Air belt device

• US 6,170,863 B1
• Filed: 09/02/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Hiroyuki, Suyama, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DRAPER, DEANN L
• Application Number:
  US09/145,297
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 280/807, 280/733
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

An air belt device which, after an air belt is deployed in a collision, can gradually discharge gas outside, thereby reducing the impact applied to the body of the occupant which is pushed against the air belt. Once an inflator 58 is actuated in the state that a tongue 14 is engaged with a buckle 16, seal members 61, 41 are opened by gas pressure so that gas is supplied through a first gas path 51 of the buckle 16 and a first guide path 21 of the tongue 14 to an air belt 2B so as to inflate the air belt 2B. After that, the gas pressure is applied to seal members 42, 62 so as to open the seal member 42, 62 so that the gas in the air belt 2B is discharged through a second gas path 52.

Claims

1. An air belt device comprising:

an air belt which is inflatable;

a gas generator for supplying gas into said air belt to inflate said air belt; and

a belt engagement device including a tongue to which said air belt is connected and a buckle which said tongue is engaged with;

wherein said belt engagement device further includes a gas discharge conduit which, after said gas generator is actuated and the air belt is inflated, gradually discharges gas out of the air belt; and

wherein said gas discharge outlet is in the buckle.

2. An air belt device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said buckle is provided with a first gas path into which gas is upwardly supplied from the gas generator and through which the gas is jetted out of a spout portion at the top of said buckle, and a second gas path into which gas from said air belt is downwardly introduced and through which the gas is discharged out of the buckle downwardly or laterally, and

said tongue is provided with a first guide path connecting said first gas path and the inside of said air belt, and a second guide path connecting the inside of said air belt and said second gas path,

wherein said gas discharging conduit is composed of said second guide path and said second gas path.

3. An air belt device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second gas path opens beneath said buckle.

4. An air belt device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tongue and said buckle have seal members closing said gas paths and said guide paths, respectively, and said seal members are opened by gas pressure.

5. An air belt device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first gas path and said second gas path are fluidly isolated in the buckle.

6. An air belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein said belt engagement device and said buckle each include at least one seal member.