Air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle

• US 20040007855A1
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Takeshi, Kuroe, Takeshi, Kurata, Norihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,032,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0088 Cycles, e.g. motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• 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 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 27/20 Airbags specially adapted for motorcycles or the like

Abstract

To provide an air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle, wherein a seat for a driver is provided at a rear portion of a vehicle body and an instrument panel, which a driver on the seat can visually observe is provided at a front portion of the vehicle body. The air bag apparatus assures a wide range of inflation and expansion of an air bag and can be applied to a conventional small size vehicle without a significant design change. A plurality of air bags which can constrain a driver on a seat from a forward direction are connected to each other by a connection mechanism and are accommodated in a folded state in an instrument panel.

Claims

1. An air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle, comprising:

a seat for a driver, said seat being provided at a rear portion of a vehicle body;

an instrument panel which a driver on said seat can visually observe, said instrument panel being provided at a front portion of said vehicle body;

a plurality of air bags which can constrain the driver on said seat from a forward direction, said plurality of air bags being accommodated in a folded state in said instrument panel; and

a connection mechanism, said connection mechanism connecting said plurality of air bags to each other.

2. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said connection mechanism is for connecting a pair of left and right air bags of said plurality of air bags to each other, said connection mechanism being securely connectable to said vehicle body, said pair of left and right air bags being accommodated in a folded state on opposite left and right sides of said instrument panel.

3. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 1, said air bag apparatus further comprising a plurality of air bag modules provided in opposite left and right sides of said instrument panel, each of said plurality of air bag modules including one of said plurality of air bags, each of said plurality of air bags being connected to each other by said connection mechanism.

4. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of inflators for inflating said plurality of air bags, respectively, each of said plurality of inflators being located within said instrument panel.

5. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of inflators for inflating said plurality of air bags, respectively, each of said plurality of inflators being located within said instrument panel on the opposite left and right sides of said instrument panel.

6. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of inflators for inflating said plurality of air bags, respectively, said plurality of inflators being located within said plurality of air bag modules, respectively.

7. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said connecting mechanism is a connecting net, said connecting net being connected at one side thereof to one of said plurality of air bags and at another end thereof to another of said plurality of air bags, said connecting net being connectable to the small size vehicle immediately forwardly of said seat.

8. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said connecting mechanism is a connecting net, said connecting net being connected at one side thereof to said left of said plurality of air bags and at another end thereof to said right of said plurality of air bags, said connecting net being connectable to the small size vehicle immediately forwardly of said seat.

9. The air bag apparatus for a small size vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said connecting mechanism is a connecting net, said connecting net being connected at one side thereof to one of said plurality of air bags and at another end thereof to another of said plurality of air bags, said connecting net being connectable to the small size vehicle immediately forwardly of said seat.

10. A small size vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a seat for a driver, said seat being provided at a rear portion of a vehicle body;

an instrument panel which a driver on said seat can visually observe, said instrument panel being provided at a front portion of said vehicle body;

a plurality of air bags which can constrain the driver on said seat from a forward direction, said plurality of air bags being accommodated in a folded state in said instrument panel; and

a connection mechanism, said connection mechanism connecting said plurality of air bags to each other.

11. The small size vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said connection mechanism is for connecting a pair of left and right air bags of said plurality of air bags to each other, said connection mechanism being securely fastened to said vehicle body, said pair of left and right air bags being accommodated in a folded state on opposite left and right sides of said instrument panel.

12. The small size vehicle according to claim 10, said air bag apparatus further comprising a plurality of air bag modules provided in opposite left and right sides of said instrument panel, each of said plurality of air bag modules including one of said plurality of air bags, each of said plurality of air bags being connected to each other by said connection mechanism.

13. The small size vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of inflators for inflating said plurality of air bags, respectively, each of said plurality of inflators being located within said instrument panel.

14. The small size vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of inflators for inflating said plurality of air bags, respectively, each of said plurality of inflators being located within said instrument panel on the opposite left and right sides of said instrument panel.

15. The small size vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of inflators for inflating said plurality of air bags, respectively, said plurality of inflators being located within said plurality of air bag modules, respectively.

16. The small size vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said connecting mechanism is a connecting net, said connecting net being connected at one side thereof to one of said plurality of air bags and at another end thereof to another of said plurality of air bags, said connecting net being connected to the small size vehicle immediately forwardly of said seat.

17. The small size vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said connecting mechanism is a connecting net, said connecting net being connected at one side thereof to said left of said plurality of air bags and at another end thereof to said right of said plurality of air bags, said connecting net being connected to the small size vehicle immediately forwardly of said seat.

18. The small size vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said connecting mechanism is a connecting net, said connecting net being connected at one side thereof to one of said plurality of air bags and at another end thereof to another of said plurality of air bags, said connecting net being connected to the small size vehicle immediately forwardly of said seat.