CURTAIN AIRBAG FOR A VEHICLE
20180126944 ยท 2018-05-10
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
B60R21/216
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R2021/23153
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R2021/23316
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R2021/21525
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R21/215
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R21/233
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R21/232
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B60R21/232
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R21/216
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
A curtain airbag for a vehicle is configured to prevent a driver's neck from being broken by preventing a driver's head from being excessively rotated upon a crash of the vehicle in a state in which the driver's head contacts an airbag tube. The curtain airbag is also configured to prevent the driver's head from slipping through or between the curtain airbag and a driver airbag by removing a gap between the curtain airbag and the driver airbag when the driver's head moves forward during a crash of the vehicle.
Claims
1. A curtain airbag for a vehicle, the curtain airbag comprising: an airbag tube configured to include a main chamber that is inflated by being supplied with a gas from an inflator and to absorb an impact when a driver's head moves laterally and to include an auxiliary chamber that is bendably connected to the main chamber and supplied with the gas from the main chamber to be inflated later than the main chamber; and a guide panel configured to be fixedly installed on a vehicle body and connected to the airbag tube to support the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber so that the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber are inflated inwardly when the airbag tube is inflated, wherein when the driver's head moves laterally upon a crash of the vehicle to collide with the main chamber, as the gas within the main chamber moves to the auxiliary chamber, the auxiliary chamber is inflated and is bent inwardly by the guide panel to prevent the gas within the auxiliary chamber from reflowing to the main chamber.
2. The curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the airbag tube further includes a rear chamber bendably connected to a back end of the main chamber, and wherein the auxiliary chamber is bendably connected to a front end of the main chamber.
3. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein the inflator is installed on the rear chamber whereby, when the airbag tube is inflated, the auxiliary chamber is supplied with the gas from the main chamber to be inflated last after the main chamber and the rear chamber are unfolded.
4. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein the airbag tube is provided with a first chamber wall non-inflated at a boundary line in which the rear chamber and the main chamber are connected and is provided with a second chamber wall non-inflated at a boundary line in which the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber are connected.
5. The curtain airbag of claim 4, wherein the airbag tube is provided with a first communication hole through which the gas flows from the boundary line between the rear chamber and the main chamber to both ends of the first chamber wall and is provided with a second communication hole through which the gas flows from the boundary line between the auxiliary chamber and the main chamber to both ends of the second chamber wall.
6. The curtain airbag of claim 5, wherein a diameter of the first communication hole is formed to be larger than a diameter of the second communication hole.
7. The curtain airbag of claim 4, wherein the first chamber wall is extended vertically and a central portion of the first chamber wall is extended to be bent backward.
8. The curtain airbag of claim 4, wherein a longitudinal width of the second chamber wall is formed to be wider than a width of the first chamber wall.
9. The curtain airbag of claim 4, wherein the guide panel is disposed at an outside with respect to the airbag tube, wherein a back end of the guide panel is connected to a boundary line in which the rear chamber and the main chamber are connected and a front end of the guide panel is fixed to a vehicle body.
10. The curtain airbag of claim 9, wherein the back end of the guide panel is formed to correspond to a shape of the first chamber wall to be connected to the first chamber wall.
11. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein the airbag tube is provided with a first depression part in which an upper end of a boundary line in which the rear chamber and the main chamber are connected is depressed downward.
12. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein the airbag tube is provided with a second depression part in which a lower end of a boundary line in which the auxiliary chamber and the main chamber are connected is depressed upward.
13. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein a back end of the guide panel is connected to a boundary line in which the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber are connected and a front end of the guide panel is fixed to a vehicle body.
14. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein the guide panel is provided with a first tether, the first tether having a back end connected to a boundary line in which the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber are connected and having a front end connected to the front of the auxiliary chamber, the first tether disposed at the outside of the main chamber, and wherein the guide panel is provided with a second tether configured to have a back end connected to a front of the auxiliary chamber along with the first tether and to have a front end fixed to the vehicle body.
15. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein the guide panel is provided with a first panel part configured to have a back end connected to a boundary line in which the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber are connected and to have a front end connected to a central portion of the auxiliary chamber and the guide panel and disposed at an inside of the main chamber, and is provided with a second panel part configured to have a back end connected to a front of the auxiliary chamber along with the first panel part and to have a front end fixed to the vehicle body.
16. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein when the airbag tube is unfolded, the rear chamber is positioned to correspond to a head of a passenger on a rear seat, the main chamber is positioned to correspond to a driver's head, and the auxiliary chamber is positioned in front of a driver airbag provided at a driver's seat.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023]
[0024]
[0025]
[0026]
[0027]
[0028]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] Hereinafter, a curtain airbag for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0030]
[0031] As illustrated in
[0032] As such, the curtain airbag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to include the airbag tube 100 that includes the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 and the guide panel 200. In this configuration, the airbag tube 100 is installed on a ceiling or a roof in a vehicle and is unfolded downward upon the occurrence of a crash so as to be located between a door glass and a passenger. In particular, in the case of the airbag tube 100, when the driver's head contacts the main chamber 140 upon a side impact or lateral crash of the vehicle, such as when another vehicle collides with the side of the vehicle, the main chamber 140 is pressed by absorbing an impact. Thus, the gas within the main chamber 140 moves to the auxiliary chamber 160, and the auxiliary chamber 160 is supplied with the gas from the main chamber 140 to be inflated. Thus, the auxiliary chamber 160 is inflated later than the main chamber 140.
[0033] At the same time, the airbag tube 100 is supported by the guide panel 200 disposed at an outside thereof and thus is inflated inwardly, such that the main chamber 140 is inflated and then is unfolded to be bent inwardly upon the expansion of the auxiliary chamber 160. In other words, the guide panel 200 is connected to the airbag tube 100 and is fixedly installed on a vehicle body and is disposed on the outside of the airbag tube 100. Thus, when the airbag tube 100 is inflated, the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 are supported to the guide panel 200 to be inflated inwardly. As such, the guide panel 200 supports the airbag tube 100 so that the airbag tube 100 is not unfolded outwardly when the airbag tube 100 is unfolded and serves to support the airbag tube 100 so that the airbag tube is unfolded inwardly. The airbag tube 100 and the guide panel 200 may be made of the same material.
[0034] As described above, in the curtain airbag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the airbag tube 100 is unfolded upon a crash and the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 are inflated inwardly by the guide panel 200. In particular, when the main chamber 140 protects the driver's head from a lateral crash or side impact, and the gas within the main chamber 140 moves to the auxiliary chamber 160, the auxiliary chamber 160 is inflated later than the main chamber 140. At that time, the auxiliary chamber 160 is bendably connected to the main chamber 140, and is therefore unfolded to be bent inwardly to enclose the driver's head, thereby preventing the driver's head from colliding with a vehicle trim when the driver's head moves in a front and rear direction.
[0035] Describing in detail an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in
[0036] In other words, as the airbag tube 100 is formed lengthwise in a front and rear direction in a vehicle body, the airbag tube 100 may be configured to simultaneously protect the passenger on the rear seat and the driver on the driver's seat. The airbag tube 100 may have an unfolded form such that the rear chamber 120 is positioned to correspond to the head of the passenger on the rear seat and the main chamber 140 is positioned to correspond to the head of the driver on the driver's seat to thereby protect the head of the rear seat passenger and the head of the driver from an impact. In addition, the auxiliary chamber 160 is bendably connected to the main chamber 140 and is positioned in front of the driver airbag D to prevent the driver's head from slipping between or through a gap in the curtain airbag and the driver airbag D, thereby preventing the driver's head from colliding with the vehicle trim.
[0037] Further, the inflator I is installed on the rear chamber 120. Thus, when the airbag tube 200 is inflated, the auxiliary chamber 160 is supplied with the gas from the main chamber 140 to be inflated last after the main chamber 140 and the rear chamber 160 are unfolded.
[0038] As such, the rear chamber 120 of the airbag tube 100 is provided with the inflator I, and a gas from the inflator I is simultaneously supplied to the rear chamber 120 and the main chamber 140 to simultaneously inflate the rear chamber 120 and the main chamber 140. Here, the main chamber 140 supports the driver's head to transfer the gas within the main chamber 140 to the auxiliary chamber 160 when absorbing an impact from the side or laterally, such that the auxiliary chamber 160 is inflated later than the main chamber 140. In other words, the main chamber 140 is inflated earlier than the auxiliary chamber 160 to absorb the impact due to the lateral movement of the driver's head and then the auxiliary chamber 160 is inflated by being supplied with the gas from the main chamber 140 to position the driver's head between the driver airbag D and the airbag tube 100 while restricting the driver's head from being excessively rotated due to the movement of the driver's head in the front and rear direction.
[0039] As illustrated in
[0040] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in
[0041] The airbag tube 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to make gas flow among the rear chamber 120, the main chamber 140, and the auxiliary chamber 160. The airbag tube 100 may be provided with a first communication hole 135 through which the gas flows from the boundary line A between the rear chamber 120 and the main chamber 140 to both ends of the first chamber wall 130 and may be provided with a second communication hole 155 through which the gas flows from the boundary line B between the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 to both ends of the second chamber wall 150.
[0042] In other words, the first chamber wall 130 is installed at a vertically central portion of the boundary line A between the rear chamber 120 and the main chamber 140. Both ends of the first chamber wall 130 may be provided with the first communication hole 135 by being spaced apart from an upper end and a lower end of the airbag tube 100. The rear chamber 120 and the main chamber 140 may be configured to make gas flow therebetween by the first communication hole 135. In addition, the main chamber 140 may be connected to be bendable at the rear chamber 120 and thus is inflated while being bent inwardly by the guide panel 200 when the main chamber 140 is inflated. The first communication hole 135 may be closed by the bending to prevent the gas introduced into the main chamber 140 from being discharged to the rear chamber 120.
[0043] Further, the second chamber wall 150 is installed at a vertically central portion of the boundary line B between the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160. Both ends of the second chamber wall 150 may be provided with the second communication hole 155 by being spaced apart from the upper end and the lower end of the airbag tube 100. The main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 may be configured to make gas flow therebetween by the second communication hole 155. In addition, the auxiliary chamber 160 is connected to be bendable at the main chamber 140 and thus is supported by the guide panel 200 when being inflated to be inflated while being bent inwardly. As such, the second communication hole 155 is closed by the bending upon the inflation of the auxiliary chamber 160 to prevent the gas introduced into the auxiliary chamber 160 from being discharged to the main chamber 140.
[0044] As such, in the airbag tube 100, including the rear chamber 120, the main chamber 140, and the auxiliary chamber 160, the flow of gas may be controlled by the first communication hole 135 and the second communication hole 155 that are foamed by the first chamber wall 130 and the second chamber wall 150.
[0045] In more detail, a diameter of the first communication hole 135 may be formed to be larger than that of the second communication hole 155. In other words, as the diameter of the first communication hole 135 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the second communication hole 155, the main chamber 140 is sufficiently supplied with gas to be quickly inflated. The diameter of the second communication hole 155 is folioed to be relatively smaller to reduce a transfer rate of the gas introduced into the main chamber 140 to the auxiliary chamber 160. As such, the main chamber 140 is quickly inflated and an inflation rate of the auxiliary chamber 160 is delayed. Thus, the main chamber 140 is quickly inflated upon the inflation of the airbag tube 100 to absorb the impact transferred to the driver's head. Then the main chamber 140 is pressed by the driver's head to inflate the auxiliary chamber 160 when the gas is forcibly transferred to the auxiliary chamber 160 to unfold the auxiliary chamber 160 toward the driver.
[0046] As such, the size of the first communication hole 135 is different from that of the second communication hole 155. Thus, the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 are sequentially unfolded to sufficiently absorb the impact transferred to the driver's head and then control the position of the driver's head, thereby efficiently protecting the driver.
[0047] Meanwhile, as illustrated in
[0048] In addition, the airbag tube 100 may be provided with a first depression part 137. An upper end of the boundary line A is depressed downward in the first depression part 137. The rear chamber 120 and the main chamber 140 are connected in the upper end of the boundary line A. As such, the first depression part 137 is famed at the upper end of the boundary line A to which the main chamber 140 is connected. Thus, the main chamber 140 is unfolded while being bent at the rear chamber 120 and the bending angle may be sufficiently increased by the first depression part 137. Therefore, the main chamber 140 may be unfolded by being smoothly bent at the rear chamber 120.
[0049] Meanwhile, a longitudinal width of the second chamber wall 150 is formed to be wider than a width of the first chamber wall 130. Thus, the bending angle of the auxiliary chamber 160 at the main chamber 140 may be greatly increased. As a result, when the airbag tube 100 is unfolded, the increased bending angle of the auxiliary chamber 160 is secured as the width of the second chamber wall 150 is formed to be wide. Thus, the auxiliary chamber 160 may be positioned in front of the driver's seat.
[0050] In addition, the airbag tube 100 is provided with a second depression part 157. The lower end of the boundary line B is depressed upward. The main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 are connected in the lower end of the boundary line B. Thus, the auxiliary chamber 160 is unfolded while being bent at the main chamber 140 and the bending angle of the auxiliary chamber 160 is sufficiently increased by the second depression part 157. Thus, the auxiliary chamber 160 may be unfolded while being bent at the main chamber 140 at a sufficient angle.
[0051] Meanwhile, the guide panel 200 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is connected to the airbag tube 100. The guide panel 200 is also mounted on the vehicle body to guide the unfolding of the airbag tube 100 but may be variously applied.
[0052] The guide panel 200 according to the first embodiment may be disposed outwardly with respect to the airbag tube 100. The back end of the guide panel 200 is connected to the boundary line A in which the rear chamber 120 and the main chamber 140 may be connected. The front end of the guide panel 200 may be fixed to the vehicle body.
[0053] As illustrated in
[0054] Preferably, the back end of the guide panel 200 may be folioed to correspond to the shape of the first chamber wall 130 and may be connected to the first chamber wall 130. In other words, as illustrated in
[0055] Meanwhile, the back end of the guide panel 200 according to a second embodiment may be connected to the boundary line B in which the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 are connected. The front end of the guide panel 200 may be fixed to the vehicle body. That is, as illustrated in
[0056] As such, as the auxiliary chamber 160 is supported by the guide panel 200 at the main chamber 140 to be inflated while being bent inwardly, the driver's head may contact the auxiliary chamber 160 to be stably supported.
[0057] Meanwhile, the guide panel 200 according to a third embodiment may be configured to include a first tether 200a. The first tether 200a may have a back end connected to the boundary line B in which the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 are connected. The first tether 200a may have a front end connected to the front of the auxiliary chamber 160 and disposed at the outside of the main chamber 140. The guide panel 200 may also be configured to include a second tether 200b having a back end connected to the front of the auxiliary chamber 160 along with the first tether 200a and having a front end fixed to the vehicle body.
[0058] In other words, as illustrated in
[0059] As a result, as illustrated in
[0060] Meanwhile, the guide panel 200 according to a fourth embodiment may be provided with a first panel part 200c configured to have a back end connected to the boundary line B in which the main chamber 140 and the auxiliary chamber 160 are connected. The first panel part 200c may also be configured to have a front end connected to the central portion of the auxiliary chamber 160 and disposed at the inside of the main chamber 140. The guide panel 200 may also be provided with a second panel part 200d configured to have a back end connected to the front of the auxiliary chamber 160 along with the first panel part 200c and to have a front end fixed to the vehicle body.
[0061] In other words, as illustrated in
[0062] As a result, as illustrated in
[0063] According to the curtain airbag for a vehicle having the foregoing structure, it is possible to prevent the driver's neck from being broken by preventing the driver's head from being excessively rotated upon a crash of vehicle in the state in which the driver's head contacts the airbag tube 100.
[0064] Further, it is possible to prevent the driver's head from slipping through or between the curtain airbag and the driver airbag by removing the gap between the curtain airbag and the driver airbag D when the driver's head moves forward during a crash of the vehicle.
[0065] Although the present disclosure has been shown and described with respect to specific embodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the following claims.