Airbag device

• US 7,997,614 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ashimori Industry Company Limited, Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ashimori Industry Company Limited, Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Yamaji, Naoki, Hashizume, Tomoki, Ishikawa, Toshihiro, Soemoto, Kazuhiko, Moritani, Keisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Drew
• Application Number:
  US12/280,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20090200778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 280/739, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 112/285, 112/157
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags

Abstract

Intended is to always provide effective impact reduction by releasing gas at a timing of pushing into airbag.

An airbag (10) has a vent hole (18) in one side end portion. One end of a third base fabric (20) is sewn to the airbag (10) through a first sewn portion (23) that closes the vent hole (18), and the other end of the third base fabric 20 is sewn to the other side end portion of the airbag (10) through a second sewn portion (24). The first sewn portion (23) has weaker binding force by sewing than the second sewn portion (24) so that the first sewn portion (23) is separated to open the vent hole (18) when tension force is applied from the third base fabric (20) to the first and second sewn portions (23) and (24).

Claims

1. An airbag device comprising,

an airbag inflatable with gas generated by an inflator, the airbag having a front surface base fabric comprising a front surface of the airbag and a back surface base fabric comprising a back surface of the airbag;

and

a third base fabric that covers at least a portion of the front surface of the airbag and restricts inflation of the airbag during inflation,

wherein the airbag has a first vent hole through which gas is discharged,

wherein the first vent hole is closed by a first vent hole sewn portion being sewn by a thread to the front surface, back surface, and third base fabrics of the airbag,

wherein, while the airbag is in an inflated state, the thread of the first vent hole sewn portion is broken and the first vent hole is opened in response to a pressure increase in the airbag resulting from an object pushing into the third base fabric,

wherein the third base fabric extends over the front surface of the airbag from one distal end of the airbag to another distal end of the airbag in a direction which is perpendicular to a direction that extends from the back surface of the airbag to the front surface of the airbag, and

wherein one side of the third base fabric is configured to detach from the airbag in response to the object pushing into the third base fabric.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein the first vent hole sewn portion attaches one side of the third base fabric to the front and back surface base fabrics,

wherein another side of the third base fabric is sewn to the front and back surface base fabrics at another sewn portion, and

wherein at least one end of each of the first vent hole sewn portion and the other sewn portion is provided near a boundary between a portion where inflation is restricted by the third base fabric of the airbag when a person pushes into the third base fabric of the airbag in an inflated state, and a portion adjacent thereto where inflation is not restricted.

3. The airbag device according to claim 2,

wherein the airbag further has a second vent hole through which gas is discharged, the second vent hole being provided at a certain distance from the first vent hole, and

wherein the second vent hole is closed by the other sewn portion.

4. The airbag device according to claim 2,

wherein the other sewn portion has a greater binding force by sewing than the first vent hole sewn portion.

5. The airbag device according to claim 2,

wherein each of the first vent hole sewn portion and the other sewn portion includes a first sewn portion which is sewn in a straight line, and a second sewn portion connected to the first sewn portion which is sewn in a zigzag line, and

wherein breaking forces of the first vent hole sewn portion and the other sewn portion are differentiated by changing the lengths of the second sewn portions.

6. The airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein the airbag has a plurality of lines of internal tethers that restrict inflation of the airbag to create a space between the front surface base fabric and the third base fabric during inflation of the airbag,

wherein each of the plurality of lines of internal tethers have a front surface base fabric attaching portion at which the respective internal tether is attached to the front surface base fabric and a back surface base fabric attaching portion at which the respective internal tether is attached to the back surface base fabric, and

wherein each of the plurality of lines of internal tethers extend by a distance between the front surface base fabric and the back surface base fabric.

7. The airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein the inside of the airbag is sectioned by a plurality of lines of internal tethers.

8. The airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein the third base fabric has such a length that it is not affected by tension caused by inflation of the airbag during inflation of the airbag.

9. The airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein a fourth base fabric that restricts inflation of the back surface of the airbag in a transverse direction during inflation of the airbag is provided on the back surface base fabric of the airbag.

10. The airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein the airbag device deploys from an opening along a rear end of a bonnet of a vehicle.

11. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the third base fabric is attached to the airbag only at the one distal end and the other distal end of the airbag.