Rear seat side airbag device

• US 20060061073A1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Naruse, Motoaki, Mabuchi, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,530,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
• 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

Abstract

A rear seat side airbag device includes a cover, a case that is attached to a back side of the cover and a comb teeth-like holding member and is formed by assembling these constituent components together. A breakable portion is formed at a position on the cover which corresponds to the case. In this breakable portion, a first thin portion, which constitutes a breakage initiating position, is formed so as to extend in a vertical direction along a corner portion on a side of the cover which faces a rear seat. In addition, to correspond to the position of the first thin portion, the case is provided such that a first side wall on which a plurality of fragile portions are formed is positioned on a side thereof which faces the rear seat and a second side wall on which a rigid portion is provided is positioned on a side thereof which faces a door trim.

Claims

1. A rear seat side airbag device adapted to be mounted on a side of a rear sheet in a compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag inflatable for deployment between a body side portion of the vehicle and an occupant in the rear seat by a gas from a gas generating source;

a case formed for accommodating the airbag in a folded state;

an opening defined in the case from which the airbag is expanded for deployment;

a cover covering the opening; and

a contact portion integrated with the cover with which the cover is brought into contact with the case;

wherein the cover includes;

a breakable portion which triggers a breakage of the cover when the airbag is inflated is formed at a location which corresponds to the opening in the case,

a lid at a location where the opening is opened by a breakage of the breakable portion when the airbag is inflated and

a hinge at a location which constitutes a bent portion of the lid when the opening is opened; and

wherein

the case includes;

a fragile portion provided in a first wall of a plurality of walls forming the case which is close to at least a part of the breakable portion which opposes the hinge, so that a strength of the first wall is lower than those of the other walls.

2. A rear seat side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the fragile portion is formed with a slit in the first wall of the case.

3. A rear seat side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the case further includes a reinforcement portion provided on a second wall of the walls which is provided at a side facing the hinge so that a strength of the second wall is higher than those of the other walls.

4. A rear seat side airbag device according to claim 3, wherein the reinforcement portion is provided by attaching a reinforcement plate on at least one of an internal wall surface and an external wall surface of the second wall, and wherein a hook is provided on the reinforcement plate for fixing the case to the cover.

5. A rear seat side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein in the cover, the breakable portion is provided at a side facing the rear seat, and the hinge is provided at a side facing the body side portion.

6. A rear seat side airbag device according to claim 5, wherein the cover is fitted in between the rear seat and the body side portion.

7. A side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the breakable portion includes a first thin portion which is formed into a linear shape so as to extend along a side edge of the rear seat at a side of the cover which faces the rear seat and a pair of second thin portions which are formed into a linear shape so as to extend, respectively, from end portions of the first thin portion toward the body side portion.

8. A side airbag device according to claim 7, wherein a length of each second thin portion is smaller than a half of a length of the cover in a direction in which the second thin portions extend.

9. A side airbag device according to claim 7, wherein the breakable portion is formed by reducing a thickness of the cover such that a thickness of the first thin portion is smaller than a thickness of the second thin portions.

10. A side airbag device according to claim 7, wherein the first thin portion is provided on the cover at a boundary position between a side of the rear seat and the cover.

11. A side airbag device according to claim 7, wherein a hinge is provided on the cover by increasing a thickness of the cover at an opposite position to the first thin portion, and the hinge functions as a fulcrum of a lid which is formed by a breakage of the breakable portion when the airbag is inflated.