Airbag device for a front seat passenger's seat

• US 20010011816A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazumasa, Kuriyama, Yuji, Okada, Yasushi, Ido, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 6,435,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

An airbag device for a passenger'"'"'s seat comprises an airbag, cylinder type inflator, a casing, and a retainer. The airbag is provided with an opening for inflowing an expansion gas therethrough and is capable of being folded. The inflator is capable of producing and supplying the expansion gas to the opening of the airbag. The casing may receive the folded airbag and the inflator therein. The retainer is adapted to engage a peripheral edge of the opening of the airbag and is mounted to the casing with the peripheral edge of the airbag being disposed and compressed between the retainer and the casing. The retainer includes presser portions, which abut the inflator when mounted to the casing. The casing includes supports, which abut the inflator. The inflator is disposed between the presser portions of the retainer and the supports of the casing, thereby securing the inflator within the casing.

Claims

1. An airbag device for a passenger'"'"'s seat, comprising:

an airbag provided with an opening for inflowing an expansion gas therethrough, the airbag capable of being folded,

a cylinder type inflator capable of producing and supplying the expansion gas to the opening of the airbag,

a casing constructed and arranged to receive the folded airbag and the inflator therein, and

a retainer adapted to engage a peripheral edge of the opening of the airbag and being mounted to the casing with the peripheral edge of the airbag being disposed and compressed between the retainer and the casing;

the retainer including presser portions, which abut the inflator when mounted to the casing;

the casing including supports, which abut the inflator;

the inflator being disposed between the presser portions of the retainer and the supports of the casing, thereby securing the inflator within the casing.

2. The airbag device according to

claim 1

, wherein respective presser portions and supports are disposed proximate opposite axial ends of the inflator to thereby provide support for the inflator at the axial ends thereof.

3. The airbag device according to

claim 1

, wherein each axial end of the inflator is supported at three circumferentially-spaced points about an outer peripheral surface thereof, the circumferentially-spaced points being provided by respective presser portions and supports.

4. The airbag device according to

claim 3

, wherein the retainer provides pairs of presser portions corresponding to each axial end of the inflator to thereby engage each inflator end at two points thereof, and the casing providing supports corresponding to each axial end of the inflator to thereby engage the inflator ends at one point thereof.

5. The airbag device according to

claim 3

, wherein the presser portions of the retainer are formed to provide elongated projections to abut the inflator.

6. The airbag device according to

claim 1

, wherein the casing comprises an upper chamber, within which the folded airbag may be disposed, and a lower chamber disposed below the upper chamber for receiving the inflator;

wherein the casing is constructed and arranged such that the inflator is positionable within the lower chamber through the upper chamber.

7. The airbag device according to

claim 1

, wherein the presser portions of the retainer abut directly against the inflator.

8. The airbag device according to

claim 1

, wherein the retainer comprises airbag presser portions for compressing the peripheral edge of the opening of the airbag against an outer peripheral surface of the inflator, the presser portions being arranged adjacent the airbag presser portions to abut directly against the inflator.

9. The airbag device for an assistant driver'"'"'s seat, according to

claim 8

, wherein the presser portions are formed to extend generally downwardly from the airbag presser portions.

10. The airbag device according to

claim 8

, wherein the presser portions are disposed in areas of the airbag presser portions, and the peripheral edge of the opening of the airbag is provided with holes, which permit corresponding presser portions to pass therethrough and engage the outer periphery of the inflator.

11. An airbag device comprising:

a casing having a peripheral wall defining an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower chamber providing supports on a lower portion thereof;

an inflator capable of producing an expansion gas;

a retainer mountable within the casing and disposed between the upper and lower chambers, the retainer having a plurality of airbag presser portion and a plurality inflator presser portions, the airbag presser portions being disposed along an outer periphery of the retainer, and the inflator presser portions being disposed in spaced relation to each other proximate opposite ends of the retainer;

an airbag having an opening therein to permit the expansion gas to pass therethrough, the opening defining a peripheral edge thereof arranged to conform to the airbag presser portions of the retainer;

the retainer being disposed relative to the airbag and casing, such that the peripheral edge of the opening of the airbag is engaged on opposite sides by the airbag presser portions and casing, respectively, so as to mount the airbag to the casing within the upper chamber thereof;

the inflator being disposed within the lower chamber, such that the supports of the casing are engaged respective lower partial peripheries of the inflator, the inflator presser portions being engaged with respective upper partial peripheries of the inflator, each of the partial peripheries being generally equally circumferentially spaced with respect to the inflator, and each axial end of the inflator being engaged with respective portions of the peripheral wall of the casing, such that the inflator is omnidirectionally stably supported between the retainer and the casing.

12. A method of securing an inflator for an airbag device within a casing thereof, the method including:

placing the inflator within the casing such that a lower partial periphery of the inflator abuts supports on a lower portion of the casing;

placing an airbag assembly within the casing such that the airbag assembly abuts at least one partial periphery of the inflator adjacent each axial end thereof, the at least one partial periphery being generally circumferentially equally spaced from the lower partial periphery; and

securing the airbag assembly to the casing,

compressing the inflator between the supports and the airbag assembly, thereby stably securing the inflator within the casing.