IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,214,174
Granted Patent B2
US 10,214,174 · App. 15/418,921 · Granted Feb 26, 2019

Vehicle airbag apparatus

Inventors: Ning Zhang (Beverly Hills, MI); Lan Gu (Northville, MI); Eugene Lee (Troy, MI)
Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
B60R21/2338B60R21/203B60R21/205B60R21/233B60R21/2342B60R2021/0009B60R2021/23316B60R2021/23382B60R2021/23386
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,214,174
App. No.
15/418,921
Granted
Feb 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An airbag apparatus includes an airbag, which is configured to be supplied with gas to be deployed and inflated in front of one of a driver's seat and a front passenger seat. The airbag includes an airbag body and a pocket portion provided on a side of the airbag body. The airbag apparatus includes an outer tether, an inflator, and an actuator. The outer tether is located outside the airbag and is joined to the pocket portion. The inflator supplies gas to the airbag. When a movement of the vehicle in an oblique direction due to a collision is detected, the actuator pulls the outer tether to extract the pocket portion.

Claims (20)

1. A vehicle airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag, which is configured to be supplied with gas to be deployed and inflated in front of one of a driver's seat and a front passenger seat of a vehicle, wherein the airbag includes an airbag body and a pocket portion provided on a side of the airbag body;

an outer tether, which is located outside the airbag and joined to the pocket portion;

an inflator, which supplies gas to the airbag; and

an actuator, wherein, when a movement of the vehicle in an oblique direction due to a collision is detected, the actuator pulls the outer tether to extract the pocket portion.

2. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an inner tether, which is located inside the airbag and includes a first end joined to the pocket portion and a second end joined to the airbag body at a location that is on an opposite side of the airbag body from the pocket portion.

3. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the second end of the inner tether is one of a plurality of second ends respectively joined to the airbag body, and

the inner tether is branched to have the second ends.

4. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the airbag body includes

an inner surface, and

a guide provided on the inner surface, wherein, when the inner tether is pulled in an extracting direction of the pocket portion, the guide guides displacement of the inner tether.

5. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag body includes

an outer surface, and

a guide provided on the outer surface, wherein, when the outer tether is pulled in an extracting direction of the pocket portion, the guide guides displacement of the outer tether.

6. The vehicle airbag apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the pocket portion includes two sections that face each other,

the pocket portion includes a joint portion,

the joint portion joins the two sections to each other and closes an opening of the pocket portion, and

when pulled by the outer tether, the joint portion is broken and opens the opening.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2017
From: ZHANG, NING; GU, LAN; LEE, EUGENE
To: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 041551/0027 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180215340A1 · Aug 2, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,606,114