Vehicle with curtain air bag

A vehicle with a curtain air bag includes a roof side rail of the vehicle, the curtain air bag being mounted along said roof side rail, and a seat belt anchor fastened together with the curtain air bag on the roof side rail.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application incorporates by reference the subject matter of Application NO. 2003-095837 and 2003-095838 filed in Japan on 31 Mar. 2003, on which a priority claim is based under 35 U.S.C § 119(a).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle provided with a curtain air bag.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 5Ais a view schematically showing the inside of a vehicle, around a seat installed within the vehicle. As shown inFIG. 5A, a seat50on which the occupant is to be seated, and a seat belt51for protecting the occupant from, e.g., a car accident, are installed within the vehicle.

The seat belt51inFIG. 5Ais a lap and diagonal belt, which is installed together with a seat belt anchor52aand a seat belt retractor (belt windup device), not shown, within the vehicle. The occupant seated on the seat50inserts a tongue53into a buckle54to fasten the seat belt51so that the occupant can be secured on the seat50.

In recent years, vehicles of the type that a seat belt anchor52bis fixed to a roof side rail56as shown inFIG. 5Bhave become more common as compared with vehicles of the type that the seat belt anchor52ais fixed to a center pillar55as shown inFIG. 5A. In the case where the seat belt anchor52bis fixed to the roof side rail56, the seat belt anchor52bis fixed at a location of the roof side rail56, which is at the rear of the center pillar55.

The location of the seat belt anchor has been changed as described above for the following reason. In the case of the type that the seat belt anchor52ais fixed to the center pillar55located substantially on the side of the occupant, a gap is formed between the seat belt51and the occupant seated on the seat50when the seat50is moved rearward along the length of the vehicle, and hence the occupant may not be sufficiently secured, whereas in the case of the type that the seat belt anchor52bis fixed to a location of the roof side rail56, which is at the rear of the occupant, the occupant can be sufficiently secured without being affected by the movement of the seat50.

An air bag as well as the seat belt can be used as a device which protects the occupant from, e.g., a car accident. In particular, a curtain air bag installed on the side of the vehicle serves as an occupant protective device for protecting the occupant from impact applied to the side of the vehicle.

FIG. 6is a view schematically showing the structure of the curtain air bag in a deployed condition. If impact is applied to the side of the vehicle, gas ejected from an inflator60flows into a gas intake passage59constituting the curtain air bag (FIG. 6shows the curtain air bag57in a deployed condition) stowed along the roof side rail56. The gas which has flown into the gas intake passage59having a substantially linear shape, inflates a plurality of inflating parts58, causing the curtain air bag57to be deployed over the whole of the side of the seated occupant63, so that the occupant63can be protected from the impact applied to the side of the vehicle.

Mounting parts61are protruded at predetermined intervals from the upper edge of the curtain air bag57. At the mounting parts61, the curtain air bag57is fixed to the roof side rail56via fastening members62such as bolts to endure the reaction caused by the intake of high-pressure gas during deployment.

FIG. 7is a view schematically showing the curtain air bag installed on the roof side rail as viewed from the inside of the vehicle.FIG. 7shows a part of the curtain air bag, where there is no inflating part, the curtain air bag being comprised of the gas intake passage59installed along the roof side rail, and a plurality of inflating parts (refer to the inflating parts58appearing inFIG. 6) installed at regular intervals in the gas intake passage59.

As shown inFIG. 7, the curtain air bag mounting part61is fixed to a roof side rail inner66, which constitutes the vehicle inner side of the roof side rail, via the fastening member62such as a bolt, so that the curtain air bag can be installed on the roof side rail. When the curtain air bag is in a stowed condition, the gas intake passage59is stored in a roof side trim, not shown, in the state of being retracted along the roof side rail56.

On this occasion, an obstacle such as the center pillar55lies below the curtain air bag in the inflating direction thereof, the curtain air bag may not be smoothly deployed. For this reason, a rising bracket is additionally disposed between the curtain air bag and the obstacle so that the air bag can be smoothly deployed.FIG. 7shows an example where a center pillar rising bracket67is disposed for the center pillar55as the obstacle.

The seat belt and the curtain air bag as above can be typically used as devices for protecting the occupant, but in the case where both the seat belt anchor and the curtain air bag are installed on the roof side rail, the following problem arises.

Specifically, the seat belt anchor52bis installed on the roof side rail56, and the curtain air bag57(mounting parts57) is fixed on the roof side rail56at a plurality of locations and in the direction of the length of the vehicle, and further, the rising bracket is disposed where necessary. This complicates the inner side of the roof side rail, restricts locations where parts are mounted, and increases the man-hour for assembly (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-264762)

Further, if the seat belt anchor52bis installed on the roof side rail56, and the curtain air bag57(mounting parts61) is installed along the roof side rail56and in the direction of the length of the vehicle, the gas intake passage59inflated by the inflow of gas from the inflator60and the seat belt anchor52binterfere with each other in the event of air bag deployment. Consequently, the seat belt anchor52ainhibits the gas intake passage59afrom sufficiently inflating, and the flow of gas in the gas intake passage59bas well as the flow of gas into the inflating parts58cannot be realized at a sufficient speed, and therefore, the curtain air bag cannot be smoothly deployed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle with a curtain air bag, which can be installed together with a seat belt anchor on a roof side rail.

To attain the above object, there is provided a vehicle with a curtain air bag, which includes a roof side rail of the vehicle, the curtain air bag mounted along the roof side rail, and a seat belt anchor fastened together with the curtain air bag on the roof side rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

FIG. 1is a sectional view schematically showing the mounting structure of an air bag and a seat belt anchor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2is a perspective view schematically showing the mounting structure inFIG. 1, and showing the state in which the air bag and the seat belt anchor are fixed to a roof side rail.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the seat belt anchor1has one end thereof provided with a fixed part2which is fixed to a roof side rail inner7constituting a roof side rail6, and has the other end thereof provided with a belt connecting part3to which a seat belt5is connected. Between the fixed part2and the belt connecting part3, there is provided a gas intake passage avoiding part4(protruded part) which is bow-shaped to be curved inward in the vehicle to avoid a gas intake passage11which is inflated when the curtain air bag is deployed.

The fixed part2of the seat belt anchor1is fixed to the roof side rail inner7via a fastening member8. On this occasion, a curtain air bag mounting part9is temporarily fastened in advance on the roof side rail inner7by inserting a temporary fastening claw12formed in the mounting part9into a temporary fastening hole13formed in the roof side rail inner7, and then the mounting part9and the fixed part2of the seat belt anchor1are fastened together by the fastening member8.

In the case where the curtain air bag mounting part9is disposed in the vicinity of the seat belt anchor1as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the mounting part9and the seat belt anchor1are fastened together at one location. This eliminates the problems that locations where parts are to be mounted are restricted and the man-hour for assembly is increased due to the complicated structure of the inner side of the roof side rail6.

Further, since the curtain air bag mounting part9is fixed to the roof side rail inner7constituting the roof side rail6via the fastening member8, the curtain air bag is installed on the roof side rail6, and a gas intake passage10is stored in a roof side trim, not shown, in the state of being retracted along the roof side rail6when the curtain air bag is in a stowed condition.

When the curtain air bag is deployed, the gas intake passage10is greatly inflated as is the case with the gas intake passage11appearing inFIG. 1due to the pressure of gas which is flown from an inflator, and this accelerates the deployment of the curtain air bag. On this occasion, in the present embodiment, since the gas intake passage avoiding part4of the seat belt anchor1is protruded inward in the vehicle, and hence the gas intake passage11can be sufficiently inflated without interfering with the seat belt anchor1when the curtain air bag is deployed.

Specifically, the flow of gas in the gas intake passage11and the flow of gas into inflating parts are not inhibited by the seat belt anchor1fixed to the roof side rail6. Consequently, the gas intake passage11causes gas to flow into the inflating parts at a sufficient speed, making it possible to smoothly deploy the curtain air bag.

Further, the location of the belt connecting part3of the seat belt anchor1is substantially the same as the location of a conventional corresponding part, and lies in proximity to a side window glass14. Therefore, the seat belt5does not overhang inward in the vehicle, and never deteriorates the interior comfort of the vehicle and narrows the range of vision.

It should be noted that the seat belt anchor1according to the present embodiment is adapted to be protruded at the gas intake passage avoiding part4. Therefore, to ensure the same stiffness as that of a conventional seat belt anchor which has a substantially linear shape, it is desirable that the gas intake passage avoiding part4is shaped to be extended in proximity to and along the periphery of the gas intake passage11. Alternatively, a metal plate forming the seat belt anchor1may be formed to be thicker than that of a conventional art.

Although the seat belt anchor1according to the present embodiment includes the bow-shaped gas intake passage avoiding part4, the present invention is not limited to this. The seat belt anchor1may have a substantially linear shape and can be fastened together with an air bag mounting part on the roof side rail inner7. In this case, a hinge or a tether is interposed between the fastened part2and the belt connecting part3of the seat belt anchor1so that the seat belt anchor1can rotate inward in a vehicle compartment. Therefore, even if the seat belt anchor1has a substantially linear shape, the flow of gas in the gas intake passage11and the inflow of gas into the inflating parts are not inhibited by the seat belt anchor1when the curtain air bag is deployed, and as a result, the curtain air bag can be smoothly deployed.

FIG. 3is a sectional view schematically showing the mounting structure of an air bag and a seat belt anchor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4is a perspective view schematically showing the mounting structure inFIG. 3, and showing the state in which the air bag and the seat belt anchor are fixed to a roof side rail.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, a mounting bracket21is made of one rectangular metal plate, and a mountain-shaped rising part24is formed substantially at the center of the metal plate. An insertion part22and a seat belt anchor mounting part23are provided at one end of the metal plate, and an air bag mounting part25is provided at the other end.

The insertion part22is shaped such that it is bent in a direction opposite to the protruding direction of the rising part24, and then bent to be parallel with the body of the metal plate again. The seat belt anchor mounting part23corresponds to a part between the insertion part22and the rising part24, and is provided with a fastening hole26for fastening the seat belt anchor1.

The air bag mounting part25is provided at the other end of the metal plate, which is different from the one end at which the insertion part22and the seat belt anchor mounting part23are provided, and is provided with a fastening hole27for fastening the air bag mounting part9.

After the insertion part22of the mounting bracket21is inserted into a fastening hole28formed in the roof side rail inner7, the air bag mounting part25of the mounting bracket21and the air bag mounting part9are fastened together on the roof side rail inner7via a fastening member8b. Further, the seat belt anchor mounting part23of the mounting bracket21and the seat belt anchor1are fastened together on the roof side rail inner7via a fastening member8a.

In the case where the curtain air bag mounting part9is disposed in the vicinity of the seat belt anchor1as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the mounting part9and the seat belt anchor1are integrally fastened by the mounting bracket21. This eliminates the problem that locations where parts are mounted are restricted and the man-hour for assembly is increased due to the complicated inner side of the roof side rail.

Further, since the mounting bracket21is provided with the rising part24which enables the curtain air bag to be smoothly deployed while avoiding an obstacle located in the deploying direction of the curtain air bag, a rising bracket does not have to be additionally provided. Although no obstacle is illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, it is assumed, for example, that a plastic trim which covers the seat belt anchor1is an obstacle. Since the mounting bracket21is provided with the rising part24, the number of parts can be further reduced, and the assembly process can be simplified.

It should be noted that the mounting part9may be fixed in advance to the air bag mounting part25of the mounting bracket21by, e.g., welding, and temporarily fastened by a simple clip or the like in place of the fastening member8b, and finally at the seat belt anchor mounting part23, the seat belt anchor1may be fixed on the roof side rail inner7by the fastening member8a.

This is because the air bag mounting part25is formed integrally with the seat belt anchor mounting part23by one metal plate, and hence if the seat belt anchor mounting part23as well as the seat belt anchor1is fixed to the roof side rail inner7, the curtain air bag can be fixed as well.