Snowmobile with airbag system

• US 7,661,500 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sonoda, Yuji, Shimizu, Takashi, Kurata, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Boehler; Anne Marie M
• Application Number:
  US11/929,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20080053728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 180/190, 180/219, 180/186, 180/182, 180/274, 280/730.1, 280/731, 280/732, 280/735, 280/729, 280/728.2, 280/743.1, 280/748, 280/751, 280/753, 701/45
• US Class Current: 180/190
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0051 Knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0065 Type of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 27/20 Airbags specially adapted for motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 27/02 power driven

Abstract

A snowmobile is provided with airbag systems including airbag bodies expanding from a portion near a steering handle bar respectively, one of the airbag bodies expanding rearward of a handle bar and outward of both the ends of the handle bar, and the other airbag body expanding toward a front side of rider'"'"'s knees. Another airbag system includes an airbag body expanding from an upper surface of an engine hood on the front portion of a vehicle body frame and blowing up toward a windshield of the engine hood. The respective airbag systems are detachable from the vehicle body, and hence, can be stored indoors.

Claims

1. A snowmobile with an airbag system comprising:

a vehicle body extending in a longitudinal direction of a snowmobile;

a handle bar provided at an intermediate upper portion of the vehicle body for steering a steering skid;

an engine hood for covering a front portion of the vehicle body on a front side of the handle bar;

an engine mounted inside the engine hood;

a driver'"'"'s seat provided behind the handle bar; and

an airbag system provided for the vehicle body, the airbag system comprising;

a first airbag body to be expanded from a portion near the handle bar and blown up rearward of the handle bar and outward of both ends of the handle bar;

a second airbag body to be expanded from a portion near the handle bar and blown up to a front side of rider'"'"'s knees;

a third airbag body installed inside the engine hood,

a storage housing for storing each airbag body;

an impact detection device for detecting a collision of the vehicle body;

an airbag expanding device for expanding and blowing up each airbag body upon the collision of the vehicle body; and

a controller for controlling the impact detection device and expansion of each airbag body,

wherein the controller is configured to determine, depending on a degree of an impact of the collision, whether or not to include a delay time between expansion of the first and second airbag bodies and the third airbag body.

2. The snowmobile with an airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the second airbag body is composed of two airbags to be expanded laterally rearward from a portion near the handle bar.

3. The snowmobile with an airbag system according to claim 1, wherein at least one airbag body, one storage housing and one airbag expanding device of the airbag system have a structure detachable from the vehicle body integrally with the handle bar and at least one of components associated with the handle bar.

4. The snowmobile with an airbag system according to claim 3, wherein a steering shaft for supporting the handle bar is provided with a dividable portion which divides the steering shaft in an axial direction thereof, and the first and second airbag bodies are integrally formed with the handle bar.

5. The snowmobile with an airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the impact detection device is provided to be detachable from the vehicle body.

6. The snowmobile with an airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag body is colored other than white color or in fluorescent color.