Side airbag apparatus

Abstract

A side airbag apparatus for vehicle has an airbag and an inflator. An upper chamber, a lower chamber, and an intermediate chamber are defined by a seam in the airbag. When the airbag is deployed, the upper chamber corresponds to a shoulder of an occupant, the lower chamber corresponds to a lumbar region of the occupant, and the intermediate chamber corresponds to a thorax of the occupant. The seam guides gas from the inflator to the upper and lower chambers such that the upper and lower chambers are substantially simultaneously inflated, and the intermediate chamber is inflated after a delay. The thickness of the intermediate chamber is less than the thicknesses of the upper and lower chambers. As a result, the occupant of the vehicle is effectively protected.

1 . A side airbag apparatus used in a vehicle, comprising: 
 an airbag;    an inflator, wherein the inflator supplies gas to the airbag, thereby deploying the airbag between a body side portion of the vehicle and a seat located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;    an upper chamber and a lower chamber provided in the airbag, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the upper chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a shoulder of an occupant sitting on the seat and the lower chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a lumbar region of the occupant; and    a gas guiding mechanism, wherein the gas guiding mechanism guides gas from the inflator to the upper and lower chambers, thereby substantially simultaneously inflating the upper and lower chambers.    
     
     
         2 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas guiding mechanism includes a seam that is formed by partially sewing facing portions of the airbag to each other.  
     
     
         3 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the seam defines the upper chamber and the lower chamber in the interior of the airbag.  
     
     
         4 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag has an intermediate chamber between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant, wherein the gas guiding mechanism includes a gas introducing chamber into which gas generated by the inflator is introduced, wherein the gas guiding mechanism further includes at least one upper guiding hole, at least one lower guiding hole, and at least one intermediate guiding hole, wherein the upper, lower and intermediate guiding holes correspond to the upper, lower and intermediate chambers, respectively, and guide gas from the gas introducing chamber to the corresponding chambers, respectively, and wherein the opening area of the upper guiding hole and the opening area of the lower guiding hole are each greater than the opening area of the intermediate guiding hole.  
     
     
         5 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas guiding mechanism includes an upper gas injection portion and a lower gas injection portion provided in the inflator, and wherein the upper and lower gas injection portions correspond to the upper chamber and the lower chamber, respectively.  
     
     
         6 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag includes an upper airbag member having the upper chamber and a lower airbag member having the lower chamber, wherein the airbag members are independent from each other, and wherein the inflator includes an upper inflator member corresponding to the upper airbag member and a lower inflator member corresponding to the lower airbag member.  
     
     
         7 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag has an intermediate portion located between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the intermediate portion is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant, and wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the thickness of the intermediate portion is less than the thickness of the upper and lower chambers in respect to a horizontal direction between the occupant and the body side portion.  
     
     
         8 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag has an intermediate chamber located between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant, and wherein, when the airbag is deployed, bulging of the intermediate chamber is limited such that the thickness of the intermediate chamber is less than the thickness of the upper and lower chambers in respect to a horizontal direction between the occupant and the body side portion.  
     
     
         9 . The airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag has an intermediate chamber located between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant, wherein the side airbag apparatus further includes an internal pressure adjusting mechanism to adjust the internal pressure of the intermediate chamber to be lower than the internal pressures of the upper and lower chambers when the airbag is deployed.  
     
     
         10 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein portions of the airbag that correspond to the upper chamber and the lower chamber are configured to be less likely to leak gas than a portion of the airbag that corresponds to the intermediate chamber.  
     
     
         11 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the internal pressure adjusting mechanism includes a vent hole formed in a portion of the airbag that corresponds to the intermediate chamber.  
     
     
         12 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the location of the vent hole is determined such that the vent hole is separated from the body side portion when the airbag is deployed.  
     
     
         13 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag has an intermediate chamber located between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant, wherein the intermediate chamber has an opening communicated with the upper and lower chambers, and wherein the opening is oriented in a direction either toward or away from the inflator.  
     
     
         14 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein a flow guide is provided at the opening of the intermediate chamber, the flow guide guiding gas toward the intermediate chamber.  
     
     
         15 . The airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag has an intermediate chamber located between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant, wherein the side airbag apparatus further includes a promoting mechanism, wherein, when the inflator generates gas, the promoting mechanism promotes inflation of the upper and lower chambers compared to inflation of the intermediate chamber.  
     
     
         16 . The airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag has an intermediate chamber located between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant, wherein the side airbag apparatus further includes a delaying mechanism, wherein, when the inflator generates gas, the delaying mechanism delays inflation of the intermediate chamber compared to inflation of the upper and lower chambers.  
     
     
         17 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a limiting mechanism, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the limiting mechanism partially limits inflation of the airbag, thereby reducing the area of the airbag that contacts a flank of the occupant.  
     
     
         18 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the limiting mechanism includes a seam that is formed by partially sewing facing portions of the airbag to each other.  
     
     
         19 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the seam includes a vertical seam portion that extends perpendicular to ribs of the occupant when the airbag is deployed.  
     
     
         20 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the seam includes a lateral seam portion that extends perpendicular to the vertical seam portion.  
     
     
         21 . A side airbag apparatus used in a vehicle, comprising: 
 an airbag;    an inflator, wherein the inflator supplies gas to the airbag, thereby deploying the airbag between a body side portion of the vehicle and a seat located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;    an upper deploying portion, a lower deploying portion, and an intermediate portion provided in the airbag, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the upper deploying portion is located at a position that corresponds to a shoulder of an occupant sitting on the seat, the lower deploying portion is located at a position that corresponds to a lumbar region of the occupant, and the intermediate portion is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant; and    a limiting mechanism, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the limiting mechanism limits bulging of the intermediate portion such that the thickness of the intermediate portion is less than the thickness of the upper and lower deploying portions in respect to a horizontal direction between the occupant and the body side portion.    
     
     
         22 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the limiting mechanism includes a seam that is formed by partially sewing facing portions of the airbag to each other.  
     
     
         23 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the limiting mechanism includes a constriction portion formed in a part of the airbag that corresponds to the intermediate portion.  
     
     
         24 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the portion of the airbag that corresponds to the constriction portion is formed of a material that has a less stretchability compared to materials of which the upper and lower deploying portions are formed.  
     
     
         25 . A side airbag apparatus used in a vehicle, comprising: 
 an airbag;    an inflator, wherein the inflator supplies gas to the airbag, thereby deploying the airbag between a body side portion of the vehicle and a seat located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;    an upper chamber, a lower chamber, and an intermediate chamber provided in the airbag, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the upper chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a shoulder of an occupant sitting on the seat, the lower chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a lumbar region of the occupant, and the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant; and    a promoting mechanism, wherein, when the inflator generates gas, the promoting mechanism promotes inflation of the upper and lower chambers compared to inflation of the intermediate chamber.    
     
     
         26 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the promoting mechanism includes a seam that is formed by partially sewing facing portions of the airbag to each other.  
     
     
         27 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the promoting mechanism includes a breakable fastener member, and wherein, prior to deployment of the airbag, the breakable fastener member fastens the airbag at a portion corresponding to the intermediate chamber.  
     
     
         28 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 25 , further comprising a case for accommodating the airbag prior to deployment, wherein the case has an opening through which the airbag protrudes when deployed and a cover covering the opening, wherein a perforation is formed in the cover, and wherein the breaking strength of the perforation is weaker in a portion corresponding to the upper chamber and the lower chamber than in a portion corresponding to the intermediate chamber.  
     
     
         29 . The side airbag apparatus according to  claim 25 , further comprising a case for accommodating the airbag prior to deployment, wherein the case has an opening through which the airbag protrudes when deployed and a cover covering the opening, wherein a slit is formed in the cover, the slit being sealed with a plurality of sealing members, and wherein the sealing members are formed and arranged such that a force required for opening the slit against the sealing force of the sealing members is weaker in portions corresponding to the upper chamber and the lower chamber than in a portion corresponding to the intermediate chamber.  
     
     
         30 . A side airbag apparatus used in a vehicle, comprising: 
 an airbag;    an inflator, wherein the inflator supplies gas to the airbag, thereby deploying the airbag between a body side portion of the vehicle and a seat located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;    an upper chamber, a lower chamber, and an intermediate chamber provided in the airbag, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the upper chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a shoulder of an occupant sitting on the seat, the lower chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a lumbar region of the occupant, and the intermediate chamber is located at a position that corresponds to a thorax of the occupant; and    a delaying mechanism, wherein, when the inflator generates gas, the delaying mechanism delays inflation of the intermediate chamber compared to inflation of the upper and lower chambers.