Air bag device

• US 5,335,939 A
• Filed: 11/13/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Kazutoshi, Ando, Masao, Ichimaru, Kazumi, Sakaida, Shoji, Kuriyama, Yuuji, Ando, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul
• Application Number:
  US07/974,726
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728 A, 280/728 B, 280/730 R, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3038 Air bag covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

An air bag device for an instrument panel has a cover with a hinge and in one embodiment a break-away portion made of thermoplastic material. The cover has a bracket. The strength of the break-away portion is lower than that of the cover. The break-away portion breaks when an air bag inflates. The cover opens rotationally around the hinge. The second embodiment has no break-away portion.

Claims

1. An air bag device comprising:

a case having an opening,

a folded air bag provided in said case,

an inflator provided in said case to generate gas for inflating said air bag, and

a cover for closing said case opening, said cover having a thermoplastic layer a softer intermediate layer and an outer surface layer as well as a reinforcing net partially embedded in a major portion of an underside of said base layer,

said cover having a reduced thickness portion defining a hinge including said reinforcing net.

2. An air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said cover is "L" shaped in cross-section and includes in one leg a cover portion closing said opening of said case and in another leg a bracket fixed to one side of said case and connected with one side of said cover portion through said hinge, said net being attached to said bracket and said case.

3. An air bag device according to claim 2, wherein said net extends from said bracket throughout said major portion of said base layer.

4. An air bag according to claim 1, wherein said reduced thickness portion is defined by a recessed portion of said intermediate layer, said base layer and said net including a substantially inverted U-shaped portion disposed within said recessed portion.

5. An air bag device according to claim 2, including a break-away portion which is connected to said cover and which breaks when said cover deploys.

6. An air bag device according to claim 5, wherein said break-away portion is made of thermoplastic material having a breakage strength lower than that of said cover.

7. An air bag device according to claim 6, wherein one end of the break-way portion is embedded in said cover portion.

8. An air bag device according to claim 2, wherein said case includes an "L" shaped channel member fixed to said bracket and extending along said opening adjacent said hinge.

9. An air bag device according to claim 8, wherein there is a space between said channel member and said hinge.

10. An air bag device according to claim 8, wherein said cover includes an extended portion extending over said hinge away from said case opening.