Side airbag for automobile and method of folding the same

• US 6,827,368 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems Sungwoo Corp. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Jang, Jin-soo, Jang, Myun-reun, Lee, Hyun-joong
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/090,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20030006587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/729, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/740, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23123 Heat protection panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

There is provided a side airbag for an automobile having airbag modules 100, 200, 300, which selectively includes reinforcing pads, an inner cushion pad, a tube-type tether and a tear seam, all of which are piled in multi-layers, so that the side airbag may be developed with regulating the gas pressure duration without eccentricity, in a useful and effective manner to successfully protect a driver and passengers seated in the vehicle. The cushion pads used in the side airbag require a small amount of materials, are easily seamed and easily folded, so as to reduce costs.

Claims

1. A side airbag for an automobile installed to the side of a chair back of an automobile and having an inflator which supplies gas by explosion upon receiving of a signal through an electric wire when the automobile crashes, the side airbag comprising:

a first airbag module including first and second cushion pads having extensions with a plurality of insert holes on one side and combined with each other to form a second chamber for filling gas therein, and an inner cushion pad which is folded in a half to form a first chamber between the first and second cushion pads and has a plurality of first gas exhaust holes formed upward thereon and an inflator-mounting portion which is piled with the extensions; and

an inflator module including a fixing member having first and second mounting holes into which both sides of the inflator are inserted, the fixing member fixing the first airbag module to the inside of the side of the chair back by inserting outwardly protruded screws thereof into the insert holes of the first and second cushion pads and into an insert hole of the inner cushion pad,

wherein the first and second cushion pads and the inner cushion pad are stacked with each warp thread being arranged perpendicular to each other so as to prevent gas from flowing out of the inner side of the first and second cushion pads when the inner cushion pad is inflated.

2. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first airbag module is seamed to open the inflator-mounting portion when the first and second cushion pads are piled with the inner cushion pad so that the first airbag module has a seam line sealing the gas supplied from the inflator and supplied in the first and second chambers.

3. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seam line is formed in two lines.

4. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first airbag module further includes first and second reinforcing lines having an oval shape transformed at an end of the seam line so as to prevent the first and second cushion pads and the inner cushion pad from being torn.

5. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second cushion pads include a cushion seam line for seaming a center of the first and second cushion pads in order to prevent the first and second chambers from being excessively inflated with the supplied gas.

6. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cushion seam line has circular portions formed in a semicircular shape at both ends thereof and a straight portion to connect the circular portions.

7. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cushion seam line are formed in two lines.

8. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the warp threads of the first and second cushion pads are identically oriented to a longitudinal direction, while the warp thread of the inner cushion pad is oriented to a horizontal direction.

9. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing pads seamed to an inner side of the inflator-mounting portion of the inner cushion pad each reinforcing pad having a thread hole into which the screws of the fixing member is inserted.

10. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 9, wherein the reinforcing pad is combined by a double seam line, which is formed in a circular shape around the insert hole of the inner cushion pad.

11. The side airbag for an automobile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first gas exhaust hole of the inner cushion pad has a diameter of 15 mm-40 mm so that the first airbag module is fully developed within {fraction (1/1000)}-{fraction (4/1000)} second.