Airbag and airbag apparatus

• US 7,195,275 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• 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: Abe, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCREARY, LEONARD
• Application Number:
  US11/348,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20060175819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers

Abstract

An airbag includes, when expanded, a center portion of an occupant-side front panel that is stretched by tethers toward a rear side of the airbag. The concave portion formed at the center portion of the front panel caves to the rear side of the airbag from a peripheral portion of the front panel. A covering lid panel traverses the concave portion. The airbag efficiently protects an occupant, even though the concave portion caves away from the occupant. Because the airbag has a volume that is smaller to the extent of the concave portion, the airbag immediately expands even when a gas generator with relatively low output is used.

Claims

1. An airbag comprising:

a front panel for facing an occupant;

a rear panel opposite the front panel, wherein, when the airbag is expanded, at least one part of the front panel is caved from a peripheral portion of the airbag in a direction so as to be spaced from the occupant to form a concave portion;

a traverse panel traversing the concave portion, and

an internal bag connecting a deepest section of the concave portion to the rear panel.

2. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the traverse panel traverses the front panel at a position closest to the occupant.

3. An airbag comprising:

a front panel for facing an occupant,

a rear panel opposite the front panel connected to the front panel,

first tethers spaced apart from each other and connected between a vicinity of a center of the front panel and a vicinity of a center of the rear panel so that when the airbag is expanded, the center of the front panel is caved from a peripheral portion of the airbag in a direction so as to be spaced from the occupant to form a concave portion having a concave portion face and a peripheral portion surrounding the concave portion,

a lid panel connected to the concave portion face at a middle position between an entrance side of the concave portion and a deepest point of the concave portion so that the concave portion face is entirely spaced apart, and

second tethers connecting the concave portion face adjacent a deepest point of the concave portion to a side face of the airbag so that the concave portion is surrounded by the peripheral portion annularly.

4. An airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag capable of being expanded in a direction facing an occupant of a motor vehicle; and

a gas generator for expanding the airbag, wherein the airbag is the airbag according to claim 3.

5. The airbag apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the airbag apparatus is for use in a driver-side seat of a motor vehicle.

6. The airbag apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the motor vehicle comprises an A-pillar located in front of the driver-side seat, and when the airbag is in a state of being expanded, at least one of the peripheral portions of the airbag is interposed between a head portion of the occupant seated in a regular seating position of the driver-side seat, and the A-pillar.

7. The airbag according to claim 3, wherein said first tethers have a length substantially corresponding to a distance between the entrance side to the deepest side of the concave portion.

8. The airbag according to claim 7, wherein said peripheral portion has an annular shape and projects outwardly from a portion where the second tethers are provided.

9. An airbag comprising:

a front panel for facing an occupant;

a rear panel opposite the front panel, wherein, when the airbag is expanded, at least one part of the front panel is caved from a peripheral portion of the airbag in a direction so as to be spaced from the occupant to form a concave portion;

a traverse panel traversing the concave portion, and

an internal chamber comprising first and second inner panels, and connecting a deepest section of the concave portion to the rear panel.