Inflatable belt and inflatable belt device

• US 6,276,714 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISCHMANN, BRYAN R
• Application Number:
  US09/327,546
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 280/733, 280/802, 280/805, 280/729
• 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 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

A belt body is formed in an envelope-like or elongated configuration by superposing two long base fabrics on each other and sewing them along their peripheries by a sewing yarn. A gas inlet is formed at one end side of the belt body. The inside of the belt body is divided by sewing yarns into a first chamber and two second chambers which extend in the longitudinal direction. The sewing yarns are weaker than the sewing yarn used to sew the periphery, so that the second sewing yarns are broken when the gas pressure in the first chamber reaches a predetermined value. The second chambers extend along both sides of the first chamber. One of the second chambers has a vent hole formed therein. In another embodiment, the belt body is divided into three chambers. The first chamber extends from the gas inlet to the vicinity of the middle and the third chamber extends from the other end toward the middle. The second chamber is located between the first chamber and the third chamber. These inflatable belts enable the sufficiently quick inflation of the inflatable belt without increasing the gas generating pressure of a gas generator and without hastening the completion of gas generation.

Claims

1. An inflatable belt for protecting an occupant in a vehicle seat, the inflatable belt comprising:

a gas inlet at one end of the inflatable belt;

a first chamber communicating with the gas inlet; and

a second chamber separated from and not in fluid communication with the first chamber,

wherein, the inflatable belt is configured so that when a gas pressure inside the first chamber reaches a predetermined value, the first chamber and the second chamber fluidly communicate with each other.

2. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein a yarn separates the first chamber from the second chamber and the yarn breaks when the gas pressure reaches the predetermined level.

3. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein an adhesive separates the first chamber from the second chamber and the adhesive breaks when the gas pressure reaches the predetermined level.

4. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second chambers extend in a longitudinal direction from the gas inlet to an other end of the inflatable belt.

5. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second chambers extend in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the inflatable belt.

6. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first chamber extends from the gas inlet to approximately a middle of the inflatable belt.

7. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a third chamber disposed between the second chamber and the other end of the inflatable belt.

8. An inflatable belt as claimed in any one of claim 1, further comprising a vent hole in the second chamber.

9. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a vent hole in the third chamber.

10. An inflatable belt comprising:

two base fabric panels connected to each other at their peripheries and having a gas inlet at one end;

a first partition separating the connected base fabric panels into a first and a second chamber,

wherein, when a pressure in the first chamber reaches a predetermined level, the first partition breaks and the first chamber and the second chamber fluidly communicate with each other.

11. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a second partition separating the connected base fabric panels into the first chamber and two second chambers extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein, when the first chamber reaches a predetermined pressure, the first and second partitions break and the first and two second chambers fluidly communicate with one another.

12. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and second chambers extend in a longitudinal direction.

13. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and second chambers extend in a direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction.

14. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a second partition separating the connected base fabric panels into the first, the second, and a third chamber, the second partition extending in a direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, wherein, when the first chamber reaches a predetermined pressure, the first partition breaks and the first and second chambers fluidly communicate with each other, and wherein, when the second chamber reaches a predetermined pressure, the second partition breaks and the second and third chambers fluidly communicate with each other.

15. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first partition is formed by stitching the two base fabric panels together.

16. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first partition is formed by adhering the two base fabric panels together.

17. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base fabric panels are coated with a resin.

18. An inflatable belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first partition is formed by melting the two base fabric panels together.

19. A safety belt system comprising:

a webbing;

an inflatable belt connected at one end to the webbing, the inflatable belt including a gas inlet at one end of the inflatable belt;

a first chamber communicating with the gas inlet; and

a second chamber separated from and not in fluid communication with the first chamber,

wherein, the inflatable belt is configured so that when a gas pressure inside the first chamber reaches a predetermined value, the first chamber and the second chamber fluidly communicate with each other;

a tongue having a duct communicating with the gas inlet of the inflatable belt; and

a gas generator communicating with the duct of the tongue for supplying a gas into the inflatable belt to inflate the inflatable belt.