Airbag apparatus for automobile

• US 7,007,970 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanko Gosei Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Sanko Gosei Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yasuda, Mitsuo, Nakashima, Yoshiharu, Ishiguro, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C.
• Application Number:
  US10/449,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20040026902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/732, 280/728.1, 280/731
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/06 using friction, e.g. spin welding non-plastics elements to plastic elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/114 Single butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30223 said melt initiators being rib-like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/532 Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3038 Air bag covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2172 the cover being connected to the surrounding part and to the module, e.g. floating mounts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

An airbag apparatus for an automobile includes an airbag case for accommodating an airbag, a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, and a reinforcement frame member having a frame portion, at least one fracture-section reinforcement portion, and an edge reinforcement potion. The frame portion has an engagement portion to which the airbag case is connected. The fracture-section reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce the fracture-opening section. The edge reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce a surface panel portion surrounding the fracture-opening section.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus for an automobile comprising:

an airbag case for accommodating an airbag in a folded condition, the airbag case being disposed behind a surface panel provided within the automobile;

a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, the fracture-opening section facing an opening of the airbag case and being defined by means of fracture grooves formed on an inside surface of the surface panel; and

a reinforcement frame member having a frame portion, at least one fracture-section reinforcement portion, and an edge reinforcement portion, which are integrally formed at an upper end portion of the frame portion,

wherein the frame portion has an engagement portion to which the airbag case is connected, the fracture-section reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce the fracture-opening section, and the edge reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce a surface panel portion surrounding the fracture-opening section;

wherein the frame portion has a front side wall, a rear side wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall, which form a rectangular tubular shape;

the edge reinforcement portion extends outward from the upper end portion of the frame portion in a generally horizontal direction;

the fracture-section reinforcement portion extends inward from the upper end portion of the frame portion via a hinge portion having a wavy bent section; and

the fracture-section reinforcement portion and the edge reinforcement portion are fixed to the inside surface of the surface panel; and

wherein the fracture-opening section of the surface panel is defined to have a rectangular shape and to be opened toward a single direction; and

the reinforcement frame member has a single fracture-section reinforcement portion extending from the front or rear side wall of the frame portion via a hinge portion.

2. The airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fracture-section reinforcement portion and the edge reinforcement portion are fixed to the inside surface of the surface panel by means of vibration welding.

3. The airbag apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the corresponding hinge portions have each a wavy bent section.

4. An airbag apparatus for an automobile comprising:

an airbag case for accommodating an airbag in a folded condition, the airbag case being disposed behind a surface panel provided within the automobile;

a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, the fracture-opening section facing an opening of the airbag case and being defined by means of fracture grooves formed on an inside surface of the surface panel; and

a reinforcement frame member having a frame portion, at least one fracture-section reinforcement portion, and an edge reinforcement portion, which are integrally formed at an upper end portion of the frame portion,

wherein the frame portion has an engagement portion to which the airbag case is connected, the fracture-section reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce the fracture-opening section, and the edge reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce a surface panel portion surrounding the fracture-opening section;

wherein the frame portion has a front side wall, a rear side wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall, which form a rectangular tubular shape;

the edge reinforcement portion extends outward from the upper end portion of the frame portion in a generally horizontal direction;

the fracture-section reinforcement portion extends inward from the upper end portion of the frame portion via a hinge portion having a wavy bent section; and

the fracture-section reinforcement portion and the edge reinforcement portion are fixed to the inside surface of the surface panel; and

wherein the fracture-opening section of the surface panel is defined to have a rectangular shape and to be cut into left-hand, right-hand, front, and rear fracture-opening subsections to be opened toward four directions; and

the reinforcement frame member has four fracture-section reinforcement portions extending from the front, rear, left, and right side walls, respectively, of the frame portion via corresponding hinge portions each having a wavy bent section.

5. An airbag apparatus for an automobile, comprising:

an airbag case for accommodating an airbag in a folded condition, the airbag case being disposed behind a surface panel provided within the automobile;

a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, the fracture-opening section facing an opening of the airbag case and being defined by means of fracture grooves formed on an inside surface of the surface panel; and

a reinforcement frame member having a frame portion, at least one fracture-section reinforcement portion, and an edge reinforcement portion, which are integrally formed at an upper end portion of the frame portion, wherein the frame portion has an engagement portion to which the airbag case is connected, the fracture-section reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce the fracture-opening section, and the edge reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce a surface panel portion surrounding the fracture-opening section;

wherein a plurality of projections, each assuming a shape of a ridge, are formed at predetermined intervals on surfaces of the fracture-section reinforcement portion and the edge reinforcement portion, the surfaces facing the inside surface of the surface panel; and

the fracture-section reinforcement portion and the edge reinforcement portion are joined, by means of vibration welding, to the inside surface of the surface panel via the projections.

6. An airbag apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the frame portion has a front side wall, a rear side wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall which form a rectangular tubular shape;

the edge reinforcement portion extends outward from the upper end portion of the frame portion in a generally horizontal direction;

the fracture-section reinforcement portion extends inward from the upper end portion of the frame portion via a hinge portion having a wavy bent section; and

the fracture-section reinforcement portion and the edge reinforcement portion are fixed to the inside surface of the surface panel by means of vibration welding.

7. An airbag apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the fracture-opening section of the surface panel is defined to have a rectangular shape and to be cut, along a longitudinally extending center line, into two fracture-opening subsections to be opened toward opposite directions;

and the reinforcement frame member has a pair of fracture-section reinforcement portions extending from the front and rear side walls, respectively, of the frame portion via corresponding binge portions each having a wavy bent section.

8. An airbag apparatus according to claim 7

wherein the reinforcement frame member is formed of a thermoplastic resin material.

9. An airbag apparatus according to claim 7

wherein the fracture-section reinforcement portion and the edge reinforcement portion of the reinforcement frame member are vibration-welded to the inside surface of the surface panel in a state in which a hinge portion of the reinforcement frame member is compressed toward an inclined connection portion of the edge reinforcement portion.

10. The airbag apparatus of claim 7, wherein the airbag case is separably connected to the frame portion of the reinforcement frame member.

11. An airbag apparatus for an automobile according to claim 5, wherein each of the projections assumes a shape of a broken ridge.

12. An airbag apparatus for an automobile, comprising:

an airbag case for accommodating an airbag in a folded condition, the airbag case being disposed behind a surface panel provided within the automobile;

a fracture-opening section of the surface panel, the fracture-opening section facing an opening of the airbag case and being defined by means of fracture grooves formed on an inside surface of the surface panel; and

a reinforcement frame member having a frame portion, at least one fracture-section reinforcement portion, and an edge reinforcement portion, which are integrally formed at an upper end portion of the frame portion;

wherein the frame portion has an engagement portion to which the airbag case is connected, the fracture-section reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce the fracture-opening section, and the edge reinforcement portion is joined to the inside surface of the surface panel to cover and reinforce a surface panel portion surrounding the fracture-opening section;

wherein the engagement portion of the frame portion to which the airbag case is connected is formed in each of the front and rear side walls of the frame portion and is constituted by a group of rectangular holes; and

hooks of the airbag case are inserted into the rectangular holes in such a manner that the hooks engage wall surfaces of the rectangular holes when the airbag inflates.