Occupant restraint apparatus

• US 20060290111A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kokeguchi, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0044 Chest
• 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 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• 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 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An occupant restraint apparatus includes an airbag that inflates toward the front of an occupant and an inflatable seatbelt having at least an inflatable shoulder belt section. The shoulder belt is fastened on the front side of the occupant'"'"'s upper body. The airbag includes a right airbag section and a left airbag section that inflate toward the right front and the left front, respectively, of the occupant. When the airbag and the shoulder belt section are both inflated and the airbag receives the occupant, the inflated shoulder belt section enters a hollow space provided between the ends of the right airbag section and the left airbag section. Thus, the apparatus prevents or suppresses discharge of gas from the airbag caused when the inflated shoulder belt section pushes the airbag inward before the airbag receives the occupant.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint apparatus comprising an airbag that inflates toward the front of an occupant and an inflatable seatbelt having at least an inflatable shoulder belt section;

wherein, when the airbag is in an inflated state, a surface of the airbag that faces the occupant has a region that faces the shoulder belt section and at least a portion of said region is recessed.

2. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airbag includes a left airbag section that inflates toward the left front of the occupant and a right airbag section that inflates toward the right front of the occupant, and the recessed portion is positioned between ends of the left airbag section and the right airbag section that are adjacent to the occupant when the airbag is in the inflated state.

3. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable seatbelt further comprises an inflator configured to generate high pressure gas.

4. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable seatbelt further comprises an inflatable lap belt section.

5. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the airbag is inflated, the distance between an utmost end of the right airbag section and an utmost end of the left airbag section is in the range of 150 mm to 450 mm.

6. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the airbag includes a communicating section through which the right airbag section and the left airbag section communicate with each other and defines a base end of the airbag.

7. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a rod-shaped inflator extends through the communicating section, wherein two ends of the inflator are disposed outside the airbag.

8. An occupant restraint apparatus for a vehicle, comprising an airbag that inflates toward the front of an occupant and an inflatable seatbelt having at least an inflatable shoulder belt section;

wherein, when the airbag is in an inflated state, a surface of the airbag that faces the occupant has a region that faces the shoulder belt section and at least a portion of said region is recessed.

9. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the airbag includes a left airbag section that inflates toward the left front of the occupant and a right airbag section that inflates toward the right front of the occupant, and the recessed portion is positioned between ends of the left airbag section and the right airbag section that are adjacent to the occupant when the airbag is in the inflated state.

10. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the inflatable seatbelt further comprises an inflatable lap belt section.

11. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the vehicle collides at a first velocity, neither an inflator for the inflatable seatbelt nor an inflator for the airbag is activated.

12. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the vehicle collides at a second velocity, an inflator for the inflatable seatbelt is activated and an inflator for the airbag is not activated.

13. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the vehicle collides at a third velocity, an inflator for the inflatable seatbelt is activated and an inflator for the airbag is activated.

14. An occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the airbag is inflated, a hollow space, open towards the occupant, is formed between the right airbag section and the left airbag section;

wherein the right airbag section receives a right chest of the occupant, the left airbag section receives a left chest of the occupant and at least a portion of the inflatable shoulder belt section enters the hollow space.