Driver seat airbag system

• US 9,321,421 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukawatase, Osamu, Taguchi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US14/314,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 280/731, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0023 Offset collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers

Abstract

A driver seat airbag system includes: an airbag that is housed in a pad section of a steering wheel, receives a supply of gas for inflation during a collision of a vehicle, and is inflated and deployed between the steering wheel and an occupant in a driver seat; and an inflator that generates the gas. The airbag includes an auxiliary inflated section that is inflated to a front of the vehicle in conjunction with inflation and deployment of the airbag, so as to enter a space between a rim and a spoke of the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A driver seat airbag system comprising:

an airbag that is housed in a pad section of a steering wheel having a rim and a spoke, the airbag receives a supply of gas for inflation during a collision of a vehicle, and the airbag is inflated and deployed between the steering wheel and an occupant in a driver seat, in the inflated and deployed state an outer diameter of the airbag is larger than an outer diameter of the rim of the steering wheel; and

an inflator that generates the gas, wherein

the airbag includes a plurality of auxiliary inflated sections that are inflated to a front of the vehicle in conjunction with inflation and deployment of the airbag, each of the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are provided on the airbag at positions corresponding to spaces between the rim and the spoke of the steering wheel so as to enter the spaces between the rim and the spoke of the steering wheel, the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are provided in a circumferential direction of the steering wheel, wherein

of base cloths that constitute the airbag, a plurality of openings are formed in a base cloth that is located in a front side of the vehicle, and

each of the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections is a sub bag, wherein the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are in communication with the airbag through the plurality of openings, respectively.

2. The driver seat airbag system according to claim 1, wherein

the plural auxiliary inflated sections are provided to fill all spaces between the rim and the spoke of the steering wheel.

3. The driver seat airbag system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lid that is provided in the pad section and is deployed during the inflation and deployment of the airbag, wherein

a hinge section of the lid is provided in a peripheral wall in a front side of the vehicle from a rear surface of the pad section.

4. The driver seat airbag system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of openings are formed having slit shapes,

each of the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are formed in a bag shape to be opened in one direction by sewing a pair of base cloths in substantially semicircular shapes.

5. The driver seat airbag system according to claim 1, wherein

the inflator is provided with a rectifying cloth,

the rectifying cloth controls a supply direction of the gas to the auxiliary inflated sections,

the rectifying cloth is formed by sewing a base cloth in a cylindrical body, and the rectifying cloth has openings that are respectively opened to the auxiliary inflated sections.

6. The driver seat airbag system according to claim 1, wherein

each of the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections is formed by sewing a separate bag section to a side of the airbag located in a front side of the vehicle.

7. A driver seat airbag system comprising:

an airbag that is housed in a pad section of a steering wheel having a rim and a spoke, the airbag receives a supply of gas for inflation during a collision of a vehicle, and the airbag is inflated and deployed between the steering wheel and an occupant in a driver seat, in the inflated and deployed state an outer diameter of the airbag is larger than an outer diameter of the rim of the steering wheel; and

an inflator that generates the gas;

a lid that is provided in the pad section and is deployed during the inflation and deployment of the airbag, the lid includes a hinge section provided in a peripheral wall in a front side of the vehicle from a rear surface of the pad section, wherein

the airbag includes a plurality of auxiliary inflated sections that are inflated to a front of the vehicle in conjunction with inflation and deployment of the airbag, each of the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are provided on the airbag at positions corresponding to spaces between the rim and the spoke of the steering wheel so as to enter the spaces between the rim and the spoke of the steering wheel, the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are provided in a circumferential direction of the steering wheel.

8. A driver seat airbag system comprising:

an airbag that is housed in a pad section of a steering wheel having a rim and a spoke, the airbag receives a supply of gas for inflation during a collision of a vehicle, and the airbag is inflated and deployed between the steering wheel and an occupant in a driver seat, in the inflated and deployed state an outer diameter of the airbag is larger than an outer diameter of the rim of the steering wheel; and

an inflator that generates the gas, wherein

the airbag includes a plurality of auxiliary inflated sections that are inflated to a front of the vehicle in conjunction with inflation and deployment of the airbag, each of the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are provided on the airbag at positions corresponding to spaces between the rim and the spoke of the steering wheel so as to enter the spaces between the rim and the spoke of the steering wheel, the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are provided in a circumferential direction of the steering wheel, the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are inflated to the outside in a radial direction of the rim in a front side of the vehicle, wherein

of base cloths that constitute the airbag, openings are formed in a base cloth that is located in a front side of the vehicle, and

the plurality of auxiliary inflated sections are sub bags that are in communication with the airbag through the openings.