Patent Publication Number: US-2021179003-A1

Title: Airbag device for panorama roof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0165399, filed on Dec. 12, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an airbag device for a panorama roof, and more particularly, to an airbag device for a panorama roof, which can reduce damage to a passenger, which occurs while the roof of a vehicle is damaged when the vehicle rolls over, prevent the passenger from being thrown out of a vehicle, and prevent a deployment error. 
     Discussion of the Background 
     In general, a vehicle includes airbag devices installed for the safety of a driver or passengers. For example, the airbag devices are installed at the front, both sides and top of the vehicle. The airbag device includes an inflator and an airbag. When a predetermined magnitude of external impact is applied to the vehicle, gas generated by the inflator is injected into the airbag, and inflates the airbag. The airbag is rapidly inflated to protect the body of the passenger. When the vehicle rolls over, the airbag installed at the top of the vehicle is inflated. The airbag is unfolded toward the center from both sides of a panorama roof. 
     In the related art, however, the roof airbag of the vehicle is disposed between a blind and the panorama roof. Thus, when the blind covers the panorama roof, the airbag may be abnormally deployed because an airbag deployment space is insufficient. Therefore, there is a need for a device capable of solving the problem. 
     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and, therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute prior art. 
     SUMMARY 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a safety alarm system and method for an airbag device for a panorama roof, which can reduce damage to a passenger, which occurs while the roof of a vehicle is damaged when the vehicle rolls over, prevent the passenger from being thrown out of a vehicle, and prevent a deployment error. 
     Additional features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an airbag device for a panorama roof including: a panorama roof; a blind disposed under the panorama roof, and configured to open/close the panorama roof; and a roof airbag embedded in a head liner, and deployed under the blind so as to cover the panorama roof 
     The blind may include: a roll disposed under the panorama roof; a screen wound around the roll, and unwound from the roll so as to cover the panorama roof; and a blind shoe formed at an end of the screen. 
     The roll may be disposed at the rear of the panorama roof. 
     The roof airbag may include: an inflator disposed under the blind; a guide connected to the inflator and configured to guide gas; and a cushion connected to the guide, covered by the head liner, and deployed by gas guided through the guide so as to cover the panorama roof. 
     The inflator may include: a gas generation part connected to the guide, and configured to supply gas to the guide; and a gas fixation part configured to fix the gas generation part to the panorama roof. 
     The inflator may be disposed at the front of the panorama roof. 
     The cushion may include: a cushion deployment part disposed over an end of the head liner and folded before deployed; a cushion ring part disposed on either side of the cushion deployment part; and a cushion guide part disposed through the cushion ring part, and configured to guide the cushion ring part. 
     The cushion ring part may have both ends sewed to the cushion deployment part. 
     When the roof airbag is deployed, the head liner may be cut. 
     When the roof airbag is deployed, the head liner may be deformed so as to be bent. 
     In the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the roof airbag may be deployed under the blind, thereby preventing a deployment error caused by the blind. Furthermore, the roof airbag may be disposed at the front of the panorama roof, and the blind may be disposed at the rear of the panorama roof. Thus, the installation space for the parts may be secured to improve assembling performance. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically illustrating an airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram schematically illustrating an operation state of the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram schematically illustrating an inflator in the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram schematically illustrating a cushion in the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     Various advantages and features of the present invention and methods accomplishing thereof will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein but may be implemented in many different forms. The present embodiments may be provided so that the disclosure of the present invention will be complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art and therefore the present invention will be defined within the scope of claims. Like reference numerals throughout the description denote like elements. 
     Unless defined otherwise, it is to be understood that all the terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the specification has the same meaning as those that are understood by those who skilled in the art. Further, the terms defined by the dictionary generally used should not be ideally or excessively formally defined unless clearly defined specifically. It will be understood that for purposes of this disclosure, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” can be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XYY, YZ, ZZ). Unless particularly described to the contrary, the term “comprise”, “configure”, “have”, or the like, which are described herein, will be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated components, and therefore should be construed as including other components, and not the exclusion of any other elements. 
     Hereinafter, an airbag device for a panorama roof will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings through various exemplary embodiments. It should be noted that the drawings are not to precise scale and may be exaggerated in thickness of lines or sizes of components for descriptive convenience and clarity only. Furthermore, the terms as used herein are defined by taking functions of the invention into account and can be changed according to the custom or intention of users or operators. Therefore, definition of the terms should be made according to the overall disclosures set forth herein. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically illustrating an airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 2  is a diagram schematically illustrating an operation state of the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an airbag device  1  for a panorama roof in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a panorama roof  10 , a blind  20  and a roof airbag  30 . 
     The panorama roof  10  is disposed at the ceiling of the vehicle. The panorama roof  10  may indicate a window composed of a first-row window and a second-row window, and the first-row window may be slid to provide a sense of openness. 
     The blind  20  is disposed under the panorama roof  10 , and serves to open/close the panorama roof  10 . For example, the blind  20  may include a roll  21  disposed at the rear of the panorama roof  10 , a screen  22  wound around the roll  21  and unwound from the roll  21  so as to cover the panorama roof  10 , and a blind shoe  23  formed at an end of the screen  22 . The blind shoe  23  may be disposed at a front end of the screen  22 , and the screen  22  may be manually or electrically moved to cover the first-row and second-row windows of the panorama roof  10 . 
     The roof airbag  30  is embedded in a head liner  40 , and deployed under the blind  20  so as to cover the panorama roof  10 . For example, the head liner  40  may indicate an interior material within the vehicle, and serve to restrict the roll  21  and the roof airbag  30 , which is not yet deployed, from being exposed to the outside. When the screen  22  covers the panorama roof  10 , the blind shoe  23  may be covered by the head liner  40  having the roof airbag  30  embedded therein. 
     The roof airbag  30  in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure includes an inflator  50 , a guide  60  and a cushion  70 . 
     The inflator  50  is disposed under the blind  20 . For example, the inflator  50  may be disposed at a lower level than the screen  22 . 
     The guide  60  is connected to the inflator  50  so as to guide gas, and the cushion  70  is connected to the guide  60 . The cushion  70  is covered by the head liner  40 , and deployed by the gas guided through the guide  60  so as to cover the panorama roof  10 . For example, the guide  60  and the cushion  70  may be formed as one body. 
     Thus, the gas jetted from the inflator  50  may pass through the guide  60 , and deploy the cushion  70 . At this time, the cushion  70  may be disposed adjacent to an end of the head liner  40 , and thus rapidly cover the panorama roof  10 . 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram schematically illustrating the inflator in the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the inflator  50  in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a gas generation part  51  and a gas fixation part  52 . Such an inflator  50  is disposed at the front of the panorama roof  10 . 
     When receiving a vehicle collision signal, the gas generation part  51  is exploded to jet gas. The gas generation part  51  may have an inlet connected to the guide  60 , and the guide  60  may be inflated by the jetted gas. For example, since the roll  21  is disposed at the rear of the panorama roof  10 , the gas generation part  51  disposed at the front of the panorama roof  10  can secure a sufficient installation space. 
     The gas fixation part  52  fixes the gas generation part  51  to the panorama roof  10 . For example, the gas fixation part  52  may be coupled to the outside of the gas generation part  51 , and screwed to the bottom surface of a front end of the frame of the panorama roof  10 . Alternatively, the gas fixation part  52  may be fixed to the vehicle body. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram schematically illustrating the cushion in the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the cushion  70  in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cushion deployment part  71 , a cushion ring part  72  and a cushion guide part  73 . 
     The cushion deployment part  71  is folded before deployed, and connected to the guide  60 . The cushion deployment part  71  is disposed over an end of the head liner  40 . For example, the cushion deployment part  71  may be disposed over the end of the head liner  40 , and the blind shoe  23  may be disposed over the head liner  40  and the cushion deployment part  71 . 
     The cushion ring part  72  is disposed on either side of the cushion deployment part  71 . For example, the cushion ring part  72  may be formed of the same material as the cushion deployment part  71 , and have both ends sewed to the cushion deployment part  71 . The plurality of cushion ring parts  72  may be disposed in the longitudinal direction of the cushion deployment part  71 . 
     The cushion guide part  73  is disposed through the cushion ring parts  72  so as to guide the cushion ring parts  72 . For example, the cushion guide part  73  may be a rod which is formed to have a length in the deployment direction of the cushion deployment part  71 , and has both ends coupled to the panorama roof  10  or the vehicle body. The cushion guide part  73  may be covered by the head liner  40 , and restricted from being exposed. 
     The head liner  40  may be cut when the roof airbag  30  is deployed. That is, the head liner  40  may have a cutting line formed thereon. When the cushion deployment part  71  presses the head liner  40  from the inside to cut the head liner  40 , the cushion deployment part  71  may be deployed through a space formed by the cutting of the head liner  40 . In addition, the head liner  40  may be formed of a material which can be deformed by an external force. When the cushion deployment part  71  is deployed, the end of the head liner  40  may be deformed so as to be bent, and the cushion deployment part  71  may be deployed between the blind  20  and the head liner  40 . 
     The operation of the airbag device for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure, which has the above-described structure, will be schematically described as follows. 
     The roof airbag  30  is mounted at the front end of the panorama roof  10 , and the blind  20  is mounted at the rear end of the panorama roof  10 . Thus, the blind  20  may cover the panorama roof  10  while unfolded from the rear end of the panorama roof  10 , and the roof airbag  30  may cover the panorama roof  10  while deployed from the front end of the panorama roof  10 . At this time, since the roof airbag  30  is deployed under the blind  20 , it is possible to prevent a deployment defect which may occur due to a narrow space, while the roof airbag  30  is deployed. 
     The guide  60  is connected to the inflator  50 , and the folded cushion  70  is connected to an end of the guide  60 . The cushion  70  may be covered by the head liner  40  so as not to be exposed to the outside. 
     When a vehicle accident occurs in the above-described state, the inflator  50  receiving a sensing signal is exploded to generate gas. The generated gas is moved through the guide  60 , and supplied to the cushion deployment part  71 . The cushion deployment part  71  is deployed by the supplied gas, and sequentially covers the first-row and second-row windows of the panorama roof  10 , thereby protecting a passenger. 
     At this time, the guide  60  and the cushion deployment part  71  are disposed under the blind  20 , and the cushion deployment part  71  passes through the head liner  40  or is deployed between the head liner  40  and the blind  20 , which makes it possible to prevent a deployment error caused by the blind  20 . Furthermore, since the head liner  40  supports the cushion deployment part  71  while the cushion deployment part  71  is deployed, it is possible to suppress the cushion deployment part  71  from drooping downward. 
     In the airbag device  1  for a panorama roof in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure, the roof airbag  30  may be deployed under the blind  20 , thereby preventing a deployment error caused by the blind  20 . Furthermore, the roof airbag  30  may be disposed at the front of the panorama roof  10 , and the blind  20  may be disposed at the rear of the panorama roof  10 . Thus, the installation space for the parts may be secured to improve assembling performance. 
     Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described hereinabove, the present disclosure is not limited to specific exemplary embodiments described above, but may be various modified by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure as disclosed in the accompanying claims. In addition, such modifications should also be understood to fall within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.