Patents by Inventor Tadahiro Igawa

Tadahiro Igawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7040655
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus including a vent hole that is reliably opened when the pressure of an airbag has reached a predetermined level. An apparatus includes inner and outer bags placed in a retainer in folded conditions and the retainer is closed by a module cover. The retainer has a vent hole. The vent hole is closed by a lid or sheet type closing structure. The module cover is pushed open by the inflation pressure of the inner bag. The gas in the inner bag is discharged into the outer bag to inflate the outer bag. When the inner pressure of the outer bag has reached a predetermined level, the closing structure opens to open the vent hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiro Igawa, Weixin Gu
  • Patent number: 7000941
    Abstract: A cover for an air bag device that enables an emblem to be secured to the cover in an extremely simple manner. The cover (module cover) has a recess for receiving the emblem. An extension of the emblem is extended through a hole in the cover. A distal end of the extension is bent along a rear side of the cover. A rib is pressed and welded by a thermal or ultrasonic welding element to form a welding body. The welding body covers the distal end of the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Keishi Yokota, Tadahiro Igawa, Ichizo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6981719
    Abstract: A front panel and a rear panel of an airbag are connected to each other by a strap. Both ends of the strap are connected to the rear panel, and an intermediate portion thereof passes through openings of strap inserting members provided in an upper portion and a lower portion of the front panel. After the airbag is inflated, when an occupant comes to contact with the lower portion of the front panel, the lower portion of the front panel retreats and the restriction on the upper portion of the front panel by the strap is relieved by the sliding of the strap. Thus, the upper portion of the front panel is further expanded forwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiro Igawa
  • Patent number: 6951349
    Abstract: A cover for an air bag device that enables an emblem to be secured to the cover in an extremely simple manner. The cover (module cover) has a recess for receiving the emblem. An extension of the emblem is extended through a hole in the cover. A distal end of the extension is bent along a rear side of the cover. A rib is pressed and welded by a thermal or ultrasonic welding element to form a welding body. The welding body covers the distal end of the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Keishi Yokota, Tadahiro Igawa, Ichizo Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20050156409
    Abstract: A cover for an air bag device that enables an emblem to be secured to the cover in an extremely simple manner. The cover (module cover) has a recess for receiving the emblem. An extension of the emblem is extended through a hole in the cover. A distal end of the extension is bent along a rear side of the cover. A rib is pressed and welded by a thermal or ultrasonic welding element to form a welding body. The welding body covers the distal end of the extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Keishi Yokota, Tadahiro Igawa, Ichizo Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20050156416
    Abstract: A cover for an air bag device that enables an emblem to be secured to the cover in an extremely simple manner. The cover (module cover) has a recess for receiving the emblem. An extension of the emblem is extended through a hole in the cover. A distal end of the extension is bent along a rear side of the cover. A rib is pressed and welded by a thermal or ultrasonic welding element to form a welding body. The welding body covers the distal end of the extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Keishi Yokota, Tadahiro Igawa, Ichizo Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20050156410
    Abstract: A cover for an air bag device that enables an emblem to be secured to the cover in an extremely simple manner. The cover (module cover) has a recess for receiving the emblem. An extension of the emblem is extended through a hole in the cover. A distal end of the extension is bent along a rear side of the cover. A rib is pressed and welded by a thermal or ultrasonic welding element to form a welding body. The welding body covers the distal end of the extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Keishi Yokota, Tadahiro Igawa, Ichizo Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20040256848
    Abstract: An airbag constructing technology is provided that is useful for improving the protection of a driver upon the occurrence of a vehicle accident, and related techniques. The airbag apparatus to be mounted on an automotive two-wheeler has an airbag which is inflated in a driver-protecting area formed in front of the driver upon the occurrence of a front vehicle collision. This airbag has a tether connecting inner wall surfaces facing each other of the airbag. Inflation of the vehicle rear side wall of the airbag toward the driver is regulated via the tether. Inflation of the vehicle front side wall of the airbag toward the front vehicle is allowed. This tether is prepared by sewing first to third tether component pieces to each other sewn to the inner wall surface of the airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Miyata, Tadahiro Igawa, Tomohiro Sawa
  • Patent number: 6827171
    Abstract: An externally-developed air bag device is provided in which the air bag thereof is quickly and smoothly inflated in its entirety. Both end sides of the air bag 1 in the longitudinal direction that run over from the case 2 of the air bag 1, are folded back to the central side of the air bag along the short sides 2b of the case 2. Then, the portions running over from the long sides 2a of the case 2 are folded up in a bellows shape or in a roll shape, and are accommodated into the case 2. The gas from an inflator 4 substantially simultaneously inflates the central side of the air bag and both sides thereof in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiro Igawa
  • Publication number: 20040140651
    Abstract: A cover for an air bag device that enables an emblem to be secured to the cover in an extremely simple manner. The cover (module cover) has a recess for receiving the emblem. An extension of the emblem is extended through a hole in the cover. A distal end of the extension is bent along a rear side of the cover. A rib is pressed and welded by a thermal or ultrasonic welding element to form a welding body. The welding body covers the distal end of the extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: TAKATA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keishi Yokota, Tadahiro Igawa, Ichizo Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20040135352
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus including a vent hole that is reliably opened the pressure of an airbag has reached a predetermined level. An apparatus includes inner and outer bags placed in a retainer in folded conditions and the retainer is closed by a module cover. The retainer has a vent hole. The vent hole is closed by a lid or sheet type closing structure. The module cover is pushed open by the inflation pressure of the inner bag. The gas in the inner bag is discharged into the outer bag to inflate the outer bag. When the inner pressure of the outer bag has reached a predetermined level, the closing structure opens to open the vent hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: TAKATA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Igawa, Weixin Gu
  • Patent number: 6692016
    Abstract: A cover for an air bag device that enables an emblem to be secured to the cover in an extremely simple manner. The cover (module cover) has a recess for receiving the emblem. An extension of the emblem is extended through a hole in the cover. A distal end of the extension is bent along a rear side of the cover. A rib is pressed and welded by a thermal or ultrasonic welding element to form a welding body. The welding body covers the distal end of the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Keishi Yokota, Tadahiro Igawa, Ichizo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6688637
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus having a retainer that can be employed with various embodiments of a horn switch that is turned on by the floating movement of a module cover. The apparatus includes an opening formed on a leg section of a module cover and a hook of a retainer, a predetermined gap is formed, thereby the module cover can be vertically moved. When the module cover is pressed, a horn switch is pressed so as to be turned on. Because a horn-switch supporting member is a separated part from the retainer, the retainer can be common to various models of the airbag apparatus having the module cover different in size and shape by changing only the horn-switch supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiro Igawa, Masahiro Hasebe, Kazuhiro Abe
  • Patent number: 6679522
    Abstract: An inflatable airbag includes a rearwardly directed surface to be contacted by the occupant when expanded, an end located at a side opposite to the rearwardly directed surface and having a hole for receiving an inflation gas, and laterally spaced side surfaces extending between the rearwardly directed surface and the end, and oriented substantially vertically in the passenger compartment. The side surfaces have inwardly extending depressions formed in a middle portion of each side surface of the airbag as viewed in a vertical direction and located away from the rearwardly directed surface to restrict movement of the inflation gas inside the airbag when the occupant hits the inflated airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiro Igawa
  • Publication number: 20030234525
    Abstract: To provide an airbag apparatus in which gas from a gas generator can be prevented from directly colliding with an airbag thereof, thereby easing the requirements of heat resistance on the airbag via a gas generator that is inserted through an aperture of an airbag and is fixed to the periphery of the aperture by a band around them. A retaining member is fitted around the gas generator and is fixed to a casing by bolts. Both sides and a lower side of a portion of the gas generator where gas ports are formed are surrounded by side walls and a bottom of the retaining member as a gas-flow deflecting member. Gas spewed through gas ports are prevented from directly colliding with parts of the airbag near the gas ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiro Igawa
  • Publication number: 20030214121
    Abstract: An air bag apparatus is provided having an air bag that is configured to include portions that correspond to the rider motions generated in motorcycle accidents. The air bag apparatus has an air bag provided on a motorcycle and which includes a first expansion part which is expanded toward a rider protection region which is formed above a body constituent part of the motorcycle and in front of the motorcycle rider in the case of the forward collision of the motorcycle; and a second expansion part which is expanded toward a rider protection region at pitching which is formed in front of the motorcycle rider in the pitching of the motorcycle around a front wheel due to the forward collision of the motorcycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Miyata, Tadahiro Igawa
  • Patent number: 6619691
    Abstract: A passenger-side airbag device is formed of a container to be installed in an instrument panel in front of a passenger seat, a gas generator connected to the container, and an airbag accommodated in the container to be inflated by a gas generated by the gas generator. The airbag is connected to the container at a periphery around a gas inlet. The airbag includes a bulk portion formed by folding the airbag, and a peripheral area has a first length between a windshield side of the container and the bulk portion, and a second length between as occupant side of the container and the bulk portion. The first length is longer than the second length. The airbag can smoothly deploy toward the occupant on the passenger seat, not toward the windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiro Igawa
  • Publication number: 20030168842
    Abstract: A front panel and a rear panel of an airbag are connected to each other by a strap. Both ends of the strap are connected to the rear panel, and an intermediate portion thereof passes through openings of strap inserting members provided in an upper portion and a lower portion of the front panel. After the airbag is inflated, when an occupant comes to contact with the lower portion of the front panel, the lower portion of the front panel retreats and the restriction on the upper portion of the front panel by the strap is relieved by the sliding of the strap. Thus, the upper portion of the front panel is further expanded forwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: TAKATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadahiro Igawa
  • Patent number: 6616176
    Abstract: An airbag device which is easily aligned in an instrument panel and which includes a lid that does not lift from the instrument panel. The airbag device includes a retainer, an airbag folded and accommodated in the retainer, a lid for covering the opening of the retainer, and an inflator for deploying the airbag. The device includes a belt wrapped around the outside of the retainer. The ends of the belt are connected to the lid. The edge of the opening of the instrument panel includes two steps. The first step supports the edge of the lid and the second step supports a spacer. The belt has an elastically deformable portion that stretches to ensure that the belt remains in elastic contact with the bottom of the retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Uchiyama, Tadahiro Igawa
  • Patent number: 6585292
    Abstract: An airbag is folded into a predetermined shape and is held by a shape-maintaining member or rubber strap to keep its shape. Both ends of the rubber strap are attached to the airbag by sewing portions. When the airbag is inflated with gas from an inflator, the rubber strap is detached, so that the airbag rapidly expands. In the airbag device with the shape-maintaining member, the shape of the folded airbag can be maintained, so that the airbag can be easily assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Abe, Noriyuki Kosugi, Tadahiro Igawa