Curtain airbag

• US 10,214,173 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Asada, Teruyuki, Takeuchi, Takayoshi, Nakashima, Atsushi, Shimizu, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US14/770,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• 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 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A curtain airbag capable of applying tension in a vertical direction to improve occupant ejection mitigation performance. The curtain airbag is housed in an upper portion of a side surface inside a vehicle cabin and deployed along the side surface. The curtain airbag includes: a main chamber having a protection area for the occupant, and receiving an inflation gas and being inflated along a side window of a vehicle; a first chamber that overlaps an upper edge of the side window of the vehicle, the first chamber extends by being deployed toward an upper side of the main chamber along the upper portion of the side surface inside the vehicle cabin. The main chamber includes a second chamber positioned in a below portion of the first chamber to overlap the vehicle beltline upon deployment.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag that is housed in an upper portion of a side surface inside a vehicle cabin and is adapted to be inflated and deployed upon deployment along the side surface for protecting an occupant, wherein the side surface includes a front pillar, a front side window, a center pillar, a rear side window, and a rear pillar in a vehicle front-rear direction, the curtain airbag comprising:

a main chamber having a protection area to protect the occupant, the main chamber receiving an inflation and deployment gas from an inflator and being inflated and deployed mainly along a side window of a vehicle; and

a first chamber in fluid communication with the main chamber prior to deployment and overlapping an upper edge of the side window of the vehicle when inflated and deployed upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas, wherein

the first chamber is configured to extend by being inflated and deployed toward an upper side of the main chamber along the upper portion of the side surface inside the vehicle cabin during the deployment of the curtain airbag, wherein the first chamber extends in front of the center pillar between two tabs that are adjacent to each other and in front of the inflator in the vehicle front-rear direction and, in an inflated state, overlaps a protrusion of a welded portion protruding from the side surface toward the inside of the vehicle cabin, and

the main chamber includes a second chamber that is positioned adjacent a below portion of the first chamber so as to overlap a vehicle beltline when inflated and deployed upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas;

wherein the curtain airbag has a stored state, in which the first chamber is folded over toward a vehicle interior side in a location of reaching an upper end of the first chamber.

2. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second chambers are set on a vertical line that passes through an impact point which is a center of an assumed collision area that overlaps the second chamber.

3. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber is inflated and deployed so as to overlap a bracket of the vehicle for attaching an assist grip.

4. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber is inflated and deployed so as to overlap a fixing portion for fixing a roof trim.

5. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, further comprising a third chamber that is positioned closer a vehicle front side than a steering wheel of the vehicle on a front side of the second chamber when inflated upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas so as to be inflated and deployed by being bent toward a vehicle interior side by a front window of the vehicle.

6. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, further comprising a third chamber that is positioned closer a vehicle front side than a steering wheel of the vehicle when inflated upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas so as to extend closer to a vehicle interior side than the second chamber.

7. The curtain airbag according to claim 6, further comprising a strap that is stretched from a front pillar of the vehicle to a rear end of the third chamber while passing through a vehicle exterior side of the third chamber and extends in a linear form when the inflation and deployment gas is supplied.

8. A curtain airbag that is housed in an upper portion of a side surface inside a vehicle cabin in a stored state and is inflated and deployed along the side surface for protecting an occupant, comprising:

a main chamber having a protection area to protect the occupant, the main chamber receiving an inflation and deployment gas and being inflated and deployed mainly along a side window of the vehicle; and

a first chamber in fluid communication with the main chamber, the first chamber being inflated and deployed upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas, wherein the first chamber is provided at such a position that, when inflated upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas, the first chamber extends upward from and above the main chamber between two fastening tabs and covers at least a portion of a coupling portion bridging a gap between a front end of a roof side rail and a rear end of a roof front rail so as to overlap a protrusion of the coupling portion protruding from the side surface toward the inside of the vehicle cabin, wherein the roof side rail is positioned between a ceiling of the vehicle and the side window above the main chamber so as to extend in a vehicle front-rear direction and the roof front rail is positioned on a vehicle front side of the ceiling so as to extend in a vehicle width direction,

wherein the first chamber is folded over toward a vehicle interior side in a location of reaching an upper end of the first chamber while in the stored state.

9. The curtain airbag according to claim 8, wherein the first chamber is folded over toward a vehicle interior side in a location of reaching an upper end of the first chamber in a stored state of the curtain airbag.

10. The curtain airbag according to claim 8, wherein the first chamber is inflated and deployed so as to overlap a welded portion of the side surface.

11. The curtain airbag according to claim 8, wherein the first chamber is inflated and deployed so as to overlap a bracket of the vehicle for attaching an assist grip.

12. The curtain airbag according to claim 8, wherein the main chamber includes a second chamber that is positioned in a below portion of the first chamber so as to overlap a vehicle beltline when inflated and deployed upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas.

13. The curtain airbag according to claim 12, further comprising:

a third chamber that is positioned closer a vehicle front side than a steering wheel of the vehicle on a front side of the second chamber when inflated upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas so as to be inflated and deployed by being bent toward a vehicle interior side by a front window of the vehicle.

14. The curtain airbag according to claim 13, further comprising:

a strap that is stretched from a front pillar of the vehicle to a rear end of the third chamber while passing through a vehicle exterior side of the third chamber and extends in a linear form when the inflation and deployment gas is supplied.

15. The curtain airbag according to claim 12, further comprising:

a third chamber that is positioned closer a vehicle front side than a steering wheel of the vehicle when inflated upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas so as to extend closer to a vehicle interior side than the second chamber.

16. The curtain airbag according to claim 12, wherein the first chamber is folded toward a vehicle interior side from a seam portion that partitions the first and second chambers and is folded over toward a vehicle exterior side in a location from the seam portion to an upper end of the first chamber in a stored state of the curtain airbag.

17. The curtain airbag according to claim 12, wherein the first and the second chambers are set on a vertical line that passes through an impact point which is a center of an assumed collision area that overlaps the second chamber.

18. The curtain airbag according to claim 12, wherein the first chamber is inflated and deployed so as to overlap a fixing portion for fixing a roof trim.

19. A curtain airbag that is housed in an upper portion of a side surface inside a vehicle cabin and is adapted to be inflated and deployed upon deployment along the side surface for protecting an occupant, wherein the side surface includes a front pillar, a front side window, a center pillar, a rear side window, and a rear pillar in a vehicle front-rear direction, the curtain airbag comprising:

a main chamber having a protection area to protect the occupant, the main chamber receiving an inflation and deployment gas from an inflator and being inflated and deployed mainly along a side window of a vehicle; and

a first chamber that overlaps an upper edge of the side window of the vehicle when inflated and deployed upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas, wherein the first chamber is configured to extend by being inflated and deployed toward an upper side of the main chamber along the upper portion of the side surface inside the vehicle cabin during the deployment of the curtain airbag, wherein the first chamber extends in front of the center pillar between two tabs that are adjacent to each other and in front of the inflator in the vehicle front-rear direction and, in an inflated state, overlaps a protrusion of a welded portion protruding from the side surface toward the inside of the vehicle cabin, wherein the first chamber is configured to protect the head of the occupant during a frontal impact in a small-overlap crash, and

wherein the main chamber includes a second chamber that is positioned adjacent a below portion of the first chamber so as to overlap a vehicle beltline when inflated and deployed upon receiving the inflation and deployment gas,

wherein the curtain airbag has a stored state, in which the first chamber is folded downward toward a vehicle interior side from a seam portion, which partitions the first chamber from the second chamber, and is folded over upward toward a vehicle exterior side along a line midway from the seam portion to an upper end of the first chamber.