Airbag device

• US 20050146120A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kumagai, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,393,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01508 detecting forces or pressure in bags or modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2035 using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

An airbag device is provided to reduce the deployment force of an airbag when a vehicle occupant or a child seat is positioned adjacent to an airbag device or a vehicle-body component adjacent to the airbag device. In one form, a passenger-seat airbag device is set in an instrument panel and includes a bracket which is fixed to a vehicle-body member with, for example, a bolt. A strain gauge is attached to the bracket. If a vehicle occupant or a child seat is positioned adjacent to the airbag device, and when an airbag in the process of inflation comes into contact with, for example, a vehicle occupant, the opposing force is transmitted to the bracket via a retainer, such that a strain which is different from that of the normal deployment process is generated in the bracket and detected by the strain gauge for reducing airbag deployment force.

Claims

1. An airbag device for a vehicle, the airbag device comprising:

an airbag for being deployed during emergency conditions;

a retainer assembly for mounting the airbag to a predetermined component of the vehicle;

a gas generator that inflates an interior space of the airbag with inflation gas for deployment thereof; and

a detector for detecting varying loads applied to the retainer assembly or the predetermined vehicle component based on different states of the airbag during deployment thereof.

2. The airbag device claim 1, wherein the detector is operable to detect compressive and tensile stresses generated in the retainer assembly or the predetermined vehicle component depending on the airbag deployment states.

3. The airbag device of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises one of a strain gauge and a displacement sensor.

4. The airbag device of claim 1, where the retainer assembly includes at least one rigid member to which the detector is mounted for detecting stresses in the rigid member or relative movement of the rigid member.

5. The airbag device of claim 1, wherein the detector is mounted between the retainer assembly and the predetermined vehicle component.

6. The airbag device of claim 1, wherein the detector is constructed and arranged to detect a lean force transmitted to the predetermined vehicle component generated by a passenger prior to airbag deployment.

7. The airbag device of claim 1, wherein the retainer assembly includes a gas discharge mechanism that is operable to reduce inflation rate of the airbag.

8. The airbag device of claim 1, wherein the gas generator has different levels of inflation gas output or comprises multiple gas generators to allow inflation gas output into the airbag interior space to be regulated based on the loads detected by the detector.

9. The airbag device of claim 1, wherein the detector is mounted to the retainer assembly, the predetermined vehicle component, or both, and is disposed entirely outside the airbag interior space.

10. An airbag device for a vehicle, the airbag device comprising:

an airbag for being deployed during emergency conditions;

a retainer assembly for securing the airbag in a compact, configuration to a predetermined component of the vehicle;

an interior space of the airbag for being inflated during airbag deployment;

a gas generator that inflates the airbag interior space with inflation gas so that the airbag expands from the compact configuration for deployment thereof; and

a detector mounted at a predetermined position that is spaced from the airbag interior space for detecting loads generated by the airbag deployment on at least one of the retainer assembly and the predetermined vehicle component.

11. The airbag device of claim 10, wherein the detector is mounted to one of the retainer assembly and the predetermined vehicle component.

12. The airbag device of claim 10, wherein the detector is mounted between the retainer assembly and the predetermined vehicle component.

13. The airbag device of claim 10, wherein the detector is constructed and arranged to detect a lean force transmitted to the predetermined vehicle component generated by a passenger prior to airbag deployment.

14. The airbag device of claim 10, wherein the detector is operable to detect compressive and tensile stress loads generated in the at least one of the retainer assembly and the predetermined vehicle component during airbag deployment.

15. The airbag device of claim 10, wherein the detector comprises one of a strain gauge and a displacement sensor.

16. The airbag device of claim 10, where the predetermined vehicle component comprises one of an instrument panel, a vehicle body member, a steering member, a bracket and a bolt.