Occupant restraint system

- Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.

An occupant restraint system includes a box-like container having a base wall and side walls joined to the base wall and a folded inflatable cushion within the container. Tear lines in the form of a groove are formed on the base wall so as to define a pair of tongues forcibly separable from the container and a pair of flaps integrally hinged to the tongues and forcibly separable from the container for movement between a normally closed position and an open position upon inflation and deployment of the cushion. The tongues and flaps are located substantially entirely within the base wall and are separable from the container and movable to the open position so as to permit deployment of the cushion through the base wall.

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Claims

1. An occupant restraint system comprising:

a container including a base wall, a first pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall, and a second pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall;
a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said container, said cushion being folded to provide a cushion portion adjacent said base wall of said container;
a first tear line extending across said base wall and having opposite ends in said base wall;
second tear lines extending through said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having two ends in said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from said two ends of each of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define an integrally hinged pair of tongues forcibly separable from said container by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, said third tear lines terminate before said first tear line;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a pair of flaps integrally hinged to said pair of tongues and forcibly separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion.

2. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tongues have an area smaller than an area of said flaps.

3. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tongues are formed with recessed portions, respectively.

4. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said recessed portions have a thickness smaller than a thickness of the flaps and larger than a thickness of the base wall in said first and second tear lines.

5. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tongues have an entire thickness smaller than a thickness of the flaps and larger than a thickness of the base wall in said first and second tear lines.

6. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tongues have a hinge line about which said tongues rotate, and said tongues have a width in a direction parallel to the respective hinge line and a length in a direction perpendicular to the respective hinge line.

7. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said flaps include a portion coextending with the length of the corresponding tongues and are larger in length than the corresponding tongues.

8. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first, second and third tear lines are in the form of a groove, respectively.

9. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising fourth tear lines extending at an angle from terminal ends of said third tear lines.

11. An occupant restraint system comprising:

a container including a base wall, a first pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall, and a second pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall;
a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said container, said cushion being folded to provide a cushion portion adjacent said base wall of said container;
a first tear line extending across said base wall and having opposite ends in said base wall;
second tear lines extending through said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having two ends in said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from said two ends of each of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define an integrally hinged pair of tongues forcibly separable from said container by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a pair of flaps integrally hinged to said pair of tongues and forcibly separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, and wherein the dimension of each said flap that is parallel to said first tear line is larger than the dimension of the respective tongue that is parallel to said first tear line.

12. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said tongues have an area smaller than an area of said flaps.

13. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said tongues are formed with recessed portions, respectively.

14. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said recessed portions have a thickness smaller than a thickness of the flaps and larger than a thickness of the base wall in said first and second tear lines.

15. A occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said tongues have an entire thickness smaller than a thickness of the flaps and larger than a thickness of the base wall in said first and second tear lines.

16. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said tongues have a hinge line about which said tongues rotate, and said tongues have a width in a direction parallel to the respective hinge line and a length in a direction perpendicular to the respective hinge line.

17. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first, second and third tear lines are in the form of a groove respectively.

18. An occupant restraint system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising fourth tear lines extending at an angle from terminal ends of said third tear lines.

20. An occupant restraint system comprising:

a container including a base wall, a first pair of spaced side walls Joined to said base wall, and a second pair of spaced side walls Joined to said base wall;
a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said container, said cushion being folded to provide a cushion portion adjacent said base wall of said container;
a first tear line extending across said base wall and having opposite ends in said base wall;
second tear lines extending through said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having two ends in said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from said two ends of each of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define an integrally hinged plurality of tongues forcibly separable from said container by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, said third tear lines terminating before said first tear line;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a plurality of flaps integrally hinged to said plurality of tongues and forcibly separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion..Iaddend..Iadd.21. An occupant restraint system comprising:
a container including a base wall, a first pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall, and a second pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall;
a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said container, said cushion being folded to provide a cushion portion adjacent said base wall of said container;
a first tear line extending across said base wall and having opposite ends in said base wall;
second tear lines extending through said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having two ends in said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from said two ends of each of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define an integrally hinged plurality of tongues forcibly separable from said container by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a plurality of flaps integrally hinged to said plurality of tongues and forcibly separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, and wherein the dimension of each of said plurality of flaps that is parallel to said first tear line is larger than the dimension of each of the plurality of tongues that is parallel to said first tear line..Iaddend..Iadd.22. An occupant restraint system comprising:
a container including a base wall, a first pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall, and a second pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall;
a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said container, said cushion being folded to provide a cushion portion adjacent said base wall of said container;
a first tear line extending across said base wall and having opposite ends in said base wall;
second tear lines extending from said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having an end in said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from the ends of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define an integrally hinged tongue forcibly separable from said container by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, said third tear lines terminating before said first tear line;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a flap integrally hinged to said tongue and forcibly separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion.

.Iaddend..Iadd.23. An occupant restraint system comprising:

a container including a base wall, a first pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall, and a second pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall;
a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said container, said cushion being folded to provide a cushion portion adjacent said base wall of said container;
a first tear line extending across said base wall and having opposite ends in said base wall;
second tear lines extending from said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having an end in said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from the ends of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define an integrally hinged tongue forcibly separable from said container by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a flap integrally hinged to said tongue and forcibly separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, and wherein the dimension of said flap that is parallel to said first tear line is larger than the dimension of the tongue that is parallel to said first tear line..Iaddend..Iadd.24. An occupant restraint system comprising:
a container including a base wall and a pair of spaced side walls joined to said base wall;
a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said container, said cushion being folded to provide a cushion portion adjacent said base wall of said container;
a first tear line extending across said base wall and having opposite ends in said base wall;
second tear lines extending from said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having an end in said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from the ends of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define an integrally hinged tongue forcibly separable from said container by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, said third tear lines terminating before said first tear line;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a flap integrally hinged to said tongue and forcibly separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion.

.Iaddend..Iadd.25. A container for a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion for an occupant restraint system comprising:

a base wall having a substantially planar portion adapted to contain the folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion, with a cushion portion adjacent said base wall;
a first tear line extending across the substantially planar portion of said base wall and having opposite ends in the substantially planar portion of said base wall;
second tear lines extending from said opposite ends of said first tear line and along a peripheral edge of said base wall, respectively, each of said second tear lines having an end in the substantially planar portion of said base wall; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from the ends of said second tear lines toward said first tear line in the substantially planar portion of the base wall to define an integrally hinged tongue forcibly separable from said base wall by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion, said third tear lines terminating in the substantially planar portion of the base wall before said first tear line;
said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperating to define a flap integrally hinged to said tongue and forcibly separable from said base wall and movable between a normally closed position and an open position by said cushion portion of said inflatable cushion.

.Iaddend..Iadd.26. In a container with a base wall, for an occupant restraint system, comprising a tongue and flap disposed in the base wall of the container, wherein the base wall has a substantially planar portion, and wherein the tongue and flap are bounded by:

a first tear line having opposite ends in the substantially planar portion;
second tear lines extending from said opposite ends of said first tear line, each of said second tear lines having a distal end in the substantially planar portion; and
third tear lines extending at an angle from the ends of said second tear lines in the substantially planar portion toward said first tear line to define said tongue which is integrally hinged to said base wall and is adapted to be forcibly separable from said base wall, said third tear lines terminating in the substantially planar portion before said first tear line;
wherein said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperate to define said flap which is integrally hinged to said tongue and is adapted to be separable from said base wall and movable between a normally closed position and an open position..Iaddend..Iadd.27. In an occupant restraint system which includes a container with a base wall having a substantially planar portion, and a foldable occupant restraint cushion within the container, wherein the improvement comprises:
a tongue and flat in the base wall which comprises:
a first tear line having opposite ends in the substantially planar portion;
second tear lines extending from said opposite ends of said first tear line, each of said second tear lines having a distal end in the substantially planar portion; and
third tear lines extending in the substantially planar portion at an angle from the distal ends of said second tear lines toward said first tear line to define said tongue which is integrally hinged to said container and is adapted to be forcibly separable from said container, said third tear lines terminating in the substantially planar portion before said first tear line;
wherein said first tear line and said second tear lines cooperate to define said flap which is integrally hinged to said tongue and is adapted to be separable from said container and movable between a normally closed position and an open position..Iaddend.
Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4148503 April 10, 1979 Shiratori et al.
4878689 November 7, 1989 Mitzukus et al.
4903986 February 27, 1990 Cok et al.
5085461 February 4, 1992 Shibata
5183289 February 2, 1993 Zeller et al.
5201541 April 13, 1993 Jones et al.
5280946 January 25, 1994 Adams et al.
5286055 February 15, 1994 Zushi
Foreign Patent Documents
551732 July 1993 EPX
53-24693 July 1978 JPX
58-64945 April 1983 JPX
4-27638 January 1992 JPX
4-15145 January 1992 JPX
Patent History
Patent number: RE36003
Type: Grant
Filed: Jan 24, 1997
Date of Patent: Dec 22, 1998
Assignee: Nihon Plast Co., Ltd. (Fuji)
Inventor: Izumi Sato (Fuji)
Primary Examiner: Peter C. English
Law Firm: Foley & Lardner
Application Number: 8/787,128
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 280/7283
International Classification: B60R 2120;