Cover and airbag device

• US 8,955,874 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kim, Minhun, Piao, Jinhua, Yamada, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): ENGLISH, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US13/980,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20130292926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A cover used for an airbag device capable of accurately and easily adjusting a deployment direction of an airbag during a side collision according to a deployment position. The cover includes a protecting portion formed along a rolled airbag, and a plurality of attachment portions formed so as to be attached to a body of a vehicle. The protecting portion includes a slit capable of controlling the deployment direction of the airbag by changing a position through which the tab passes toward the body of the vehicle in a rolling direction of the airbag.

Claims

1. An airbag device for attachment to a body of a vehicle, the airbag device comprising:

an airbag that is configured to be rolled from a first end to a second end and deployed upon receiving gas; and

a cover disposed between the airbag and the body of the vehicle to which the airbag is attached, wherein

the cover including;

a protecting portion that is formed axially along the airbag; and

a plurality of attachment portions extending from the protecting portion and configured to be attached to the body of the vehicle,

a plurality of tabs configured to be attached to the body of the vehicle, the tabs being formed on the second end of the airbag located in the protecting portion,

a deployment direction control structure formed in the protecting portion and configured to control a deployment direction of the airbag by changing a position by which the plurality of tabs passes toward the body of the vehicle in a rolling direction of the airbag,

the deployment direction control structure including a plurality of slits being formed in a portion of the protecting portion adjacent to and aligned with the plurality of attachment portions and being configured to pass the plurality of tabs therethrough,

the protecting portion including a curved wall section provided along a perimeter of the rolled airbag so as to include the plurality of slits, the protecting portion also including a pair of straight wall sections that extend from opposite ends of the curved wall section to form an outer extension of the curved wall section, and

the curved wall section being formed along a region having an angular extent that is less than half of a perimeter of the rolled airbag, and the straight wall sections being formed substantially along tangential lines of the curved wall section at the both ends of the curved wall section.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of slits being formed along an arrangement axis defined by a roll center of the airbag when the airbag is arranged along the protecting portion,

the airbag being rolled so that a first rolled portion is rolled in a first rolling direction from the first end to the second end and that a second rolled portion is rolled in a direction opposite to the first rolling direction of the first rolled portion, and

the second rolled portion provided between the slit and the first rolled portion.

3. An airbag device for attachment to a body of a vehicle, the airbag device comprising:

an airbag that is rolled from a first end to a second end and deployed upon receiving gas, the airbag being rolled so that a first rolled portion extends in a first roll direction from the first end to the second end and that a second rolled portion extends in a direction opposite to the first roll direction of the first rolled portion, the airbag further having a plurality of tabs configured to be attached to the body of the vehicle and which are formed on the second end of the airbag,

a cover positioned between the airbag that is rolled and the body of the vehicle to which the airbag is attached, the cover including a protecting portion provided along the second end of the airbag, the cover including a plurality of attachment portions that extend from the protecting portion and that are configured to be attached to the body of the vehicle,

a plurality of slits formed in the protecting portion, the plurality of slits being located adjacent to the plurality of tabs and configured to allow one of the plurality of tabs to pass through each of the plurality of slits, and

the plurality of tabs extending from the second rolled portion in a direction opposite to the first roll direction.

4. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of slits is formed in the protecting portion along an arrangement axis that is formed by a roll center of the airbag when the airbag is provided along the protecting portion.

5. The airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of slits includes first and second slits, the first and second slits being provided at such positions that the first and second slits are in a radially spaced relation to one another around the arrangement axis.

6. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of slits is provided adjacent to the plurality of attachment portions.

7. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein a deformation restricting structure is formed on a side of the protecting portion opposite to the attachment portion and on a rear surface of the protecting portion that is opposite to a surface of the protecting portion making contact with the airbag so as to restrict deformation of the protecting portion when the airbag is deployed.

8. The airbag device according to claim 7, wherein the deformation restricting structure includes a projecting portion that protrudes from the rear surface, the projecting portion restricting deformation of the protecting portion whereby the projecting portion is configured to contact a weather strip of the vehicle when the airbag is deployed.

9. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein a major portion of the tab extends in a direction opposite to the first rolled portion.

10. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the tabs are located between the attachment portion and a fastener.