Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-02
2001-05-01
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S743100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224092
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an airbag device for side collisions arranged in a seat of a vehicle. This side collision airbag device arranges an inflated airbag, when activated, between the interior wall and the passenger.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the side collision airbag device of the prior art, as disclosed in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 9-315245, the airbag is folded and arranged on an upper side in the back portion of a seat.
This airbag takes, when inflated, a substantially rectangular shape. This airbag is mounted and fixed at a plurality of vertical portions on its rear edge side on a seat frame. Further, the airbag includes a lower chamber and an upper chamber. The lower chamber provides an upstream side portion for an inflating gas. The upper chamber is arranged over the lower chamber.
For assembling the airbag with the seat, moreover, the upper chamber side of the airbag is folded at first inward towards the lower chamber. Next, the airbag is folded in a rolling manner so as to bring the front edge sides of the upper and lower chambers toward the rear edge side. After this, the airbag is mounted and fixed on the seat frame and arranged in the back portion of the seat.
An inflator for inflating the airbag is arranged in the lower chamber of the airbag on the side of the rear edge.
In the side collision airbag device of the prior art, however, the process for folding the airbag is limited to only folding the upper chamber inside towards the lower chamber, and then to folding the front edge side of the airbag on the side of the rear edge. At the acting time of the inflator, therefore, the airbag is extended and inflated in a predetermined pattern in accordance with the output of the inflator. In this pattern, the airbag is protruded forward while eliminating the fold, and the upper chamber is protruded upward from the lower chamber.
For a predetermined time period after the action of the inflator and before the completion of inflation, more specifically, the extended and inflated shape of the airbag is fixed. In other words, an area capable of restricting the passenger with the airbag is fixed for a predetermined time period before the completion of inflation after the action of the inflator.
When the arranged position of the airbag, the output of the inflator, the size and shape of the back portion of the seat are changed, therefore, it becomes necessary to change the shape of the airbag, because the extended area of the airbag capable of restricting the passenger before the end of inflation is arranged at a predetermined position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has as its object to provide an airbag device for a side collision which can easily be arranged to have an extended area of the airbag before the end of inflation be placed in a predetermined position, without changing the airbag, even if the arranged position of the airbag with respect to the back portion of a seat is changed.
The airbag device comprises an airbag, mounted and fixed on the side of its rear edge on to a seat frame, for being extended and inflated by an inflating gas when fed. The airbag includes a lower chamber of an upstream side portion for the inflating gas, and an upper chamber arranged over the lower chamber. Moreover, the airbag is mounted and fixed on the seat frame such that it is folded on the side of the upper chamber inward towards the lower chamber, or outward of a vehicle, and then such that the front edge side is brought toward the rear edge side, and an upper side portion of the air bag is folded back longitudinally.
In the side collision airbag device according to the invention, the airbag is folded such that the upper chamber portion is folded inwardly towards the lower chamber, or outwards of the vehicle, to bring the front edge side toward the rear edge side, and such that the upper side portion is then folded forwards or backwards; the airbag is mounted and fixed on the seat frame so that it is arranged in the back portion of the seat.
In short, in the side collision airbag device according to the invention, the upper side of the airbag is folded forwards or backwards at the final step of the process for folding the airbag.
When the upper side portion is folded forwards, for example, the airbag is liable to protrude forward at the initial stage of the extending and inflating time when the inflator is activated. When the forward folded length of the upper side portion is longer, moreover, the forward protruded area of the airbag can be enlarged at the initial stage of the extending and inflating time.
When the upper side portion is folded backwards, on the other hand, the airbag is liable to protrude upward at the initial stage of the extending and inflating time when the inflator is activated. When the backward folded length of the upper side portion is longer, moreover, the upward protruded area of the airbag can be enlarged at the initial stage of the extending and inflating time.
In other words, when the upper side portion is folded forwards or backwards at the final stage of the process for folding the airbag, and when the folded length of the upper side portion of the airbag is adjusted, the extended area of the airbag before the end of inflation of the inflator can be easily set without changing the airbag or the inflator.
In the side collision airbag device according to the invention, therefore, the airbag need not be changed even if the arranged position of the airbag with respect to the back portion of the seat is changed, because the forward or backward folded length of the upper side portion at the final step of the airbag folding process is adjusted, and enabling that the extended area of the airbag is easily secured after the action of the inflator and before the end of inflation to be easily arranged in a predetermined position.
Moreover, the side collision airbag device according to the invention may be constructed to include the following additional components:a diffuser can, bolts and a cover. The diffuser can is arranged on the rear edge side of the folded airbag, and is opened on its front side to cover the rear edge side of the airbag. The bolts are protruded through the diffuser can to mount the airbag on the seat frame. The cover is made of tearable and flexible material so as to cover the folded airbag. The cover is retained at its one end side by the bolts between the rear edge of the folded airbag and the diffuser can. On the other hand, the cover is wound at its intermediate portion on the folded airbag to cover the front edge side of the airbag. Moreover, the cover is retained at its other end side to cover the rear edge side of the diffuser can by the bolts protruded from the diffuser can. And, the cover covers the airbag together with the diffuser can.
In the side collision airbag device thus constructed, the airbag can be prevented by the cover from unfolding until it is mounted on the seat frame. Especially, the airbag is folded forwards or backwards at its upper side portion. As a result, the airbag is liable to be unfolded. However, the cover can effectively prevent such a destructive unfolding of the airbag.
In this side collision airbag device, the airbag and the diffuser can are integrally assembled by making use of the cover. This makes prevent the airbag and the diffuser can separating each other without fixing. This also makes it convenient to transport the airbag device through to the time until it is mounted on the seat frame.
When a label describing handling instructions or the like is to be adhered, moreover, such can be adhered to a portion of only the cover covering the diffuser can. When the label is adhered to this portion, it can be attached and held without any wrinkling. This makes it possible for a user to confirm the handling instructions or the like accurately by viewing the label during the handling or the like, up through the time until when the airbag is mounted on the seat frame. This side collision airbag device, t
Sakamoto Nobuhiko
Satou Eiji
Dickson Paul N.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Toyoda Gosei Co,., Ltd.
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