Occupant protection device

• US 20030218319A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Amamori, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,029,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01508 detecting forces or pressure in bags or modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An occupant protection device includes an airbag to be deployed in front of a vehicle occupant and a gas generator for inflating the airbag. The airbag includes a thorax-protection airbag to be deployed in front of a thorax of the occupant and a head-protection airbag to be deployed in front of a head of the occupant. Since the occupant protection device includes the thorax-protection airbag and the head-protection airbag, the individual airbag has a small capacity and requires an inflator with an output lower than that in the conventional airbag device.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device for protecting an occupant in a vehicle, comprising:

gas generating means for generating gas, and

an airbag device attached to the gas generating means to be deployed in front of the occupant, said airbag device having a thorax-protection airbag to be deployed in front of a thorax of the occupant and a head-protection airbag to be deployed in front of a head of the occupant above the thorax-protection airbag.

2. An occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein said head-protection airbag is disposed at an inner side of a roof of the vehicle to be deployed downward.

3. An occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein said head-protection airbag has a capacity smaller than that of the thorax-protection airbag.

4. An occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein said head-protection airbag has a thickness of 25 to 200 mm and is arranged to deploy along a windshield of the vehicle when the head-protection airbag is inflated.

5. An occupant protection device according to claim 4, wherein said head-protection airbag is formed of a right half bag and a left half bag with a space in between disposed along a windshield.

6. An occupant protection device according to claim 5, wherein said head-protection airbag is disposed above a rearview mirror of the vehicle so that the rearview mirror is accommodated in the space when the head-protection airbag is inflated.

7. An occupant protection device according to claim 1, further comprising detecting means for detecting a sitting height of the occupant so that both the head-protection airbag and the thorax-protection airbag are inflated when the detecting means detects a sitting height higher than a predetermined value, and only the thorax-protection airbag is inflated when the detecting means detects a sitting height lower than the predetermined value.

8. An occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein said gas generator includes a first gas generator attached to the thorax-protection airbag for inflating the same, and a second gas generator attached to the head-protection airbag for inflating the same.