Airbag apparatus for automobile
First Claim
1. An airbag apparatus for an automobile for protecting a person in a vehicle from impact through inflation of an airbag upon collision of the vehicle to thereby ensure safety of the person, comprising:
- an airbag support member disposed behind a surface panel provided within the vehicle and adapted to support the airbag in a folded condition, the airbag being fixedly attached to a surface of said airbag support member facing the surface panel and being inflated by means of gas from an inflater;
a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, comprising a fracture groove and a hinge groove formed on an inside surface of the surface panel facing the surface of said airbag support member having the airbag fixedly attached thereto, the fracture groove and the hinge groove determining a shape of an opening for allowing the inflating airbag to project therethrough;
a frame member located between the inside surface of the surface panel and said airbag support member and fixedly attached to the surface panel and/or a fixing member disposed inside the surface panel, said frame member having an edge portion at one end thereof, the edge portion being in close contact with or in the vicinity of the inside surface of the surface panel at a position corresponding to a peripheral region around said fracture-opening section, an opposite end thereof being connected to said airbag support member; and
a reinforcement plate member fixedly attached to an inside surface of said fracture-opening section for reinforcing said fracture-opening section and connected to said frame member, by means of a hinge portion, movably from a state of closing an opening of said frame member facing the surface panel to a state of opening the opening of said frame member for allowing the inflating airbag to project therethrough.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag apparatus for an automobile includes a fracture-opening section of an instrument panel cover; a frame member having edge portions in contact with a peripheral region around the fracture-opening section to thereby reinforce the instrument panel cover from inside; reinforcement plate members connected to the edge portions of the frame member by means of hinge portions and adapted to reinforce the fracture-opening section; and an airbag case which is located opposite to the instrument panel cover with respect to the frame member while being removably connected to the frame member.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An airbag apparatus for an automobile for protecting a person in a vehicle from impact through inflation of an airbag upon collision of the vehicle to thereby ensure safety of the person, comprising:
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an airbag support member disposed behind a surface panel provided within the vehicle and adapted to support the airbag in a folded condition, the airbag being fixedly attached to a surface of said airbag support member facing the surface panel and being inflated by means of gas from an inflater;
a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, comprising a fracture groove and a hinge groove formed on an inside surface of the surface panel facing the surface of said airbag support member having the airbag fixedly attached thereto, the fracture groove and the hinge groove determining a shape of an opening for allowing the inflating airbag to project therethrough;
a frame member located between the inside surface of the surface panel and said airbag support member and fixedly attached to the surface panel and/or a fixing member disposed inside the surface panel, said frame member having an edge portion at one end thereof, the edge portion being in close contact with or in the vicinity of the inside surface of the surface panel at a position corresponding to a peripheral region around said fracture-opening section, an opposite end thereof being connected to said airbag support member; and
a reinforcement plate member fixedly attached to an inside surface of said fracture-opening section for reinforcing said fracture-opening section and connected to said frame member, by means of a hinge portion, movably from a state of closing an opening of said frame member facing the surface panel to a state of opening the opening of said frame member for allowing the inflating airbag to project therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An airbag apparatus for an automobile for protecting a person in a vehicle from impact through inflation of an airbag effected by means of gas from an inflater upon collision of the vehicle, comprising:
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a fracture-opening section of a surface panel facing the person in the vehicle, comprising a fracture groove formed on an inside surface of the surface panel and assuming a rectangular shape of sufficient size to allow the inflating airbag to project therethrough, the inflating airbag causing a rectangular portion defined by the fracture groove to be fractured in such a manner as to be split open in opposite directions with respect to a center thereof;
an airbag support member disposed inside the surface panel in opposition to said fracture-opening section and adapted to accommodate the airbag in a folded condition, one end of the airbag being fixedly attached to said airbag support member;
a frame member assuming a rectangular shape corresponding to said fracture-opening section, extending between the inside surface of the surface panel and said airbag support member, and supported by the surface panel and/or a fixing member disposed inside the surface panel, said frame member having an edge portion at one end thereof facing said fracture-opening section, the edge portion being in close contact with or in the vicinity of the inside surface of the surface panel at a peripheral region around said fracture-opening section, an opposite end thereof being connected to said airbag support member; and
a plurality of reinforcement plates fixedly attached to an inside surface of said fracture-opening section at the rectangular portion and connected to the edge portion of said frame member, by means of corresponding arcuate hinge portions, movably from a state of closing an opening of said frame member facing said fracture-opening section to a state of opening the opening of said frame member for allowing the inflating airbag to project therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification