Abstract:
An airbag is provided. The airbag is configured to extend longitudinally along a side of a vehicle and includes a first section configured to inflate in a longitudinal and vertical direction, a second section coupled to the first section and configured to inflate in a longitudinal and vertical direction, an inlet for receiving inflation gas from an inflator, tabs positioned at the top of the airbag for attaching the airbag to a ceiling of the vehicle and chambers positioned between the tabs along the top of the airbag, wherein the chambers stabilize the airbag during deployment.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of airbags. More specifically, the invention relates to curtain type airbags configured to deploy along the side of the passenger cabin of vehicle. 
         [0002]    Curtain or roof rail airbags are typically deployed from behind a trim element in a vehicle. The airbag deploys between the sheet metal of the vehicle and the trim element and then out along vehicle side windows into the vehicle cabin to protect an occupant or occupants. Conventional curtain airbags are provided with inflated gas chambers for occupant head cushioning. Most of the airbags form a continuous gas channel in the upper area of the airbag close to the roof rail area. When the airbag is deployed these chambers break through the vehicle trim first. 
         [0003]    Government agencies have indicated that certain requirements for mitigating the ejection of an occupant from a vehicle will be mandated in the future. Curtain airbag technology will become important in these ejection mitigation efforts. To limit the size of a curtain airbag inflator, it is desirable for the volume of the cushion airbag to be used as efficiently as possible while extending throughout the height of the side windows of the vehicle to insure occupant safety. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    According to one embodiment, an airbag is configured to extend longitudinally along a side of a vehicle and includes a first section configured to inflate in a longitudinal and vertical direction, a second section coupled to the first section and configured to inflate in a longitudinal and vertical direction, an inlet for receiving inflation gas from an inflator, tabs positioned at the top of the airbag for attaching the airbag to a roof-rail of the vehicle and chambers positioned between the tabs along the top of the airbag, wherein the chambers stabilize the inflated airbag during deployment. 
         [0005]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, appended claims, and the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described below. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a conventional curtain airbag. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a sectional profile view of a vehicle having a curtain airbag according to one embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a curtain airbag according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is intended to describe exemplary embodiments of the invention, and not to limit the invention. 
         [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , airbag  100  may include a first section  110  and a second section  120 . The first section  110  may be integrally formed with the second section  120 , such that air may flow (in fluid communication) between the two sections  110 ,  120 . Alternatively, the first section  110  may be a separate section that is connected (directly or indirectly) to the second section  120 . The first section  110  may be rolled, folded or unfolded. The second section  120  may be folded or rolled in any appropriate manner for a roof rail airbag. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , both the first  110  and second section  120  are configured to inflate and deploy downward between a headliner trim and a roof-rail into a vehicle cabin area along the side windows in front of trim components. Airbag  100  may be constructed from materials known in the art. 
         [0012]    Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the airbag  100  is shown to include an inflation inlet shown as inlet  130 . Inlet  130  is used to connect an inflator (not shown) to airbag  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , inlet  130  is positioned between first section  110  and second section  120 . When airbag  100  is deployed, this position of inlet  130  allows both sections  110 ,  120  to be quickly and simultaneously filled. In an alternative embodiment, inlet  130  may be located in first section  110 , or may be located in second section  120 . Alternatively, separation gas introduction ports may be provided so that inflation gas is provided to the first and second inflatable sections of the airbag in a controlled manner. 
         [0013]    Airbag  100  is shown in  FIG. 1  to include multiple vertical chambers in a first section  110  and multiple vertical chambers in a second section  120 . The airbag  100  may be configured in multiple shapes and sizes. Airbag  100  may comprise any number, shape and size of horizontal and/or vertical chambers. Airbag  100  also includes multiple attachment points  140 . Attachment points  140  may be positioned at any point along the top of airbag  100  and may be constructed from materials known in the art. 
         [0014]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a sectional profile view of a vehicle  1  having an airbag  200  and an airbag  200  according to one embodiment. The airbag  200  may include a first section  210  and a second section  220 . The first section  210  may be integrally formed with the second section  220 , such that air may flow (in fluid communication) between the two sections  210 ,  220 . Alternatively, the first section  210  may be a separate section that is connected (directly or indirectly) to the second section  220 . The first section  210  may be rolled, folded or unfolded. The second section  220  may be folded or rolled in any appropriate manner for a roof rail airbag. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , both the first  210  and second section  220  are configured to inflate and deploy downward between a headliner trim and a roof-rail into a vehicle cabin area in front of trim components. Airbag  200  may be constructed from materials known in the art. 
         [0015]    Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the airbag  200  is shown to include an inflation inlet shown as inlet  230 . Inlet  230  is used to connect an inflator (not shown) to airbag  200 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , inlet  230  is positioned between first section  210  and second section  220 . When airbag  200  is deployed, this position of inlet  230  allows both sections  210 ,  220  to be quickly and simultaneously filled. In an alternative embodiment, inlet  230  may be located in first section  210 , or may be located in second section  220 . Alternatively, separation gas introduction ports may be provided so that inflation gas is provided to the first and second inflatable sections of the airbag in a controlled manner. 
         [0016]    Airbag  200  is shown in  FIG. 3  to include multiple vertical chambers in the first section  210  and multiple vertical chambers in the second section  220 . The airbag  200  may be configured in multiple shapes and sizes. Airbag  200  may comprise any number, shape and size of horizontal and/or vertical chambers. Airbag  200  also includes multiple elongated attachment tabs  240 . The elongated attachment tabs  240  may be positioned at any point along the top of airbag  200  and may be constructed from materials known in the art. The elongated attachment tabs  240  are longer than the conventional attachment points  140  shown in  FIG. 1 . For example, the attachment tabs  240  may extend, but not limited to, as much as 2.5 inches longer than conventional tabs from their attachment point. The elongated attachment points  240  insure that the bottom of the airbag overlaps the beltline of the vehicle  1 . 
         [0017]    In addition, the airbag  200  includes upper chambers  250 . The upper chambers  250  are positioned between the elongated attachment tabs  240  along the upper length of the airbag  200 . Upon deployment, the upper chambers  250  act to stabilize the airbag  200  by pushing against the roof-rail surface to insure that the airbag  200  stays deployed at its full length along the height of the vehicle. The inflated upper chambers also help minimize vertical oscillation motions. The upper chambers  250  may also act as a regular cushioning chamber. Further, by positioning the attachment tabs  240  along the length of the airbag in conjunction with the upper chambers  250 , the overall volume of the airbag can be kept small. In other words, the inflated cushion would have to cover the full height from the roof-rail down to at least the window sill. With the mounting tabs and upper chambers, the tabs can be lengthened; and the upper chambers will stabilize the airbag deployment and give the occupant(s) protection. Thus the inflated cushion can be minimized. Therefore, the inflator output can also be kept small. It is noted that the lengthened tabs essentially lower the upper gas distribution channel (i.e. the straight channel just below the upper chambers and the tabs in  FIG. 3 ). Since the upper channel remains straight, the gas distribution is relatively the same. 
         [0018]    The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and as a practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modification are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.