Air bag apparatus

• US 5,340,151 A
• Filed: 11/18/1992
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Sato, Koki
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US07/978,377
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743 R, 280/728 R, 280/730 A, 280/728 A
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• 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 21/23138 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

Abstract

In an air bag apparatus, a bag body has a bag body opening portion. The bag body opening portion communicates with a gas generating apparatus for generating gas when a vehicle rapidly decelerates. Further, the bag body is expanded by gas generated from the gas generating apparatus. A base plate holds a peripheral edge of the bag body opening portion. A plurality of reinforcing materials is superposed in layered fashion on the peripheral edge of the bag body opening portion to reinforce the bag body. One portion is held by a base member. The plurality of reinforcing materials are respectively sewn to the reinforcing materials contacting the bag body.

Claims

1. An air bag apparatus comprising:

a gas generating means for generating a gas when a vehicle rapidly decelerates;

a bag body having a bag body opening portion which communicates with said gas generating means to be operatively expanded by said gas generated from said gas generating means;

a base member for holding a peripheral edge of said bag body opening portion; and

a plurality of reinforcing materials having respectively different sizes and being superposed in a layer fashion on said peripheral edge of said bag body opening portion to reinforce said bag body, respective inner end portions of said bag body and of said plurality of reinforcing materials being held by said base member, said plurality of reinforcing materials being respectively and sequentially sewn onto said bag body at different portions in order of shorter length with said reinforcing materials in a state of contact with said bag body, each of said reinforcing materials being respectively and independently sewn only at a portion in the vicinity of an outer end thereof to said bag body opening portion, and none of said reinforcing materials being sewn to each other.

2. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reinforcing materials are respectively and sequentially superposed in order of shorter length on said bag body, and each of said reinforcing materials is respectively and independently sewn at a portion in the vicinity of an outer end thereof to said bag body opening portion.

3. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sewn portions are sewn at positions which become more distant from said bag body opening portion as respective surface areas of said plurality of reinforcing materials increase from said smallest area.

4. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reinforcing materials are superposed on an inner surface of said bag body.

5. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reinforcing materials respectively have reinforcing material opening portions, said reinforcing material opening portions are disposed coaxially with said bag body opening portion to communicate with said gas generating means.

6. An air bag apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each inner peripheral portion of said coaxially disposed opening portions of said bag body and said reinforcing material is respectively clamped and fixed to said base member.

7. An air bag apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a peripheral portion of said opening portion of said bag body and a peripheral portion of said reinforcing material opening portions provided to correspond to said peripheral portion of said bag body are clamped to said base member.

8. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reinforcing materials are respectively sewn to said bag body so that tensile strength f applied to a superposed portion provided for said bag body, which corresponds to a portion which all said plurality of reinforcing materials are superposed, satisfies the following equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">f=(1/2.sup.N)×

F

where F is an entire tensile strength applied to said bag body and said plurality of reinforcing materials, and N is the number of said plurality of reinforcing materials.

9. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bag body is provided to have one of a rectangular surface and a circular surface in opposing relationship to a passenger.

10. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bag body accommodates an a means for allowing said bag body to expand in an upward direction of said vehicle between a surface including said bag body opening portion and a surface opposite to said surface.

11. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air bag apparatus is provided on a side door of said vehicle to allow said bag body to expand inwardly toward the lateral side of an occupant in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

12. An air bag apparatus comprising:

an inflator for generating gas when a vehicle rapidly decelerates;

a bag body having a bag body opening portion which communicates with said inflator to be operatively expanded by said gas generated from said inflator;

a base plate for holding a peripheral edge portion of said bag body opening portion; and

a plurality of reinforcing materials each having a different size, and being sequentially superposed in a layer fashion on said peripheral edge of said bag body opening portion of said bag body with said reinforcing material having the smallest area starting from an inner surface of said bag body so as to reinforce said bag body, one portion being held by said base plate, said plurality of reinforcing materials respectively including sewn portions in a vicinity of outer peripheries of said reinforcing materials, said sewn portion being sewn onto said bag body at different portions of said bag body such that said plurality of reinforcing materials are sequentially superposed on said bag body from said reinforcing material having the smallest area, said sewn portion being in a state of contact with said bag body at positions which become more distant from said bag body opening portion as respective surface areas of said plurality of reinforcing materials increase from said smallest area, each of said reinforcing materials being respectively and independently sewn only at a portion in the vicinity of an outer end thereof to said bag body opening portion, and none of said reinforcing materials being sewn to each other.

13. An air bag apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of reinforcing materials respectively have reinforcing material opening portions, said reinforcing material opening portions are disposed coaxially with said bag body opening portion so as to communicate with said inflator.

14. An air bag apparatus according to claim 13, wherein peripheral portions of said coaxially disposed opening portions of said bag body and said reinforcing material are clamped and fixed to said base member.

15. An air bag apparatus according to claim 13, wherein peripheral portions of said bag body opening portion and each peripheral portion of said reinforcing material opening portions are provided to correspond to each other and are clamped to said base member.

16. An air bag apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of reinforcing materials are respectively sewn to said bag body so that tensile strength f applied to a superposed portion provided for said bag body, which corresponds to a portion in which all said plurality of reinforcing materials are superposed, satisfies the following equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">f=(1/2.sup.N)×

F

where F is an entire tensile strength applied to said bag body and said plurality of reinforcing materials, and N is the number of said plurality of reinforcing materials.

17. An air bag apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said bag body is provided to have one of a rectangular surface and a circular surface in opposing relationship to a passenger.

18. An air bag apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said bag body accommodates an upward expansion allowing means for allowing said bag body to expand in an upward direction of said vehicle between a surface including said bag body opening portion and a surface opposite to said surface.

19. An air bag apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the longitudinal direction of said bag body is in the vertical direction of said vehicle, and said bag body is provided on a side door of said vehicle to allow said bag body to expand inwardly toward the lateral side of an occupant in the transverse direction of the vehicle.