Air bag assembly for restraining vehicle occupant

• US 4,830,401 A
• Filed: 02/04/1988
• Issued: 05/16/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Honda, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tyson, Karin
• Application Number:
  US07/152,268
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728, 280/729, 280/743, 280/734, 280/736, 280/741, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23123 Heat protection panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

A bag of an air bag assembly is fixed at a base portion thereof to a gas generator in such a manner as to enclose openings which are formed in the latter, the bag being inflated by gas which jets out through the openings perpendicularly to a direction intending toward an occupant. A self-sustained reinforcing member is mounted on the base portion of the bag and provided with a surface which faces the openings of the gas generator. Gas rushing out through the openings is intercepted and redirected toward the occupant by the surface of the reinforcing member. A space for heat insulation is defined between the outer periphery of the reinforcing member and the inner periphery of the bag.

Claims

1. An air bag assembly for restraining an occupant of a vehicle and including a gas generator for generating gas and jetting the gas in a direction perpendicular to a direction which extends toward the occupant through openings which are formed in said gas generator, and a bag connected to said gas generator at a base portion of said bag in such a manner as to enclose said openings and inflatable by the gas, said air bag assembly comprising:

a self-sustained reinforcing member disposed inside of said base portion of said bag and shaped such that the gas jetting out from said gas generator directly hits against said reinforcing member and is then redirected toward the occupant by said reinforcing member, said reinforcing member cooperating with said base portion of said bag to define a space therebetween.

2. An air bag assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing member is made of an elastic material.

3. An air bag assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising cords for limiting the amount of protrusion of a central part of said bag toward the operator, said cords each being anchored to said reinforcing member.