Airbag device

• US 7,314,228 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuta, Mitsuhiro, Ishiguro, Naohiko, Maekubo, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Application Number:
  US11/175,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20060012157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• 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 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An airbag device according to the present invention includes an airbag folded and housed in the shape of folded-up body, and an airbag wrapping member for keeping the folded-up configuration of the airbag. The folded-up body is formed by bringing both ends of the airbag close to a base line, such that the folded-up body is symmetric with respect to the base line. The wrapping member includes a breakable portion in a region above the base line. The breakable portion includes a plurality of apertures each of which is located across the base line as to extend toward both sides from the base line, and connecting portions for connecting adjacent apertures into a larger opening upon breakage. The connecting portions disposed by the side of both ends of each of the apertures are located in opposite sides of the base line. The wrapping member further includes two cut-out portions in edges of a cover portion in a direction along the base line.

Claims

1. An airbag device comprising:

a bag-shaped airbag folded and housed in the form of a generally rectangular parallelepiped folded-up body; and

a wrapping member wrapped around the folded-up body for keeping the folded-up configuration, wherein;

the airbag includes an inlet port for admitting inflation gas, and the airbag is folded, when folded into the folded-up body, in reference to a straight base line running through the center of the inlet port along a plane of the inlet port above the inlet port, such that, from a state right before a completely folded-up configuration, both ends of the airbag extending in opposite directions from the base line are brought close to the base line to butt against each other, whereby the folded-up body is formed into a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape symmetric with respect to the base line;

the wrapping member is made of flexible sheet-shaped material, and is breakable upon airbag inflation;

the wrapping member comprises;

a cover portion for holding a top face of the folded-up body, the cover portion including a breakable portion in a region above the base line; and

fixing portions located in extensions from the cover portion perpendicular to the base line and fixed to the folded-up body;

the breakable portion separates the cover portion along a direction of the base line upon airbag inflation, and includes a plurality of apertures going through the cover portion, and connecting portions for connecting adjacent apertures into a larger opening upon breakage;

each of the apertures is located across the base line as to extend toward bath sides from the base line, whereby connecting portions disposed by sides of both of two ends of each of the apertures are located in opposite sides of the base line;

the wrapping member further comprises two cut-out portions in edges of the cover portion that are transverse to the base line, between each of the cut-out portions and an aperture disposed in the vicinity of the cut-out portion being a marginal connecting portion that is breakable upon airbag inflation; and

the two cut-out portions are located in generally symmetric positions with respect to a point in the base line corresponding to the center of the inlet port.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein:

the wrapping member is made of woven fabric; and

the wrapping member further comprises a plurality of auxiliary slits, each of the auxiliary slits being located toward the fixing portion by the side of the connecting portion and the marginal connecting portion, by cutting threads running perpendicularly to the base line.

3. The airbag device according to claim 1 wherein at least an aperture located in the center of the cover portion has an opening large enough for a butt portion of the ends of the airbag to be visible therefrom, when the wrapping member is mounted around the folded-up body.

4. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein each of the apertures has a slit shape, and is disposed to intersect a wrapping direction of the wrapping member, the wrapping direction being generally perpendicular to the base line.

5. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the cover portion in a direction along the base line is generally the same as a width of the folded-up body in a direction along the base line.