Air bag for side air bag device

• US 6,260,878 B1
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanase, Toshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US09/310,336
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 280/739, 280/736, 280/741, 280/742, 280/728.1, 280/730.2, 280/749
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23547 one piece weaving
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

An air bag for a side air bag device is folded and accommodated over a roof side rail portion on the peripheral edge of an opening in an interior side of a vehicle. The air bag is developed and expanded to cover the opening when an inflating gas flows in. In the air bag, the internal pressure of the inflating gas at 3 secs after the start of inflow is maintained at 30% or more of the internal pressure at 500 msecs after the start of inflow. This air bag can maintain the high internal pressure for a long time.

Claims

1. An air bag for a side air bag device comprising:

(a) an air bag body covering at least a portion of a window upon deployment, said air bag body having a bag portion with an expanding portion and a gas inlet portion;

(b) a joint cylinder connected to an inflator supplying an inflating gas and a mounting member peripherally mounted on the opening of the air bag body, wherein inflating gas flows into the bag portion, and wherein the gas inlet portion of the bag portion connects the joint cylinder to the expanding portion;

(c) an inner tube positioned within the gas inlet portion, said inner tube having first and second ends with the first end connected to the inflator, said second end being located adjacent to the expanding portion, and wherein said inner tube has an inner circumferential surface coated with a heat resistance enhancing layer;

(d) wherein said air bag is folded and accommodated over a roof side rail adjacent a peripheral edge of the window;

(e) wherein said air bag is developed and expanded down over the window when inflating gas flows in;

(f) wherein the internal pressure of the inflating gas at 3 sec. after the start of gas inflow is maintained at 30% or more of the internal pressure at 500 msec. after the start of gas inflow;

(g) wherein said air bag, is formed by hollow weaving; and

(h) wherein the air bag is provided with a heat resistance coating layer.

2. The air bag according to claim 1, wherein the internal pressure at 500 msecs after the inflow start of the inflating gas is maintained at 10 kPa or more.

3. The air bag according to claim 1, wherein the internal pressure is maintained by said coating layer.

4. The air bag according to claim 1, wherein the inner tube has an outside diameter that is smaller in dimension than an inner circumferential side of the gas inlet portion such that inflation of the inner tube does not fully inflate the gas inlet portion.

5. The air bag according to claim 1, wherein the gas inlet portion is arranged within a pillar and covered, and the second end of the inner tube is arranged at a roof side rail portion when the air bag is in the folded position, and wherein a door of the cover can be pushed open by inflating the inner tube without filling the entire gas inlet portion.

6. The air bag according to claim 1, wherein the expanding portion is divided into a plurality of cells arranged across the expanding portion and defined by a plurality of binding portions which interconnect an interior side wall portion of the bag portion to an exterior side wall portion of the bag portion, said plurality of cells having a first cell located nearest the inflator and rearward cells spaced from the first cell, wherein the second end of the inner tube directs inflating gas above the plurality of binding portions.

7. An air bag for a side air bag device comprising:

(a) an air bag body covering at least a portion of a window upon deployment, said air bag body having a bag portion with an expanding portion and a gas inlet portion;

(b) a source of inflating gas operatively connected to the gas portion so that inflating gas flows into the bag portion;

(c) an inner tube positioned within the gas inlet portion, said inner tube having first and second ends with the first end connected to the source of inflating gas, said second end being located adjacent to the expanding portion, and wherein said inner tube has an inner circumferential surface coated with a heat resistance enhancing layer;

(d) wherein said air bag is folded and accommodated over a roof side rail adjacent a peripheral edge of the window;

(e) wherein said air bag is developed and expanded down over the window when inflating gas flows in; and

(f) wherein the internal pressure of the inflating gas at 3 sec. after the start of gas inflow is maintained at 30% or more of the internal pressure at 500 msec. after the start of gas inflow.