Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-24
2001-05-22
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S751000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234517
ABSTRACT:
The content of Application No. TOKUGANHEI 10-337781 which was filed in Japan on Nov. 27, 1998 and on which the claim to priority for this application is based, is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to air bag apparatus for a vehicle.
The body of an automobile has a roof rail in proximity to the head of a passenger, and a pad with a cross-sectional shape of a hat provided on the roof rail. When a side collision or the like occurs, if a passenger's head comes into contact with this pad, deformation of the pad absorbs the energy of the collision with the head, thereby protecting the head of the passenger.
Recently, there have been cases in which an air bag is disposed on the roof rail as protection in the case of a side collision, and technology related to this is disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent application publication H9-156450. In an air bag apparatus of this type, a folded-up air bag is disposed in proximity to the roof rail, this air bag expanding downward so as to protect the head of a passenger in the case of a side collision.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above-noted structure, because it is necessary to position both the air bag apparatus and the pad above at a position on the roof rail that is near the passenger's head, is difficult to locate both of these elements, because of space restrictions, in a manner that prevents loss of the functionality thereof.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air bag apparatus that, in addition to the function of the air bag, also enables the pad to serve in a protective role.
To achieve the above-noted object, an air bag apparatus according to the present invention has a member for absorbing energy in the longitudinal direction fixed onto an inner surface of a roof rail, a longitudinal metal cover disposed below the energy-absorbing member on the inner surface of the roof rail, and an air bag folded up and housed in an inner space defined between the roof rail and the cover. The energy-absorbing member has a cross-section that is substantially that of a hat having a base portion attached to a roof rail inner part and a top portion protruding into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The cover has an upper end that is fixed to an uppermost surface of the energy-absorbing member top portion and a lower end that is in proximity to the roof rail. When the air bag is inflated upon the occurrence of a collision of the vehicle, the air bag expands so as to form an aperture that widens, by pressing between the lower end of the cover and the roof rail, thereby expanding downward to the outside of this aperture through the aperture.
According to the above-noted structure, because the upper end of the cover is fixed to the uppermost surface of the energy-absorbing member, when the air bag expands within the cover due to a side collision of the vehicle, the air bag applies pressure between so as to open up an aperture between the lower end of the cover and the roof rail, thereby expanding downward to the outside of the aperture so as to protect the head of a passenger.
In the case in which the side collision is not of a degree that would cause the air bag to expand, the energy-absorbing member and the metal cover deform, thereby serving to absorb the collision energy to which the passenger's head is subjected. For this reason, it is possible to sufficiently absorb the energy of collision.
Thus, even using a small energy-absorbing member, it is possible to achieve both the energy-absorbing function of the air bag and the energy-absorbing function of the energy-absorbing member, thereby providing energy absorption that is appropriate to the strength of the side collision.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5884937 (1999-03-01), Yamada
patent: 5899486 (1999-05-01), Ibe
patent: 5988673 (1999-11-01), Stavermann
patent: 6079732 (2000-06-01), Nakajima et al.
patent: 6102435 (2000-08-01), Wallner et al.
patent: 196 12 227 (1997-10-01), None
patent: 9-156450 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 9-207701 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 10-138861 (1998-05-01), None
patent: 10-181512 (1998-07-01), None
Ishigouoka Kiyoharu
Koga Yoshihiro
Miyahara Takehiko
Narita Masanori
English Peter C.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nissan Motor Co,. Ltd.
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