Tethered air bag

• US 5,558,365 A
• Filed: 11/07/1994
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Sato, Koki, Oe, Naoki, Tamura, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/337,009
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/731, 280/728.1, 280/730.1, 280/729
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• 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 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/105 Non-rotatable hubs, e.g. the central part of the steering wheel not rotating

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for an air bag mounted in a Vehicle such that a steering wheel rotates with respect to the air bag. The air bag inflates towards an occupant upon sudden decelerations of the vehicle, thereby protecting the occupant'"'"'s head. The air bag includes a lower portion formed into a substantially straight line restricting the air bag'"'"'s expanded volume and height to facilitate use with a seat belt.

Claims

1. An air bag apparatus to be mounted in a vehicle in an immovable state, said air bag apparatus comprising:

a stationary pad;

means for holding said stationary pad immovable during turning of a steering wheel, said means comprising a planetary gear structure that includes;

a fixed gear having a training portion formed continuously over an outer peripheral surface of said fixed gear,

a sun gear having a training portion formed continuously over an outer peripheral surface of said sun gear and wherein said sun gear is rotatable relative to a steering shaft and said stationary pad is mounted on said sun gear,

a plurality of planetary gears coupled with said steering wheel, wherein said planetary gears include a training portion formed continuously over an outer peripheral surface of said planetary gears, and

a timing belt cooperating with said training portion of said sun gear, said fixed gear and said planetary gears respectively;

a heteromorphic bag accommodated in a folded state in said stationary pad;

an inflator communicating with an interior of said bag, said inflator comprising a means for generating a gas when said vehicle is subjected to sudden deceleration,

a means for jetting said gas into said interior of said bag, and

a means for coupling said inflator and said bag and securing said jetting means within said bag; and

a plurality of restricting members formed by a soft material, both ends of each of said plurality of restricting members mounted on a surface of an inner circumference of said bag so as to restrict the expanding height of said bag which tends to expand in the form of a sphere towards the side of an occupant by said gas jetting upon sudden deceleration of said vehicle, wherein,

said bag in an inflated state is formed so that the portion corresponding to a portion other than the head of an occupant is smaller as compared with the portion corresponding to the head of said occupant, and

said portion corresponding to a portion other than the head of said occupant is bounded by a lower portion of said bag formed into a substantially straight line.

2. The air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bag is formed so that said portion corresponding to a portion other than the head of said occupant is shaped in a different form from the portion corresponding to said head of said occupant.

3. An air bag apparatus disposed in a vehicle in an immovable state, wherein a bag is inflated in a state of sudden deceleration of said vehicle to protect an occupant by being interposed between a vehicle body and said occupant, said air bag apparatus comprising:

a stationary pad;

means for holding said stationary pad immovable during turning of a steering wheel, said means comprising a planetary gear structure including a fixed gear having a training portion formed continuously over an outer peripheral surface of said fixed gear,

a sun gear having a training portion formed continuously over an outer peripheral surface of said sun gear and wherein said sun gear is rotatable relative to a steering shaft and said stationary pad is mounted on said sun gear,

a plurality of planetary gears coupled with said steering wheel, wherein said planetary gears include a training portion formed continuously over an outer peripheral surface of said planetary gears, and

a timing belt cooperating with said training portion of said sun gear, said fixed gear and said planetary gears respectively; and

a heteromorphic bag accommodated in a folded state in said stationary pad, said bag including, in its inflated state, a portion corresponding to the head of said occupant and a portion corresponding to a portion other than said head of said occupant, wherein said bag in said inflated state is formed so that said portion corresponding to a portion other than the head of said occupant is made smaller as compared with said portion corresponding to the head of said occupant, wherein

said portion corresponding to a portion other than the head of said occupant is bounded by a lower portion of said bag formed into a substantially straight line.

4. The air bag apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said bag is formed so that said portion corresponding to a portion other than the head of said occupant is shaped in a different form from said portion corresponding to the head of said occupant.