Plural Compartment Confinement (e.g., "bag Within A Bag") Patents (Class 280/729)
  • Patent number: 9108589
    Abstract: An airbag assembly can include an airbag cushion and a protective flap. In some arrangements, the protective flap is positioned over at least a portion of an inflatable region of the airbag cushion to prevent the inflatable region of the airbag cushion from being pinched due to securement of the airbag cushion to a mounting member via which the airbag assembly can be secured to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: Roger Rickenbach, Terry Alan Wheelwright, Don Parker, Andy Holliday, Megan Donehue
  • Patent number: 9108588
    Abstract: A curtain airbag device comprising: a main deploying portion that, at a time when at least one of a small overlap impact or an oblique impact arises, receives a supply of gas and expands, and is deployed in a shape of a curtain; an auxiliary deploying portion that is provided at a front side of the main deploying portion, and that, at a time when at least one of a small overlap impact or an oblique impact arises, receives a supply of gas and is expanded and deployed; and a connecting portion that has an expanding portion that receives a supply of gas from the main deploying portion and is expanded at an outer side in a vehicle width direction of the auxiliary deploying portion, and the connecting portion connects a front end side portion of a front pillar, and a front end side portion of the main deploying portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kiasha
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9085280
    Abstract: A vehicle side airbag device includes: an inflator provided in a side portion on an outside, in a vehicle width direction, of a seat back of a vehicle seat, and generating gas by being activated when a vehicle side collision is detected or anticipated; and a side airbag provided in the side portion, and having front and rear bag portions, the side airbag being inflated and deployed by the gas from the inflator, a shoulder restraining portion provided in an upper portion of the rear bag portion being interposed between a shoulder of a seated occupant and a vehicle body side portion, and an inflated thickness in the vehicle width direction of a region that includes the shoulder restraining portion being expanded by an inflation-suppressing sewn portion applied to the region fraying or tearing due to an increase in internal pressure of the rear bag portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunichi Katsumata
  • Patent number: 9056592
    Abstract: An opposing airbag contacts the primary inflating airbag to counter or modulate the thrust or force of the primary airbag, wherein the force of the primary airbag may be reduced dependent upon the size of the seated person of unusual size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Eric Vance Kline
  • Publication number: 20150145234
    Abstract: An airbag assembly may include an inflatable curtain airbag with a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The inflatable curtain may have a first chamber and a second chamber that inflates forward of the first chamber. The second chamber may be separated from the first chamber by a non-inflating region. The non-inflating region may have a width selected such that in-plane bending of the inflatable curtain occurs during deployment. The in-plane bending may position the second chamber lower than the first chamber such that the second chamber overlaps a significant portion of a door adjacent to the inflatable curtain. Forward and rearward portions of the non-inflating region may be attached together to form a fold that decreases the width of the non-inflating region, thereby enhancing the in-plane bending. The second chamber may also bend out-of-plane relative to the first chamber to help provide protection in small overlap collision situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaohong Wang, Takayuki Makioka
  • Publication number: 20150137493
    Abstract: A vehicle side airbag device includes: an inflator for generating gas by activation; a bag body provided in a side portion of a seatback of a vehicle seat and configured to be inflated and deployed toward a vehicle front side relative to the side portion when the gas is supplied thereinside; and a partition portion partitioning the bag body into a front bag portion and a rear bag portion to be inflated at a higher pressure than the front bag portion and having a thicker inflation width in a vehicle width direction than that of the front bag portion, the partition portion being overlapping with a central part of a shoulder of a sitting occupant in an inflated and deployed state in a side view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Yusuke FUJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20150137492
    Abstract: A steering wheel is locatable between an operational position at a driver seat of a vehicle and a stowed position in the vehicle. A first airbag is coupled to the steering wheel, and a multi-stage airbag laterally overlaps the driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle next to the driver seat. A controller includes instructions for detecting a frontal collision, locating the steering wheel, deploying the first airbag at the driver seat and the multi-stage airbag at the passenger seat when the steering wheel is in the operational position, and deploying the multi-stage airbag at the driver and passenger seats when the steering wheel is in the stowed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Manoharprasad K. Rao, Jialiang Le
  • Patent number: 9027956
    Abstract: An object is to prevent an airbag from bursting out toward an occupant and to inflate and deploy the airbag in a stable manner. An inner bag (30A) inflates with gas supplied from an inflator (3). An outer bag (20) inflates with the gas supplied through a flow port (31) in the inner bag (30A). A connecting member (7) is disposed in the inner bag (30A) and connects an inner surface of the inner bag (30A) and a front surface of the outer bag (20). As the outer bag (20) inflates, the connecting member (7) is drawn out of the inflated inner bag (30A), moving the front surface of the outer bag (20) in the occupant direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Yamaji
  • Patent number: 9027957
    Abstract: A side airbag apparatus includes an airbag that can form a plurality of chambers with a single inflator and protects an occupant from an impact on a side door by deploying the airbag between the occupant and the side door. The chambers of the airbag includes a vehicle sidewall chamber that can be deployed around a shoulder region of the occupant and a compartment chamber that is disposed closer to the inner side of an occupant compartment in the vehicle width direction than the vehicle sidewall chamber and can be deployed around a chest region of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyoshi Baba, Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 9016717
    Abstract: A side curtain-roof airbag for a motor vehicle is provided. The side curtain-roof airbag includes a side chamber, a roof chamber, and a corner chamber located between said side and roof chambers. In addition, the corner chamber is separate from the side and corner chambers when the side curtain-roof airbag is in a deployed position. The corner chamber is separate from the side and roof chambers via a chamber wall. Also, the chamber wall may or may not have a plurality of vents such that the corner chamber is in fluid communication with the side and roof chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Clauser, Palaniappan Palaniappan
  • Publication number: 20150102589
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for packing or deploying airbag cushions, such as driver side airbag cushions, to improve unfolding kinematics and/or otherwise improve performance. In some implementations of methods for packing an airbag cushion, a first portion of an airbag cushion may be compressed and then secured in a compressed configuration using a first wrap. A second portion of the airbag cushion may then be compressed and secured in a second compressed configuration using a second wrap. The resulting airbag cushion assembly may be configured to separate the wraps sequentially, rather than simultaneously, during inflation of the airbag cushion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: ChangSoo Choi, Brian Joseph Borton
  • Patent number: 9004526
    Abstract: A vehicular passive safety device includes a vehicular seat, a far-side airbag device, and a roof airbag device. The vehicular seat has a seat cushion and a seat back. In the far-side airbag device, a far-side airbag that is accommodated in a lateral portion of the seat back located inside in a vehicle width direction is supplied with a gas from a far-side inflator, and is expanded and deployed forward of the lateral portion with respect to a vehicle. In the roof airbag device, a roof airbag that is accommodated in a ceiling portion of a vehicle body is supplied with a gas from a roof inflator, and is expanded and deployed downward of the ceiling portion, and the expanded and deployed roof airbag abuts on or faces an upper portion of the expanded and deployed far-side airbag from inside in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Daisaku Ito
  • Patent number: 9004527
    Abstract: A curtain air bag system includes a curtain air bag that is housed folded up in an upper edge portion of a door opening, and that includes a first deployment portion that deploys when a vehicle is collided with in a side collision as well as when the vehicle rolls over, and a second deployment portion that deploys at least when the vehicle rolls over, by receiving a supply of gas. The first deployment portion deploys in a cylindrical shape extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, above a belt line such that a rear end side of the first deployment portion overlaps with a center pillar when viewed from a side of the vehicle, and the second deployment portion deploys such that a lower end extends below the belt line, in a position not overlapping with the first deployment portion when viewed from the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Kato, Yosuke Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20150097359
    Abstract: An airbag assembly may include an airbag with a first fabric panel, a second fabric panel attached to the first fabric panel, and a third fabric panel attached to the second fabric panel. The first and second fabric panels may define a first inflatable cushion and the second and third fabric panels may define a C-shaped second inflatable cushion. Upon deployment, the first inflatable cushion may have a first pressure and the second inflatable cushion may have a second pressure greater than the first pressure. Further, the first inflatable cushion may be positioned directly outboard of the thoracic region and the second inflatable cushion may be positioned directly outboard of the acromial region and the coxal region, but not the thoracic region, to provide gentler cushioning for the thoracic region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Rickenbach, Terry A. Wheelwright, Don Parker, Andy Holliday, Megan Donahue
  • Patent number: 8998250
    Abstract: A curtain airbag for a vehicle includes a main chamber shaped in such a way that, in a position being mounted on the vehicle, in the inflated state the main chamber covers an inner side structure of the vehicle. The curtain airbag further includes an additional chamber which, in the mounting position, is located on the in driving direction of the vehicle front portion of the main chamber, and deploys in the direction of the interior of the vehicle when the curtain airbag is inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Dion Kruse, Jan Mazanek
  • Patent number: 8998249
    Abstract: An airbag device for a vehicle including at least one airbag housing interface chamber that attaches to an airbag housing; at least one airbag cushion chamber downstream of the at least one interface chamber; an elbow that fluidly connects the housing interface chamber with the cushion chamber and configured so that it controllably regulates gas flow into the at least one airbag cushion chamber; the elbow having an internal configuration, which includes at least one opening that permits back and forth gas flow between the elbow and the least one airbag cushion chamber, and which controls the directional deployment of the airbag cushion chamber so that upon deployment the downstream end of the cushion chamber exits an airbag housing outwardly in a first direction and then in at least one second direction, so that the direction of deployment of the cushion chamber changes in direction to thereby wrap at least partially around a structure of a vehicle of the vehicle and at least temporarily interpose the cushion
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Tanaka, Jonathon David Ruddy, Dennis Ames Burton, Kimberly Cole
  • Patent number: 8998252
    Abstract: A restraint system for a motor vehicle unfolds from a storage position to a restraint position. The unfolding is carried out by at least one supporting structure that can be inflated by a gas pressure source; and in the restraining position, the occupant is provided with a carrier volume for restraining the occupant in the displacement position, whereby the carrier volume is enclosed by at least one carrier structure. The dimension of the restraint system is adapted to the respective load condition, and the flexible carrier structure is fixed for enclosing the carrier volume by inflating the supporting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Andreas Hirth, Lutz Quarg, Friedrich Reiter, Clark Ruedebusch
  • Publication number: 20150091279
    Abstract: An airbag includes an outer shell defining an interior, at least one vent opening structured to enable fluid communication between the interior and an exterior of the airbag, and a divider dividing the airbag interior into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The divider is deflectable in a first direction toward the lower chamber and in a second direction toward the upper chamber. A vent cover is coupled to the at least one vent opening and to the divider so as to close over and restrict a flow of gas through the at least one vent opening when the divider is deflected in the first direction, and so as to permit the vent cover to open so as to enable an unobstructed flow of gas through the at least one vent opening when the divider is deflected in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher L. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20150091278
    Abstract: A seat-mounted airbag apparatus includes an inflator that is provided in a vehicle seat and generates gas by being activated; a shoulder airbag that is formed in a long bag shape and is housed in one side portion of a seatback of the vehicle seat, with one longitudinal end portion being fixed to a seatback frame, the shoulder airbag inflating and deploying by the gas being supplied there into, and extending from an upper end portion of the side portion toward a vehicle front side; and an expanding member that expands between the inflated and deployed shoulder airbag and the seatback frame, and that opposes one shoulder of a seated occupant from a side, and keeps the other longitudinal end portion of the shoulder airbag in a position opposing the one shoulder from the front.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Shiro Yasuoka
  • Patent number: 8991857
    Abstract: An airbag system (3) having a two-chamber airbag (4), wherein the main chamber has an impact surface (7) which the vehicle occupant can contact and a support surface (8) with the main chamber (5) supported on an interior fitting (2) of the vehicle. A secondary chamber (11) forms a support cushion for the main chamber (5), the main chamber (5) having a greater volume than the secondary chamber (11). The secondary chamber (11) is located between the support surface (8) and the interior fitting (2). The airbag (4) has an overflow protective element (24) between the main and secondary chambers (11). A first gas generator (16) inflates the main chamber (5) and a second gas generator (17) inflates the secondary chamber (11), wherein both generators (16, 17) or only the first generator (16) can be controlled for inflating the main chamber (5) as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Thierry Jacqmarcq, Remi Baillivet
  • Patent number: 8991858
    Abstract: A side airbag gas bag is provided for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car. The gas bag includes, but is not limited to an occupant region and a child seat region adjoining thereon, which with inflated gas bag optionally forms a recess for receiving a contour of a child seat or a volume for the lateral protection of an occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Ulrich Rick
  • Publication number: 20150084316
    Abstract: In a head protection airbag apparatus, an airbag includes an airbag body and a tension cloth. The airbag body has an end side inflation portion which is arranged in an end portion on the tension cloth side. The end side inflation portion is divided from other general inflation sections in the airbag body by a division portion. The tension cloth is in an arranged state so as to cover an inner vehicle side of the end side inflation portion, allows the base portion side to be joined to an front edge side of the end side inflation portion, is inserted into a slit formed in the division portion while being inverted so as to cover an outer vehicle side of the end side inflation portion, and allows the leading end side to be fixed to the vehicle body side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Masaaki OKUHARA, Koji KAWAMURA, Tatsuya HASHIDO
  • Publication number: 20150076801
    Abstract: A side airbag device for vehicle includes: a gas generator that is disposed in a seat cushion side part in a vehicular seat and generates a gas for inflation and deployment by actuation; and a side airbag in which the inside thereof is partitioned into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a up-down dividing tether having a connecting hole and the gas from the gas generator is supplied to the lower chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Yusuke Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20150074969
    Abstract: An integrated airbag in the inflated condition has a main airbag portion defining an upper chamber and a lower extended portion defining a chamber depending from the main airbag portion. The main airbag portion in the inflated condition acts against the head and torso of the occupant so as to generate a restraining force against the occupant, and the lower extended portion in the inflated condition acts against the pair of knees of the occupant so as to mitigate the femur forces on the knees of the motor vehicle occupant generated by contact with the lower portion of the instrument panel during the impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pardeep Kumar Jindal, Rahul Makwana
  • Publication number: 20150069741
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection device includes: a vehicle seat belt device containing a seat belt configured to restrain a occupant seating on a vehicle seat; an airbag which is provided on the seat belt in a folded state and in which the inside of an upper bag portion for restraining a head communicates with the inside of a lower bag portion for restraining a chest and an abdomen via a communicating portion; and an inflator which supplies gas into the lower bag portion when activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Katsuya SHIMAZU
  • Publication number: 20150061267
    Abstract: A vehicle side impact airbag has an inflator, a main inflatable chamber disposed for contact with the side arm of the vehicle occupant when inflated, and a separate laterally extending thoracic chamber in metered fluid communication with the main inflatable chamber of the side airbag extending laterally into the passenger compartment. The laterally extending thoracic chamber of the airbag is disposed for contact with the lower thoracic region of the vehicle occupant below the occupant side arm when inflated, whereby the side airbag simultaneously engages the occupant lower thoracic region and side arm when inflated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Michael Dong, Harish Honnavalli Dutt
  • Patent number: 8967660
    Abstract: A vehicle curtain airbag device is provided including: a curtain airbag including a main chamber that inflates and deploys to a vehicle width direction inside of a driving-seat-side side window due to being supplied with gas from an inflator installed to a vehicle, a delay chamber that is provided at a vehicle front-rear direction front side of the main chamber, and that completes inflation and deployment later than the main chamber upon receipt of the gas supply, and a sub chamber that is disposed on the vehicle width direction inside of the main chamber and that inflates and deploys so as to block off a gap formed between the main chamber and a driver's seat airbag that is inflated and deployed from a steering wheel; and a controller that inflates and deploys the driver's seat airbag and actuates the inflator in the event of a small overlap collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taguchi, Osamu Fukawatase
  • Publication number: 20150048602
    Abstract: A side airbag module for a vehicle includes an airbag cushion and an inflator to supply gas to the airbag cushion to deploy the airbag cushion. The airbag cushion includes first and second regions to protect a shoulder and a chest of an occupant, respectively, and, when the airbag cushion is initially deployed by driving of the inflator, the first region pushes the shoulder of the occupant toward an interior of a vehicle so that a portion of load applied from the second region to the chest of the occupant is moved to the shoulder of the occupant. When the airbag cushion is initially deployed due to vehicle collision, the shoulder of the occupant is pushed toward the interior of the vehicle to move the load applied to the chest of the occupant to the shoulder of the occupant, thereby minimizing the injury degree of the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Tae Ik Gwon, Soon Bok Lee, Do Hun Kim
  • Publication number: 20150042080
    Abstract: An airbag includes an outer shell defining an interior of the airbag, and a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into a first chamber and a second chamber. The divider includes a body portion and at least one flap attached to the body portion along an edge. The divider is attached to the outer shell so as to form a gas-tight seal between the outer shell and the body portion and so as to form a gas flow passage between the at least one flap and the outer shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Guerrero, Jaime F. Perez, Vivek Maripudi
  • Publication number: 20150035263
    Abstract: An airbag includes an outer shell defining an interior of the airbag, and a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into a first chamber and a second chamber. A valve mechanism is operatively coupled to the divider. The valve mechanism includes an opening enabling fluid communication between the first and second chambers, and a flap positioned in the second chamber overlying the opening. The flap is structured to deflect in a direction away from the opening responsive to a pressure differential urging a flow of gas from the first chamber through the opening into the second chamber. The flap is also structured to block the opening responsive to a reverse pressure differential urging a flow of gas from the second chamber through the opening into the first chamber. The flap includes at least one attachment edge along which the flap is attached to the divider and at least one non-attachment edge along which the flap is not attached to the divider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Michael D. Guerrero, Jaime F. Perez, Vivek Maripudi, Ryan Miller, Jason Hardesty, Andrew Solomon
  • Publication number: 20150035262
    Abstract: In an inflated and expanded state of a side airbag, a forwardly extending portion, provided at an upper portion of a rear side bag portion, extends from a side of a shoulder portion of a seated passenger toward a vehicle front side and is disposed above a front side bag portion. A dimension in a vehicle transverse direction of this forwardly extending portion is set to be smaller than that of the front side bag portion, and a vehicle transverse direction inner side surface at an upper end side of the front side bag portion is inclined or curved so as to rise-up while heading toward a vehicle transverse direction outer side. An upper arm portion is pushed-up due to sliding contact with this surface. Even when the seated passenger inertially toward an oblique front of a vehicle, the shoulder portion can be restrained by the forwardly extending portion .
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukushima, Shigeki Hayashi, Shinobu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150021887
    Abstract: An airbag main body is divided into a first inflation chamber, a second inflation chamber, and a third inflation chamber. The third inflation chamber is inflated beside the lumbar region of an occupant. The vertical partition has a communication hole that connects the first inflation chamber and the second inflation chamber to each other. The airbag main body has a gas passage, which extends in the up-down direction and surrounds at least the gas outlet of an inflator. The gas passage bridges the first inflation chamber and the third inflation chamber. The gas passage has an upper opening, which faces a part of the first inflation chamber that is inflated beside the shoulder region of the occupant. The gas passage also has a lower opening, which faces the third inflation chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Takuya HIRAIWA, Yuji SATO, Takashi IIDA, Masashi HOTTA
  • Patent number: 8925962
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag structure deploying an airbag at a predetermined designed position in an initial stage of deployment, while suppressing a swinging motion, to allow the airbag to continuously deploy and inflate toward a vehicle seat and reliably receive an occupant at an appropriate position. The vehicle airbag structure includes: an intermediate panel provided between a front panel and a rear panel; a joining the rear panel and the front panel to form an airbag; an intermediate panel forming a gas duct to guide inflator gas; and a gas circulation hole formed by a portion of the intermediate panel facing in a circumferential direction to generate, inside the airbag, a gas flow in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Akihiro Yamada
  • Publication number: 20150001835
    Abstract: In a front passenger seat airbag apparatus, a partition wall portion is disposed in an airbag to partition the inside of the airbag into a front chamber and a rear chamber. The entire outer circumferential edge of the partition wall portion is jointed with an outer circumferential wall of the airbag, and the partition wall portion includes a communication portion for communication between the front chamber and the rear chamber. The communication portion includes a flow rate control mechanism that controls a flow rate of inflation gas flowing from the front chamber into the rear chamber by increasing or decreasing an opening area of the communication portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Kenichi FUKURONO, Mikine HAYASHI, Takanori KOMATSU
  • Publication number: 20140375033
    Abstract: A roof airbag device includes a roof airbag housed in a part that includes a front end side in a vehicle longitudinal direction in a center part in a vehicle width direction of a roof. The roof airbag includes: a front deployed part that is deployed in front in a vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to an occupant such that a lower end side in a vehicle up-and-down direction overlaps with an instrument panel in an up-and-down direction in a rear view; a rear deployed part that is at least partially deployed between right and left seats; and a thin deployed part that is deployed in a state connected with the front deployed part and the rear deployed part and surrounded by these deployed part, and in non-inflation or in inflation at a thickness thinner than an inflation width of the inflated and deployed part in a vehicle width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Osamu Fukawatase
  • Publication number: 20140375034
    Abstract: An airbag, or inflatable curtain airbag assembly, can include one or more chambers and vents. The vents can be in fluid communication with one or more of the chambers. The vents can be configured to delay passage of inflation gas from an interior of the airbag into an interior chamber or to an exterior of the airbag upon deployment of the airbag. The vents can also be configured to transition from a closed configuration to an open configuration when an internal pressure of the airbag reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Roger Rickenbach, John D. Kemp, Charles Paul Dinsdale, Brian Fulmer, Abraham Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20140375032
    Abstract: A driver seat airbag system includes: an airbag that receives a supply of gas for inflation during a collision of a vehicle and is inflated and deployed between a steering wheel and an occupant in a driver seat; an inner bag that has a smaller capacity than the airbag, receives the supply of gas for inflation during the collision of the vehicle, and is inflated and deployed to the outside in a radial direction of a rim in a position on a rim side of the steering wheel in the airbag; and a check valve that inhibits outflow of the gas in the inner bag that is inflated and deployed to the airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8915519
    Abstract: An airbag is manufactured as follows. In a first joining step, peripheral portions of structural fabric portions that are located closer to the main body fabric portions at the installation are joined to the main body fabric portions in a spread state. In a second joining step, a part that is not overlaid onto the structural fabric portions is joined to the main body fabric portions, and a part that is overlaid onto the structural fabric portions is joined only to the structural fabric portions. In a third joining step, peripheral portions of the structural fabric portions that are separated away from the main body fabric portions at the installation are joined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Hotta, Yuji Sato, Kensaku Honda, Yoshiaki Goto, Akira Yamashita, Takashi Iida
  • Patent number: 8910974
    Abstract: There is provided an occupant protection device. An air bag device according to the present invention protects an occupant against an impact caused by a collision of a vehicle by inflating and expanding a head protection air bag body and a chest protection air bag body upon the impact which are housed in a center pad of a steering wheel, the occupant protection device including an inflation and expansion mode control unit configured to inflate and expand the head protection air bag body and the chest protection air bag body mutually independently in accordance with a collision mode of the vehicle, and to control inflation and expansion modes of the head protection air bag body and the chest protection air bag body when inflated and expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isamu Nagasawa, Noriyoshi Baba, Tetsuya Nakase
  • Publication number: 20140361520
    Abstract: A vehicle seat with a built-in cushion airbag device includes an inflator that produces gas by being activated; and a cushion airbag that is divided by a tether into a plurality of inflating portions including at least a rear-side inflating portion arranged on a seat lower side of a rear portion of a seat cushion, and a front-side inflating portion arranged to a seat front side of the rear-side inflating portion, and that inflates toward a seat upper side, with the front-side inflating portion becoming higher than the rear-side inflating portion, by the gas produced by the inflator being supplied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Yutaka Hirako
  • Patent number: 8905432
    Abstract: A curtain airbag capable of preventing a partial decrease in internal pressure to improve ejection prevention performance. The airbag includes: a main chamber, which inflates first; a delay chamber that is inflated with gas from the main chamber; a linear seam portion where front and back base fabrics are joined to partition the main chamber from the delay chamber; a planar seam portion formed at a lower end of the linear seam portion to define a non-inflation region in a range of the front and back base fabrics; and a gas inflow channel provided between the planar seam portion and the lower edge of the airbag to allow gas to flow from the main chamber into the delay chamber. The front and back base fabrics of the gas inflow channel sag upon completion of inflation and deployment to form a wrinkled portion that blocks or narrows the gas inflow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Atsushi Nakashima, Tsukasa Yoshihara, Hikaru Takahashi, Akifumi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 8882137
    Abstract: An airbag for a motor vehicle includes a support structure moveable from a stowage position into a restraint position and a covering that surrounds a restraint volume of the airbag formed by the support structure in its restraint position. The covering is an element that is separate from the support structure and joined to the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Ralf Bogenrieder, Christian Burczyk, Andreas Hirth, Friedrich Reiter
  • Patent number: 8876155
    Abstract: A vehicle curtain airbag device capable of improving an occupant ejection preventing performance at an end of a vehicle in the longitudinal direction and providing an excellent impact absorbing function when receiving an occupant in a vehicle interior. A front strap is provided between a seam portion that divides a front chamber positioned at an end of a vehicle longitudinal direction from an adjacent main chamber, and a front pillar positioned at the end of the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to connect the seam portion to the front pillar, on an outer surface of the front chamber. A height position of a first connecting portion (P) between the front pillar and the front strap is set to be higher than a height position of a second connecting portion (Q) between the seam portion and the front strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Atsushi Nakashima, Tetsuya Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8876156
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition. The protection device (14) includes a front portion (70) that has a panel (72) presented toward the occupant (20) when the protection device (14) is in the inflated condition and a rear portion (80) spaced from the front portion (70) when the protection device (14) is in the inflated condition. A lower connecting portion (90) connects the front portion (70) to the rear portion (80) and defines the lower extent of the protection device (14). A space (100) is positioned outside the inflatable volume (60) of the protection device (14) and is defined between the front portion (70), the connecting portion (90), and the rear portion (80). The space (100) extends from an upper extent of the protection device (14) down to below a midline of the protection device (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: TRW Vehical Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Roy C. Turnbull, Swagat Goswami
  • Patent number: 8876153
    Abstract: An airbag includes a rear panel, a front panel, and an extension panel. The rear panel has an inflation aperture for receiving an inflation gas. The front panel has at least one communication aperture, and the front panel is connected to the rear panel at a peripheral seam to define a primary inflatable portion having a central axis. The extension panel has an inner edge that is connected to the front panel at a location that is offset from the central axis of the primary inflatable portion and an outer edge that is connected to at least one of the front panel or the rear panel to define a secondary inflatable portion that is in communication with the primary inflatable portion through the at least one communication aperture. When inflated by the inflation gas, the secondary inflatable portion extends outward with respect to the front panel toward a vehicle occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery Dix
  • Publication number: 20140306433
    Abstract: An airbag includes at least one panel defining an interior of the airbag, and a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into a first chamber and a second chamber. The divider includes at least one divider opening enabling fluid communication between the first and second chambers. A valve mechanism is operatively coupled to the divider and has a first cover structured to restrict gas flow from the second chamber into the divider opening. The first cover has an opening. A second cover is attached to the first cover and is structured to restrict gas flow through the first cover opening in a direction from the first chamber toward the second chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L Anderson, James P. Karlow
  • Publication number: 20140306431
    Abstract: An airbag module including an inflator and an inflatable airbag is provided. The inflatable airbag may include a first portion comprising at least one fold configured to form at least one vertical pleat, a second portion comprising at least one fold configured to form at least one horizontal pleat and a third portion configured to form a roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicants: TK HOLDINGS INC., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eric Joseph BAUMBACH, Nathaniel Robert SAUNDERS, Tatsuya YUKI, Mark Andrew STEINBACH, Andrew Jack PITONYAK
  • Publication number: 20140300088
    Abstract: A vehicle seat that can effectively restrain a passenger from moving outward in a vehicle width direction in the event of a collision of a vehicle is obtained. The vehicle seat disclosed is equipped with a pop-up bar that is supported displaceably upward, an MGG that is operated to displace the pop-up bar upward, a tension cloth that is connected on an upper end side thereof to the pop-up bar and on a lower end side thereof to a front end side of a seat cushion, and a lateral collision ECU that operates the MGG in a case where a lateral collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted. The tension cloth is deployed such that a tensile force is applied between a connection portion thereof to the pop-up bar and a connection portion thereof to the seat cushion as the pop-up bar is displaced to a popped-up position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Fukawatase
  • Patent number: 8851508
    Abstract: An airbag, or inflatable curtain airbag assembly, can include one or more chambers and vents. The vents can be in fluid communication with one or more of the chambers. The vents can be configured to delay passage of inflation gas from an interior of the airbag into an interior chamber or to an exterior of the airbag upon deployment of the airbag. The vents can also be configured to transition from a closed configuration to an open configuration when an internal pressure of the airbag reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Rickenbach, John D. Kemp, Charles Paul Dinsdale, Brian Fulmer, Abraham Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20140291972
    Abstract: Axial forces on the shins of small-bodied occupants and medium-bodied occupants may be suppressed or prevented, and protective performance of the knee areas of large-bodied occupants is assured. A vehicle knee airbag device is equipped with a knee airbag main body portion that is formed in a thin bag shape and that inflates and expands from below to above along a design surface of an instrument panel floor when gas is supplied thereto. A protection portion of the knee airbag main body portion has a size capable of covering both knees of an occupant, from small-bodied occupants to large-bodied occupants. A U-shaped lower tether is disposed in an upper portion of the interior of the protection portion; vertical direction dividing portions of the lower tether extend to the upward side from portions that correspond with both knees of medium-bodied occupants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Makoto Ozeki