Airbag device

• US 7,841,623 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2009
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Hideichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US12/371,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2, 280/743.1, 280/736, 280/739
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23388 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An airbag device includes: a bag body; a linkage member whose an end portion is provided with a latch stopper hole; and a retention device that has a retention member capable of penetrating the latch stopper hole, and that retains the linkage member while the latch stopper hole is penetrated by the retention member, and that discontinues retention of the linkage member as the retention member comes out of the latch stopper hole. The retention member is provided with a slope surface that transforms into a force acts in a direction from a site relatively near to a base end of the retention member to the distal end of the retention member.

Claims

1. An airbag device comprising:

a bag body that inflates and deploys as gas is supplied into the bag body and therefore an internal pressure of the bag body rises;

a linkage member whose first end portion is bound to the bag body and whose second end portion is provided with an annular latch ring;

a retention device that has a retention member capable of penetrating the latch ring, and that retains the second end portion of the linkage member while the latch ring is penetrated by the retention member, and that discontinues retention of the second end portion of the linkage member as the retention member comes out of the latch ring, and that is able to make at least one of a deployed shape of the bag body and the internal pressure of the bag body different, by discontinuing the retention, from a state of the at least one of the deployed shape and the internal pressure brought about while the second end portion of the linkage member is retained; and

a support body that supports the retention device, and that has a general surface,

wherein the retention member is provided at a position opposite to an occupant-side face of the general surface, and that is provided with a slope surface, and

the slope surface slopes and locates on a face opposite to an occupant-side face of the retention member, that slopes so that a distance between the slope surface and the general surface is shorter at a distal end of the retention member than at a site relatively near to the base end of the retention member.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising

a slope portion that is interposed between a support body on which the retention device is supported and the retention member which contacts the latch ring and that slopes the retention member relative to the support body.

3. The airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising

a rod that is driven by the retention device,

wherein the retention member is linked to the rod, and extends substantially parallel to a lengthwise direction of the rod.

4. An airbag device comprising:

a bag body that inflates and deploys as gas is supplied into the bag body and therefore an internal pressure of the bag body rises;

a linkage member whose first end portion is bound to the bag body and whose second end portion is provided with a latch stopper hole; and

a retention device that has a retention member which is capable of penetrating the latch stopper hole and that retains the second end portion of the linkage member while the latch stopper hole is penetrated by a distal end of the retention member, and that discontinues retention of the second end portion of the linkage member as the distal end of the retention member comes out of the latch stopper hole, and that is able to make at least one of a deployed shape of the bag body and the internal pressure of the bag body different, by discontinuing the retention, from a state of the at least one of the deployed shape and the internal pressure which is brought about while the second end portion of the linkage member is retained,

wherein the retention member is provided with a slope surface,

the slope surface contacts with an inner edge of the latch stopper hole at a contact point when a tensile force is applied to the retention member from an inner edge of the latch stopper hole, and

an angle that is formed by a line segment connecting the contact point and the first end portion of the linkage member, and a line segment connecting the contact point and a base end of the slope surface, that is an obtuse angle.

5. The airbag device according to claim 4, wherein

the slope surface provided on the retention member is sloped so that the distal end of the slope surface is closer to the first end portion of the linkage member than a site on the slope surface relatively near to the base end of the retention member is to the first end portion of the linkage member.

6. The airbag device according to claim 5, further comprising

a support body that supports the retention device, and that has a general surface,

wherein the retention member is provided at a position opposite to a occupant-side face of the general surface, and is movably secure to the retention device, and

wherein the slope surface is sloped so that a distance between the slope surface provided on the retention member and a general surface of the support body is shorter at the distal end of the retention member than at a site relatively near to the base end of the retention member.

7. The airbag device according to claim 4, further comprising

a slope portion that is interposed between a support body on which the retention device is supported and the retention member which contacts the latch stopper hole and that slopes the retention member relative to the support body.

8. The airbag device according to claim 4, further comprising

a rod that is driven by the retention device,

wherein the retention member is linked to the rod, and extends substantially parallel to a lengthwise direction of the rod.

9. An airbag device comprising:

a bag body that inflates and deploys as gas is supplied into the bag body and therefore an internal pressure of the bag body rises;

a linkage member whose first end portion is bound to the bag body and whose second end portion is provided with a latch stopper hole; and

a retention device that has a retention member which is capable of penetrating the latch stopper hole and that retains the second end portion of the linkage member while the latch stopper hole is penetrated by a distal end of the retention member, and that discontinues retention of the second end portion of the linkage member as the retention member comes out of the latch stopper hole, and that is able to make at least one of a deployed shape of the bag body and the internal pressure of the bag body different, by discontinuing the retention, from a state of the at least one of the deployed shape and the internal pressure which is brought about while the second end portion of the linkage member is retained,

wherein the retention member is provided with a slope surface that transforms a portion of a force that is applied to the retention member from an inner edge of the latch stopper hole provided on the linkage member and pulls the second end portion of the linkage member toward the first end portion of the linkage member into a force that acts in a direction from a site relatively near to a base end of the retention member to the distal end of the retention member.

10. The airbag device according to claim 9, wherein

the slope surface provided on the retention member is sloped so that the distal end of the slope surface is closer to the first end portion of the linkage member than a site on the slope surface relatively near to the base end of the retention member is to the first end portion of the linkage member.

11. The airbag device according to claim 10, further comprising

a support body that supports the retention device, and that has a general surface,

wherein the retention member is provided at a position opposite to an occupant-side face of the general surface, and is movably secure to the retention device, and

wherein the slope surface is sloped so that a distance between the slope surface provided on the retention member and a general surface of the support body is shorter at the distal end of the retention member than at a site relatively near to the base end of the retention member.

12. The airbag device according to claim 9, further comprising

a slope portion that is interposed between a support body on which the retention device is supported and the retention member which contacts the latch stopper hole and that slopes the retention member relative to the support body.

13. The airbag device according to claim 9, further comprising

a rod that is driven by the retention device,

wherein the retention member is linked to the rod, and extends substantially parallel to a lengthwise direction of the rod.