Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.

Tetsuji Endo

Kazuyoshi Nishijima

Kazuhiro Kaneko

Toshiyuki Sugiyama

Mikio Ochiai

Masahito Ishizuka

Yoshinori Goto

Masaki Ueno

Yasuhiro Uchida

Masami Tonooka

Michitaka Suzuki

Tsuyoshi Watanabe

Katsuhiro Tokita

Kazuo Yanagidaira

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

The invention provides an air bag apparatus of a motor vehicle which can securely protect a passenger in a much close state by an inexpensive means. Since a rear end (a patch portion ( )) of a tether belt ( ) is positioned at a vertical surface (A) passing through a rear end ( ) of an instrument panel ( ) or in a front side thereof, in an initial expanding state of an air bag ( ), a rearward development of the air bag ( ) is restricted just before a passenger (M) due to a tension of the tether belt ( ) even in the case that the passenger (M) stands close to the instrument panel ( ), whereby no excessive impact is applied to the passenger (M).

Air bag apparatus of motor vehicle

A steering wheel includes a boss, a spoke, and an air bag apparatus with a bag and a synthetic resin cover. When the vehicle is subjected to a collision, the bag is inflated and rupture opens a front wall of the cover. The front wall has two side rupture lines, a dividing rupture line between the side rupture lines, a center rupture line from the dividing rupture line, and two upper hinges between the side rupture lines and the center rupture line. When the cover ruptures open, the rupture lines rupture, causing each lid to bend and swing about the upper hinges. The dividing rupture line is disposed at a position so that the upper lids do not interfere with the rim.

Steering wheel for a vehicle

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

An airbag includes first and second base cloths and a middle base cloth arranged therebetween for defining first and second compartments in the airbag. Gas communicating ports are arranged in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the middle base cloth to ensure gas communication between the two compartments. Four ring-shaped fixing portions are arranged around a gas introduction port to connect the second and middle base cloths, one of which has an exhaust port formed inside.

Airbag and airbag arrangement

Method of folding air bag body

A casing is fixed to a steering wheel and has a first center line, an upper space, and a lower space. The first center line is positioned below a second center line of the steering wheel. An inflator is arranged in the casing and has a third center line. The inflator is for generating a gas. The third center line is positioned below the first center line and positioned at a boundary between the upper space and the lower space. An air bag has an upper portion accommodated in the upper space and a lower portion accommodated in the lower space. The upper portion is in an upper folding state. The lower portion is in a lower folding state. The upper folding state is looser than the lower folding state.

Air bag apparatus for automotive vehicle

An middle fabric portion (,) is disposed between a first fabric portion (,) and a second fabric portion (,) that constitute a pouch-shaped air bag (,). The middle fabric portion (,) divides the interior of the air bag (,) into a first compartment (,) and a second compartment (,). The two compartments (,) communicate by communicating openings (,) formed at locations near the outer edge of the middle fabric portion (,). A center communicating portion (,) at the center of the middle fabric portion (,) is fastened to a retainer (,). The first fabric portion (,) and the second fabric portion (,) communicate by a middle communicating portion (,) formed between the center communicating portion (,) and an outer edge portion (,). The communicating openings (,) are formed in the middle fabric portion (,), at locations near the outer edge of the middle fabric portion (,). When gas is introduced into the first compartment (,), the gas inflates the first compartment (,) into a flat shape and then flows through the communicating openings (,) into the second compartment (,) located at the occupant's side. The gas exits to the outside through a first gas outlet opening (,), which is formed in the second compartment. The second compartment (,) is provided with one or more second gas outlet openings, which serve as auxiliary gas outlets. Even if an air bag apparatus (,) is actuated in a situation where the occupant is at an out of the ordinary position, such that the occupant is in contact with the air bag apparatus (,), the invention ensures the reduction of the pressure applied to the occupant.

Air bag, air bag apparatus, and steering wheel

Air-bag device

A metallic hub of a steering wheel is formed by upper and lower hub members secured together with a portion of a spoke core held therebetween. The hub members have a protrusion and a recess which are press fitted to secure the two hub members together with the spoke core gripped by the two hub members. The portion of the spoke core is welded to the upper and lower hub members so that the three members are rigidly fixed together.

Steering wheel

An annular rim core of a steering wheel is made from an elongated blank which has, as viewed in cross-section taken in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, a pair of opposite sides, a first recess formed in one of the sides and sized to fittingly receive a first type of spoke core, and a second recess formed in either one of a bottom of the first recess and the other side and sized to fittingly receive a second type of spoke core. The annular rim core is formed by bending the elongated blank into a circular shape such that the one or the other side of the blank is directed radially inwardly of the circle.

Steering wheel rim core and elongated blank therefor

A steering wheel having a metallic hub formed by upper and lower hub members secured together with a portion of a spoke core held therebetween. The hub members have protrusions and recesses which are press-fitted with the spoke core therebetween and gripped by the two members.

Growing community of inventors

Fuji, Japan

Tetsuji Endo