Air bag device

• US 6,962,366 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kurata, Eisuke, Fukuda, Kanichi
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US10/454,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20040026913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 280/742, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2035 using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• 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 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag is formed by sewing a first basic fabric opposed to an occupant and a second basic fabric on the opposite side, at a sewn portion along an outer peripheries of the fabrics. The air bag is folded in a longitudinally longer shape, and an oblong restricting member is wound around a central portion of the air bag to fix the air bag in a bundling manner, and then the air bag is vertically folded. In the process of expansion of the air bag, the air bag bundled by the restricting member is first expanded vertically and then expanded laterally after breakage of a breaking portion of the restricting member which cannot withstand a tension. Thus, by providing the restricting member, the shape and direction of the air bag can be controlled as desired in the process of deployment.

Claims

1. An air bag device in which a folded air bag having a sewn portion along its outer periphery and an inflator are supported on a retainer, and which is adapted to make the air bag expanded and deployed into a vehicle compartment by a gas generated by the inflator upon collision of a vehicle,

wherein the air bag comprises a plurality of base fabrics which are sewn together at outer peripheries thereof,

wherein a base of the air bag fixed to the retainer and the outer periphery of the air bag are connected to each other by a connecting member in the process of folding the air bag, and when the air bag is expanded, it breaks the connecting member, said connecting member extending diametrically inwards from the outer periphery of the air bag so as to be sandwiched between the base fabrics, and

further including a fixing ring which fixes the base of the air bag, the retainer and the inflator together, said fixing ring being disposed between said base fabrics, and said connecting member being connected to said fixing ring as disposed between said base fabrics.

2. The air bag device according to claim 1, wherein the sewn outer peripheries of the base fabrics are folded inwardly between the base fabrics for being connected to the base of the air bag, such that the sewn outer peripheries of the base fabrics are deployed last when the air bag is deployed.

3. The air bag device according to claim 1, including a plurality of said connecting members spaced around the sewn outer peripheries of the base fabrics.

4. The air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting member has one end sewn together with the peripheries of said base fabrics.

5. The air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting member has one end sewn together with the peripheries of said base fabrics, and an opposite end of said connecting member is connected to said fixing ring.