Air bag assembly having an integral exterior nozzle

• US 6,050,600 A
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/021,148
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 280/740, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/740
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217

Abstract

An air bag assembly includes an inflatable bag which has an entrance for receiving pressurized gas. The entrance of the inflatable bag is connected with an outlet of a nozzle disposed integrally with and at an exterior of the inflatable bag. The pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable bag through the nozzle. An inlet of the nozzle is provided with a mouthpiece through which pressurized gas is injected.

Claims

1. An air bag assembly, comprising:

an inflatable bag including an exterior, an interior, and an entrance with a defined boundary;

a nozzle including an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being integrally attached to the inflatable bag so that the outlet surrounds the defined boundary and so that the nozzle is disposed on the exterior of the bag, the nozzle being disposed asymmetrically with respect to an axis normal to the defined boundary; and

a mouthpiece having a first portion and a second portion, each of the first portion and second portion having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the first portion and second portion being connected to the inlet of the nozzle.

2. The air bag assembly recited in claim 1, further comprising a diffuser integrally attached to the inflatable bag so that the diffuser surrounds the defined boundary and is disposed on the interior of the inflatable bag.

3. The air bag assembly recited in claim 1, wherein the second ends of the first portion and the second portion are secured to each other.

4. An air bag assembly of an air bag module, said assembly comprising:

an inflatable bag having an entrance; and

a flexible nozzle disposed at an exterior of the inflatable bag and having an outlet connected with the entrance of the inflatable bag such that pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable bag through the flexible nozzle;

wherein the flexible nozzle has a shape which is asymmetric with respect to an axis normal to the entrance.

5. The air bag assembly recited in claim 4, further comprising a mouthpiece connected with an inlet of the nozzle, the mouthpiece including a first portion and a second portion, each of the first portion and the second portion having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the first portion and second portion being connected with the inlet of the nozzle.

6. An air bag assembly of an air bag module, said assembly comprising:

an inflatable bag having an entrance, wherein folds of the inflatable bag are parallel to a normal axis of said air bag module; and

a flexible nozzle disposed at an exterior of the inflatable bag and having an outlet connected with the entrance of the inflatable bag such that pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable bag through the flexible nozzle.

7. The air bag assembly recited in claim 6, wherein the folds are in an undulating pattern.

8. The air bag assembly recited in claim 6, wherein the folds are in an interlocking pattern.

9. An air bag assembly of an air bag module, said assembly comprising:

an inflatable bag having an entrance, wherein the folds are in a combination undulating pattern including folds which are parallel to a normal axis of said air bag module and folds which are perpendicular to the normal axis of said air bag module; and

a flexible nozzle disposed at an exterior of the inflatable bag and having an outlet connected with the entrance of the inflatable bag such that pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable bag through the flexible nozzle.

10. A passenger restraint system, comprising:

an inflatable air bag having an entrance; and

a nozzle disposed at an exterior of the inflatable bag and having a shape which is asymmetric with respect to an axis normal to the entrance, an outlet of the nozzle being connected with the entrance of the inflatable bag such that pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable air bag from the nozzle at an oblique angle with respect to the entrance.

11. The passenger restraint system as recited in claim 11, wherein said nozzle is flexible.

12. The passenger restraint system as recited in claim 11, wherein said nozzle is fabric.

13. The passenger restraint system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a fabric mouthpiece integrally formed from a same sheet of fabric as the nozzle.

14. The passenger restraint system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a diffuser attached at an interior of the inflatable air bag so that the diffuser surrounds the entrance of the inflatable air bag.

15. The passenger restraint system as recited in claim 14, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to receive an inflator therein so that pressurized gases injected from the inflator enter the nozzle through the nozzle inlet and the inflatable air bag through the nozzle outlet.

16. The passenger restraint system as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a retainer having an opening adapted to receive the inflatable air bag, the nozzle, and the mouthpiece;

a cover which is detachable to the retainer; and

an inflator arranged within the retainer.

17. An automobile comprising a passenger restraint system including an inflatable air bag having an entrance for receiving pressurized gas, and a nozzle disposed at an exterior of the inflatable bag, the nozzle having a shape which is asymmetric with respect to an axis normal to the entrance and an outlet which is connected with the entrance of the inflatable bag such that pressurized gas is transmitted into the inflatable air bag from the nozzle at an oblique angle with respect to the entrance.

18. The automobile recited in claim 17, wherein the nozzle is flexible.

19. The automobile recited in claim 18, wherein the nozzle is fabric.

20. The automobile recited in claim 19, further comprising a mouthpiece connected with an inlet of the nozzle, the mouthpiece including a first portion and a second portion, each of the first portion and the second portion having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the first portion and second portion being connected with the inlet of the nozzle.