Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.

Other

Toshiyuki Sugiyama

Kazuhiro Kaneko

Kazuyoshi Nishijima

Mikio Ochiai

Tetsuji Endo

Michitaka Suzuki

Yoshinori Goto

Masaki Ueno

Masahito Ishizuka

Kevin Dominic Delaney

Tsuyoshi Watanabe

Hiromitsu Harada

Michael Anthony Bunce

Masanori Narita

Shuji Yamada

Mitsuo Ehama

Nobukazu Akaike

Yuichi Kato

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

A steering wheel which has a core, a cover covering at least a part of the core, a mount member mounted on the cover and a finisher mounted on the mount member. The mount member is fixed to the cover, and the finisher is fixed to the cover through the mount member. The finisher is engaged with the mount member. The core, the cover, the mount member and the finisher in combination form a grip of the steering wheel. The cover is lower in hardness than the core. The mount member is higher in hardness than the cover. The mount member is formed through an insert molding method.

Steering wheel

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

A safety system includes a seatbelt apparatus for supporting a shoulder of a vehicle occupant, an airbag apparatus having an airbag body, and control means for controlling a sealing member. The airbag body is inflated to receive the occupant by gas introduced into the airbag body. The airbag body has first and second ports for exhausting the gas. The sealing member is disposed on the second exhaust port. The sealing member is set to either one of a first state where the gas is prevented from being exhausted from the second exhaust port and a second state where the gas is allowed to be exhausted. The sealing member is ordinarily set to the first state. The seatbelt apparatus outputs a seatbelt apparatus application signal to the control means when the seatbelt apparatus is applied to the occupant. The control means set the sealing means to the second state when the control means receives the seatbelt apparatus application signal.

Safety system for automobile

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

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

Air-bag device

An airbag module mounted on a boss section of a steering wheel of an automotive vehicle. The airbag module comprises an airbag which is inflatable and developable upon being supplied with gas. A cover is provided including a covering section for covering the airbag. A tearing line is formed at a surface of the covering section of the cover. The tearing line includes a central section having first and second ends which are opposite to each other, and first and second side sections to which the first and second ends of the central section are respectively connected. An inflator is provided having gas ejection openings through which gas is ejected. The gas ejection openings are located inside the airbag. A base member is provided such that the airbag is fixed thereto. Additionally, an opposite member is located opposite to the covering section of the cover and disposed inside the airbag. The opposite member includes a device for guiding gas from the gas ejection openings of the inflator toward first and second side sections of the tearing line of the covering section of the cover.

Growing community of inventors

Fuji, Japan

Toshiyuki Sugiyama