FAR-SIDE AIRBAG APPARATUS

• US 20160031407A1
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: YAMANAKA, Takayuki, MASUDA, Yasushi, MATSUZAKI, Yuji
• Granted Patent: US 9,688,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• 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

A far-side airbag apparatus includes an airbag and an inflator that discharges inflation gas for deploying and inflating the airbag. The airbag is fixed to the seat frame of the backrest of a vehicle seat and is deployed and inflated on the side corresponding to the center of the passenger compartment. The airbag is divided into first to third inflation chambers, and the first inflation chamber accommodates the inflator. The far-side airbag apparatus includes a tension belt having a first end and a second end. The first end of the tension belt is connected to the surface of the airbag at a position that corresponds to a seam, which divides the first inflation chamber and the second inflation chamber from each other, and the second end is connected to the seat frame.

Claims

1. A far-side airbag apparatus configured to be fixed to a seat frame of a backrest of a vehicle seat, the apparatus comprising:

an airbag;

an inflation fluid generator, which discharges inflation fluid for deploying and inflating the airbag toward a center of a passenger compartment; and

a tension belt having a first end and a second end, wherein

the airbag is divided into a plurality of inflation chambers, which include a first inflation chamber and a second inflation chamber,

the inflation fluid generator is accommodated in the first inflation chamber,

the first end of the tension belt is connected to a surface of the airbag at a position that corresponds to a seam that divides the first inflation chamber and the second inflation chamber from each other, and

the second end of the tension belt is connected to the seat frame.

2. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the surface of the airbag is formed by a pair of fabric panels,

the inflation chambers are divided from each other by sewing the fabric panels to each other,

the seam is a seam that sews the fabric panels to each other, and

the tension panel is sewn to one of the fabric panels with the seam.

3. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the surface of the airbag is formed by a pair of fabric panels,

the airbag includes a tether, wherein the tether forms a partition that bridges between the fabric panels and divides the inflation chambers from each other,

the inflation chambers are divided from each other by sewing the tether and the fabric panels to each other,

the seam is a seam that sews the tether and the fabric panels to each other, and

the tension panel is sewn to one of the fabric panels with the seam together with the tether.

4. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the tension belt is one of two tension belts,

one of the two tension belts is provided on a side surface of the airbag that corresponds to the center of the passenger compartment, and

the other tension belt is provided on a side surface of the airbag that corresponds to a center of the seat.

5. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the seam, which divides the first inflation chamber and the second inflation chamber from each other, is a first seam,

the tension belt, which is connected to the airbag at the position that corresponds to the first seam, is a first tension belt,

the inflation chambers further include a third inflation chamber,

the far-side airbag apparatus further comprises a second tension belt having a first end and a second end,

the first end of the second tension belt is connected to the airbag at a position that corresponds to a second seam that divides the second inflation chamber and the third inflation chamber from each other, and

the second end of the second tension belt is connected to the seat frame.

11. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the seat frame has a gutter-like cross section,

the seat frame is embedded in a part of the backrest that corresponds to the center of the passenger compartment such that an inside of the gutter faces a center of the seat,

the far-side airbag apparatus is fixed to a side surface of the seat frame that corresponds to the center of the passenger compartment, and

the tension belt is wound about a rear end of the seat frame.

6. A far-side airbag apparatus configured to be fixed to a seat frame of a backrest of a vehicle seat, the apparatus comprising:

an airbag;

an inflation fluid generator, which discharges inflation fluid for deploying and inflating the airbag toward a center of a passenger compartment; and

an outer tension belt having a first end and a second end, wherein

the seat frame has a gutter-like cross section,

the seat frame is embedded in a part of the backrest that corresponds to the center of the passenger compartment such that an inside of the gutter faces a center of the seat,

the far-side airbag apparatus is fixed to a side surface of the seat frame that corresponds to the center of the passenger compartment,

the outer tension belt is wound about a rear end of the seat frame,

the first end is connected to a side surface of the airbag that corresponds to the center of the passenger compartment when the airbag is deployed, and

the second end is connected to the inside of the gutter of the seat frame.

7. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the far-side airbag apparatus further comprises an inner tension belt having a first end and a second end,

the inner tension belt is wound about a front end of the seat frame,

the first end is connected to a side surface of the airbag that corresponds to the center of the seat when the airbag is deployed, and

the second end is connected to the inside of the gutter of the seat frame.

8. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the far-side airbag apparatus is fixed to the seat frame by passing a bolt through the seat frame and threading a nut to the bolt from the inside of the gutter of the seat frame, and

the bolt extends through the second end of the outer tension belt so that the second end is held between the seat frame and the nut.

9. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the far-side airbag apparatus is fixed to the seat frame by passing a bolt through the seat frame and threading a nut to the bolt from the inside of the gutter of the seat frame, and

the bolt extends through the second end of the outer tension belt and the second end of the inner tension belt so that the second ends are held between the seat frame and the nut.

10. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the outer tension belt has a vertical dimension that is set such that, when the airbag is deployed and inflated, an upper end of the outer tension belt is located above a part of the airbag that accommodates the inflation fluid generator.

12. The far-side airbag apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the airbag is divided into a plurality of inflation chambers, which include a first inflation chamber and a second inflation chamber,

the inflation fluid generator is accommodated in the first inflation chamber, and

the first end of the outer tension belt is connected to the side surface of the airbag that corresponds to the center of the passenger compartment at a position that corresponds to a seam that divides the first inflation chamber and the second inflation chamber from each other.