Abstract: An airbag and an airbag apparatus includes a vent hole operable to close or open to a small extent until a passenger crashes into the airbag, and open or close to a large extent when the passenger crashes into the airbag. An interior of an airbag is partitioned into a first chamber at a center and a second chamber which surrounds the first chamber by an inner panel. A rear panel includes a vent hole for communicating the second chamber and the outside of the airbag. A lid member configured to cover the vent hole may be disposed on an outer surface of the rear panel. A tether may connect the lid member to the inner panel through the vent hole.

Abstract: An airbag capable of starting a tearing operation of a line-shaped connecting portion on an outer periphery side after entire line-shaped connecting portion on an inner periphery side is torn, and an airbag apparatus provided with the airbag. Each of halfway portions disposed halfway between respective center portion and peripheral edge portion in a front panel 12 and a rear panel 14 is disconnectably connected by means of line-shaped connecting portions 22, 24, and 26. At a halfway portion in an extending direction of each of the line-shaped connecting portions 22, 24, and 26, communicating portions 23, 25, and 27 serving as starting points of the tearing operations therefor are formed.

Abstract: An object to be processed 1 is irradiated with laser light L with a standard pulse waveform, so as to form a molten processed region 131, which has a larger size in the thickness direction of the object 1 and is easy to generate a fracture 24 in the thickness direction of the object 1, within a silicon wafer 111, and with laser light L with a retarded pulse waveform, so as to form a molten processed region 132, which has a smaller size in the thickness direction of the object 1 and is hard to generate the fracture 24 in the thickness direction of the object 1, within a silicon wafer 112.

Abstract: An airbag device includes an outer shell forming an airbag and having a vent hole, a restriction member for restricting gas flow through the vent hole, a first chamber having the vent hole, a second chamber, the inner panel partitioning the airbag into the first and second chambers and having a communication portion, and a tether member for connecting the restriction member and the inner panel. Gas is introduced into the first chamber and then into the second chamber. When the first chamber is filled with gas and the inner panel is tensioned, the tension exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the restriction member so that the vent hole is substantially closed. When the first chamber is not filled with gas and the inner panel loosens, the tension applied to the restriction member does not reach the predetermined value so that the vent hole is opened.

Abstract: A passenger constraining apparatus configured to limit the amount of upward inflation of a seat bag is provided. A passenger constraining apparatus 10 includes a seat bag 12 extending in the lateral width direction of a seat, and being inflatable so as to push a seat cushion from below, a retainer 11 installed on a seat pan 1, an inner bag 13 arranged in the seat bag 12, and an inflator 14 for inflating the seat bag 12 and the inner bag 13. The inner bag 13 is connected at the lower portion thereof with the retainer 11, and the upper portion thereof is connected to the upper portion of the seat bag 12.

Abstract: An airbag and airbag apparatus in which a venthole is closed or opened by a small amount until an occupant hits the airbag, and the venthole is opened or opened by a large amount when the occupant hits the airbag. Inner panels 22A and 22B are provided inside of an airbag 10. Ventholes 18 and 18A allowing an inside and an outside of the airbag 10 to communicate with each other are provided in a rear panel 14. A lid member 60 for covering the venthole is provided on an outer surface side of the rear panel 14. The venthole 18A is a constantly-open type venthole that is not covered by means of the lid member 60. A tether 70 couples the lid member 60 with the inner panels 22A and 22B through the constantly-open type venthole 18A.

Abstract: An airbag is constructed such that a gas-discharging amount from a venthole becomes largest when an occupant contacts a center portion, in the left and right direction, of an occupant-facing surface of the expanded airbag. In the airbag, a hanging strap couples a center portion of a front panel and a rear panel. A lid body covers an open-and-close venthole from outside the airbag, and the hanging strap is coupled by a tether. In a case that the airbag is expanded, the hanging strap and the tether are tensed, and the lid body is brought to a state to close the open-and-close venthole. A loosening amount of the hanging strap and the tether becomes largest when an occupant contacts the center portion of the front panel to retreat, and an opening amount of the open-and-close venthole also becomes largest.

Abstract: An occupant restraint device 10 in which a bag is disposed without being folded includes a bag 12 disposed above the seat pan 8 and being inflatable to push a front portion of the seat cushion from below, and a gas generator for inflating the bag 12. The bag 12 is disposed on the seat pan 8 in a flattened state without being folded.

Abstract: An occupant restraint device having a high degree of freedom in attachment of an airbag is provided. A retainer 16 is applied to the inner surface of a lower portion of an airbag 12. A stub bolt 20 projecting downward from the lower surface of the retainer 16 is inserted in a bolt insertion hole 12a of the airbag 12, and a first nut 24 is screwed on the stud bolt 20 via a backing plate 22 from outside the airbag 12. Thereby, the airbag 12 is connected to the retainer 16. A gas generator 14 is connected to the retainer 16 by a bracket 30. The stud bolt 20 is disposed on the rear side from a center line of the airbag 12.

Abstract: An occupant protection device is provided which protects an occupant by inflating a seat bag and a lap bag. When a vehicle collision is detected, gas generators are activated and discharge gas. The gas from one of the gas generators inflates a tube. As a result, a front portion of a cushion pad of a seat cushion is pushed upward or hardened and the hips of the occupant are prevented from moving forward. A lap bag also inflates and restrains the hips of the occupant. In one form, a lap anchor inflates so that pretension is applied to a lap portion and the hips of the occupant are pushed downward. Therefore, the thighs and hips of the occupant are pushed between the lap portion and the front portion of the cushion pad which is pushed upward or hardened and are strongly restrained in the seat.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an occupant restraint apparatus are provided which allow the force applied to a nearby occupant to be optimized in response to collision conditions. In one form, a method for controlling an occupant restraint apparatus includes detecting an obstacle in a travelling direction of a vehicle that may potentially collide with the vehicle; predicting a type of collision between the obstacle detected and the vehicle; setting conditions for expanding an airbag of the vehicle based on the collision type predicted; and controlling the expansion of the airbag and/or gas discharge from the airbag according to the conditions set at the setting step. Detecting the obstacle preferably includes detecting the position and relative speed of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle based on images of views in the travelling direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus includes an airbag, a gas generator, a retainer to which the airbag and the gas generator are attached, and a module cover for covering the folded airbag. The airbag has a front panel, a rear panel, and an inner panel for partitioning the airbag interior into a first chamber and a second chamber. The inner panel has communication ports for communication of inflation gas between the first chamber and the second chamber. In an inflated state, at least a portion of the communication ports is disposed in a section of the inner panel below an upper end of a leg portion of the module cover. Gas discharged from gas discharge ports is supplied to the second chamber via the communication ports. Inflation of the second chamber, therefore, is accomplished in an early stage of airbag deployment.

Abstract: An inflator having at least first and second gas outputs and configured to generate gas. The inflator releases the gas through the first gas output with a fist gas flow rats and to release the gas through the second gas output with a second gas flow rate different from the first gas flow rate.

Abstract: A knee-bag to be inflated in front of an occupant leg includes a first member facing the occupant, a second member facing the first member, and a tether provided in the knee-bag for connecting the first member and the second member. The tether extends in a lateral direction and has end portions in a thickness direction of the knee-bag, and lateral ends in the lateral direction. At least one of the lateral ends has a portion located inwardly in the lateral direction so that air-flow spaces are formed between a left end of the tether and a left side of the knee-bag and between a right end of the tether and a right side of the knee-bag.

Abstract: An airbag device is provided to reduce the deployment force of an airbag when a vehicle occupant or a child seat is positioned adjacent to an airbag device or a vehicle-body component adjacent to the airbag device. In one form, a passenger-seat airbag device is set in an instrument panel and includes a bracket which is fixed to a vehicle-body member with, for example, a bolt. A strain gauge is attached to the bracket. If a vehicle occupant or a child seat is positioned adjacent to the airbag device, and when an airbag in the process of inflation comes into contact with, for example, a vehicle occupant, the opposing force is transmitted to the bracket via a retainer, such that a strain which is different from that of the normal deployment process is generated in the bracket and detected by the strain gauge for reducing airbag deployment force.

Abstract: A knee-bag to be inflated in front of legs of an occupant includes a first member facing the occupant, a second member facing a side opposite to the occupant, and a tether provided in the knee-bag for connecting the first member and the second member. The tether extends in a lateral direction and has a middle portion and end portions in a thickness direction of the knee-bag. The middle portion has a width in the lateral direction smaller than that of the end portions, so that air-flow spaces are formed between a left end of the tether and a left side of the airbag and between a right end of the tether and a right side of the airbag.

Abstract: A leg-protection device is disposed under a steering column for protecting a vehicle occupant. The leg-protection device includes an airbag to be inflated upwardly along a bottom surface of a steering-column cover and a projecting member provided at the airbag and projecting from a front end portion of the airbag in a inflating direction when the airbag is inflated.

Abstract: An airbag device is provided to prevent an airbag from being deployed or to reduce the deployment force of an airbag when an airbag device or a vehicle-body component adjacent to the airbag device is leaned against by a vehicle occupant. In one form, a passenger-seat airbag device is set in an instrument panel and includes a bracket which is fixed to a vehicle-body member with, for example, a bolt. A strain gauge is attached to the bracket. When a lid covering the front side of a retainer is leaned against by a vehicle occupant, the weight of the occupant is transmitted to the bracket via the retainer, such that a small strain is generated in the bracket. Such a strain is detected by the strain gauge to allow the deployment force of the airbag to be reduced.

Abstract: A knee bag to be inflated upwardly from below in front of legs of a vehicle occupant includes an upper part constituting a constant width portion having a substantially constant lateral width, and a lower part below the constant width portion having a lateral width decreasing toward a lower end. Tethers extending laterally are provided vertically in the knee bag in multistage, and an upper tether has a longer lateral length. Vent spaces are formed between respective lateral ends of the tethers and lateral edges of the knee bag. The uppermost tether is located in the vicinity of or above a boundary between the constant width portion and a narrow width portion.

Abstract: A kneebag is arranged to be inflated upwardly from below in front of legs of an occupant in a vehicle. In an inflated state, the kneebag has a thickness at an upper portion thereof larger than that of a middle portion in a vertical direction of the kneebag except left and right side portions thereof.