Air bag system

• US 7,357,407 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Iijima, Satoshi, Kuroe, Takeshi, Horiuchi, Tadanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILHELM, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US10/843,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20050023803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2037 the module or a major component thereof being yieldably mounted, e.g. for actuating the horn switch or for protecting the driver in a non-deployment situation horn switches integrated in steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21658
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 27/20 Airbags specially adapted for motorcycles or the like

Abstract

To suppress the transmission of vibrations from a vehicle body and an engine to an inflator in an air bag system. Rubber mounts are fitted to a retainer box for accommodating an air bag. A flange of an inflator is placed on the rubber mounts, and bolts are inserted through set plates for connecting the air bag to the inflator and through the flange. The bolts are further inserted through the rubber mounts and nuts are tightened to the bolts.

Claims

1. An air bag system comprising:

a retainer box;

an inflator mounted in said retainer box; and

an air bag mounted in said retainer box and connected to said inflator,

said inflator being connected to said retainer box,

said retainer box is provided with a bracket adapted to be connected to an upper body frame of a motorcycle,

wherein the bracket of the retainer box projects orthogonally from a flat bottom plate of the retainer box, said bracket of the retainer box being connected to a corresponding bracket projecting orthogonally from the upper body frame of the motorcycle,

wherein the damping elastic member is interposed between the brackets such that a bolt passes through the bracket of the upper body frame, the damping elastic member and the bracket of the retainer box to secure the retainer box to the upper body frame of the motorcycle, and suppresses vibration from the upper body frame to the inflator.

2. The air bag system according to claim 1, further comprising a rubber mount inserted through the bottom plate of said retainer box and retained thereto;

said inflator being connected to said retainer box another bolt inserted through said rubber mount and a nut tightened to said another bolt.

3. The air bag system according to claim 2, and further comprising a set plate for connecting an opening portion of said air bag to said inflator;

said set plate and said inflator being secured to said retainer box by said another bolt inserted through said set plate, a flange formed on said inflator and said rubber mount.

4. The air bag system according to claim 2, wherein the rubber mount includes a plurality of rubber mounts provided for mounting said inflator to said retainer box.

5. The air bag system according to claim 4, wherein each rubber mount includes a body portion with a groove disposed thereon for engaging with a corresponding portion of the retainer box and an upper portion for mounting a flange connected to said inflator for suppressing vibrations from a body frame.

6. The air bag system according to claim 5, wherein said groove is disposed substantially parallel to the bottom plate of the retainer box for aligning with said bottom plate of said retainer box and said flange of said inflator.

7. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein said damping elastic member includes a body portion with a groove disposed thereon for engaging with a corresponding portion of retainer box, said damping elastic member being secured to the upper body frame for suppressing vibrations from the upper body frame.

8. The air bag system according to claim 1, further comprising:

air bag anchoring mechanisms connected to a main body frame of the motorcycle and to the air bag, said air bag anchoring mechanisms extending from a neutral position at which the air bag is contained within the retainer box to an extended position in front of the driver of the motorcycle when the air bag is inflated by the inflator.

9. An air bag system comprising:

a retainer housing;

an inflator mounted within said retainer housing; and

an air bag mounted within said retainer box and operatively connected to said inflator;

said inflator being connected to said retainer housing,

wherein said bottom portion of said retainer housing is provided with a bracket adapted to be connected to an upper body frame of a motorcycle,

wherein the bracket of the retainer housing projects orthogonally from a flat bottom plate of the retainer housing, said bracket of the retainer housing being connected to a corresponding bracket projecting orthogonally from the upper body frame of the motorcycle,

wherein the damping elastic member is interposed between the brackets such that a bolt passes through the bracket of the upper body frame, the damping elastic member and the bracket of the retainer housing to secure the retainer housing to the upper body frame of the motorcycle, and suppresses vibration from the upper body frame to the inflator.

10. The air bag system according to claim 9, further comprising a rubber mount inserted through a bottom portion of said retainer housing and being retained relative thereto;

said inflator being connected to said retainer housing bolt inserted through said rubber mount and a nut tightened to said another bolt.

11. The air bag system according to claim 10, and further comprising a set plate for connecting an opening portion of said air bag to said inflator;

said set plate and said inflator being secured to said retainer housing by said another bolt inserted through said set plate, a flange formed on said inflator and said rubber mount.

12. The air bag system according to claim 10, wherein the rubber mount includes a plurality of rubber mounts provided for mounting said inflator to said retainer housing.

13. The air bag system according to claim 12, wherein each rubber mount includes a body portion with a groove disposed thereon for engaging with a corresponding portion of the retainer housing and an upper portion for mounting a flange connected to said inflator for suppressing vibrations from a body frame.

14. The air bag system according to claim 13, wherein said groove is disposed substantially parallel to the bottom plate of the retainer housing for aligning with said said bottom plate of said retainer housing and said flange of said inflator.

15. The air bag system according to claim 9, wherein said damping elastic member includes a body portion with a groove disposed thereon for engaging with a corresponding portion of retainer housing, said damping elastic member being secured to the upper body frame for suppressing vibrations from the upper body frame.

16. The air bag system according to claim 9, further comprising:

air bag anchoring mechanisms connected to a main body frame of the motorcycle and to the air bag, said air bag anchoring mechanisms extending from a neutral position at which the air bag is contained within the retainer housing to an extended position in front of the driver of the motorcycle when the air bag is inflated by the inflator.