Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.

Mikio Ochiai

Kazuhiro Kaneko

Toshiyuki Sugiyama

Kazuyoshi Nishijima

Tetsuji Endo

Yoshinori Goto

Masaki Ueno

Masahito Ishizuka

Kevin Dominic Delaney

Hiroyuki Saito

Tsuyoshi Watanabe

Naoki Yamamoto

Hidenobu Suzuki

Nobukazu Akaike

Takeshi Fujimori

Hiromitsu Harada

Motomu Koyama

Takashi Tokita

Michael Anthony Bunce

Hiroe Inoue

An air bag apparatus for a vehicle is provided with an air bag configured to inflate and deploy with inflow of a gas; a first inflator configured to supply the gas to the air bag having a first pressure-time property; and a second inflator configured to supply the gas to the air bag having a second pressure-time property, the second pressure-time property differing from the first pressure-time property.

Air bag apparatus

An air bag is unfolded on a planar surface and is inflated with air. The air bag is loosely sandwiched between the upper and lower blades that are arranged in a radial configuration. Movable blocks progress toward the center to fold the upper and lower panels of the air bag against the central part of the air bag. The resulting central folded part of the air bag has a wave-like configuration, and the upper and lower panels are separated from each other. The ear-like portions of the air bag are wound around the central folded part of the air bag that is folded in a wave-like configuration. Then, the central part of the air bag is pressed downward to complete the folding process. Gas can be supplied smoothly from the inlet port to the periphery when the air bag is reinflated. The method for folding the air bag is simple, and the air bag can be inflated quickly.

Method and device for folding up air bag, and air bag

Method for folding up an air bag

A core bar includes upper and lower half shells, each having a boss portion including a boss-edge coupling part for coupling the shells along the edges, a shaft fixing part placed substantially in the center of the boss portion and mounted to a steering shaft, and a weak part placed between the boss-edge coupling part and the shaft fixing part and wherein the shells face each other without being coupled; and a rim portion including a rim-edge coupling part for coupling the shells along the edges and a rim hollow part defined between the shells. A spoke portion is interposed between the boss and the rim portions, and includes a spoke-edge coupling part for coupling the shells along the edges and a spoke hollow part defined between the shells.

Core bar for steering wheels

A core bar for a steering wheel includes an upper shell and a lower shell coupled to the upper shell. Each half shell includes a boss core-bar portion coupled to a steering shaft, a rim core-bar portion, and a spoke core-bar portion interposed between the two. An insertion is received in a hollow defined by the upper and lower shells.

An air bag body ( ) is expanded by charging an air therein after being expanded in a flat surface shape. Next, by gently gripping the air bag body ( ) by upper and lower blades ( ) radially arranged in a radial direction of the air bag body ( ), a height in a radial direction of the air bag body ( ) is linearly restricted along the upper and lower blades ( ). Next, a plurality of movable blocks ( ) are forward moved toward a center of the air bag body ( ), and upper and lower panels ( ) of the air bag body ( ) are accumulated. At this time, the upper and lower panels ( ) of the air bag body ( ) are folded in a state of being apart from each other so as to form a wave shape. Next, the air bag body ( ) is rotated, a portion left in a tab shape is wound around a periphery, and a center protruding portion of the air bag body ( ) is pressed from an upper side, whereby a front surface deploying portion ( ) is formed. When supplying gas to the folded air bag body ( ), the front surface deploying portion ( ) rapidly deploys so as to break a cover ( ) and the gas is smoothly supplied to a peripheral edge portion ( ), whereby it is possible to smoothly and rapidly deploy the air bag body ( ).

Apparatus for folding air bag body

An air bag body ( ) is expanded by charging air therein after being expanded in a flat surface shape. Next, by gently gripping the air bag body ( ) by upper and lower blades ( ) radially arranged in a radial direction of the air bag body ( ), height in a radial direction of the air bag body ( ) is linearly restricted along the upper and lower blades ( ). Next, a plurality of movable blocks ( ) are forward moved toward a center of the air bag body ( ), and upper and lower panels ( ) of the air bag body ( ) are accumulated. At this time, the upper and lower panels ( ) of the air bag body ( ) are folded in a state of being apart from each other so as to form a wave shape. Next, the air bag body ( ) is rotated, a portion left in a tab shape is wound around a periphery, and a center protruding portion of the air bag body ( ) is pressed from an upper side, whereby a front surface deploying portion ( ) is formed. When supplying gas to the folded air bag body ( ), the front surface deploying portion ( ) rapidly deploys so as to break a cover ( ) and the gas is smoothly supplied to a peripheral edge portion ( ), whereby it is possible to smoothly and rapidly deploy the air bag body ( ).

Air bag and air bag apparatus

A heater for a steering wheel includes a heater main body arranged on a rim of the steering wheel and formed like a net. The heater main body comprises a plurality of heater wires for generating heat upon energization and side edges arranged along longitudinal edges of the heater main body and fixed at an inner periphery of the rim.

Heater, heater-equipped steering wheel, and method of manufacturing such steering wheel

Method of folding air bag body

An arrangement includes a fixing device for a steering wheel that is mounted to a boss of the steering wheel to press the boss in a first direction of engaging the steering wheel with a steering shaft and is engaged with an annular groove of the steering shaft. A pressing device is mounted to the boss to press the steering shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction so as to release the steering wheel from the steering shaft.

Fixing device for steering wheel

An air bag device includes an air bag, a cover concealing the air bag and including a side wall formed with a groove, and a base plate supporting the air bag and including a peripheral wall that faces the inner periphery of the side wall of the cover and is formed with a slit corresponding to the groove of the cover. A belt is disposed along the outer periphery of the side wall of the cover, and includes a holder cooperating with the peripheral wall of the base plate to hold the side wall of the cover. The belt further includes engagements that are engaged with the groove of the side wall of the cover and the slit of the peripheral wall of the base plate and include each an engaging portion engaged with the inner periphery the peripheral wall of the base plate.

Air bag devices

An air bag system is provided that limits the forward projection of the air bag and reduces production costs wherein folded portions are formed by folding the peripheral portion of a flatly spread air bag along folding lines which are provided at specified locations. The formed folded portions are constrained by stitched portions which are formed by stitching folded-down portions with thread. The air bag is then folded into a size so as to be constrained in a cover. When gas is injected from an inflator, the air bag tears the cover and projects forward and at the same time the stitched portions limit the distance by which the air bag projects forward. As the internal pressure in the air bag increases, the stitched portions break and the folded portions are unfolded so that the air bag expands radially.

Air bag system and method of folding an air bag

An airbag module cover includes a cover member and an ornament on the cover member. A plurality of pins are connected to and extend from the ornament to pass through the cover member. A retainer is engaged with the pins and cooperates with the ornament to interpose therebetween a portion of the cover member.

Growing community of inventors

Fuji, Japan

Mikio Ochiai