Airbag apparatus

• US 7,600,782 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• 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, Nagata, Atsushi, Ishiguro, Naohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US11/600,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20070145729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 280/739
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

The airbag apparatus includes an airbag having an exhaust hole for discharging part of inflation gas, an open/close controller for controlling opening and closing operations of the exhaust hole, and a flap element releasably joined to the open/close controller and being joined to a periphery of the exhaust hole in an outer side of the airbag which periphery is in a side facing away from the open/close controller, for opening and closing the exhaust hole. The apparatus further includes an open/close means arranged in the periphery of the exhaust hole. Upon airbag inflation, if the flap element is retained by the open/close controller, the open/close means is held down at its outer side by the flap element and keeps the exhaust hole closed. If the flap element is released from the open/close controller, the open/close means opens by the pressure of inflation gas to expand an opening area of the exhaust hole.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag inflatable with inflation gas from a folded and housed state, the airbag including an exhaust hole that is formed through a circumferential wall of the airbag in such a manner as to be opened at any time for emitting part of inflation gas;

an open/close controller for controlling opening and closing operations of the exhaust hole;

a flap element foldable together with the airbag, the flap element being releasably joined to the open/close controller and being joined to a periphery of the exhaust hole in an outer side of the airbag which periphery is in a side facing away from the open/close controller, upon airbag inflation if the flap element is retained by the open/close controller, the flap element holding down a circumference of the exhaust hole, and if the flap element is released from the open/close controller, the flap element opening by a pressure of inflation gas to open the exhaust hole; and

an inner flap acting as an open/close means and joined to the periphery of the exhaust hole on the outer side of the airbag in a foldable manner, the inner flap, upon airbag inflation, if the flap element is retained by the open/close controller, being held down at an outer side thereof by the flap element to keep the exhaust hole closed, and if the flap element is released from the open/close controller, opening around a first joint portion joining the inner flap to the airbag due to the pressure of inflation gas such that the exhaust hole opens to exhaust inflation gas, wherein;

the first joint portion of the inner flap is located opposite from a second joint portion that joins the flap element to the airbag with respect to the exhaust hole;

both of the first joint portion and the second joint portion are bent in shape such that opposite ends thereof are directed toward the other joint portion; and

the two joint portions enclose the exhaust hole thoroughly.

2. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the flap element includes a flap body that is located on the outer side of the airbag for opening and closing the exhaust hole and a belt that is joined to the flap body by a first end and coupled to the open/close controller by a second end; and

a middle portion of the belt except the first and second ends connected to the flap body and open/close controller is disposed inside the airbag.

3. The airbag apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the belt is along the expanding direction of the airbag, upon airbag inflation when the flap element is retained by the open-close controller.

4. The airbag apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the flap body and the inner flap are jointed to the periphery of the exhaust hole by a single continuous stitching work in such an overlapping manner as to be slightly offset from each other.