×

Airbag apparatus for automobile

  • US 6,692,017 B2
  • Filed: 11/07/2001
  • Issued: 02/17/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An airbag apparatus for an automobile for protecting a person in a vehicle from impact through inflation of an airbag upon collision of the vehicle to thereby ensure safety of the person, comprising:

  • an airbag support member disposed behind a surface panel provided within the vehicle and adapted to support the airbag in a folded condition, the airbag being fixedly attached to a surface of said airbag support member facing the surface panel and being inflated by means of gas from an inflater;

    a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, comprising a fracture groove and a hinge groove formed on an inside surface of the surface panel facing the surface of said airbag support member having the airbag fixedly attached thereto, the fracture groove and the hinge groove determining a shape of an opening for allowing the inflating airbag to project therethrough;

    a frame member located between the inside surface of the surface panel and said airbag support member and fixedly attached to the surface panel, said frame member having an edge portion at one end thereof, the edge portion being in close contact with or in the vicinity of the inside surface of the surface panel at a position corresponding to a peripheral region around said fracture-opening section, an opposite end thereof being connected to said airbag support member; and

    reinforcement plate members fixedly attached to an inside surface of said fracture-opening section for reinforcing said fracture-opening section and connected to said frame member, by means of hinge portions, movably from a state of closing an opening of said frame member facing the surface panel to a state of opening the opening of said frame member for allowing the inflating airbag to project therethrough, wherein said frame member has a plurality of rest segments formed at the edge portion in opposition to the inside surface of the surface panel, the segments being in close contact with or in the vicinity of the inside surface of the surface panel while being located across the fracture groove or the hinge groove of said fracture-opening section, wherein said frame member has a plurality of joint segments formed at the edge portion in opposition to the inside surface of the surface panel, the joint segments being in contact with the inside surface of the surface panel such that a plurality of thermal joint protrusions formed on the inside surface of the surface panel extend through corresponding through-holes formed in the joint segments, and the thermal joint protrusions are melted and crushed to thereby fixedly attach said frame member to a peripheral region adjacent the fracture groove of said fracture-opening section, and wherein fixation members are provided on said frame member and the surface panel for fixing them together.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×