Airbag

• US 7,303,207 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Yasushi, Asai, Masako, Hirano, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US11/212,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20060043709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 280/738, 280/739, 280/742, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/738
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

The airbag includes a bag-shaped circumferential wall formed of base cloths, and a lap portion. In the lap portion, a terminal portion of a downstream side base cloth, which is located in downstream of inflation gas, is superposed on a terminal portion of an upstream side base cloth, which is located in upstream of inflation gas. Then the lapping terminal portions are joined to each other at both sides thereof in a direction extending along edges of the terminal portions, thereby providing the lap portion. A communication port communicating inside and outside of the airbag is provided between the joined portions and between the terminal portions of the upstream and the downstream side base cloths. With this construction, in the course of airbag inflation, inflation gas flowing toward the downstream side base cloth from the upstream side base cloth sucks air into the airbag from outside via the communication port, and when the airbag bumps against a target object of protection halfway of inflation, inflation gas is exhausted out of the airbag via the communication port. Moreover, when the airbag is completely inflated, the communication port is closed with the terminal portions contacted with each other. The airbag of the present invention suppresses increase of internal pressure upon engaging a target object of protection halfway of inflation, as well as completing inflation swiftly.

Claims

1. An airbag as part of an airbag device mountable on vehicle, the airbag developing and inflating with inflation gas from folded and housed state for protecting a target object of protection with cushioning property thereof when contacting with the target object, the airbag comprising:

a bag-shaped circumferential wall;

an upstream side base cloth as constituent part of the circumferential wall, the upstream side base cloth being located in upstream side of inflation gas;

a downstream side base cloth as constituent part of the circumferential wall, the downstream side base cloth being located in downstream side of inflation gas; and

a lap portion formed by superposing a terminal portion of the downstream side base cloth on a terminal portion of the upstream side base cloth, and by joining the terminal portions to each other at both ends of the terminal portions in a direction extending along edges of the terminal portions, whereby the terminal portion of the upstream side base cloth is masked from surface of the airbag, wherein;

the lap portion comprises a communication port between joined portions of the upstream side base cloth and the downstream side base cloth and between the terminal portions of the upstream side base cloth and the downstream side base cloth, the port communicating inside and outside of the airbag, whereby;

in the course of unfolding and inflation of the airbag, the inflation gas flowing toward the downstream side base cloth from the upstream side base cloth in the lap portion sucks air into the airbag from outside via the communication port; and

when the airbag bumps against a target object of protection halfway of inflation, inflation gas is exhausted out of the airbag via the communication port; and

when the airbag is completely inflated, the communication port is closed with the terminal portions of the upstream side and downstream side base cloths contacted with each other.

2. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the lap portion is located in a position of the airbag apart from an area to contact with a target object of protection.

3. The airbag according to claim 2, wherein:

the airbag comprises a recipient wall to contact with a target object of protection for protecting the same upon airbag inflation, in an end face of the circumferential wall which is in a stream terminal of inflation gas; and

the lap portion is located in a portion of the airbag circumferential wall in upperstream side of inflation gas than an outer circumference of the recipient wall, and each of the edges of the terminal portions of the upstream and the downstream side base cloths is arranged generally in parallel with a plane of the recipient wall in an airbag'"'"'s completely inflated condition.

4. The airbag according to claim 1, further comprising:

an inlet port for inflation gas, the inlet port being located in stream origin of inflation gas; and

a flow regulating cloth for redirecting inflation gas flown in the airbag from the inlet port, whereby inflation gas flows toward the downstream side base cloth from the upstream side base cloth in the lap portion.

5. The airbag according to claim 2, the airbag being employed in an airbag device for front passenger'"'"'s seat mountable in an instrument panel in front of front passenger'"'"'s seat, for protecting a front passenger as target object of protection, and the airbag comprising:

a passenger side wall deployed generally vertically at rear side of the airbag upon airbag inflation, and contacting with the passenger for protecting the same; and

a cylindrical wall deployed between a front wind shield and a top face of the instrument panel upon airbag inflation, in a manner converging forward from outer circumference of the passenger side wall, the cylindrical wall having an inlet port for inflation gas in the vicinity of front end of a lower wall thereof, wherein;

in an airbag'"'"'s completely inflated condition, each of the edges of the terminal portions of the upstream and the downstream side base cloths is arranged in generally left-right direction of the airbag;

the edge of the terminal portion of the downstream side base cloth is located forward of the edge of the terminal portion of the upstream side base cloth; and

the lap portion is located in a portion to contact the wind shield in an upper wall of the cylindrical wall.

6. The airbag according to claim 5, wherein, in a folding process of the airbag, a lower edge vicinity part of the passenger side wall is roll-folded toward the inlet port in a lower side of the lower wall of the cylindrical wall.

7. The airbag according to claim 5, wherein the edges of the terminal portions of the upstream and downstream side base cloths in the lap portion extend along generally left-right direction of the airbag completely inflated, up to the vicinity of left and right edges of the upper wall extending downward.

8. The airbag according to claim 5, wherein the lap portion comprises two joined portions in each of left and right sides of the terminal portions in a direction extending along the edges of the terminal portions of the upstream and downstream side base cloths, the two joined portions being arranged side by side in generally left-right direction.

9. The airbag according to claim 5, wherein the lap portion comprises a tuck in the edge of the terminal portion of the upstream side base cloth,

whereby a transverse length of the terminal portion of the upstream side base cloth is reduced, and closing of the communication port by that the terminal portions of the upstream and downstream side base cloths contact each other is facilitated when the lap portion contacts with the windshield.

10. The airbag according to claim 5, wherein the lap portion comprises a recess in the vicinity of transverse center of the edge of the terminal portion of the upstream side base cloth, an edge center of the recess being located forward than left and right edges of the recess,

whereby closing of the communication port by that the terminal portions of the upstream and downstream side base cloths contact each other is facilitated when the lap portion contacts with the windshield.

11. The airbag according to claim 10, wherein:

the lap portion comprises an outer joined portion and an inner joined portion in each of left and right sides of the terminal portions in a direction extending along the edges of the terminal portions of the upstream and downstream side base cloths, the outer joined portions being located in left and right edge vicinities of the upper wall of the cylindrical wall, respectively, and the inner joined portions extending toward transverse center from left and right edges of the upper wall of the cylindrical wall, respectively; and

inner ends of the left and right inner joined portions do not contact with the recess, and are located rearward than the front end of the recess with respect to positions in front-rear direction of the airbag in a condition that the upper wall of the cylindrical wall is flatly developed.

12. The airbag according to claim 11, wherein:

a distance between the inner ends of the left and right inner joined portions is in a range of 100 to 300 mm, in a condition that the upper wall of the cylindrical wall is flatly developed; and

a lap amount, in front-rear direction of vehicle, of the terminal portions of the upstream and downstream side base cloths between the front end of the recess and the edge of the terminal portion of the downstream side base cloth is in a range of 30 to 200 mm, in a condition that the upper wall of the cylindrical wall is flatly developed.