Patent ID: 6520533
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An air bag apparatus, comprising:a moveable lid disposed in a folded state adjacent an interior upper edge of a vehicle window and adjacent an upper portion of a pillar; an air bag attached to the interior of the vehicle body, the air bag being arranged to push against and open the lid as the air bag deploys, the air bag including a lower edge, an upper edge, and an attachment portion disposed at the upper edge for attachment to the vehicle body, the air bag being folded so that the lower edge approaches the upper edge and the attachment portion is attached to the vehicle body so that the air bag is housed behind the lid, a portion of a lower end of the lid being retained by a portion of the interior trim on the pillar, and a portion of the air bag adjacent the lower end of the lid providing a focused and intensified force against the lid upon deployment, further comprising a restraining member, disposed at an upper position of the pillar portion, for preventing the air bag at the time of deployment from engaging the pillar trim, the restraining member includes a substantially L-shaped section including a vertical wall portion and a horizontal wall portion extending from a lower end of the vertical wall portion toward the vehicle's inner side, the air bag initially has a flat, unexpanded unfolded orientation that is folded in a bellows fashion in a substantially vertical direction from the lower edge toward the upper edge, the vertical wall portion supporting an outer side of the folded air bag, the horizontal wall portion supports a lower end of the folded air bag, and is disposed to form an acute intersection angle with the lid, and the portion of the air bag providing the focused and intensified force against the lid is constructed by forming an expanding portion at a narrow intersection between the lid and the horizontal wall portion.