Vehicle curtain airbag device

• US 8,967,660 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Taguchi, Hiroyuki, Fukawatase, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): FRISBY, KEITH J
• Application Number:
  US13/961,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20140042732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/730.1, 280/728.1
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23547 one piece weaving
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle curtain airbag device is provided including: a curtain airbag including a main chamber that inflates and deploys to a vehicle width direction inside of a driving-seat-side side window due to being supplied with gas from an inflator installed to a vehicle, a delay chamber that is provided at a vehicle front-rear direction front side of the main chamber, and that completes inflation and deployment later than the main chamber upon receipt of the gas supply, and a sub chamber that is disposed on the vehicle width direction inside of the main chamber and that inflates and deploys so as to block off a gap formed between the main chamber and a driver'"'"'s seat airbag that is inflated and deployed from a steering wheel; and a controller that inflates and deploys the driver'"'"'s seat airbag and actuates the inflator in the event of a small overlap collision.

Claims

1. A vehicle curtain airbag device comprising:

a curtain airbag including

a main chamber that inflates and deploys to a vehicle width direction inside of a driver'"'"'s seat-side side window due to being supplied with gas from an inflator installed to a vehicle,

a delay chamber that is provided at a vehicle front-rear direction front side of the main chamber, and that completes inflation and deployment later than the main chamber upon receipt of the gas supply, and

a sub chamber that, due to being inflated and deployed in the vehicle width direction inside of the main chamber, blocks off, from a vehicle front side, a gap formed between the main chamber and a driver'"'"'s seat airbag that is inflated and deployed from a steering wheel; and

a controller that inflates and deploys the driver'"'"'s seat airbag and actuates the inflator in the event of a small overlap collision.

2. The vehicle curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein the sub chamber is disposed so as to straddle the main chamber and the delay chamber, and the sub chamber is configured so as to inflate and deploy to take a reaction force from the delay chamber.

3. The vehicle curtain airbag device of claim 2, wherein the sub chamber and the main chamber are in communication with each other through a first flow path.

4. The vehicle curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein the sub chamber and the main chamber are in communication with each other through a first flow path.

5. The vehicle curtain airbag device of claim 4, wherein the sub chamber and the delay chamber are in communication with each other through a second flow path.

6. The vehicle curtain airbag device of claim 5, wherein a flow path cross-section dimension of the second flow path is set larger than a flow path cross-section dimension of the first flow path.

7. The vehicle curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein the sub chamber is integrally pocket woven with the main chamber and the delay chamber using a one-piece woven method.

8. The vehicle curtain airbag device of claim 1, wherein:

when the curtain airbag is opened out flat as a single body, the sub chamber is formed at an opposite side of a lower edge of the main chamber and the delay chamber from the main chamber and the delay chamber; and

the sub chamber is folded over at a lower edge side of the main chamber, the delay chamber or both the main chamber and the delay chamber, with an upper edge side of the sub chamber fixed to the vehicle body side together with an upper edge side of the main chamber and the delay chamber, such that the sub chamber is disposed at the vehicle width direction inside of the main chamber and the delay chamber when the curtain airbag has been inflated and deployed.