Curtain airbag apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

• US 9,713,999 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Hae Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US14/922,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20160121838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

Provided are a curtain airbag apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same, which may prevent a head of an occupant from being moved forward after coming into contact with an airbag. To this end, according to the curtain airbag apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a deployment guide is disposed to penetrate a deployment ring coupled to one surface of the airbag, and tightened by expansive force of the airbag to allow the airbag to be bent in a shape that protrudes toward the other surface.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag apparatus comprising:

an inflatable airbag;

a single deployment ring including a central portion fixed to a first surface of the airbag; and

a deployment guide which penetrates the single deployment ring and is tightened by expansive force of the airbag to allow the airbag to be bent in a shape that protrudes toward a second surface of the airbag,

wherein the deployment guide includes a first guide penetrating the single deployment ring and having upper and end lower ends fixed to the first surface of the airbag, and a second guide penetrating the single deployment ring and having upper and lower ends fixed to the first surface of the airbag.

2. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein a through hole through which the first guide and the second guide penetrate is formed in the single deployment ring.

3. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first guide and the second guide are installed to be movable through the through hole.

4. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the airbag is deployed, the first surface of the airbag is directed toward an outside of a vehicle, and the second surface of the airbag is directed toward an interior of the vehicle.

5. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper end of the first guide and the upper end of the second guide are fixed to an upper end of the first surface of the airbag, and the lower end of the first guide and the lower end of the second guide are fixed to a lower end of the second surface of the airbag.

6. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 5, wherein the single deployment ring is coupled to the lower end of the first surface of the airbag above the lower end of the first guide and the lower end of the second guide.

7. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower end of the first guide is disposed to be closer to a front portion of the airbag than the upper end of first guide, and the lower end of the second guide is disposed to be closer to a rear portion of the airbag than the upper end of second guide.

8. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the first guide and a length of the second guide are longer than a length of the airbag in an up and down direction, and at least one end of the first guide and at least one end of the second guide are disposed to be spaced apart from the single deployment ring in a front and rear direction so that the first guide and the second guide are tightened while the airbag is deployed.

9. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper end of the first guide and the upper end of the second guide are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a front and rear direction, and the lower end of the first guide and the lower end of the second guide are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the front and rear direction.

10. The curtain airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein both ends of the first guide are disposed to be spaced forward apart from the single deployment ring, and both ends of the second guide are disposed to be spaced rearward apart from the single deployment ring.

11. A method of manufacturing a curtain airbag apparatus, the method comprising:

spreading raw fabric of a single deployment ring out on a first surface of airbag, and fixing a central portion of the raw fabric of the single deployment ring to the first surface of the airbag;

coupling both ends of the raw fabric, and completely forming the single deployment ring;

spreading a first deployment guide out on the first surface of the airbag, and fixing a lower end of the first deployment guide to a lower end of the first surface of the airbag;

spreading a second deployment guide out on the first surface of the airbag, and fixing a lower end of the second deployment guide to a lower end of the first surface of the airbag;

allowing an upper end of the first deployment guide to pass through the single deployment ring from the lower side to the upper side, and pulling out the upper end of the first deployment guide;

allowing an upper end of the second deployment guide to pass through the single deployment ring from the lower side to the upper side, and pulling out the upper end of the second deployment guide;

folding a lower end of the first surface of the airbag upward so that the single deployment ring is disposed between folded portions of the airbag;

fixing the upper end of the first deployment guide to an upper end of the first surface of the airbag; and

fixing the upper end of the second deployment guide to an upper end of the first surface of the airbag.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the airbag is folded upward based on a point one-third of the length of the airbag in an up and down direction from the lower end of the first surface of the airbag.