Airbag

• US 20040150200A1
• Filed: 01/08/2004
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Asaoka, Michihisa, Yamada, Ikuo, Usami, Hironori
• Granted Patent: US 7,240,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An airbag includes a fabric forming the airbag. The fabric has a vent hole for discharging some of gas introduced into the airbag to the outside. The vent hole is located at a position where the vent hole is not blocked when the airbag protects an occupant. This smoothly discharges gas, thereby improving the occupant protection performance.

Claims

1. An airbag that is deployed and inflated to protect an occupant on a vehicle when an impact equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied to the vehicle, the airbag comprising:

a fabric forming the airbag, wherein the fabric has a vent hole for discharging some of gas introduced into the airbag to the outside, and wherein the vent hole is located at a position where the vent hole is not blocked when the airbag protects an occupant.

2. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the fabric has first and second sides extending along the sides of the vehicle, wherein, when the airbag is expanded, the first side is located closer to a center of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle than the second side, wherein the vent hole is one of at least two vent holes, wherein one of the vent holes is formed in the first side, and the other vent hole is formed in the second side, and wherein the opening area of the vent hole in the first side is greater than the opening area of the vent hole formed in the second side.

3. The airbag according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of the vent hole in the first side is in a range between 60 mm and 90 mm, inclusive.

4. The airbag according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of the vent hole in the second side is less than 60 mm.

5. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the fabric has first and second sides extending along the sides of the vehicle, wherein, when the airbag is expanded, the first side is located closer to a center of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle than the second side, wherein the vent hole is one of a plurality of vent holes, wherein at least two of the vent holes are formed in the first side, and at least one of the vent holes is formed in the second side, and wherein the total opening area of the vent holes in the first side is greater than the opening area of the vent hole in the second side.

6. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the vent hole is formed in a side of the fabric that substantially faces a center of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle when the airbag is inflated.

7. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is used for protecting an occupant in a front passenger seat of the vehicle.

8. An airbag that is deployed and inflated to protect an occupant on a vehicle when an impact equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied to the vehicle, the airbag comprising:

a fabric forming the airbag, wherein the fabric has a vent hole for discharging some of gas introduced into the airbag to the outside, and wherein the vent hole is located at a position where, when the airbag is inflated, the vent hole substantially faces a center of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle and is not blocked by an occupant on the vehicle or members forming the vehicle.

9. The airbag according to claim 8, wherein the airbag is one of two vent holes, wherein the fabric has first and second sides extending along the sides of the vehicle, wherein, when the airbag is expanded, the first side is located closer to a center of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle than the second side, wherein each vent hole is formed in different one of the first and second sides, and wherein the opening area of the vent hole in the first side is greater than the opening area of the vent hole formed in the second side.

10. The airbag according to claim 9, wherein the diameter of the vent hole in the first side is in a range between 60 mm and 90 mm, inclusive.

11. The airbag according to claim 9, wherein the diameter of the vent hole in the second side is less than 60 mm.

12. The airbag according to claim 8, wherein the vent hole in the first side is one of a plurality of vent holes formed in the first side, and wherein the total opening area of the vent holes in the first side is greater than the opening area in the second side.

13. The airbag according to claim 8, wherein the vent hole is formed in a side of the fabric that substantially faces a center of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle when the airbag is inflated.

14. The airbag according to claim 8, wherein the airbag is used for protecting an occupant in a front passenger seat of the vehicle.