CURTAIN AIRBAG

• US 20120025502A1
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Matsushita, Tetsuya, Nakashima, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 9,283,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A curtain airbag capable for preventing occupant ejection from a vehicle, particularly in the vicinity of a rearmost seat, while reducing the output required of an inflator associated with the airbag. The curtain airbag is stored at an upper position on a side surface portion of the occupant compartment of the vehicle, so as to be inflated and deployed along the side surface portion. The curtain airbag includes an inflation region and a wide portion in the form of non-inflatable cloth. The wide portion is attached to a rear edge portion of the inflation region and also attached to at least one point of the vehicle rearward of a front-side pillar, the front-side pillar being located forward of rearmost side window. The wide portion has a shape that allows it to be strained, by the inflated and deployed inflation region, into a generally planar configuration over an assumed strike area of the rearmost side window.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag stored at an upper position on a side surface portion in an occupant compartment of a vehicle and configured to be inflated and deployed along the side surface portion, the curtain airbag comprising:

an inflation region configured to receive a gas for inflation and deployment so as to be inflated over and forward of a front-side pillar that is protruded forward of a rearmost window located lateral to a rearmost seat and inward of the rearmost window on a vehicle interior side; and

a wide portion in the form of cloth which is not inflated and is attached to a rear edge portion of the inflation region while being attached at least one point to a vehicle on a rearward side of the front-side pillar, wherein

the wide portion has such a shape as to allow it to be strained, by the inflated and deployed inflation region, into a generally planar configuration over an assumed strike area of the rearmost window which is assumed to be struck by an occupant.

2. The curtain airbag according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tab for fixing an upper portion of the rear edge portion of the inflation region to a portion above the front-side pillar.

3. The curtain airbag according to claim 1 wherein the wide portion is generally triangular in shape.

4. In a vehicle having an upper position on a side surface portion of an occupant compartment of the vehicle, the vehicle having a rearmost seat and a rearmost window located laterally from the rearmost seat, the vehicle also having a front-side pillar located forward of the rearmost window and a rear-side pillar located rearward of the rearmost window, a curtain airbag configured to be inflated and deployed along the side surface portion, the curtain airbag comprising:

an inflation region configured to receive a gas for inflation and deployment so as to be inflated over and forward of the front-side pillar and inward of the rearmost window toward the occupant compartment of the vehicle; and

a wide portion in the form of non-inflatable cloth, the wide portion being attached to a rear edge portion of the inflation region, the wide portion also being attached to the vehicle at least one point rearward of the front-side pillar, wherein the wide portion has a shape restricting forward movement of the rear edge portion of inflation region when inflated and deployed such that the wide portion is strained into a generally planar configuration over a presumed strike area of the rearmost window which is presumed to be struck by an occupant during a rollover of the vehicle.

5. The curtain airbag according to claim 4, further comprising a tab for fixing an upper portion of the rear edge portion of the inflation region to a portion above the front-side pillar.

6. The curtain airbag according to claim 4, wherein the wide portion is generally triangular in shape.

7. A curtain airbag comprising:

an inflation region configured to receive a gas for inflation and deployment so as to be inflated in an occupant compartment of a vehicle over a side window thereof, the inflation region having a plurality of inflatable chambers, one of the chambers defining a rear edge portion of the inflation region, the rear edge portion being located generally perpendicular to an attachment portion along the length of the curtain airbag and for attaching the curtain airbag to a vehicle; and

a non-inflatable wide portion, the wide portion being in the form of a panel and being attached to the rear edge portion of the inflation region, the wide portion also having an attachment configured to attach the wide portion to the vehicle, the attachment being generally provided on an end of the wide portion opposite of the rear edge portion; and

whereby when the inflation region is inflated and deployed, the wide portion is strained into a generally planar configuration over a presumed strike area of the rearmost window which is presumed to be struck by an occupant during a rollover of the vehicle.

8. The curtain airbag according to claim 7, wherein the attachment portion includes another attachment located generally adjacent to the rear edge portion of the inflation region.

9. The curtain airbag according to claim 7, wherein the wide portion is generally triangular in shape.