Dual chamber side air bag apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,596,675 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kwon, Hyock In, Choi, Hyeong Ho, Kwak, Dae Young, Lee, Soon Bok, Gwon, Tae Ik
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US13/542,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20130147167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 297/216.13
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• 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

Abstract

A dual chamber side air bag apparatus may include an inflator mounted to a side of a seat back frame in an outdoor direction, an air bag cushion fluid-connected to the inflator and including a first chamber and a second chamber mounted at a side of the seat back frame in the outdoor direction and fluid-connected to the inflator and the first chamber to protrude and develop toward a front of the seat back frame when the inflator may be activated, for protecting side surface of the upper body of the passenger, and a tether having one end thereof fixed to the scat back frame, a raid portion thereof wrapping the first chamber, and the other end thereof sewing-coupled to the air bag cushion in a boundary of the first and second chambers to provide a directivity so that the first chamber develops toward the upper body of the passengers.

Claims

1. A dual chamber side air bag apparatus comprising:

an inflator mounted to a side of a seat back frame in an outdoor direction;

an air bag cushion fluid-connected to the inflator and including;

a first chamber to push an upper body of a passenger in an indoor direction while developing by a pressure of gas generated from the inflator; and

a second chamber mounted at a side of the seat back frame in the outdoor direction and fluid-connected to the inflator and the first chamber so as to protrude and develop toward a front of the seat back frame when the inflator is activated, for protecting side surface of the upper body of the passenger; and

a tether having one end thereof fixed to the seat back frame, a mid portion thereof wrapping the first chamber, and the other end thereof sewing-coupled to the air bag cushion in a boundary of the first and second chambers to provide a directivity so that the first chamber develops toward the upper body of the passengers.

2. The dual chamber side air bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second chamber supports a side of the first chamber so that the second chamber pushes the first chamber in the indoor direction when the air bag cushion is developed.

3. The dual chamber side air bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one end of the tether is integrally coupled to a tether bracket and the tether bracket is mounted to the seat back frame.

4. The dual chamber side air bag apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tether bracket is fixed to an inner side surface of the seat back frame toward the indoor direction in the seat back frame by a fastening member.

5. The dual chamber side air bag apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tether bracket is mounted to be inserted between the air bag cushion and the seat back frame so that the tether bracket is located at an outer side surface of the seat back frame toward the outdoor direction in the seat back frame.

6. The dual chamber side air bag apparatus of claim 5, wherein the tether bracket has a flange portion extending toward the indoor direction so as to induce a developing directivity of the first chamber toward the indoor direction.

7. The dual chamber side air bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second chamber is larger than the first chamber.

8. The dual chamber side air bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second chamber is supplied with a pressure higher than that of the first chamber.