SIDE AIRBAG DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

• US 20160368449A1
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: FUJIWARA, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,849,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• 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 21/2334 Expansion control features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence

Abstract

In the side airbag device, in an inflation and deployment state of the side airbag, a tension cloth extendingly disposed across between a front-rear partition and a rear end of the rear bag section is stretched, thereby restricting inflation in the vehicle front-rear direction of the rear bag section. An inflating width in a vehicle width direction of the rear bag section can be increased without significantly changing a position in the vehicle front-rear direction of the front-rear partition. In a flat developed state of the side airbag, the tension cloth is extendingly disposed across between the front-rear partition so folded into two as to protrude toward the rear bag section, and the rear end of the rear bag section. Accordingly, dimensions of each component can be so defined as to cause no redundancy in the rear bag section in the flat developed state, thus compactly folding the side airbag.

Claims

1. A side airbag device for a vehicle comprising:

a gas generator provided to a vehicle seat, the gas generator activated so as to generate gas for inflation and deployment; and

a side airbag partitioned by a front-rear partition in a sheet shape into a front bag section and a rear bag section, the side airbag housed in a folded-up state in a side section of a seat back of the vehicle seat, the side airbag brought to inflate and deploy toward a vehicle front direction of the side section by supplying the gas for inflation and deployment into each of the bag sections,

wherein

in a flat developed state of the side airbag, the front-rear partition is folded into two in a manner as to protrude toward the rear bag section along a folded portion thereof located at a center portion in a width direction, and a stretchable member is extendingly disposed across between the front-rear partition and a rear end of the rear bag section, and in an inflating and deploying state of the side airbag, the stretchable member is stretched so as to restrict inflation in a vehicle front-rear direction of the rear bag section.

2. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the stretchable member is connected to a center portion in a width direction of the front-rear partition.

3. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

an entire or part of the stretchable member is configured by a rectifying member that rectifies the gas for inflation and deployment.

4. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the side airbag includes a lower bag section partitioned by an up-down partition from the front bag section and the rear bag section, and

the gas for inflation and deployment is guided by the rectifying member forming the part of the stretchable member into the lower bag section.

5. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the gas from the gas generator disposed inside the rear bag section is supplied into the lower bag section, and

the side airbag is provided with a check valve that restricts a gas flow from an inside of the lower bag section to an inside of the rear bag section.

6. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

at upper and lower two portions on both sides of the front-rear partition with the stretchable member located therebetween or on either one side of the front-rear partition, there are formed a pair of communicating ports that communicate an inside of the front bag section and the inside of the rear bag section with each other, and

the gas from the gas generator disposed inside the rear bag section is supplied through the pair of communicating ports into the front bag section.

7. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a front end of the stretchable member branched into two if viewed from the up-down direction of the side airbag is connected to the front-rear partition.

8. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

in the front-rear partition, communication ports that communicate the inside of the front bag section and the inside of the rear bag section with each other are formed between the branched front ends of the stretchable member.

9. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

an upper portion of the front-rear partition is configured to be an upper partition obliquely upwardly extending in a frontward direction of the seat back in the inflating and deploying state of the side airbag, and

a front extending portion disposed above the rear bag section is partitioned from the front bag section by the upper partition.

10. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the front-rear partition is configured by part of base fabrics of the front bag section or the rear bag section.

11. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a rectifying member that is formed in a cylindrical shape, is disposed inside the rear bag section, and houses the gas generator thereinside,

wherein

the gas for inflation and deployment is supplied from upper and lower apertures of the rectifying member into the rear back section.

12. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

in the flat developed state, dimensions of each component of the side airbag are so defined as to cause no redundancy in any of the front-rear partition, the base fabrics of the rear bag section, and the stretchable member.

13. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the check valve is configured by the base fabrics of the rear bag section, and projects inside the lower bag section.

14. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the rectifying member includes an outer rectifying member and an inner rectifying member each of which is formed in a cylindrical shape having apertures at upper and lower portions thereof,

the outer rectifying member forms part of the stretchable member, and a lower portion of the outer rectifying member is inserted into the check valve, and

the inner outer rectifying member houses the gas generator thereinside, and a lower portion of the inner rectifying member is inserted into the outer rectifying member.