Air bag apparatus for passenger seat

• US 6,247,727 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1998
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamada, Makoto, Fukawatase, Osamu, Kumagai, Koushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINNER, TONY H
• Application Number:
  US09/154,223
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/743.2, 280/743.1, 280/732, 280/734, 280/729
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat has reduced deploying speed and reduces the impact of the air bag on an occupant moving forward at the time of a crash of a vehicle. A gas generator is disposed in a case of the air bag apparatus, extending in a fore-to-aft direction relative to the vehicle. The gas generator case contains a cylindrical inflator extending in the fore-to-aft direction. An air bag is disposed in the apparatus case, folded in a predetermined manner. An inner bag for controlling gas flow is disposed in the air bag, folded in a predetermined manner. An auxiliary inner bag is sewed to an outside surface of a bag of the inner bag. When the inner bag is inflated and deployed, the bag of the inner bag presses a portion of the air bag against the windshield, and the auxiliary inner bag presses another portion of the air bag against the instrument panel.

Claims

1. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat disposed in a passenger seat-side instrument panel, comprising:

an air bag folded and disposed in a case having at one side thereof an opening; and

an inner bag disposed in the air bag, the air bag and inner bag being arranged in a manner so that the inner bag is inflated prior to inflation of the air bag, the inner bag being arranged to press portions of the air bag against a front glass pane and an instrument panel when inflated.

2. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the inner bag has a supply hole for supplying gas to the air bag.

3. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the inner bag has an upper inflating portion and a lower inflating portion, and the upper inflating portion is formed so as to inflate to a greater size than the lower inflating portion.

4. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the inner bag is formed by two base cloths so that when the inner bag is inflated and deployed, the base cloths face each other in transverse directions relative to the vehicle and the inner bag is inflated and deployed in upward and downward directions relative to the vehicle.

5. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, further comprising a restriction member disposed in the inner bag, the restriction member restricting inflation of a central portion of the inner bag to a predetermined amount and defining, at least partially, two inflating portions of the inner bag.

6. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 5, wherein the inner bag is constituted at least in part by an upper face cloth sewed to a lower face cloth, the cloths being constructed and arranged such that the upper cloth is inflated and deployed in an upward direction relative to the vehicle and the lower cloth is inflated and deployed in a downward direction relative to vehicle.

7. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 6, wherein the restriction member extends from an end of at least one of the upper face cloth and the lower face cloth.

8. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 6, wherein the restriction member is disposed in the inner bag at a lower position therein so that an upward deploying portion of the inner bag is inflated and deployed to a greater size than a downward deploying portion of the inner bag.

9. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, constructed and arranged so that when inflated, the inner bag assumes a generally gourd shape in a side view.

10. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, constructed and arranged so that when inflated, the inner bag contacts the front glass pane and the instrument panel and curves into a generally crescent shape in a side view.

11. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the inner bag has an extension portion that extends in a rearward direction relative to the vehicle, the extension portion pressing a portion of the air bag against the instrument panel.

12. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the inner bag has a forward ejection hole for ejecting gas in a forward direction relative to the vehicle.

13. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein before being disposed in the case, the air bag is folded by folding portions of the air bag that face in forward and rearward directions relative to the vehicle and then folding portions of the air bag that face in transverse directions relative to the vehicle.

14. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 13, wherein the inner bag is folded by folding opposite end portions thereof that face in the transverse directions relative to the vehicle while avoiding folding a central portion of the air bag relative to the case, in the transverse directions.

15. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, further comprising an inflator having a cylindrical shape and disposed so that an axis thereof extends substantially in a fore-to-aft direction relative to the vehicle.

16. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 15, wherein a portion of the air bag is disposed between an inner wall face of the case and right and left sides of the inflator.

17. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, further comprising an air bag cover disposed at the opening of the case, the air bag cover being openable in transverse directions relative to the vehicle in a manner of a double-hinged door.

18. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein a site in the inner bag and a site in the air bag that come closest to an occupant side at the time of completion of inflation and deployment of the inner bag and the air bag are interconnected so that the sites remain interconnected during an early period of the inflation of the inner bag and the air bag, and so that the sites are disconnected from each other as the inner bag and the air bag are further inflated.

19. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein a site in the inner bag and a site in the air bag that come closest to an occupant side at the time of completion of inflation and deployment of the inner bag and the air bag are interconnected a restriction member that is folded and sewed with a breakable thread so that the folded sections of the restriction member are jointed together.

20. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 19, wherein the interconnected sites in the inner bag and the air bag are directly sewed together using a thread that breaks when the inner bag and the air bag are inflated.

21. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the air bag is fixed to the case and a mouth portion that guides gas into the air bag, and

wherein the mouth portion is disposed in a central portion of the case, and an upward deploying portion of the air bag and a downward deploying portion of the air bag are folded and disposed in a space between the mouth portion and one of opposite inner surfaces of that face the mouth portion and a space between the moth portion and the other one of the opposite inner surfaces of the case, respectively.

22. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat disposed in a passenger seat-side instrument panel, comprising:

an air bag folded and disposed in a case having at one side thereof an opening; and

an inner bag disposed in the air bag, the air bag and inner bag being arranged in a manner so that the inner bag is inflated prior to inflation of the air bag, the inner bag being arranged to press portions of the air bag against a front glass pane and an instrument panel when inflated;

wherein the inner bag is formed by two base cloths so that when the inner bag is inflated and deployed, the base cloths face each other in transverse directions relative to the vehicle and the inner bag is inflated and deployed in upward and downward directions relative to the vehicle.