External airbag

• US 9,566,940 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Mototsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US15/064,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/003 characterised by occupant or pedestian
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/346 means outside vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags

Abstract

An external airbag includes an airbag body and an urging portion. The airbag body is deployed to extend in front of a front pillar and upward along the front pillar from a lower end of the front pillar. The front pillar is disposed along a lateral edge of a windshield of an automobile. The urging portion urges downward a vicinity of a leading end of the airbag body deployed upward along the front pillar such that the leading end is moved back downward along the front pillar, and that forms a space between an intermediate portion of the airbag body and the front pillar.

Claims

1. An external airbag comprising:

an airbag body that is deployed to extend in front of a front pillar and upward along the front pillar from a lower end of the front pillar, the front pillar being disposed along a lateral edge of a windshield of an automobile; and

an urging portion that urges downward a vicinity of a leading end of the airbag body deployed upward along the front pillar such that the leading end is moved back downward along the front pillar, and that forms a space between an intermediate portion of the airbag body and the front pillar,

wherein the urging portion has a tether that couples between the vicinity of the leading end of the airbag body and a vicinity of a base end of the airbag body, the leading end and the base end being on opposite ends of the airbag respective to the intermediate portion.

2. The external airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag body is deployed to extend in front of the front pillar and upward along the front pillar from the lower end of the front pillar to an upper end of the front pillar.

3. The external airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag body is deployed to extend in front of the front pillar and upward along the front pillar from the lower end of the front pillar to an upper end of the front pillar such that an entirety of the front pillar is covered by the airbag body when deployed.

4. The external airbag according to claim 1, wherein at least one vent hole is formed in the airbag body for reducing an internal pressure of the airbag body.

5. The external airbag according to claim 1, wherein at least one vent hole is formed in the airbag body for reducing an internal pressure of the airbag body,

wherein, when the internal pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, the at least one vent hole is opened to release deployment gas in the airbag body.

6. The external airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag body is exposed to an outside of the automobile through a space between a rear edge of a front hood and a lower edge of a windshield.

7. The external airbag according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion separates the airbag body from the front pillar to increase an impact absorption amount of the airbag.

8. The external airbag according to claim 1, wherein the tether is external to the airbag body and stretches from the leading end to the base end through the intermediate portion.

9. An external airbag comprising:

an airbag body that is deployed to extend in front of a front pillar and upward along the front pillar from a lower end of the front pillar, the front pillar being disposed along a lateral edge of a windshield of an automobile; and

an urging portion that urges downward a vicinity of a leading end of the airbag body deployed upward along the front pillar such that the leading end is moved back downward along the front pillar, and that forms a space between an intermediate portion of the airbag body and the front pillar,

wherein the urging portion has, in the intermediate portion of the airbag body, stretchable fiber that partially has increased stretchability.