Airbag apparatus

• US 7,475,906 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Bito, Kazuaki, Goto, Yoshiaki, Ishiguro, Naohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Toan C
• Application Number:
  US12/149,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20080284147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 259 Days
• Field of Search: 280/731, 280/732, 280/736, 280/738, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23388 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

The airbag apparatus includes an airbag provided with a flap element for opening and closing an exhaust hole. The flap element includes a flap and an adjusting belt. The leading end region of the adjusting belt is sewn to the flap by a generally straight sewn seam and acts as a joint portion to the flap. The root region of the adjusting belt is joined to an open/close mechanism. A first terminal of the sewn seam disposed proximate a root region of the joint portion is located farther away from the open/close mechanism relative to a second terminal disposed proximate a leading end of the joint portion. The sewn seam is configured rupturable from the first terminal when the airbag inflates with the adjusting belt engaged with the open/close mechanism to separate the joint portion of the adjusting belt from the flap body so the flap uncovers the exhaust hole.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag inflatable with inflation gas from a folded and housed state and provided with an exhaust hole for releasing part of inflation gas;

an open/close mechanism that controls opening and closing of the exhaust hole; and

a flap element joined to a periphery of the exhaust hole of the airbag and connected with the open/close mechanism for openably closing the exhaust hole, the flap element being foldable together with the airbag and including;

a flap that is configured of flexible sheet material and joined to the periphery of the exhaust hole for openably closing off the exhaust hole; and

a flexible adjusting belt releasably joined to the open/close mechanism at a root region thereof and sewn to the flap in an overlapping fashion by a sewn seam at a leading end region thereof that acts as a joint portion to the flap, wherein;

the sewn seam extends generally straightly from a root end toward a leading end of the joint portion and is configured such that a first terminal of the sewn seam disposed on the part of the root end of the joint portion is located farther away from the open/close mechanism relative to a second terminal disposed on the part of the leading end of the joint portion upon airbag inflation; and

the sewn seam is configured to keep joining the joint portion of the adjusting belt and the flap such that the exhaust hole remains closed when the airbag inflates with the adjusting belt released from the open/close mechanism and is configured to tear out from the first terminal by breakage of sewing thread to separate the joint portion from the flap and allow the flap to uncover the exhaust hole when the airbag inflates with the adjusting belt engaged with the open/close mechanism.

2. The airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flap element includes a plurality of the flaps that are superimposed one on another on a location to close off the exhaust hole and sewn together with the joint portion of the adjusting belt by the sewn seam.

3. The airbag apparatus of claim 2, wherein the joint portion of the adjusting belt is arranged to overlap with an opening area of the exhaust hole.

4. The airbag apparatus of claim 3, wherein the joint portion of the adjusting belt is arranged to extend generally along a direction to which the adjusting belt is pulled by the flap when the airbag inflates with the adjusting belt engaged with the open/close mechanism.

5. The airbag apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sewn seam sews the joint portion of the adjusting belt to the periphery of the exhaust hole as well as to the flap at the vicinities of the first terminal and second terminal.

6. The airbag apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flaps are joined to the periphery of the exhaust hole in radial arrangement about the center of the exhaust hole.

7. The airbag apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the exhaust hole is comprised of a slit formed on the airbag to have such a linear shape as to project at the center; and

one of the flaps is comprised of a region of a base cloth of the airbag surrounded by the slit.

8. The airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flap element is located inside the airbag.

9. The airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flap element is located on the outside of the airbag.