Curtain air bag system

• US 9,004,527 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kato, Hideki, Shimizu, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US13/431,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20120248751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2
• 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 21/2334 Expansion control features

Abstract

A curtain air bag system includes a curtain air bag that is housed folded up in an upper edge portion of a door opening, and that includes a first deployment portion that deploys when a vehicle is collided with in a side collision as well as when the vehicle rolls over, and a second deployment portion that deploys at least when the vehicle rolls over, by receiving a supply of gas. The first deployment portion deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, above a belt line such that a rear end side of the first deployment portion overlaps with a center pillar when viewed from a side of the vehicle, and the second deployment portion deploys such that a lower end extends below the belt line, in a position not overlapping with the first deployment portion when viewed from the side.

Claims

1. A curtain air bag system comprising a curtain air bag that is housed folded up in an upper edge portion of an opening for getting into and out of a vehicle in a side of a vehicle body, and that includes a first deployment portion, a gas flow path, and a second deployment portion,

wherein the first deployment portion inflates by receiving a supply of gas when the vehicle is collided with in a side collision as well as when the vehicle rolls over, and deploys in a cylindrical shape having a longitudinal axis extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, such that an entirety of the first deployment portion deploys above a belt line such that a rear most end of the first deployment portion overlaps with a center pillar when viewed from the side of the vehicle body,

the gas flow path supplies gas to the first deployment portion from a gas passage located adjacent the first deployment portion, the gas passage is spaced apart from the center pillar when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, and

the second deployment portion, in response to receiving a supply of gas, deploys such that a lower end extends below the belt line, in a position not overlapping with the first deployment portion when viewed from the side, at least when the vehicle rolls over.

2. The curtain air bag system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gas producing portion that supplies the supply of gas; and

a gas flow path that deploys along an upper edge portion of the opening above the first deployment portion, and through which flows the supply of gas supplied from the gas producing portion to the first deployment portion and the second deployment portion,

wherein the first deployment portion is divided from the gas flow path by a seam arranged at a front portion, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of the gas flow path and a seam arranged at a rear portion, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of the gas flow path; and

the supply of gas flows into the first deployment portion from the gas flow path by passing between the two seams.

3. The curtain air bag system of claim 1 wherein the gas passage located adjacent the first deployment portion is defined by a narrowed opening through which gas flows directly into the first deployment portion.

4. The curtain air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the first deployment portion includes a front seat deployment portion that deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction beside an occupant in a vehicle front seat and above the belt line, such that a rear end side of the first deployment portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction overlaps with the center pillar when viewed from the side;

and the second deployment portion includes at least a front deployment portion that deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in a vertical direction, in front of the front seat deployment portion and below a front pillar.

5. The curtain air bag system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a gas producing portion that supplies the supply of gas;

wherein the gas flow path deploys along an upper edge portion of the opening and through which flows the supply of gas supplied from the gas producing portion to the first deployment portion and the second deployment portion,

wherein the front deployment portion of the second deployment portion includes a front delay deployment portion that deploys later than the front seat deployment portion of the first deployment portion by the supply of gas being supplied through the gas flow path and a narrowed flow path.

6. The curtain air bag system according to claim 5, wherein the front delay deployment portion deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in the vehicle vertical direction, overlapping with the front pillar when viewed from a side.

7. The curtain air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the first deployment portion has no seam that restricts deployment thickness in a vehicle width direction, in a region surrounded by a first line that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and passes through an uppermost striking point, from among a plurality of impactor striking points of a rollover test, and a second line that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and passes through a lowermost striking point, from among the plurality of impactor striking points.

8. The curtain air bag system according to claim 7, wherein the first deployment portion deploys such that an apex that protrudes farthest inward in the vehicle width direction is positioned in a region that is surrounded by the first line and the second line.

9. The curtain air bag system according to claim 7, wherein the first deployment portion deploys such that an apex that protrudes farthest inward in the vehicle width direction is positioned within a range of ±

50 mm in a vertical direction with respect to a third line that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and passes through the middle portion between the first line and the second line.

10. The curtain air bag system according to claim 7, wherein the first deployment portion deploys such that an apex that protrudes farthest inward in the vehicle width direction is aligned with a third line that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and passes through the middle portion between the first line and the second line.

11. A curtain air bag system comprising a curtain air bag that is housed folded up in an upper edge portion of an opening for getting into and out of a vehicle in a vehicle body, and that includes a first deployment portion and a second deployment portion,

wherein the first deployment portion inflates by receiving a supply of gas when the vehicle is collided with in a side collision as well as when the vehicle rolls over, and deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, above a belt line so as to overlap with a center pillar when viewed from a side of the vehicle, and

the second deployment portion, in response to receiving a supply of gas, deploys such that a lower end extends below the belt line, in a position not overlapping with the first deployment portion when viewed from the side, at least when the vehicle rolls over;

wherein the first deployment portion includes a front seat deployment portion that deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction beside an occupant in a vehicle front seat and above the belt line, such that a rear end side of the first deployment portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction overlaps with the center pillar when viewed from the side; and

the second deployment portion includes at least a front deployment portion that deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in a vertical direction, in front of the front seat deployment portion and below a front pillar;

the air bag system further comprising a gas producing portion that supplies the supply of gas; and

a gas flow path that deploys along an upper edge portion of the opening and through which flows the supply of gas supplied from the gas producing portion to the first deployment portion and the second deployment portion,

wherein the front deployment portion of the second deployment portion includes a front delay deployment portion that deploys later than the front seat deployment portion of the first deployment portion by the supply of gas being supplied through the gas flow path and a narrowed flow path; and

wherein the first deployment portion includes a back seat deployment portion that deploys beside an occupant in a vehicle back seat;

the second deployment portion includes a rear deployment portion that deploys between the back seat deployment portion and the center pillar; and

the rear deployment portion includes a rear delay deployment portion that deploys later than the back seat deployment portion by the supply of gas being supplied from the back seat deployment portion through a narrowed flow path.

12. The curtain air bag system according to claim 11, wherein a ratio of a volume of the front delay deployment portion and the rear delay deployment portion of the second deployment portion to a volume of a remaining portion of the curtain air bag is set to 1:

4 to 1;

5, inclusive.

13. A curtain air bag system comprising a curtain air bag that is housed folded up in an upper edge portion of an opening for getting into and out of a vehicle in a side of a vehicle body, and that includes a first deployment portion, a gas flow path, and a second deployment portion,

wherein the first deployment portion inflates by receiving a supply of gas when the vehicle is collided with in a side collision as well as when the vehicle rolls over, and deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, such that an entirety of the first deployment portion deploys above a belt line such that a rearward most end of the first deployment portion overlaps with a center pillar when viewed from the side of the vehicle body,

the gas flow path supplies gas to the first deployment portion from a gas passage located adjacent the first deployment portion, the gas passage is spaced apart from the center pillar when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, and

the second deployment portion, in response to receiving a supply of gas, deploys such that a lower end extends below the belt line, in a position not overlapping with the first deployment portion when viewed from the side, at least when the vehicle rolls over;

wherein the first deployment portion has no seam that restricts deployment thickness in a vehicle width direction, in a region surrounded by a first line that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and passes through an uppermost striking point, from among a plurality of impactor striking points of a rollover test, and a second line that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and passes through a lowermost striking point, from among the plurality of impactor striking points; and

wherein the first deployment portion deploys such that an apex that protrudes farthest inward in the vehicle width direction is positioned within a range of ±

50 mm in a vertical direction with respect to a third line that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and passes through the middle portion between the first line and the second line.

14. The curtain air bag system of claim 13 wherein the gas passage located adjacent the first deployment portion is defined by a narrowed opening through which gas flows directly into the first deployment portion.