Airbag and airbag device

• US 6,969,086 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hasebe, Masahiro, Narimoto, Yukitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US10/671,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/730.1, 280/728.2, 280/731, 280/732, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0044 Chest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• 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

Abstract

An airbag device includes an airbag and an inflator disposed at a side of a base portion of the airbag for inflating the airbag. The airbag is inflated such that distal ends thereof extend away from the base side of the airbag. The airbag includes a left half airbag to be inflated at a front left of a vehicle occupant, and a right half airbag to be inflated at a front right of the vehicle occupant. The distal ends of the left half airbag and the right half airbag are spaced part from each other to form an empty space therebetween facing the vehicle occupant when the airbag is inflated.

Claims

1. An airbag for protecting an occupant, comprising:

a left half airbag to be inflated at a front left of the occupant and having a distal end; and

a right half airbag to be inflated at a front right of the occupant and having a distal end, said distal ends of the left and right half airbags being separated from each other to form a space therebetween facing the occupant when the airbag is inflated, said left half airbag being connected with the right half airbag at a midsection between the left and right half airbags forming a first space between the left half airbag and the midsection and a second space between the right half airbag and the midsection.

2. An airbag according to claim 1, wherein said distal ends of the left and right half airbags are spaced by a distance between 150 and 350 mm when the airbag is inflated.

3. An airbag according to claim 1, further comprising a base for communicating the left and right half airbags, said left and right half airbags being inflatable by a common inflator.

4. An airbag according to claim 1, wherein each of said left half airbag and said right half airbag is formed of a plurality of panels having joint allowances disposed at the midsection, said left half airbag being connected with the right half airbag at the joint allowances.

5. An airbag according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said left half airbag and said right half airbag has an inclined upper portion when the airbag is inflated.

6. An airbag according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said left half airbag and said right half airbag has a width gradually decreasing upwardly when the airbag is inflated.

7. An airbag device comprising the airbag according to claim 1 and an inflator for inflating the airbag.

8. An airbag according to claim 1, further comprising a base connected to the left and right half airbags, said left and right half airbags communicating only through the base.