Airbag apparatus

• US 8,353,529 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomitaka, Akihiro, Misawa, Kazumasa, Mochiduki, Mitsuru, Suzuki, Shigeyuki, Fujimura, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US12/677,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20100283230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

The airbag apparatus includes a folded airbag, an inflator and an airbag storage that stores therein the airbag and the inflator. The airbag is inflated by the gas introduced from the inflator in a region between the left seat and the right seat to abut both to a vehicle interior ceiling above the airbag storage and to interior parts of a vehicle interior below the airbag storage. The airbag prevents an occupant sitting in a seat at a side opposite to collision from moving to the collision side.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus that is provided in a center console between a left seat and a right seat of a vehicle and that protects an occupant, comprising:

a folded airbag;

an inflator for jetting gas into the airbag; and

an airbag storage means that stores therein the airbag and the inflator,

wherein the airbag is inflated by the gas introduced from the inflator provided in a region between the left seat and the right seat so as to abut both a vehicle interior ceiling above the airbag storage means and a plurality of interior parts of a vehicle interior below the airbag storage means.

2. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the airbag is abutted, in an inflated status, to the plurality of interior parts of the vehicle interior including the vehicle interior ceiling and a center console provided between a left seat and a right seat.

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

the airbag in an inflated status has an upward expansion margin at an upper end and a downward expansion margin at a lower end.

4. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the airbag in the inflated status is formed so that both side faces in the vicinity of the middle in a height direction protrude to both sides of a vehicle width direction.

5. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the airbag is inflated by the gas introduced from the inflator and is abutted to interior parts of a vehicle interior and the interior parts of the vehicle interior guide an inflating direction of the airbag.

6. The airbag apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the airbag is inflated in a substantially upward direction by the gas introduced from the inflator and is abutted to a vehicle interior ceiling and the vehicle interior ceiling guides the airbag so that the airbag is inflated in a frontward direction.

7. The airbag apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the airbag is inflated in the frontward direction and is then inflated in a substantially downward direction.

8. The airbag apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the inflator is provided so as to jet gas in the substantially upward direction to allow the airbag to be inflated in the substantially upward direction at an initial inflation stage.

9. The airbag apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the airbag is inflated in a substantially downward direction by the gas introduced from the inflator and is abutted to at least any of a vehicle interior seat and a floor carpet of the vehicle interior to be further inflated in a frontward direction.

10. The airbag apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the airbag is inflated in a frontward direction and is then inflated in a substantially upward direction.

11. The airbag apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the inflator is provided so as to jet gas in a substantially downward direction to allow the airbag to be inflated in the substantially downward direction at an initial inflation stage.

12. The airbag apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the airbag in the maximum inflation status is formed so that each of outlines of left and right side faces has a rear portion having a gas inflow opening, an upper portion close to a vehicle interior ceiling, and a lower portion positioned at a lower end,

the airbag is stored at an inner side of an airbag storage means in an order of the rear portion, the upper portion, and the lower portion, and

when the gas is introduced from the inflator to the airbag, the airbag is successively inflated in an order of the rear portion, the upper portion, and the lower portion.

13. The airbag apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the airbag in a maximum inflation status is formed so that each of outlines of left and right side faces has a rear portion having a gas inflow opening, an upper portion close to a vehicle interior ceiling, and a lower portion positioned at a lower end,

the airbag is stored in an airbag storage means by being successively folded from the lower portion via the upper portion to the rear portion, and

when the gas is introduced from the inflator to the airbag, the airbag is successively inflated in an order of the rear portion, the upper portion, and the lower portion.

14. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airbag storage means is formed at an upper portion of the center console.

15. The airbag apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the center console has an armrest portion extending in a vehicle front-and-rear direction and a vertical portion formed to extend upwardly in a substantially vertical direction from a rear portion of the armrest portion at a position corresponding to a seat back of one of the seats.