GB2265118A

GB2265118A - Vehicle air bag.

Info

Publication number: GB2265118A
Application number: GB9304713A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yuko Iritani
Original assignee: Takata Corp
Current assignee: Takata Corp
Priority date: 1992-03-18
Filing date: 1993-03-08
Publication date: 1993-09-22
Also published as: JPH05262195A; KR100260876B1; JP3245934B2; KR930019471A; DE4308387A1; GB9304713D0

Description

2265118 S P E C I F I C A T 1 0 N

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

Air Bag Device for A Passenger BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a passenger's air bag device for protecting a passenger in an automobile by extending an air bag at the time of a collision of the vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a passenger's air bag device capable of extending the air bag initially into a desired shape and then finally into an originally designed shape of the air bag.

Description of the Related Art

A passenger's air bag device is a device for protecting a passenger by extending an air bag at the time of a collision of a vehicle and is constructed to comprise a folded air bag, a retainer or container-for retaining the air bag, a lid covering the air bag, and > an inflater (or gas generator) for extending the air bag. The passenger's air bag device thus constructed is mounted in the instrument panel of an automobile.

1 A passenger's air bag device of the prior art will be described together with its operations withreference to Fig. 3. An air bag 10' is neatly folded which has its front opening covered with a lid 14'. When an automobile collides, an inflater 16' operates to start the expansion of the air bag 10'. Then, the lid 14' is opened in a door shape, as shown, by the push of the air bag 10' so that the air bag 10' is largely extended into the cabin of the vehicle. Reference numeral 18' designates holes for guiding the gas from the inflater 16' into the container 12'.

-In the passenger's air bag device thus constructed according to the prior art, the gas discharged from the inflater 16' has a tendency to flow straight forward in the container 12'. As a result, in the extending procedure, the air bag 10' initially protrudes forward and then extends into its originally designed shaDe.

and confined in a container 12 7 OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has an object to provide a passenger's air bag device for initially extending an air bag either upward and downward or rightward and leftward, as viewed from a passenger, into a desired shape 2 within the cabin of a vehicle and then into an originally designed shape of the bag itself.

According to the present invention, there is provided an air bag device for a passenger, which comprises a folded air bag, a container confining the air bag, an inflater mounted in the container for extending the air bag, and a lid covering the container and adapted to be opened into the cabin of a vehicle by the air bag when the air bag is extended, the improvement comprises a gas flow guide member mounted in the air bag for guiding the gas from the inflater in directions transverse to the front of the container.

According to the passenger's air bag device thus constructed according to the present invention, the gas from the inflater has its flow direction changed to an upward, downward, rightward and/or leftward direction as desired by -Lhe guide member so that the air bag is quickly extendedinitially in a. desired upward, downward, rightward and/or leftward direction and then into its originally designed shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a cut-away perspective view showing a passenger's air bag device according to one embodiment 3 of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section showing the device of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cut-away perspective view showing the air bag device of the prior art;

Fig. 4 is a cut-away perspective view showing an air bag device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 presents sections showing still another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 presents sections showing another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 presents sections showing still another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an air bag device according to another mode of the present invention; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing an air bag -12 the present in- devicc according to a further mode o. vention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in the following with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

4 In the present embodiment, there is provided as a gas flow direction changing guide member an inner bag 20 which is made smaller than and accommodated in an air bag 10. The inner bag 20 is extended into the cabin of a vehicle by the gas coming from an inflater. The inner bag 20 is formed with holes 22 and 24 for directing the gas from the inflater 16 upward and downward in the vehicle compartment when the air bag device is mounted in the instrument panel of the vehicle. The holes 22 are opened in the upper face portion of the inner bag 20 whereas the holes 24 are opened in the lower face portion of the inner bag 20.

The inner bag 20 is neatly folded with the air bag 10 in a container 12 and is extended in a generally jharrel shape into the cabin when the inflater 16 is energized to inject the gas into the container 12 as shown in Fig. 1. Then, the gas havinq T)assed thrcugh the holes 22 and 24, the air baq 10 is initially preferentially extended upward and downward in the c,-win. In thils case, the gas having passed through the holes 22 and 24 is injected upward and downward into the airbag 10 As a result, the air bag 10 is initially extended upward and downward, as viewed from the passenger in the cabin of the vehicle, then towards the passenger and then into its originally designed shape.

The remaining construction of the present embodi- ment is similar to that of the example of the prior art shown in Fig. 3, and the identical reference numerals having the dashes removed designate the identical portions.

- Although the embodiment of Fig. 1 has its inner bag 20 formed with the holes 22 and 24 only, the present invention may be modified to have its inner bag 20 formed with holes 26 additionally in the front face portion, as s hown in Fig. 4. The total effective area of the holes 26 is less than that of the holes 22 or the holes 24 so that the major portion of the gas from the inflater 16 is still injected upward and downward from the holes 22 and 24.

Although the foregoing embodiment has its air bag 10 equipped with the single inner bag 20, the present invention may be modified to have its air bag 10 equipped with two or more inner bags 30, as shown in Figs. SA and 5B. Reference numeral 32 designates holes for passing the gas therethrough.

The present invention may be further modified to adopt an inner bag having a shape other than that shown in Fig. 1, such as an inner bag 34 having a generally heart-shaped section, as shown in Figs. BA and 6B, or an inner bag 36 having a generally hand-shaped section having finger-like portions, as shw-,&m in Figs. 7A and 7B. Reference 6 numerals 34a and 36a appearing in Figs. 6A and 6B and Figs. 7A and 7B designate gas passing holes, respectively.

With these constructions, the air bags 10 are extended initially into the individual shapes shown in Figs. 5A, 6A and 7A and then finally into the individual designed shapes shown in Figs. 5B, 6B and 7B. Eventually, the inner bags 30, 34 and 36 thus having been extended in the designed shapes have completed their actions for guiding the gas flows.

Thus, the air bag 10 can be extended through the desired extended shapes by selecting the shape of the inner bag suitably.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the operating state of a passenger's air bag device according to a further embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the inner bag is replaced by an inner belt 40 acting as the gas flow direction changing guide member. The inner belt 40 is mounted between the oppos.Lte ends 12a andl2b of the container 12 and is given a longer length than the distance between the two ends. The inner belt 40 is formed with pluralities of holes 42 and 44 for guiding some of the gas from the inflator 16 rightward and leftward, as viewed from the passenger.

7 The remaining construction of Fig. 8 is made similar to that of Fig. 1, and the identical numerals designate the identical portions.

In the passenger's air bag device of Fig. 8, most of ' the gas flow injected from the inflater 16 is turned vertically at the inner belt 40 so that it can initially extend -&.e air bag 10 quickly upward and downward while preventing it from protruding towards the passenger. The present embodiment is also formed with the holes 42 wd 44 so that the air bag 10 is also initially extended rightward and leftward, as viewed from the passenger. On the other hand, the mounting manner of the inner belt may be modified, as shown in Fig. 9, such that the inner belt is connected between the ends 12c and 12d to guide most of the gas rightward and leftward.

Although not shown, the passenger's air bag devices shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 may be modified like that of Fig. 8 such that the gas flow direction is changed not only upward and downward but also rightward and leftward, as viewed from the passenger. For these changes, for example, the side portions 20A and 20B of the inner bag shown in Fig. 2 may be formed with the gas passing holes.

As has been described hereinbefore, the passen- 8 ger's air bag device of the present invention is equipped with the guide member for guiding the gas from the inflater upward, downward, rightward and/or leftward as desired, as viewed from the passenger, so that the'air bag is not allowed to protrude toward the passenger but is extended initially upward, downwards, rightward and/or leftward as viewed from the passenger, and then finally into its originally designed shape. As a result, the air bag is hardly allowed to come into contact with the passenger while being extended.

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Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An air bag device for a passenger, comprising: a folded air bag, a container confining said air bag; an inflater mounted in said container for extending said air bag, a lid covering said container and adapted to be opened into the cabin of a vehicle by said air bag when said air bag is extended, and a gas flow guide member mounted in said air bag for guiding at least some of the gas from said inflazer in directions transverse to the front of said container.

2. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said gas flow direction changing guide member is an inner bag smaller than said air bag.

3. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 2, wherein said inner bag has a plurality of holes formed in the upper and lower faces thereof for turning the gas from said inflater upward and downward relative to the cabin of the vehicle when said air bag device is mounted in the instrument panel of the vehicle.

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4. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 3, wherein said inner bag is folded with said air bag in said container, whereby said inner bag is extended into the cabin of the vehicle, when said in flater operates to inject the gas into said container, so that said air bag is initially extended preferentially upward and downward in the cabin of the vehicle by the gas having passed through said holes.

5. A passenger's air bag device according to claim. 3, wherein said inner bag has a plurality of holes additionally formed in its front face.

6. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 5, wherein the holes in the front face have a total effective area less than that of the holes in the upper and 1.ower faces, whereby the major portion of the gas from said inflater is injected upward and downward from said upper and lower holes.

7. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 2, wherein there are at least two inner bags in said air bag.

8. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 11 1 2, wherein said inner bag is extended into agenerally barrel shape.

9. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 2, wherein said inner bag is extended into agenerally heart shape.

10. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 2, wherein said inner bag is extended into a generally hand shape having finqer-like portions.

11. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 1, wherein said gas flow direction changing guide member is an inner belt connected between opposite ends of said container and having a greater length than the distance between the opposite ends.

12. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 11, wherein said inner belt is formed with pluralities of holes for respectively guiding the gas from said inflater rightward and leftward, as viewed from the passenger, whereby most of the gas flow injected from said inflater is turned upward and downward at said inner belt to intially extend said air bag upward and downward.

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13. A passenger's air bag device according to claim 11, wherein said innerbelt is conneted between the upper and lower sides of said container, whereby most of the gas from said inflater flows rightward and leftward.

14. A passenger's air bag device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying description and Figures 1 and 2: or Figure 4: or Figure 5; or Figure 6; or Figure 7; or Figure 8; or Figure 9 of the drawings.

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