Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Morton International, Inc.

Ts Tech Co., Ltd.

Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.

Davidson Technology Center

Hitoshi Higuchi

Nobuyuki Kawamura

Kenichi Saito

Makoto Kan

Scott L Hansen

Iwao Imaizumi

Koichi Kamiji

Kurt E Kottke

Makoto Nagai

Takeshi Kai

Masami Tonooka

James R Pritchard

Rick L Halford

Katsumi Ishikawa

Takeru Otsuka

Yuji Ishizuka

Kouichi Kamiji

Yuichi Mashiko

Yoshio Horiike

Ryosuke Seki

Masae Sato

Gene Shope

Kazuki Hikida

Alan Choiniere

Ryuuji Hori

Tatsuya Narikawa

Tomoyuki Okumura

Provided is an airbag device including an airbag body having a first base fabric and a second base fabric, wherein the first base fabric and the second base fabric have an outer circumferential section and an outer circumferential section that are joined to each other while overlapping each other, a first base fabric joining section formed by joining a plurality of predetermined portions, spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the first base fabric is provided on an outer circumferential side of the first base fabric, and a second base fabric joining section formed by joining a plurality of predetermined portions, spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the second base fabric is provided on an outer circumferential side of the second base fabric.

Airbag device

An airbag apparatus for vehicle includes: an airbag body formed by joining outer peripheral portions of two base cloths, the two base cloths being superimposed on each other; an inflator introducing gas to an inside of the airbag body; and a vent hole formed on the airbag body and configured of a slit, the vent hole communicating between the inside and an outside of the airbag body, the slit being formed so as to be directed from the outer peripheral portions toward central portions of the two base cloths over the two base cloths.

Airbag apparatus

An airbag including first and second sheets joined along outer peripheral parts. The second sheet includes a plurality of base cloths. The plurality of base cloths are arrayed around the circumferential direction, and include overlapping parts where adjacent ends are overlapping. At least one of the overlapping parts includes unjoined sections that are not joined together, and the gas inside the airbag can be ejected through the unjoined sections.

Airbag

An air bag system for a vehicle includes an air bag body formed by stitching base fabric material, an inflator that charges the air bag body with gas, and a vent hole that is a through hole provided in the air bag body so as to communicate the inside with the outside of the air bag body. The vent hole of the air bag body is formed to be slit-like and longer in a longitudinal direction thereof. The air bag body includes two base fabric pieces having overlapping side ends that are joined together, a tensile-force applying mechanism that applies tensile-force in the longitudinal direction of the vent hole, including a pair of V-shaped stitched lines bent in a sharply angled V-shape and formed on the side ends of the two base fabric pieces with a predetermined distance therebetween that defines the slit-like vent hole, and portions of the side ends aligned with vent hole along the gas discharge direction form a flow-passage restriction membrane.

Air bag system for vehicle

A vehicle airbag device in which an airbag is deployed by gas emitted by an inflator. The airbag has a pocket part, which is formed in a lower surface of the airbag and passes over an upper end of an obstacle. An introduction tube for introducing gas emitted by the inflator into the airbag extends into the airbag. When the airbag is deploying, but an obstacle prevents the airbag from doing so, a distal end part of the introduction tube will be blocked off, and the gas will be released to the exterior through a gas release part.

Vehicle airbag device

An airbag device for a vehicle includes an airbag that can be inflated to restrain an occupant of the vehicle against the impact of a collision, an inflator for generating gas to inflate the airbag, and a guide passage provided between the inflator and the airbag for guiding the gas into the airbag. The airbag has at least one opening formed therein to provide a fluid communication between the interior and exterior of the airbag, the opening being disposed near the guide passage to perform an aspiratory function efficiently.

Airbag device for vehicles

A seat belt device includes a shoulder belt portion for restraining the front portion of the upper half of the body of a passenger seated in an associated seat, a lap belt portion for restraining the thighs of the passenger, and a thigh belt portion which extends across a seat cushion of the associated seat so as to be disposed under the thighs of the passenger in use, and which is provided for restraining the thighs of the passenger together with the lap belt portion.

Seat belt device for automobile

In an air bag system in which an air bag is placed under an upper surface of an instrument panel for restraining a passenger by igniting an inflator by a signal from an acceleration sensor when a vehicle is crashed and deploying the air bag with gas generated by the ignition of the inflator, a method for forming a pocket in a lower surface of the air bag when it is inflated.

Air bag system

A folded-up air bag is accommodated in a module cover of a steering wheel, and a peripheral edge of an opening in the air bag is fixed to a retainer supporting an inflator. The folded-up air bag is covered from a rear side of a vehicle to a front side of the vehicle by a deployment-limiting sheet disposed along an inner surface of the module cover and fixed at one end thereof to the retainer. The deployment-limiting sheet is longer than a length of an inner periphery of the module cover in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Thus, it is possible to inhibit the air bag from being expanded rearwards of the vehicle body at an initial stage of deployment by the deployment-limiting sheet, thereby avoiding the early interference with an occupant.

Air bag device

An inflater of an air bag device is provided which includes a first combustor, providing an output having a peak value Ma and a second combustor, providing an output having a peak value Mb (wherein Mb<Ma). After ignition of the first combustor, the second combustor is ignited with a time lag. The igniting timing of the second combustor is set later than a time point at which the peak value of the sum of the outputs from the first and second combustors can be equalized to the peak value Ma of the output from the first combustor, and earlier-than a time point at which the combustion of the first combustor is finished. Thus, it is possible to prevent the sudden deployment of the air bag to moderate the shock applied to the occupant, while ensuring the smooth deployment of the air bag. The purpose of the inflater of an air bag device is to ensure that, in an air bag device including two gas generating devices which provide different outputs, the timing of the ignition of the two gas generating devices are appropriately controlled to moderate the shock received by an occupant upon deployment of the air bag.

Process for deploying air bag in air bag device

An air bag apparatus is provided which stably projects the air bag towards the front of a passenger. A retainer 12 stores therein an inflator 14 for injecting gas from gas injection holes at one end of the inflator, and an air bag 15 which is folded. A mid-retainer 16 is provided between inflator 14 and air bag 15. Mid-retainer 16 is provided with a plurality of guide fins 61, which are formed by making cuts in the mid-retainer and bending the cut portions. The direction of gas flow is adjusted by the inclination of each guide fin 61. The gas discharge rate is adjusted by setting various distances between each two adjacent guide fins 61 as to be greatest at the central part of the mid-retainer and either side of the center portion having a gas discharge rate approximately equal to its corresponding opposite side, thereby ensuring air bag 15 will be projected stably.

Air bag module having mid-retainer with guide fins

An inflatable air bag module for motor vehicles includes a housing for containing an air bag in deflated condition and an inflator assembly for providing gas to inflate the air bag when activated. The housing includes a first compartment holding the deflated air bag and having an exposed outer cover on one side formed with a fracture line defining an edge of a door. The door is adapted to pivot open along a hinged area when the cover is fractured by pressure from the inflating air bag as it expands out of the compartment. The housing also includes a second compartment holding the inflator assembly and a generally flat divider panel is provided between the first and second compartments with openings therein for permitting gas from the inflator assembly to rapidly inflate the air bag. A single row or set of fasteners is provided for securing all together the first and second compartments, the divider panel and an open end of said air bag along a common level extending around the entire periphery of the housing at a mid-level. The divider panel helps to prevent the walls of the housing from bulging outwardly when the air bag is inflated.

Inflatable air bag module

A break-away retaining flap for containing a deflated, folded-up airbag in a rigid housing of an airbag module while a pivotable cover is attached with fasteners to close an open end of the housing comprises a sheet of thin flexible woven fabric material having a first portion designed for attachment to the housing on a line spaced away from the open end and a second portion adapted to be secured onto a row of fasteners adjacent the open end of the housing while the cover is attached. The retaining flap holds the folded-up airbag in place in the housing during the assembly process and prevents crimping, binding or damage when the cover is installed at final assembly. The retaining flap has a weakened portion intermediately between the first and second attached portions defining a tear-away line adapted to facilitate break-away of the retaining flap into at least two parts when the airbag is inflated without impeding the rapid inflation of the airbag during deployment.

Break-away airbag retaining flap

A cover for an inflatable air bag housing is formed of integrally molded resinous plastic material and defined therein is a hinge area and a thin fracture line forming a door which pivots to an open position upon fracture of the cover along the fracture line when an air bag is inflated. A metal reinforcing element is embedded in the resinous plastic material and includes segments diverging and below the hinge area forming an open space or void which is filled in with a low density collapsible, energy absorbing, rigid foam which exhibits minimal spring back. The filler helps prevent sagging or read-through of the cover above the void when prolonged exposure to heat and sun is experienced. Moreover, the foam filler absorbs energy during bag deployment and aids in preventing plastic resin from leaking into the void space during the initial fabrication of the cover as the metal reinforcement element is molded in place.

Growing community of inventors

Wako, Japan

Hitoshi Higuchi