Airbag apparatus

• US 6,497,429 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2000
• 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: Matsumoto, Yoshinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US09/941,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/732, 280/736, 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators

Abstract

To provide an airbag apparatus in which the gas generator can be mounted quite easily to the gas generator mounting portion of the airbag without causing gas leakage at all. A curtain-like airbag having an elongated cylindrical gas generator mounting portion is provided on the upper side surface of the cabin for protecting the passenger of the automotive vehicle. A gas generator insertion port is provided at both ends of the gas generator mounting portion. A gas generator is inserted into the gas generator insertion port, and fastened tightly with a fastener from the outer periphery of the gas generator insertion port. The gas generator is constructed in such a manner that a casing is fitted on a hybrid inflator concentrically with a cylinder and a gas exhaust port is provided on the side peripheral surface of the casing.

Claims

1. A vehicle deployable airbag system comprising:

an inflatable airbag mounted along a roof side of a vehicle cabin and including a gas generator mounting portion having a pair of gas generator inserting ports spaced for a predetermined distance away from one another, and a gas inlet port located between the gas generator inserting ports inside the airbag,

an elongated gas generator for generating gas for deploying the airbag, said gas generator including an inflator having a first gas exhaust port formed at one end thereof, an initiator attached to the other end of the inflator, and a casing substantially completely covering the inflator with a gas passage therebetween and having closed ends and a plurality of second gas exhaust ports on its peripheral surface intermediate said closed ends, said gas generator being mounted in said mounting portion such that a substantial portion of the gas generator is located inside the airbag and the closed ends project outwardly through the inserting ports to thereby eject the gas in the inflator from the second gas exhaust ports through the first gas exhaust port at the one end and the gas passage, and

annular fastening means tightly fastening the airbag at each of said insertion ports to said gas generator from the outside.

2. The airbag system as defined in claim 1, wherein said pair of gas generator inserting ports is in the form of an open ended cylinder.

3. The airbag system as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastening means is in the form of a metal clamp and is fastened tightly by press-fitting.

4. The airbag system as defined in claim 1, wherein said airbag is deployed in a form of a curtain, said gas inlet port being disposed at an upper mid portion of said airbag to eject the gas downwardly when viewed in a for-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

5. The airbag system as defined in claim 4, wherein said fastening means is a ring shape metal clamp with a projecting portion therein, said projecting portion being fastened tightly by press-fitting to connect the airbag to the gas generator.