Airbag device for use in a vehicle

• US 6,860,505 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanko Gosei Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Sanko Gosei Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yasuda, Mitsuo, Nakashima, Yoshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spisich, George D
• Application Number:
  US09/975,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2172 the cover being connected to the surrounding part and to the module, e.g. floating mounts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/216 comprising tether means for limitation of cover motion during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

An airbag device for a passenger seat for use in a vehicle like an automobile. Reinforcement ribs 12 of rectangular horizontal cross-section protrudently extend downward from the back side of a fracture-opening section 30 of the interior cover. Mounting holes 14 are formed at the predetermined intervals in the front and rear side walls 12a of the reinforcement ribs (in the longer direction). Hooks 36 mounted to the front and rear side edge surfaces 5b of the airbag case 5 (in the longer direction) are joined to the mounting holes via a mounted section 35 extending downward from hinge sections 34 of reinforcement plate members 33. The left and right side walls 12b of the reinforcement ribs 12 are spaced from the left and right side edges 5c of the airbag case by a predetermined distance, and fracture grooves 30a of the fracture-opening section are formed at the portions positions spaced at the predetermined intervals.

Claims

1. An airbag device for a vehicle, comprising an interior cover of the vehicle having a rectangular fracture-opening section defined by means of fragile sections which are constituted by fracture grooves formed on a back side of said interior cover;

an airbag case placed under said interior cover and adapted to accommodate an inflatable airbag element in a folded form, said airbag case having an opening which faces said fracture-opening section of said interior cover;

a reinforcement plate having a shape corresponding to said fracture-opening section; and

a reinforcement rib extending downwards from the back side of said interior cover and having a rectangular cross section corresponding to said fracture-opening section, wherein

mounting holes are formed in front and rear side walls of said reinforcement rib at predetermined intervals along a longitudinal direction of said reinforcement rib;

hooks firmly mounted to front and rear side walls of said airbag case at predetermined intervals along a longitudinal direction of said airbag case are engaged with said mounting holes, while passing through corresponding mounting sections extending from said reinforcement plate via corresponding hinges of said reinforcement plate;

a left side wall of said reinforcement of rib is separated from a left side wall of said airbag case by a predetermined distance, and a right side wall of said reinforcement ribs is separated from a right side wall of said airbag case by a predetermined distance;

one fracture groove partially defining said fracture-opening section is located between the left side wall of said reinforcement rib and the left side wall of said airbag case, and another fracture groove partially defining said fracture-opening section is located between the right side wall of said reinforcement rib and the right side wall of said airbag case; and

wherein said fracture groove and said another fracture groove are formed in positions spaced from said left side wall of said reinforcement rib and said right side wall of said reinforcement rib respectively such that the rectangular fracture-opening section of the interior cover can absorb shearing stress by deformation of said rectangular fracture-opening section just before inflation of the inflatable airbag element.

2. An airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the left side wall of said reinforcement rib and the left side wall of said airbag case and the distance between the right side wall of said reinforcement rib and the right side wall of said airbag case each fall in a range of 10 mm to 40 mm, the distance between the left side wall of said reinforcement rib and a corresponding left end of said reinforcement plate and the distance between the right side wall of said reinforcement rib and a corresponding right end of said reinforcement plate each fall in a range of 5 mm to 30 mm, and the distance between the left side wall of said reinforcement rib and the corresponding fracture groove and the distance between the right side wall of said reinforcement rib and the coresponding fracture groove each fall in a range of 5 mm to 20 mm.

3. An airbag device for automobiles according to claim 1 wherein each of the fracture grooves are formed by use of a pulsating laser beam which is generated from a laser generator, and is radiated onto the back side of said interior cover while being relatively moved along the outline of said fracture-opening section, in order to laser-cut said interior cover in such a manner that said interior cover has thick portions and thin portions alternately.

4. An airbag device for automobiles according to claim 2 wherein each of the fracture grooves are formed by use of a pulsating laser beam which is generated from a laser generator, and is radiated onto the back side of said interior cover while being relatively moved along the outline of said fracture-opening section, in order to laser-cut said interior cover in such a manner that said interior cover has thick portions and thin portions alternately.