Patent ID: 7621558

Claim:
A method for inflating and deploying an airbag at a position rearward of a rearmost seat of a vehicle to protect an occupant seated on the rearmost seat, wherein the vehicle has a roof panel and a roof headlining covering an inner surface of the roof panel, wherein the airbag has a supply port through which gas is supplied and is in a state of being accommodated in the interior of the vehicle between the roof panel and the roof headlining while being folded in a state extending along a width direction of the vehicle, the supply port being located closer to one of the end portions of the airbag with respect to a deployment direction that intersects the width direction of the vehicle, wherein the airbag includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the first surface faces the seat and the second surface is located at a side opposite from the first surface, the method comprising: in the accommodated state, folding the airbag in a spiral form onto the second surface such that the spirally folded portion is located apart from the supply port by a predetermined distance, wherein a portion of the airbag between the supply port and the spirally folded portion forms an inflation portion capable of being inflated between the roof panel and the roof headlining; inflating the inflation portion before the spirally folded portion is started to be unfolded, wherein the inflation portion, when inflated, presses the roof headlining to move away from the roof panel so that an opening directed to a rear window glass of the vehicle is formed between the roof headlining and the roof panel, and an angle of the roof headlining relative to the rear window glass is changed, the spirally folded portion does not press the roof headlining when the inflation portion is inflated to press the roof headlining; and unfolding the spirally folded portion through the opening to inflate and develop along the rear window glass.