Curtain airbag housing structure

• US 8,960,716 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US14/164,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

The housing structure for a curtain airbag includes: an airbag body; an inflator configured to inflate and deploy the airbag body; a bracket configured to fix a base end portion of the airbag body to a roof side or a front pillar; and a tether configured to anchor a front end portion of the airbag body to the front pillar. The airbag body is wound into a long narrow shape and covered with a roof lining, and the tether and a portion fixed by the tether are covered with a front pillar trim. The bracket is disposed adjacent to a joint portion of the roof lining and the front pillar trim and has an extension piece extending along the front pillar. An end portion of the airbag body wound together with the tether or a portion of the tether adjacent to the end portion is fixed to the extension piece with a releasable binding member.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag housing structure comprising:

an airbag body;

an inflator configured to inflate and deploy the airbag body;

a bracket configured to fix a base end portion of the airbag body to any one of a roof side and a front pillar; and

a tether configured to anchor a front end portion of the airbag body to the front pillar, the airbag body being wound into a long narrow shape and covered with a roof lining, the tether and a portion fixed by the tether being covered with a front pillar trim, wherein

the bracket is disposed adjacent to a joint portion of the roof lining and the front pillar trim and has an extension piece extending along the front pillar, and

any one of an end portion of the airbag body wound together with the tether and a portion of the tether adjacent to the end portion of the airbag body wound together with the tether is fixed to the extension piece with a releasable binding member.

2. The curtain airbag housing structure according to claim 1, wherein

edge portions of the roof lining and the front pillar trim along a door opening are held by a door opening trim, and

the roof lining is configured to be supported against a holding force of the opening trim by a lower end of the extension piece abutting a back surface of the roof lining.

3. The curtain airbag housing structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one locking portion configured to lock the front pillar trim to the front pillar is disposed near the extension piece while being displaced away from an opening trim.