An airbag system includes an airbag having an occupant side surface facing an occupant and an opposite side surface facing a vehicle body in an inflated state, and having an interior partitioned into a plurality of chambers including at least an upper chamber and a lower chamber; a gas generator disposed in the airbag; and a gas distributor having a discharge port for discharging gas from the gas generator into at least the upper chamber and the lower chamber. The gas distributor has a gas-distributing connecting line extending substantially linearly for connecting the occupant side surface and the opposite side surface of the airbag.
1. An airbag system for protecting an occupant, comprising:
an airbag having an occupant side surface facing the occupant and an opposite side surface opposite to the occupant side surface when the airbag is inflated, said airbag having an interior partitioned into a plurality of chambers including at least an upper chamber and a lower chamber,
a gas generator disposed in the airbag for generating gas to inflate the airbag,
a gas distributor disposed in the airbag and partly surrounding the gas generator, said gas distributor having a discharge port for discharging the gas from the gas generator into at least the upper chamber and the lower chamber so as to expand the airbag, said gas distributor having a size greater than that of the gas generator to form a clearance for a gas passage outside the gas generator so that the gas flows between at least the upper chamber and the lower chamber through the clearance, and
a connecting line having a first section and a second section extending continuously from the first section to define at least said upper chamber, said lower chamber and said gas distributor, said connecting line connecting the occupant side surface and the opposite side surface of the airbag.
2. An airbag system according to claim 1 , wherein said airbag includes a housing chamber as the gas distributor between the second section of the connecting line and a rear side rim of the airbag for retaining the gas generator, said discharge port including a lower discharge port communicating with the lower chamber at a lower side of the housing chamber and an upper discharge port communicating with the upper chamber at an upper side of the housing chamber, said lower discharge port having a size larger than that of the upper discharge port.
3. An airbag system according to claim 2 , wherein said gas generator has a rod shape having a gas port facing downwardly at one end thereof and disposed vertically in the housing chamber.
4. An airbag system according to claim 3 , wherein said housing chamber is disposed between the upper chamber and the rear side rim of the airbag.
5. An airbag system according to claim 3 , wherein said airbag is partitioned by said connecting line first section connecting the occupant side surface and the opposite side surface, said connecting line first section extending to said connecting line second section.
6. An airbag system according to claim 5 , wherein said connecting line first section extends from a front side rim of the airbag to an end portion near the rear side rim, and said connecting line second section extends from said end portion of said connecting line first section upwardly to end near an upper side rim of the airbag.
7. An airbag system according to claim 6 , further comprising a partitioning line disposed above said connecting line first section so as to form a middle chamber between said upper chamber and said lower chamber.
8. An airbag system according to claim 2 , wherein said connecting line has a lower part situated close to the rear side rim of the airbag.
9. An airbag system according to claim 1 , wherein said first section separates the upper and lower chambers, and said second section separates gas distributor from the upper chamber.