Air bag device for side collision of automobile

• US 6,341,797 B1
• Filed: 07/14/1999
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Kasumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JASMIN, LYNDA C
• Application Number:
  US09/308,411
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

A housing (3) has a cylindrical side face portion (8) formed with an extrusion-molded product. Inside the housing (3) an air bag (1) and an inflator (4) are accommodated. The housing (3) is fixed to a portion of a seat back frame (20) of a seat positioned at a vehicle transverse outer side portion. A splitting-opening portion (12) structured with both end portions (13, 14) of the housing (3) engageable with each other is provided at a side face portion (8) of the housing (3).

Claims

1. An air bag system including an air bag to be deployed upon a lateral collision of an automobile, comprising:

a seatback of a seat in an automobile, the seatback having, in a transverse direction of the automobile, an outer end portion thereof comprising;

a seatback frame;

a front pad in front of the seatback frame, the front pad having a front transverse portion and a lateral portion rearwardly projecting from a transversely outer end of the front transverse portion; and

an outer cover covering an outside of the front pad, the outer cover having a sewn portion at a front end of a lateral portion thereof covering the lateral portion of the front pad;

an air bag having a breast protecting portion and a head protecting portion connected to each other to be sequentially deployed;

an inflator for inflating the air bag; and

a resin-make tubular housing member installed between the seatback frame and the front pad for accommodating therein a combination of the air bag and the inflator, the tubular housing member having in the transverse direction of the automobile an outer lateral side interconnecting outer ends of front and rear transverse sides thereof, the tubular housing member comprising;

a fixed portion fixed to the seatback frame;

a front side portion including the front transverse side and a front part of the outer lateral side facing the lateral portion of the front pad;

a rear side portion including the rear transverse side; and

a splitting-opening portion formed in a rear part of the outer lateral side, the splitting-opening portion comprising mating end portions of the front side portion and the rear side portion of the tubular housing member configured, when the combination of the air bag and the inflator is accommodated in the tubular housing member, to engage with each other in an opposing manner and when the air bag is inflated, to separate from each other so that the tubular housing member opens and the front side portion thereof extends toward the sewn portion of the outer cover, breaking the front pad, and guides the air bag to deploy along the extending front side portion and through the sewn portion of the outer cover.

2. An air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the tubular housing member comprises a single extruded mold for enclosing the combination of the air bag and the inflator.

3. An air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the mating end portions of the front side portion and the rear side portion of the tubular housing member are formed with a hook portion and a recessed portion engageable with each other when the combination of the air bag and the inflator is accommodated in the tubular housing member and disengageable from each other when the air bag is inflated.

4. An air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the splitting-opening portion is formed along a longitudinal direction of the tubular housing member.

5. An air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the fixed portion of the tubular housing member is fixed to the seat back by the inflator.

6. An air bag deployment system for deploying an air bag along a side wall of a vehicle body of an automobile, from a seatback portion near the side wall, upon a lateral collision of the automobile, comprising:

a seatback portion comprising;

a frame;

a pad mounted on a front side of the frame, the pad being integrally formed with a front portion extending toward a side wall of a vehicle body, and a lateral portion disposed near the side wall; and

a cover put on the pad, the cover including front and lateral portions on the front and lateral portions of the pad, respectively, with a sewn portion therebetween;

a set of an air bag and an inflator therefor; and

a resin-make tubular housing member installed between the frame and the pad for accommodating therein the set of the air bag and the inflator, the tubular housing member comprising;

a fixed portion fixed to the frame;

a front side portion extending from one end of the fixed portion and facing the front and lateral portions of the pad;

a rear side portion extending from another end of the fixed portion and facing the frame; and

a splitting-opening portion comprising mating end portions of the front and rear side portions configured, when the combination of the air bag and the inflator is accommodated in the tubular housing member, to engage with each other, and when the air bag is inflated, to split from each other so that the tubular housing member opens and the front side portion thereof extends toward the sewn portion of the cover, breaking the pad, and guides the air bag to deploy along the extending front side portion, through the sewn portion of the cover, and along the side wall.