Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Satoshi Mabuchi

Eiji Sato

Motoaki Naruse

Takanori Kanto

Toshinori Tanase

Toru Koyama

Atsushi Kashio

A side airbag apparatus for vehicle has an airbag and an inflator. An upper chamber, a lower chamber, and an intermediate chamber are defined by a seam in the airbag. When the airbag is deployed, the upper chamber corresponds to a shoulder of an occupant, the lower chamber corresponds to a lumbar region of the occupant, and the intermediate chamber corresponds to a thorax of the occupant. The seam guides gas from the inflator to the upper and lower chambers such that the upper and lower chambers are substantially simultaneously inflated, and the intermediate chamber is inflated after a delay. The thickness of the intermediate chamber is less than the thicknesses of the upper and lower chambers. As a result, the occupant of the vehicle is effectively protected.

Side airbag apparatus

A rear seat side airbag device includes a cover, a case that is attached to a back side of the cover and a comb teeth-like holding member and is formed by assembling these constituent components together. A breakable portion is formed at a position on the cover which corresponds to the case. In this breakable portion, a first thin portion, which constitutes a breakage initiating position, is formed so as to extend in a vertical direction along a corner portion on a side of the cover which faces a rear seat. In addition, to correspond to the position of the first thin portion, the case is provided such that a first side wall on which a plurality of fragile portions are formed is positioned on a side thereof which faces the rear seat and a second side wall on which a rigid portion is provided is positioned on a side thereof which faces a door trim.

Rear seat side airbag device

An airbag apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas generator and an airbag. The airbag includes a panel sheet and a recess defined inwardly with respect to the airbag. The airbag is formed in a bag-like shape by folding the panel sheet in two and sewing the circumference of the panel sheet. The panel sheet has a first folding line and an inward folding portion including a line extending from the first folding line and arranged in a circumferential portion of the panel sheet. The inward folding portion includes a second folding line by which the inward folding portion is defined, a third folding line extending along the line extending from the first folding line, and an insertion opening through which the gas generator is inserted into the airbag. The recess is provided by folding the inward folding portion along the second folding line inwardly with respect to the airbag, re-folding the airbag in two along the third folding line, and sewing the circumference of the inward folding portion together with the circumference of the panel sheet.

Airbag apparatus and airbag folding method

An inflator is located inside an airbag of airbag device for supplying inflation gas. The inflator includes a substantially cylindrical body for generating inflation gas, and a substantially tubular retainer made of sheet metal to be mounted around the body for holding the body by fastening a fastening portion. The retainer includes mounting bolts for mounting the airbag to a predetermined mounting position. The retainer includes a fastening portion, a first support portion and a second support portion which are arranged in order along axial direction of the body to abut against a circumference of the body. The fastening portion and the second support portion are located in a substantially opposite area from the first support portion in the circumference of the body based on a center of a cross section of the body taken perpendicularly to the axial direction of the body as the retainer holds the body.

Inflator

A side airbag apparatus includes an airbag, an inflator and a limited thickness portion. The inflator supplies gas to the airbag. When the airbag is inflated and deployed, the limited thickness portion limits the inflation of the airbag such that the thickness of a portion of the airbag corresponding to an elbow portion of an occupant on the seat is less than the thickness of the remainder of the airbag with respect to the measurement between the occupant and the body side portion. The airbag includes an inflation portion that entirely surrounds the limited thickness portion and is inflated with gas from the inflator. This prevents an elbow portion of the occupant from receiving an excessive force directed laterally inward.

A side airbag apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The apparatus has an airbag and a gas generator. The gas generator supplies gas to the airbag such that the airbag is deployed and inflated at a side of an occupant. The airbag has a loop seam, which is formed by sewing parts of the airbag that face each other in a lateral direction of the vehicle such that no clearance is created at the loop seam. A slit formation portion is provided in part of the airbag that is encircled by the loop seam. When the airbag is deployed and inflated, the slit formation portion opens as a slit.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi-ken, Japan

Satoshi Mabuchi