Vehicle occupant protection device

• US 20020180187A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 6,695,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

A vehicle occupant protection device has an airbag, a gas generator for inflating the airbag and a door that opens when a airbag is inflated. The door is provided with a pair of sidewall portions on a backside of the door. Each sidewall portion has a stopper for limiting an opening angle of the door during the inflation of the airbag. When the airbag is inflated and the door opens, the stopper abuts against a backside of a cover, thereby keeping the door from further opening. Also, upon the inflation of the air bag, the sidewall portions are brought and project to a front side of the cover together with the door, thereby limiting the inflation of the airbag in a lateral direction.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection device comprising:

a gas generator to be attached to a vehicle for generating gas,

an airbag communicating with the gas generator for receiving the gas therefrom for inflation,

a door disposed in front of the airbag, and having a hinge portion creating, upon inflation of the airbag, an opening through which the airbag expands, and a side wall disposed on a backside thereof, and

a stopper disposed on the sidewall to extend outward therefrom, said stopper, when the door is opened upon inflation of the airbag, abutting against an edge of the opening for limiting an opening angle of the door.

2. A vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein said stopper includes a plate portion to abut against a backside of the edge of the opening, and a rib portion attached to the plate portion for supporting the same.

3. A vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein said airbag is a leg protecting bag for expanding near legs of the vehicle occupant for protecting the same.

4. A vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein said door has a tear line at lower, left and right edges, said hinge portion being formed at an upper edge opposite to the lower edge to create the opening facing downward.

5. A vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 4, wherein said sidewall disposed on the backside of the door extends along the left, right and upper edges of the door, said stopper having stopper members disposed on left and right sides of the sidewall and extending perpendicular and outwardly therefrom.

6. A vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 5, wherein said door is a part of a cover surrounded by the tear line.