Airbag and airbag arrangement

• US 6,471,244 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nihon Plast Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nihon Plast Company Limited
• Inventors: Endo, Tetsuji, Kaneko, Kazuhiro, Nishijima, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DePumpo, Daniel G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Royal, Jr., Paul
• Application Number:
  US09/533,776
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/740.42, 280/743.1, 280/739
• US Class Current: 280/742
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• 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

Abstract

An airbag includes first and second base cloths and a middle base cloth arranged therebetween for defining first and second compartments in the airbag. Gas communicating ports are arranged in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the middle base cloth to ensure gas communication between the two compartments. Four ring-shaped fixing portions are arranged around a gas introduction port to connect the second and middle base cloths, one of which has an exhaust port formed inside.

Claims

1. An airbag adapted to restrain an object, comprising:

base cloths arranged in layers and between a support and the object;

compartments defined by said base cloths;

communicating portions arranged proximate an outer-periphery of the airbag, said communicating portions ensuring communicating between said compartments;

an exhaust portion arranged in one compartment on the side of said object, said exhaust portion being disposed at an inner periphery of the airbag and at a position interior of said communicating portions, said exhaust portion communicating with the outside;

an introduction portion arranged in another compartment, said introduction portion being disposed at said inner periphery with respect to said exhaust portion, said introduction portion serving to introduce gas into the airbag; and

fixing portions arranged around said introduction portion, said fixing portions connecting said base cloths for defining said another compartment.

2. The airbag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exhaust portion communicates only said one compartment with the outside at a position proximate said support.

3. The airbag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing portions are obtained by sewing said base cloths together.

4. The airbag as claimed in claim 3, wherein said fixing portions are of a predetermined shape.

5. The airbag as claimed in claim 4, wherein said predetermined shape of said fixing portions is a ring.

6. The airbag as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said fixing portions surrounds said exhaust portion.

7. The airbag as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary communicating portion disposed opposite to said introduction portion, said auxiliary communicating portion ensuring communication between said one compartment and said another compartment.

8. The airbag as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an auxiliary exhaust portion ensuring communication between said another compartment and the outside.

9. The airbag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base cloths have edges facing outward.

10. The airbag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said edges of said base cloths face inward.

11. An airbag arrangement, comprising:

a support fixed to a vehicle-side member;

an airbag mounted to said support for restraining an object, said airbag comprising;

base cloths arranged in layers and between said support and said object,

compartments defined by said base cloths,

communicating portions arranged proximate an outer periphery of the airbag, said communicating portions ensuring communication between said compartments,

an exhaust portion arranged in one compartment on the side of said object, said exhaust portion being disposed at an inner periphery of the airbag and at a position interior of said communicating portions, said exhaust portion communicating with the outside,

an introduction portion arranged in another compartment, said introduction portion being disposed at said inner periphery with respect to said exhaust portion, said introduction portion serving to introduce gas into the airbag, and

fixing portions arranged around said introduction portion, said fixing portions connecting said base cloths for defining said another compartment; and

a housing receiving said airbag, said housing including a door that opens rotatively upon inflation of said airbag .

12. The airbag arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein a maximum protruding position of said base cloth for defining said another compartment in a direction of said object is determined to fail to exceed a maximum protruding position of a rotation locus of said door of said housing in said direction of said object.

13. The air bag arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein a maximum protruding position of said base cloth for defining said another compartment in a direction of said object is determined to fail to exceed a maximum protruding position of said vehicle-side member in said direction of said object.

14. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a member;

a support fixed to said member;

an airbag mounted to said support for restraining an object, said airbag comprising;

base cloths arranged in layers and between said support and said object, compartments defined by said base cloths,

communicating portions arranged proximate an outer periphery of the airbag, said communicating portions ensuring communication between said compartments,

an exhaust portion arranged in one compartment on the side of said object, said exhaust portion being disposed at an inner periphery of the airbag and at a position interior of said communicating portions, said exhaust portion communicating with the outside,

an introduction portion arranged in another compartment, said introduction portion being disposed at said inner periphery with respect to said exhaust portion, said introduction portion serving to introduce gas into the airbag;

fixing portions arranged around said introduction portion, said fixing portions connecting said base cloths for defining said another compartment; and

a housing receiving said airbag, said housing including a door that opens rotatively upon inflation of said airbag.

15. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein a maximum protruding position of said base cloth for defining said another compartment in a direction of said object is determined to fail to exceed a maximum protruding position of a rotation locus of said door of said housing in said direction of said object.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein a maximum protruding position of said base cloth for defining said another compartment in a direction of said object is determined to fail to exceed a maximum protruding position of said vehicle-side member in said direction of said object.