal pressure causes a closed-off state between the gas supply passage and the internal pressure regulation chamber to change to a communicated state.

2. The curtain airbag device of claim 1 wherein:

the curtain airbag device further comprises a plurality of attachment tabs that project out towards the vehicle top from a vehicle top end side of the gas supply passage at intervals along the vehicle front-rear direction, and that are respectively attached to the top edge portion; and

the internal pressure regulation chamber projects out further than the plurality of attachment tabs with respect to the gas supply passage.

3. The curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein the gas release section is configured such that a communication passage between the gas supply passage and the internal pressure regulation chamber is closed-off by sewing or adhering so as to split or come apart due to the internal pressure reaching the specific pressure or higher.

4. The curtain airbag device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the gas release sections and a plurality of the internal pressure regulation chambers are provided.

5. The curtain airbag device of claim 1 wherein:

the occupant protection portion comprises a front main chamber that protects a front seat occupant and a rear main chamber that protects a rear seat occupant; and

the gas release section and the internal pressure regulation chamber are disposed at a vehicle front side of the front main chamber and to the vehicle top side with respect to the gas supply passage.

6. A curtain airbag device comprising:

a curtain airbag that is housed in a folded up state at a top edge portion of a side window glass placement location of a vehicle body, and that receives supplied gas and is deployed along the side window glass and towards a vehicle bottom direction;

a gas release section that releases gas inside the curtain airbag from an upper portion of the curtain airbag when internal pressure of the curtain airbag reaches a specific pressure or higher, the specific pressure being higher than a design deployment pressure;

a plurality of attachment tabs that project out towards a vehicle top from a vehicle top end side of the curtain airbag at intervals along a vehicle front-rear direction, the plurality of attachment tabs are respectively attached to the top edge portion; and

an internal pressure regulation chamber that accepts gas released by the gas release section, the internal pressure regulation chamber is integrally provided to the curtain airbag at a vehicle top side of the curtain airbag, the internal pressure regulation chamber is disposed between the plurality of attachment tabs;

wherein the gas release section is configured such that the internal pressure at the specific pressure of higher causes a closed-off state between the curtain airbag and the internal pressure regulation chamber to change to a communicated state.