Vehicular air bag, air bag module having the vehicular air bag and method of folding the air bag

• US 7,766,376 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2006
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nihon Plast Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nihon Plast Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Aki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/522,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 493/243, 493/250
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag, includes 1) a roll part configured to be wound in a form of a roll when the air bag is in a folded state to be installed in a vehicle. The roll part includes a pushed part formed by pushing a part of an outer face of the air bag inward to the roll part in a certain pushing direction, such that the roll part has a decreased cross section by the pushing.

Claims

1. An air bag, comprising:

a roll part configured to be wound in a form of a roll when the air bag is in a folded state to be installed in a vehicle, the roll part including;

a pushed part formed by pushing a part of an outer face of the air bag inward to the roll part in a pushing direction, such that the roll part has a decreased cross section by the pushing

wherein the pushing direction is substantially opposite a developing direction of a developing airbag, and

wherein on a base end side of the roll part, a pair of return parts are so formed as to wrap the roll part.

2. A rolled airbag comprising:

a coil portion including a center region and an outer perimeter, the outer perimeter including an inwardly disposed portion, the inwardly disposed portion comprising an outer perimeter portion folded upon itself and toward the center region, the inwardly disposed portion comprising a fold proximate the center region.

3. The rolled airbag of claim 2 installed in at least one of the following spaces:

i) between a vehicular body and an interior material, and

ii) between a seat frame and an exterior material of a vehicle,

wherein,

the rolled air bag, upon activation, expands and opens one or more of the interior material and the exterior material in an opening direction, thereby developing the one or more of the interior material and the exterior material outward from the space.

4. The rolled airbag of claim 2 installed in a space defined between a side roof rail and a head lining of a vehicular body, and

the rolled air bag is expanded upon activation to thereby push a lower end part of the head lining toward a vehicular interior side and thereby open the lower end part, such that the rolled air bag is developed downward in a form of a curtain.

5. The rolled airbag as claimed in claim 2 wherein

the inwardly disposed part is configured to be held by a holder which is collapsible at the expansion of the air bag.

6. The rolled airbag of claim 2 mounted along a side roof rail of a vehicular body and over a center pillar or a hand grip.

7. The rolled airbag of claim 2 formed by:

1) flattening an air bag, to thereby form at least one of the following on a base end side of the air bag;

a single return part, and

two return parts;

2) winding a remaining part of the air bag from a leading end of the air bag, to thereby form a roll part having an outer face of the air bag;

3) wrapping the roll part with the single return part or the two return parts in such a manner as to form a space part in a center of the roll part, to thereby form a first cross section of the roll part; and

4) pushing a lower end center part on the outer face in a pushing direction toward the center of the roll part, to thereby form a pushed part on the roll part.

8. The rolled airbag of claim 7, wherein

in the forming of the pushed part, the air bag is stretched in the pushing direction, thereby increasing a winding density of the roll part, thus causing a second cross section smaller than the first cross section.

9. The rolled airbag of claim 2 formed byflattening an air bag, to thereafter fold a base end of the air bag in such a manner that the base end forms a corrugated part;

2) folding a remaining part of the air bag, in a form of a roll, from a leading end of the air bag to the base end of the air bag, to thereby form a roll part such that the corrugated part is disposed on a rear side in a developing direction of the air bag; and

3) forming a pushed part by pushing the roll part from a front side to the rear side in a pushing direction opposite to the developing direction.