Air bag system

• US 6,554,313 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUKUOKA UNIVERSITY
• Original Assignee: Toshiki Uchida
• Inventors: Uchida, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US09/785,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/739, 280/740, 280/742, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23504 characterised by material
• 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

Provided is a safer air bag system which relieves shock to the head and face of an occupant when an air bag inflates and deploys. An air bag body 1 consists of a primary air bag 2 and a secondary air bag 3 which is provided on the front surface of the primary air bag 2. When an inflator 4 is actuated, the high-pressure gas is introduced into the primary air bag 2 to inflate and deploy the primary air bag 2 and then fed into the secondary air bag 3 through gas introducing ports 6 of the primary air bag 2 so that the secondary air bag 3 inflates and deploys more slowly than the primary air bag 2. The secondary air bag 3 thus absorbs shock to the face of the occupant caused by the inflation and deployment of the primary air bag 2.

Claims

1. An air bag system, comprising:

a primary air bag and a secondary air bag, said primary air bag being inflatable and deployable by a high-pressure gas; and

said secondary air bag being disposed on a side of the primary air bag facing an occupant, said secondary air bag being inflatable and deployable by the high-pressure gas which is introduced into the secondary air bag through said primary air bag, each of said primary air bag and said secondary air bag having at least one vent hole through which the high-pressure gas used to inflate and deploy the primary air bag and the secondary air bag is exhausted, an amount of the high-pressure gas exhausted from said at least one vent hole in the secondary air bag being larger than another amount of the high-pressure gas exhausted from said at least one vent hole in the primary air bag.

2. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein said secondary air bag is adhered to said primary air bag, and at least one gas introducing port for introducing the high-pressure gas into the secondary air bag on the side facing the occupant of said primary air bag.

3. The air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said secondary air bag is made of a softer material than a material of said primary air bag.

4. The air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said secondary air bag is made of a thinner material than a material of said primary air bag.

5. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein said secondary air bag is made of a softer material than a material of said primary air bag.

6. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein said secondary air bag is made of a thinner material than a material of said primary air bag.