Airbag system

• US 7,384,062 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nihon Plast Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nihon Plast Company Limited
• Inventors: Umehara, Jyunichi, Tokita, Katsuhiro, Yokoyama, Aki, Ueda, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US10/961,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20050161927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 180/729, 180/730.1, 180/730.2, 180/743.1, 180/736, 180/740, 180/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

An airbag system includes an airbag having therein a plurality of chambers defined by a partition and a gas introduction portion arranged to face an end of the partition, an inflator having a gas supply portion and arranged opposite to the end of the partition for supplying gas to the gas introduction portion, and a passage arranged between the partition and the inflator and allowing fluid communication between the chambers.

Claims

1. An airbag system, comprising:

an airbag including therein first and second chambers defined by a partition, and a gas introduction portion through which gas is introduced into the first and second chambers;

an inflator having a gas supply portion and arranged opposite to an end of the partition so as to supply gas to the gas introduction portion of the air bag; and

a gas guide member disposed in the gas introduction portion and air-tightly connected to an end of the partition so as to define a passage between the gas guide member and the gas supply portion of the inflator so that the gas is capable of flowing through the passage, the gas guide member being arranged to distribute gas from the gas supply portion of the inflator into the first and second chambers, wherein fluid communication between the first and second chambers is allowed only through the passage,

the gas guide member being formed of a rigid sheet and having an inner surface which faces the gas supply portion of the inflator so that gas from the gas supply portion of the inflator strikes against the inner surface, the inner surface being curved to surround the gas supply portion of the inflator so as to define the passage between the inner surface and the gas supply portion of the inflator, the inner surface having first and second curved ends which are opposite to each other and separate from the gas supply portion of the inflator so that the first and second curved ends define respectively first and second ends of the passage, the first and second ends of the passage being respectively in communication with the first and second chambers, the inner surface being inclined so that a distance between the first curved end of the inner surface and the gas supply portion of the inflator is larger than a distance between the second curved end of the inner surface and the gas supply portion of the inflator.

2. The airbag system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a fixture which couples the airbag and the inflator, the fixture comprising an inner holding portion disposed in the gas introduction portion of the airbag through a predetermined space with respect to the gas supply portion; and

a closing device which closes the airbag to the inner holding portion.

3. The airbag system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixture comprises an inner fixture including the inner holding portion, and an outer fixture disposed outside the airbag and involving a position of the airbag facing the end of the partition, the outer fixture including an outer holding portion constituting the closing device, the outer holding portion cooperating with the inner holding portion to hold the airbag.

4. The airbag system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the partition has a part held between the inner holding portion and the outer holding portion.

5. The airing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner holding portion comprises the gas guide member arranged opposite to the gas supply portion, the gas guide member distributing gas to the chambers.

6. The airbag system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the airbag deploys sideward with respect to a seat occupant, wherein the chambers comprises a first chamber deploying toward a hip of the seat occupant and a second chamber located above the first chamber and deploying toward a chest of the seat occupant.

7. The airbag system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the chambers further comprise a third chamber located between the first and second chambers and deploying toward an abdomen of the seat occupant.

8. The airbag system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closing device comprises a back seal portion for joining together base cloths which constitute the airbag, wherein the inner holding portion is press fit into the back seal portion.

9. The airbag system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the back seal portion comprises a sewing portion obtained by sewing the base cloths and a reinforcing cloth with thread.

10. The airbag system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas guide member is arranged to distribute portions of the gas into the first and second chambers at a distribution rate so as to control gas pressures to be supplied to the first and second chambers.

11. An airbag, comprising:

a first chamber which deploys sideward with respect to a hip of a seat occupant;

a second chamber located above the first chamber, the second chamber deploying sideward with respect to the seat occupant; and

a gas guide device, the gas guide device comprising;

a gas guide member disposed in the gas introduction portion and air-tightly connected to the end of the partition so as to define a passage between the gas guide member and the gas supply portion of the inflator so that gas is capable of flowing through the passage, the gas guide member being arranged to distribute gas from the gas supply portion of the inflator into the first and second chambers, wherein fluid communication between the first and second chambers is allowed only through the passage, the gas guide member being formed of a rigid sheet and having an inner surface which faces the gas supply portion of the inflator so that gas from the gas supply portion of the inflator strikes against the inner surface, the inner surface being curved to surround the gas supply portion of the inflator so as to define the passage between the inner surface and the gas supply portion of the inflator, the inner surface having first and second curved ends which are opposite to each other and separate from the gas supply portion of the inflator so that the first and second curved ends define respectively first and second ends of the passage, the first and second ends of the passage being respectively in communication with the first and second chambers, the inner surface being inclined so that a distance between the first curved end of the inner surface and the gas supply portion of the inflator is larger than a distance between the second curved end of the inner surface and the gas supply portion of the inflator, and

a bypass or conduct structure that preferentially guides gas introduced into the second chamber to an area of the airbag corresponding to a shoulder of the seat occupant.

12. The airbag as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a partition which defines the first and second chambers; and

a gas introduction portion arranged opposite to an end of the partition, the gas introduction portion being supplied with gas, the gas introduction portion directly communicating with the first chamber.

13. The airbag as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

two base cloths which constitute an outer shell of the second chamber,

wherein the gas guide device is obtained by sewing the base cloths together.

14. The airbag as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

two base cloths which constitute an outer shell of the second chamber,

wherein the gas guide device comprises a coupling device for coupling the base cloths together to restrain a dimension of their separation.

15. An airbag system comprising:

an airbag including therein first and second chambers defined by a partition, and a gas introduction portion through which gas is introduced into the first and second chambers;

an inflator having a gas supply portion and arranged opposite to an end of the partition so as to supply gas to the gas introduction portion of the air bag; and

a gas guide member disposed in the gas introduction portion and air-tightly connected to the end of the partition so as to define a passage between the gas guide member and the gas supply portion of the inflator so that gas is capable of flowing through the passage, the gas guide member being arranged to distribute gas from the gas supply portion of the inflator into the first and second chambers, wherein fluid communication between the first and second chambers is allowed only through the passage,

the gas guide member being formed of a rigid sheet and having a generally frustoconical inner surface which faces the gas supply portion of the inflator so that gas ejected from the gas supply portion of the inflator directly strikes against the inner surface, the inner surface being curved to surround the gas supply portion of the inflator so as to define the passage between the inner surface and the gas supply portion of the inflator, the inner surface having first and second curved ends which are opposite to each other and separate from the gas supply portion of the inflator so that the first and second curved ends define respectively first and second ends of the passage, the first and second ends of the passage being respectively in communication with the first and second chambers, the inner surface being inclined to an axis of the inflator so that a distance between the first curved end of the inner surface and the axis of the inflator is larger than a distance between the second curved end of the inner surface and the axis of the inflator.

16. An airbag system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the rigid sheet is a metal sheet.