Curtain airbag

• US 8,905,432 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nakashima, Atsushi, Yoshihara, Tsukasa, Takahashi, Hikaru, Hanawa, Akifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US14/003,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20130341894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 280/736, 280/742, 280/730.2, 280/729
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23576 Sewing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• 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 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

A curtain airbag capable of preventing a partial decrease in internal pressure to improve ejection prevention performance. The airbag includes: a main chamber, which inflates first; a delay chamber that is inflated with gas from the main chamber; a linear seam portion where front and back base fabrics are joined to partition the main chamber from the delay chamber; a planar seam portion formed at a lower end of the linear seam portion to define a non-inflation region in a range of the front and back base fabrics; and a gas inflow channel provided between the planar seam portion and the lower edge of the airbag to allow gas to flow from the main chamber into the delay chamber. The front and back base fabrics of the gas inflow channel sag upon completion of inflation and deployment to form a wrinkled portion that blocks or narrows the gas inflow channel.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag configured to be received above a side surface of a vehicle interior so as to be inflated and deployed along the side surface, comprising:

a main chamber forming a bag-shaped inflation region configured to be inflated with gas flowing therein and to be inflated first;

a delay chamber configured to be inflated with gas flowing from the main chamber;

a linear seam portion in which front and back base fabrics of the curtain airbag are linearly joined so as to extend from an upper edge of the curtain airbag to a near side of a lower edge of the curtain airbag, the linear seam partitioning the main chamber from the delay chamber;

a planar seam portion formed at a lower end of the linear seam portion and defining a non-inflation region in a predetermined range of the curtain airbag; and

a gas inflow channel formed by the front and back base fabrics of the curtain airbag, the gas inflow channel being provided between the planar seam portion and the lower edge of the curtain airbag so as to allow gas to flow from the main chamber into the delay chamber, wherein

the front and back base fabrics of the gas inflow channel sag upon completion of inflation and deployment of the curtain airbag and form a wrinkled portion that blocks or narrows the gas inflow channel.

2. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the wrinkled portion is formed in the gas inflow channel when the main chamber and the delay chamber are inflated, with the linear seam portion and the planar seam portion as a boundary, and caused to approach each other.

3. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the wrinkled portion is only formed between a lowermost side of the planar seam portion and the lower edge.

4. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the planar seam portion has a lower edge that forms an arc.

5. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein in the wrinkled portion, the front and back base fabrics of the gas inflow channel are folded so that the front and back base fabrics are closely contacted with each other.

6. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, further comprising a strap configured to connect an end of the curtain airbag in a front-rear direction to a pillar of the vehicle, wherein the strap has such a length that the strap does not become tense upon completion of inflation and deployment of the curtain airbag.

7. A curtain airbag configured to be received above a side surface of a vehicle interior so as to be inflated and deployed along the side surface, comprising:

a main chamber forming a bag-shaped inflation region configured to be inflated with gas flowing therein and to be inflated first;

a delay chamber configured to be inflated with gas flowing from the main chamber;

a linear seam portion in which front and back base fabrics of the curtain airbag are linearly bonded so as to extend from an upper edge of the curtain airbag to a near side of a lower edge of the curtain airbag, the linear seam partitioning the main chamber from the delay chamber;

a planar seam portion formed at a lower end of the linear seam portion and defining a non-inflation region in a predetermined range of the curtain airbag; and

a gas inflow channel formed by the front and back base fabrics of the curtain airbag, the gas inflow channel being provided between the planar seam portion and the lower edge of the curtain airbag so as to extend along the lower edge of the curtain airbag and to allow gas to flow from the main chamber into the delay chamber, wherein

the front and back base fabrics forming the gas inflow channel are folded to form a wrinkled portion upon completion of inflation and deployment of the curtain airbag.

8. The curtain airbag according to claim 7, wherein in the wrinkled portion, the front and back base fabrics of the gas inflow channel folded so that the front and back base fabrics are closely contacted with each other.

9. The curtain airbag according to claim 7, further comprising a strap configured to connect an end of the curtain airbag in a front-rear direction to a pillar of the vehicle, wherein the strap has such a length that the strap does not become tense upon completion of inflation and deployment of the curtain airbag.

10. The curtain airbag according to claim 9, wherein the strap has such a length that the strap does not become tense until the curtain airbag receives an occupant to reach a predetermined position outside the vehicle.

11. The curtain airbag according to claim 9, wherein the strap is formed at a position above the gas inflow channel a vertical direction of the curtain airbag when provided in a vehicle.

12. The curtain airbag according to claim 9, wherein the strap is formed at a position above a center of the curtain airbag in a vertical direction of the curtain airbag when provided in a vehicle.