Airbag apparatus and motorcycle with airbag apparatus

• US 7,562,900 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyata, Yasuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; John Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US11/470,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 280/219, 280/730.1, 280/743.1, 280/729, 180/219
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0088 Cycles, e.g. motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 27/20 Airbags specially adapted for motorcycles or the like

Abstract

A technique is provided that is effective in increasing occupant retraining performance of an airbag apparatus to be mounted to a motorcycle in a vehicle accident while reducing the size of an airbag. In one form, an airbag of an airbag apparatus mounted to a motorcycle includes a first airbag portion that deploys into the region of the occupant restraining region around the lumbar part of a rider; a second airbag portion that deploys into the region of the occupant restraining region around the chest of the rider; and an interference preventing portion that prevents interference with the arms of the rider with the first airbag portion and the second airbag portion.

Claims

1. A motorcycle comprising:

a motorcycle body;

a seat of the motorcycle body for a rider;

handlebars of the motorcycle body forward of the seat;

an airbag retainer mounted to the motorcycle body;

an airbag for being deployed from the retainer during emergency conditions;

a lower portion of the airbag that upon inflation extends in a lateral direction beyond either side of the motorcycle body for being disposed above knees of the rider; and

an upper portion of the airbag that upon inflation is narrower in the lateral direction than the lower portion and extends upwardly and centrally relative to the lower portion for being disposed adjacent a chest region of the rider;

wherein the airbag includes intermediate side portions between the upper and lower portions that extend laterally inward toward the upper portion for being disposed under arms of the rider so that the rider'"'"'s arms generally do not interfere with the inflation of the airbag'"'"'s lower and upper portion, and the intermediate side portions extend arcuately in a fore and aft direction alongside the motorcycle body with an upward bow.

2. The motorcycle of claim 1 wherein the airbag generally has an inverted T configuration.

3. The motorcycle of claim 1 wherein the airbag comprises a single airbag.