Side air bag device

• US 7,086,663 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• 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: Honda, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREEDMAN, LAURA
• Application Number:
  US10/612,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/736, 280/741, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23184 Tubular air bags connected to the vehicle at their two extremities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers

Abstract

A gas generated by an inflator is supplied through a branching pipe to first and second air bags, which are deployed from a side of a seat to a space between an inner surface of a side of a vehicle compartment and an occupant. A one-way valve mounted in the branching pipe permits the gas to move from the second air bag to the first air bag and inhibits a back flow of the gas, whereby the internal pressure in the first air bag can be maintained higher than that in the second air bag, to thereby restrain the occupant'"'"'s waist more strongly than the occupant'"'"'s breast. Moreover, the gas generated by the single inflator is diverted by the branching pipe and supplied to the two air bags. Therefore, the two air bags can be deployed while minimizing the number of the inflator.

Claims

1. A side air bag device for a vehicle comprising:

a pair of air bags which are accommodated in folded states in a side of a seat for an occupant;

an inflator communicating with the pair of air bags to expand said air bags by a gas from the inflator said air bags between an inner surface of a side of a vehicle compartment and the occupant upon side collision of the vehicle; and

a one way valve mounted in an outlet of the inflator communicating with any one of said air bags, thereby inhibiting a back flow of the gas from said one air bag;

wherein internal pressures in the pair of deployed air bags are different from one another in response to occupant restraint loads.

2. A side air bag device according to claim 1, wherein the gas generated by the single inflator is diverted by a branching pipe and supplied to the pair of air bags.

3. A side air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said side air bag device includes a first air bag deployed to a side of a waist of the occupant, and a second air bag deployed to a side of a breast of the occupant, and the one-way valve is mounted on the outlet of the branching pipe communicating with said first air bag.

4. A side air bag device according claim 1, wherein said side air bag device includes a first air bag deployed to a side of a waist of the occupant, and a second air bag deployed to a side of a breast of the occupant, said first air bag being deployed from a seat cushion, and said second air bag being deployed from a seat back.