Air bag

• US 20030030254A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hasebe, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,073,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An air bag having a connecting piece that connects a rear section and a front section, in which the outer surface of the front section is smooth, and connection of the panels by sewing is facilitated. The air bag includes a front upper panel, a front lower panel, and a rear panel that constitute an outer shell, and a mid panel is placed therein. The front upper panel includes a body portion, and an extending piece extending from one edge of the body portion. A lower edge of the mid panel and a lower edge of the extending piece are sewn together at seams inside the air bag. Seams to and to formed by sewing the edges are placed inside the air bag. As a result, seams are not exposed on the front face and side faces of the air bag, and the faces are smooth.

Claims

1. An air bag comprising:

a rear section and a front section;

a gas inlet disposed in the rear section, and

a connecting piece located inside the airbag and connecting the front section to the rear section;

wherein an outer shell of the air bag is formed by a rear panel having the gas inlet, and a plurality of front panels connected to form the front section, wherein an extending piece extends from one of the front panels into the air bag, the extending piece and the rear section being connected by a mid panel, and wherein the connecting piece is formed by the extending piece and the mid panel.

2. The air bag of claim 1, wherein the front panels include a front upper panel and a front lower panel and one of the front upper panel and the front lower panel include a body portion and the extending piece formed integrally with the body portion, and wherein an edge of the other of the front upper panel and the front lower panel is connected to a boundary portion between the body portion and the extending piece.

3. The air bag of claim 2, wherein the extending piece has an opening through which gas circulates.

4. The air bag of claim 2, wherein a connecting portion between the boundary portion and the edge of the other panel is placed inside the air bag.

5. The air bag of claim 2, wherein a top portion on the upper side of the front upper panel, side portions on both sides thereof, and side portions on both sides of the front lower panel are positioned on the sides of the air bag, the top portion of the front upper panel being connected to the rear panel on an upper surface of the air bag, and the side portions of the front upper panel and the side portions of the front lower panel are connected to the rear panel on the sides of the air bag, a lower edge of the front lower panel is connected to the rear panel at the bottom of the air bag.

6. The air bag of claim 5, wherein a connecting portion between the front upper panel and the rear panel, and a connecting portion between the front lower panel and the rear panel are placed inside the air bag.

7. The air bag of claim 1, wherein the panels are connected together by sewing, and the air bag is reversed through an unsewn portion of the rear panel.

8. A passenger side air bag comprising:

a front section including a pair of front panels forming an exterior surface positioned to face the passenger when the airbag deploys;

wherein one of the pair of front panels includes a rearward extending section located inside the airbag and connecting the front section to a rear section; and

wherein a seam joining the pair of front panels is located away from the exterior surface so that the seam cannot contact the passenger when the airbag deploys.

9. The air bag of claim 8, wherein the rear section includes a rear panel and a mid panel, the mid panel being connected to the rearward extending section and the rear panel.

10. The air bag of claim 9, wherein the mid panel includes an gas inlet opening for receiving pressurized gas from a gas generator.

11. The airbag of claim 8, wherein the rearward extending section and the mid panel divide the airbag into upper and lower chambers, and the rearward extending section includes an opening for allowing gas to pass between the chambers.

12. The airbag of claim 8, wherein the front and rear sections of the air bag are connected together at a connecting seam that is positioned away from an exterior of the airbag so that the connecting seam cannot contact the passenger when the airbag deploys.