Air bag mounting and vent hole arrangement

• US 6,183,003 B1
• Filed: 03/15/1995
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Yoshihiro, Nakagawa, Hajime, Matsuhashi, Toshiaki, Suzuki, Tomoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Boehler, Anne Marie
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/404,862
• Time in Patent Office: 2,155 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/739, 280/743.1, 280/742, 280/738, 280/731, 280/736, 280/741, 280/728.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2035 using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217
• 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 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217

Abstract

An airbag of an airbag device has a primary hole for receiving an inflator and a secondary hole for receiving a securing device which secures the inflator to a base plate. A section surrounding the secondary hole is sandwiched between the inflator put in the airbag and the base plate. Therefore, the section of the airbag sandwiched between the inflator and the base plate can be enlarged and thus a high securing strength of the airbag can be acquired. The primary hole can comprise a vent hole that is used to discharge the gas from the inflator to the outside of the airbag. This structure need not make the vent hole separately. Therefore, the airbag is made simple and the production cost thereof becomes lower.

Claims

1. An airbag device for a vehicle comprising:

a base plate;

an inflator mounted on said base plate and having a base face;

securing means provided at a center of said base face of said inflator for securing said inflator to said base plate; and

an airbag, said inflator being disposed within said airbag, said airbag having a hole therein, said securing means passing through said hole, a diameter of said hole being smaller than a diameter of said inflator, said airbag also having a retention section surrounding said hole of said airbag, which is sandwiched and fastened between said base face of said inflator and said base plate when said inflator is secured to said base plate by said securing means.

2. An airbag device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising connecting means for electrically connecting said inflator,

wherein said securing means has a hollow portion inside, and said connecting means connects to said inflator through said hollow portion.

3. An airbag device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises:

a cylinder portion projected from said inflator and comprising threads on a periphery thereof; and

a nut screwed onto said threads of said cylinder portion.

6. An airbag device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a cover attached to said airbag and covering a part of said primary hole to adjust a pressure in said airbag when said inflator generates gas.

7. An airbag device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein one section of said cover is made narrower than another section of said cover so that said cover breaks in case of an abnormal rise of pressure in said airbag.

8. An airbag device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a patch sewed on a periphery of at least one of said primary hole and said hole through which said securing means passes to reinforce said airbag,

wherein said cover and said patch are formed from a single piece of cloth.

4. An airbag device for a vehicle comprising:

a base plate;

an inflator mounted on said base plate;

securing means for securing said inflator to said base plate;

an airbag, said inflator being disposed within said airbag, said airbag having a hole therein, said securing means passing through said hole, a diameter of said hole being smaller than a diameter of said inflator, said airbag also having a retention section surrounding said hole of said airbag, which is sandwiched and fastened between a base face of said inflator and said base plate when said inflator is secured to said base plate by said securing means; and

connecting means for electrically connecting said inflator, wherein said securing means has a hollow portion inside, and said connecting means connects to said inflator through said hollow portion.

5. An airbag device for a vehicle comprising:

a base plate;

an inflator mounted on said base plate;

securing means for securing said inflator to said base plate; and

an airbag, said inflator being disposed within said airbag, said airbag having a hole therein, said securing means passing through said hole, a diameter of said hole being smaller than a diameter of said inflator, said airbag also having a retention section surrounding said hole of said airbag, which is sandwiched and fastened between a base face of said inflator and said base plate when said inflator is secured to said base plate by said securing means, said airbag also having a primary hole through which said inflator is inserted into said airbag, said primary hole being both an insertion hole for said inflator and a vent hole for discharging gas supplied by said inflator.

9. An airbag device for a vehicle comprising:

a base plate;

an inflator mounted on said base plate;

securing means for securing said inflator to said base plate;

an airbag, said inflator being disposed within said airbag, said airbag having a hole therein, said securing means passing through said hole, a diameter of said hole being smaller than a diameter of said inflator, said airbag also having a retention section surrounding said hole of said airbag, which is sandwiched and fastened between a base face of said inflator and said base plate when said inflator is secured to said base plate by said securing means, said airbag also having a primary hole through which said inflator is inserted into said airbag; and

a cover attached to said airbag and covering all of said primary hole to prevent gas supplied by said inflator from discharging through said primary hole.

10. An airbag device for a vehicle comprising:

a base plate;

an inflator mounted on said base plate;

securing means for securing said inflator to said base plate;

an airbag, said inflator being disposed in said airbag, said airbag having a primary hole through which said inflator is inserted in said airbag, a secondary hole through which said securing means extends, a diameter of said secondary hole being smaller than a diameter of said inflator and a retention section surrounding said secondary hole, which is sandwiched and fastened between a base face of said inflator and said base plate when said inflator is secured to said base plate by said securing means; and

a cover attached to said airbag so that said cover partly covers said primary hole to adjust a pressure in said airbag when said inflator generates gas, wherein one section of said cover is made narrower than another section of said cover so that said cover breaks in case of an abnormal rise of said pressure in said airbag.