LOWER LIMB PROTECTING AIR BAG

• US 20160068131A1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: KOMATSU, Takanori, ANDO, Takeshi, IMAEDA, Hiroki, OGATA, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,580,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• 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

Abstract

A lower limb protecting air bag includes: a main body inflation part; an end side inflation part; a bending part configured to bend the end side inflation part to project backward from the main body inflation part in inflation completion; and a connecting element configured to connect together the end side inflation part and the main body inflation part so that the bent state of the end side inflation part in inflation completion is maintained, wherein: the main body inflation part and the end side inflation part are configured to inflate substantially in a plate shape to separate a front side wall disposed on the back side and a back side wall disposed on the front side when the air bag is developed flat; and the bending part includes a seam part formed by superimposing and connecting together the front side wall and the back side wall.

Claims

1. A lower limb protecting air bag, folded and stored in front of an occupant seated in a seat, with supply of inflating gas therein, inflatable to cover the front of the lower limbs of the occupant, comprising:

a main body inflation part configured to cover the front of the lower limbs of the occupant in inflation completion;

an end side inflation part disposed on at least one of the horizontal-direction ends of the main body inflation part;

a bending part, interposed between the main body inflation part and the end side inflation part, configured to bend the end side inflation part to project backward from the main body inflation part in inflation completion; and

a connecting element configured to connect together the end side inflation part and the main body inflation part with the bending part between them so that the bent state of the end side inflation part in inflation completion is maintained, wherein;

the main body inflation part and the end side inflation part are configured to inflate substantially in a plate shape to separate a front side wall disposed on the back side and a back side wall disposed on the front side when the air bag is developed flat; and

the bending part includes a seam part formed by superimposing and connecting together the front side wall and the back side wall.

2. The lower limb protecting air bag according to claim 1, wherein

the connecting element includes a connecting portion for connecting together the front side wall portion of the main body inflation part and the front side wall portion of the end side inflation part.

3. The lower limb protecting air bag according to claim 1, wherein

the connecting element includes a tether disposed on the outside of the air bag for connecting together the end side inflation part and the main body inflation part.

4. The lower limb protecting air bag according to claim 1, wherein

the end side inflation part is arranged on the two left and right sides of the main body inflation part.

5. A lower limb protecting air bag, folded and stored in front of an occupant seated in a seat, with supply of inflating gas therein, inflatable to cover the front of the lower limbs of the occupant, comprising:

a main body inflation part configured to cover the front of the lower limbs of the occupant in inflation completion;

two end side inflation parts disposed on the two horizontal-direction ends of the main body inflation part;

two bending parts, interposed between the main body inflation part and the end side inflation part and, configured to bend the two end side inflation parts to project backward from the main body inflation part in inflation completion; and

a flexible tether configured to connect together such horizontal-direction ends of the end side inflation parts as are separated from the main body inflation part with the bending parts between them so that the bent states of the end side inflation parts in inflation completion can be maintained, wherein;

the main body inflation part and the end side inflation parts are configured to inflate substantially in a plate shape to separate a front side wall disposed on the back side and a back side wall disposed on the front side from each other when the air bag is developed flat; and

the bending parts includes seam parts formed by superimposing and connecting together the front side wall and the back side wall.