Airbag mounting structure of airbag device

• US 6,193,269 B1
• Filed: 04/29/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Amamori, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/301,613
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

An airbag mounting structure allows an airbag to be easily mounted to a retainer and provides reduced stress exerted onto the retainer during the inflation of the airbag. The retainer is provided with a protrusion and the concavities in the bottom thereof. An inner plate which is disposed inside the airbag has a downward projection. A portion between slits of the airbag is pressed into the protrusion by the downward projection. An inflator is inserted into the protrusion from a side end of the retainer and the both ends of the inflator are engaged with concavities.

Claims

1. An airbag mounting structure comprising:

a retainer having a protrusion formed at a bottom thereof and protruding outward, and at least one concavity formed in the bottom thereof to be curved inwardly in a half-circular configuration coaxial with the protrusion and extending to a side face of the retainer, said protrusion extending in a longitudinal direction of the retainer and having an inflator-through hole in at least one of ends thereof in the longitudinal direction and a half-cylindrical configuration,

an airbag having a portion inserted into the protrusion and at least one opening confronting the inflator-through hole, and

an elongated inflator inserted into said portion of the airbag positioned inside the protrusion through the inflator-through hole of the retainer and the at least one opening of the airbag, and having a substantially cylindrical configuration and an end, said end being inserted through the inflator-through hole, projecting outside the protrusion and engaging the concavity at the bottom of the retainer so that the airbag is clamped between an inner surface of the protrusion and an outer surface of the inflator.

2. The airbag mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retainer is provided with inflator-through holes which are formed at the ends of the protrusion thereof, respectively, and wherein the ends of the inflator are engaged with outer portions of the bottom of the retainer after passing through said inflator-through holes.

3. An airbag device having a retainer, an airbag folded and accommodated in the retainer, an inflator for generating gases for inflating the airbag and a lid covering the retainer, wherein the airbag and the inflator are mounted to the retainer according to claim 1.

4. An airbag mounting structure comprising:

a retainer having a protrusion formed at a bottom thereof and protruding outward, said protrusion extending in a longitudinal direction of the retainer and having an inflator-through hole in at least one of ends thereof in the longitudinal direction,

an airbag having a portion inserted into the protrusion and at least one opening confronting the inflator-through hole,

an elongated inflator inserted into said portion of the airbag positioned inside the protrusion through the inflator-through hole of the retainer and the at least one opening of the airbag, and having an end, said end being inserted through the inflator-through hole, projecting outside the protrusion and engaging an outside of the bottom of the retainer so that the airbag is clamped between an inner surface of the protrusion and an outer surface of the inflator, and

an inner plate situated between the portion of the airbag corresponding to the protrusion and the outer surface of the inflator.

5. The airbag mounting structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein said inner plate has a projection curved along the outer surface of said inflator and a flange continuously extending from said projection in a direction apart from the inflator and wherein the airbag is clamped between said flange and the retainer.

6. The airbag mounting structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said flange is provided with bolts, wherein said bolts are inserted through the airbag and the bottom of the retainer and are fastened with nuts.

7. The airbag mounting structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein said inner plate is made of a piece of plate such that a pair of slits is formed in the plate and a portion between said slits is pressed downwardly to make a portion to project in a half circle to form a downward projection which confronts the protrusion.

8. The airbag mounting structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein said inner plate is provided with upper projections by pressing upwardly portions positioned on end sides of said downward projection in a longitudinal direction to make the portions to project in a half circle and wherein a portion of said airbag is disposed between said upper projections and concavities of said retainer.

9. The airbag mounting structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein said concavity of said retainer has substantially the same radius of curvature of the outer periphery of the inflator.

10. The airbag mounting structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein said airbag has a pair of slits and wherein the inner plate is pressed onto a portion between said slits.