Air bag system

• US 7,320,477 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tadashi, Ikeda, Takanobu, Kawabe, Hiroshi, Ito, Mishiyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Application Number:
  US11/246,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20060091647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An air bag system of the invention is attached using an attaching piece portion and includes an air bag which is inflated for deployment when an inflating gas flows thereinto. The air bag is attached to an inner panel by attaching an attaching bracket having a pair of strengthening plates provided on front and back sides of the attaching piece portion with a bolt as a fastening means. A through hole in the attaching piece portion is set to such a size that a location constituting a circumferential edge is disposed at a position deflected from an area between a head portion of the bolt and the inner panel when a fastening stem portion of the bolt is fastened to the inner panel. The bolt is fastened to the inner panel in such a state that only the attaching bracket is interposed between the inner panel and the head portion.

Claims

1. An air bag system comprising:

an air bag folded and placed in a recess portion of a vehicle, comprising an attaching piece portion having a through hole for attachment to the recess portion; and

an attaching bracket, which comprises a pair of strengthening plates attachable to front and back sides of the attaching piece portion by crimping the strengthening plates at predetermined locations thereon, respectively, in such a manner as to produce irregularities,

wherein the air bag is constructed to be attached to the recess portion with fastening means which comprises a fastening stem portion, and a head portion and passes through an attaching hole provided in the attaching bracket and the through hole in the attaching piece portion with the attaching bracket being placed at the recess portion,

wherein the through hole in the attaching piece portion is set to such a size that a location thereof which makes up a circumferential edge of the through hole is spaced from an area between the head portion and an inner panel which makes up the recess portion when the fastening stem portion is fastened to the inner panel, and

wherein the fastening means allows the fastening stem portion to be fastened to a circumferential edge of an attaching hole in the inner panel in such a state that only the attaching bracket is interposed between the inner panel and the head portion.

2. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the attaching bracket is made of sheet metal.

3. The air bag system according to claim 1,

wherein the fastening stem portion is passed through the attaching hole and the through hole in the attaching piece portion so as to be fastened to the circumferential edge of an attaching bole formed in a body side of the inner panel which makes up the recess portion, and

wherein the head portion which presses the circumferential edge of the attaching hole in the attaching bracket against the inner panel side to thereby fix the attaching bracket to the inner panel when the fastening stem portion is fastened to the inner panel.

4. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the attaching bracket is provided in such a manner that at least one of the strengthening plates is interposed between the head portion and the inner panel.

5. The air bag system according to claim 4, wherein a circumferential edge of an attaching hole in one strengthening plate, which covers an inside of the attaching piece portion, is substantially flush with an external surface of the other strengthening plate, which covers an external side of the attaching piece portion.

6. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the attaching bracket is provided in such a manner that both the strengthening plates are interposed between the bead portion and the inner panel.

7. The air bag system according to claim 6, wherein one strengthening plate, which covers an inside of the attaching piece portion, has an attaching hole, the inside diameter of which is substantially identical to that of an attaching hole in the other strengthening plate, which covers an external side of the attaching piece portion.

8. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the attaching piece portion is configured so as to include a projecting portion which prevents the dislodgement of the attaching piece portion from the attaching bracket at a distal end side thereof which is away from the air bag main body and is exposed from the attaching bracket.