US5662355A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air bag system for a motor vehicle
Assignee: WiniaDaewoo Co Ltd
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Filing: 1995-12-29
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Granted: 1997-09-02
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Expires: 2015-12-29
Abstract
Abstract An air bag system in which a small quantity of gas is necessary for quickly unfolding the air bag, is disclosed. The air bag system has a housing having a cover at the upper portion thereof and an inflator for generating inert gas. The inflator being provided at the bottom portion of said housing and is filled therein with an explosive material for generating the inert gas by igniting the explosive material when a collision sensing signal which is generated at the collision of the motor vehicle. An inflatable air bag is folded in said housing and has a front portion which contacts with a human body when unfolded, an inlet portion for introducing the inert gas into said inflatable air bag, a middle portion between the front portion and the inlet portion. The front portion has a flexible foam coated on an outer surface of the front portion. Thus, the air bag can be fully unfolded by using only a small quantity of the gas, thereby reducing the amount of the igniting agent and the gas generation material. An unfolding force can be obtained regardless of the air bag sizes and the amount of the expanding gas having a hot temperature and high pressure. The danger of being burned and the secondary shock due to the unfolding of the air bag may be removed.
Inventors
- 👤 Sung-Kwang Byon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:51
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/23; B60R21/20; B60R21/217; B60R21/2171
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system comprising: a housing having a cover at an upper portion thereof, the cover being operable at a collision of the motor vehicle; an inflator for generating an inert gas, said inflator being provided at a bottom potion of said housing and being filled therein with an explosive material for generating the inert gas by igniting the explosive material when a collision sensing signal which is generated at the collision of the motor vehicle; an inflatable air bag for being unfolded by introducing the inert gas therein, said inflatable air bag being comprised of a continuous fabric material, said inflatable air bag being folded in said housing and having a front portion which contacts with a human body when unfolded, an inlet portion for introducing the inert gas into said inflatable air bag, a middle portion between the front portion and the inlet portion, the front portion having a flexible foam coated on an outer surface of the front portion, said inlet portion surrounding said inflator; and a supporting member for supplying a pressure to said inflatable air bag together with the cover so as to reduce a volume of said inflatable air bag, thereby enabling said inflatable air bag to be installed in said housing, said supporting member being provided between the cover and said inflator and being fixed to an inner bottom portion of said housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system comprising: a housing having a cover at an upper portion thereof, the cover being operable at a collision of the motor vehicle; an inflator for generating an inert gas, said inflator being provided at a bottom potion of said housing and being filled therein with an explosive material for generating the inert gas by igniting the explosive material when a collision sensing signal which is generated at the collision of the motor vehicle; an inflatable air bag for being unfolded by introducing the inert gas therein, said inflatable air bag being comprised of a continuous fabric material, said inflatable air bag being folded in said housing and having a front portion which contacts with a human body when unfolded, an inlet portion for introducing the inert gas into said inflatable air bag, a middle portion between the front portion and the inlet portion, the front portion having a flexible foam coated on an outer surface of the front portion, said inlet portion surrounding said inflator; and a supporting member for supplying a pressure to said inflatable air bag together with the cover so as to reduce a volume of said inflatable air bag, thereby enabling said inflatable air bag to be installed in said housing, said supporting member being provided between the cover and said inflator and being fixed to an inner bottom portion of said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a volume of the flexible foam under an atmospheric pressure in one-third of a total volume of said inflatable air bag when said inflatable air bag is unfolded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting member is comprised of a synthetic resin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the synthetic resin is a nylon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible foam has a density of 8-12K g/l, a molecular weight of 1000-6500 g/mole, and a thickness of 10-20 cm under an atmospheric pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible foam is in a hardened form.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the hardened foam is comprised of polyurethane form.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the harden foam is comprised of a styrene foam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible foam is in a microcellur foam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible foam has a density of 10 12 -10 18 g/cc.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a volume of the flexible foam under an atmospheric pressure is one-sixth to a half of a total volume of said inflatable air bag when said inflatable air bag is unfolded.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
243 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system comprising: a housing having a cover at an upper portion thereof, the cover being operable at a collision of the motor vehicle; an inflator for generating an inert gas, said inflator being provided at a bottom potion of said housing and being filled therein with an explosive material for generating the inert gas by igniting the explosive material when a collision sensing signal which is generated at the collision of the motor vehicle; an inflatable air bag for being unfolded by introducing the inert gas therein, said inflatable air bag being comprised of a continuous fabric material, said inflatable air bag being folded in said housing and having a front portion which contacts with a human body when unfolded, an inlet portion for introducing the inert gas into said inflatable air bag, a middle portion between the front portion and the inlet portion, the front portion having a flexible foam coated on an outer surface of the front portion, said inlet portion surrounding said inflator; and a supporting member comprised of a nylon for supplying a pressure to said inflatable air bag together with the cover so as to reduce a volume of said inflatable air bag, thereby enabling said inflatable air bag to be installed in said housing, said supporting member being provided between the cover and said inflator and being fixed to an inner bottom portion of said housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
243 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system comprising: a housing having a cover at an upper portion thereof, the cover being operable at a collision of the motor vehicle; an inflator for generating an inert gas, said inflator being provided at a bottom potion of said housing and being filled therein with an explosive material for generating the inert gas by igniting the explosive material when a collision sensing signal which is generated at the collision of the motor vehicle; an inflatable air bag for being unfolded by introducing the inert gas therein, said inflatable air bag being comprised of a continuous fabric material, said inflatable air bag being folded in said housing and having a front portion which contacts with a human body when unfolded, an inlet portion for introducing the inert gas into said inflatable air bag, a middle portion between the front portion and the inlet portion, the front portion having a flexible foam coated on an outer surface of the front portion, said inlet portion surrounding said inflator; and a supporting member comprised of a nylon for supplying a pressure to said inflatable air bag together with the cover so as to reduce a volume of said inflatable air bag, thereby enabling said inflatable air bag to be installed in said housing, said supporting member being provided between the cover and said inflator and being fixed to an inner bottom portion of said housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flexible foam is in a microcellur foam having a density of 10 12 -10 18 g/cc.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flexible foam has a density of 8-12K g/l, a molecular weight of 1000-6500 g/mole, and a thickness of 10-20 cm under an atmospheric pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flexible foam is in a hardened form.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the hardened form is comprised of a polyurethane form.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the hardened form is comprised of a styrene foam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein a volume of the flexible foam under an atmospheric pressure is one-sixth to a half of a total volume of said inflatable air bag when said inflatable air bag is unfolded.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
An air bag system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein a volume of the flexible foam under an atmospheric pressure is one-third of a total volume of said inflatable air bag when said inflatable air bag is unfolded.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3799576A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-01 | 2001-03-03 | 2001-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-01 | 2005-03-03 | 2005-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-01 | 2009-03-03 | 2009-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |