Airbag system

• US 5,924,724 A
• Filed: 09/26/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nakamura, Junichi, Nagayama, Noritaka, Shimoda, Mikiharu, Ookochi, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US08/938,837
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/728.1, 280/743.1, 297/216.13, 297/216.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21525 the lid being fixed on the bag, or forming part of the bag wall, or the bag itself being used as wall liner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21531 using a strechable wall liner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

An airbag system provided in a vehicular seat that includes a cushion pad member, comprises an inflator contained in the cushion pad member and adapted to generate gas when a vehicle is subjected to a side impact, and a seat covering member covering the cushion pad member. The covering member is designed to spread out like a bag between an occupant and the body of the vehicle by the gas generated by the inflator.

Claims

1. An occupant protection system provided in a vehicular seat including a cushion pad member, comprising:

an inflator contained in the cushion pad member and adapted to generate and discharge gas towards a specified portion of an inner surface of the cushion pad member, such that the gas makes direct contact with the inner surface of the specified portion of the cushion member, when a vehicle is subjected to an impact; and

a seat covering member covering at least an outer surface of the specified portion of the cushion pad member, said seat covering member being capable of inflating between an occupant and the body of the vehicle by the gas generated by the inflator.

2. An occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said seat covering member is formed of a stretchable material.

3. An occupant protection system according to claim 2, wherein said seat covering member is formed of a knit fabric.

4. An occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said cushion pad member includes a fragile portion, in the specified portion, that tears when the generated gas makes direct contact therewith.

5. An occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said cushion pad member has a space section for containing the inflator therein, and the inner surface of the pad member defining the space section includes a protective layer for preventing leakage of the gas.

6. An occupant protection system according to claim 5, wherein said cushion pad member includes a fragile portion, in the specified portion, that tears when the generated gas makes direct contact therewith, and said protective layer is formed over the entire inner surface of the cushion pad member except the fragile portion.

7. An occupant protection system according to claim 6, wherein said inflator includes a guide member for guiding the inflating gas towards the specified portion.

8. An occupant protection system according to claim 7, wherein said guide member is in the form of a box-shaped member surrounding the inflator and having a gas jet opening facing the fragile portion.

9. An occupant protection system according to claim 8, wherein said gas jet has an open edge in contact with the inner surface of the cushion pad member at the fragile portion.

10. An occupant protection system according to claim 8, wherein said guide member is shaped to guide the gas ejected from the inflator toward the fragile portion.

11. An occupant protection system of claim 1, wherein said impact is a side impact.

12. An occupant protection system of claim 1 wherein said seat covering member inflates between a body of the occupant and the body of the vehicle.

13. An occupant protection system of claim 12 wherein said seat covering member inflates between a head of the occupant and the body of the vehicle after inflating between the body of the occupant and the body of the vehicle.

14. An occupant protection system for a vehicle, comprising:

a cushion pad member having a fragile portion;

an inflator attached to the vehicle and disposed in one side of the cushion pad member, said inflator generating and discharging gas towards the fragile portion of said cushion pad member such that the generated gas makes direct contact with the fragile portion of said cushion member when said inflator is activated; and

a covering member covering the other side of the cushion member including at least said fragile portion, wherein said covering member inflates between an occupant and the body of the vehicle by the gas generated by the inflator.