Air bag

• US 5,253,892 A
• Filed: 11/16/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Satoh, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): FERRITER, KARIN L
• Application Number:
  US07/977,098
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743, 280/743 A, 280/728, 280/729, 280/731
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• 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

An air bag comprises a first annular cloth disposed on a side of the steering wheel and having an opening formed in a central portion for at least one of an inflator and an inflation gas, a second circular cloth disposed on a side of the driver and joined at a circumferential edge thereof with a circumferential edge of the first cloth, in which a diameter upon expansion is greater than a diameter of the steering wheel. A radial midway of the first cloth is connected with a radial midway of the second cloth by means of a connection piece. The connection piece has a length so that a side of the second cloth protrudes more than a central portion of the second cloth when the air bag is expanded.

Claims

1. An air bag for protecting a driver opposing to a steering wheel disposed approximately at a horizontal state comprising:

a first annular cloth means disposed on a side of the steering wheel and having an opening formed in a central portion for receiving at least one of an inflator and an inflator gas,

a second circular cloth disposed on a side of the driver and joined at a circumferential edge thereof with a circumferential edge of said first cloth means, and

a connection piece for connecting a radial midway region of said first cloth means with a central region of said second cloth, said connection piece having a length so that a protruded portion, which protrudes to a side of the driver more than the central region of the second cloth is formed at an outer circumference of a connecting portion between said connection piece and said second cloth when the air bag is extended fully, and

a diameter of the air bag extended fully being greater than a diameter of the steering wheel so that the protruded portion located between the driver and the steering wheel is established on and around the steering wheel.

2. An air bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said connection piece is connected with said first cloth means at a portion near the steering wheel and the connection portion between the connection piece and the second cloth is situated at an area inward of said steering wheel.

3. An air bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the connection piece is a circular cloth having an opening for allowing the inflation gas to pass therethrough.

4. An air bag to be attached to a steering wheel disposed approximately at a horizontal state, comprising:

a second circular cloth disposed on a side of an occupant,

a first circular cloth disposed on a side of the steering wheel, said first circular cloth being stitched at a circumferential edge thereof to a circumferential edge of the second cloth with a first stitch, and stitched to a central area of the second cloth with a second stitch around the central area of the second cloth, and

a third circular support cloth having an opening disposed at a center of the third cloth adapted to allow an inflator to pass therethrough, and being stitched at a circumferential edge thereof to a portion between a central portion and the circumferential edge of said first cloth with a third stitch,

said first circular cloth having openings formed between said third stitch and second second stitch for passing a gas from the inflator, and

a diameter of the air bag upon expansion being greater than a diameter of the steering wheel.

5. An air bag as defined in claim 4, further comprising an annular patch cloth stitched to an edge portion of the opening of the third support cloth and bolt insertion apertures formed to said patch cloth and said third support cloth.

6. An air bag as defined in claim 4, wherein the third stitch is situated near the steering wheel, and a portion outside of the third stitch extends beyond an outer circumference of the steering wheel in a state where the air bag projects toward the occupant.

7. An air bag to be attached to a steering wheel disposed approximately at a horizontal state, comprising:

a first cloth disposed at a side of the steering wheel, said first cloth being larger than the steering wheel and having a circumferential edge, a central area and a plurality of openings outside the central area,

a second cloth disposed at a side of an occupant and having a circumferential edge and a center portion, said second cloth being connected at the circumferential edge thereof to the circumferential edge of the first cloth and connected at the center portion thereof to the central area of the first cloth, and

a third cloth disposed under the first cloth and having a circumferential edge and a central opening adapted to allow an inflator to pass therethrough, said third cloth being connected at the circumferntial edge thereof to a portion between the central area and the circumferential edge of the first cloth so that when the air bag is inflated, a gas from the inflater passes through the openings of the first cloth to thereby allow an outer portion of the second cloth to protrude closer to the occupant than the central portion.

8. An air bag as defined in claim 7, further comprising a fourth cloth laminated over the third cloth to strengthen the same.