AIRBAG DEVICE

• US 20090218795A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Itou, Yasushi, Yamada, Shuji, Fukawatase, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 7,628,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23384 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An airbag device includes a bag element. The bag element includes a bag body that has a hole portion; and a tube vent that is formed in a cylindrical shape with both ends open. The tube vent has a proximal end connected to the bag body along the hole portion and is rolled up from a distal end of the tube vent toward a proximal end of the tube vent. The tube vent is unrolled as the bag body is inflated and deployed, and discharges gas from the bag body when the distal end extends outside the bag body.

Claims

1. An airbag device comprising:

a bag element that includes

a bag body that is inflated and deployed using gas supplied to an interior of the bag body, which increases an internal pressure in the bag body, and that has a hole portion through which gas is discharged to an outside of the bag body; and

a tube vent that is formed in a cylindrical shape open at both ends, wherein a proximal end of the tube vent is connected to the bag body along the hole portion and is rolled up from a distal end of the tube vent toward a proximal end of the tube vent, and wherein, the tube vent is unrolled as the bag body inflates and deploys, and the tube vent discharges the gas from the interior the bag body to the outside of the bag body when the distal end extends outside of the bag body.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pulling member that has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is anchored to the distal end of the tube vent, and wherein the pulling member is rolled up together with the tube vent; and

a retaining portion that retains the second end of the pulling member, wherein the retaining portion causes the tube vent to unroll in such a manner that the first end of the pulling member is separated from the second end as the bag body inflates and deploys, which generates tension in the pulling member and then retains the tube vent so that the distal end of the tube vent is straightened toward the inside of the bag body, and wherein the tube vent extends toward the outside of the bag body when the retaining portion releases the second end of the pulling member.

3. The airbag device according to claim 2, wherein

the retaining portion releases the second end of the pulling member after the distal end of the tube vent is straightened toward the interior of the bag body.

4. The airbag device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an inflator that supplies gas to the interior of the bag body, wherein

after the inflator is activated, the retaining portion is driven to release the second end of the pulling member.

5. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein

the tube vent is rolled radially outward so that a distal end of the tube vent is located on an outer side of the proximal end of the tube vent.

6. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the airbag includes a first side base cloth positioned in one side of the airbag in a width direction of a vehicle when the airbag is in an inflated and deployed state, a second side base cloth positioned in the other side of the airbag in the width direction of the vehicle when the airbag is in the inflated and deployed state, and an outer peripheral base cloth that connects an outer periphery of the first side base cloth to an outer periphery of the second side base cloth; and

the first hole, the second hole, and the tube vent are provided in at least one of the first side base cloth and the second base cloth.

9. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein

the retaining portion releases the second end of the pulling member after the distal end of the tube vent is straightened toward the interior of the bag body.

16. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the airbag includes a first side base cloth positioned in one side of the airbag in a width direction of a vehicle when the airbag is in an inflated and deployed state, a second side base cloth positioned in the other side of the airbag in the width direction of the vehicle when the airbag is in the inflated and deployed state, and an outer peripheral base cloth that connects an outer periphery of the first side base cloth to an outer periphery of the second side base cloth; and

the first hole, the second hole, and the tube vent are provided in at least one of the first side base cloth and the second base cloth.

7. An airbag device comprising:

a bag element that includes

a bag body that is inflated and deployed using gas supplied to an interior of the bag body, and that has a hole portion through which gas is discharged to an outside of the bag body; and

a tube vent that is formed in a cylindrical shape open at both ends, wherein

a proximal end of the tube vent is connected to the bag body along the hole portion and is folded from a distal end of the tube vent toward a proximal end of the tube vent,

the tube vent is unfolded as the bag body inflates and deploys, and the tube vent discharges the gas from the interior of the bag body to the outside of the bag body when the distal end extends outside of the bag body, and

a folded portion of the distal end of the tube vent presses a portion of the folded tube vent located on a radially inward side of the folded portion of the tube vent and located near the proximal end, thereby reducing the diameter of the folded tube where the folded portion of the distal end presses on the folded tube vent.

8. The airbag device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a pulling member that has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is anchored to the distal end of the tube vent, and wherein the pulling member is folded together with the tube vent; and

a retaining portion that retains the second end of the pulling member, wherein the retaining portion causes the tube vent to unfold in such a manner that the first end of the pulling member is separated from the second end as the bag body inflates and deploys, which generates tension in the pulling member and then retains the tube vent so that the distal end of the tube vent is straightened toward the inside of the bag body, and wherein the tube vent extends toward the outside of the bag body when the retaining portion releases the second end of the pulling member.

10. The airbag device according to claim 8, further comprising:

an inflator that supplies gas to the interior of the bag body, wherein

after the inflator is activated, the retaining portion is driven to release the second end of the pulling member.

11. The airbag device according to claim 7, wherein

the tube vent is folded outward so that a distal end of the tube vent is located on an outer side of the proximal end of the tube vent.

12. The airbag apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the airbag includes a first side base cloth positioned in one side of the airbag in a width direction of a vehicle when the airbag is in an inflated and deployed state, a second side base cloth positioned in the other side of the airbag in the width direction of the vehicle when the airbag is in the inflated and deployed state, and an outer peripheral base cloth that connects an outer periphery of the first side base cloth to an outer periphery of the second side base cloth; and

the first hole, the second hole, and the tube vent are provided in at least one of the first side base cloth and the second base cloth.

13. A bag element for an airbag device, comprising:

a bag body that is inflated and deployed using gas supplied to an interior of the bag body, and that has a hole portion through which gas is discharged to an outside of the bag body; and

a tube vent that is formed in a cylindrical shape open at both ends, wherein a proximal end of the tube vent is connected to the bag body along the hole portion and is rolled up from a distal end of the tube vent toward a proximal end of the tube vent, and wherein, the tube vent is unrolled as the bag body inflates and deploys, and the tube vent discharges the gas from the interior of the bag body to the outside of the bag body when the distal end extends outside of the bag body.

14. The bag element for the airbag device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a pulling member that has a end, wherein the end is anchored to the distal end of the tube vent, and wherein the pulling member is rolled up together with the tube vent.

15. The bag element for the airbag device according to claim 13, wherein

the tube vent is rolled radially outward so that a distal end of the tube vent is located on an outer side of the proximal end of the tube vent.