Airbag apparatus and method for assembling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9278662-B2
Application number	US-201313972993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2013
Priority date	Sep 27, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

An airbag apparatus includes an airbag, a retainer secured to the airbag, and an elongated inflator attached to the retainer. The inflator discharges gas for inflating the airbag. The retainer includes an attaching protrusion, which protrudes in a direction intersecting an axis of the inflator and secures the retainer to a vehicle together with the airbag. The inflator includes an attaching protrusion, which protrudes in the direction intersecting the axis and secures the inflator to the vehicle together with the retainer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for assembling an airbag apparatus,
wherein the airbag apparatus includes:
an airbag;
a retainer secured to the airbag; and
an elongated inflator that is attached to the retainer and discharges gas for inflating the airbag, wherein
the retainer includes a retainer securing portion, wherein the retainer securing portion protrudes in a first direction intersecting an axis of the inflator and secures the retainer to a transport vehicle together with the airbag,
the inflator includes an inflator securing portion, wherein, before the inflator is attached to the retainer, the inflator securing portion is configured to protrude in a second direction intersecting the axis of the inflator, the second direction being in a direction different from the first direction, and after the inflator is attached to the retainer, the inflator securing portion is configured to secure the inflator to the transport vehicle in a state in which the inflator securing portion is at least engaged with an engaging portion provided at the retainer, and
an insertion port is formed at part of the airbag separated along the axis from the retainer securing portion, the method for assembling the airbag apparatus comprising:
preparing a transitional assembly in which at least part of the retainer is arranged inside the airbag and the retainer is secured to the airbag by inserting the retainer securing portion into a base fabric sheet, which forms the airbag, from an inside to an outside of the airbag;
inserting at least part of the inflator into the inside of the airbag of the transitional assembly through the insertion port; and
attaching the inflator to the retainer by engaging at least the inflator securing portion with the engagement portion of the retainer, wherein, in the attaching of the inflator, the inflator securing portion enters into an engagement space of the engagement portion through an inlet of the engagement portion by rotating the inflator about the axis, and
wherein, when the inflator is attached to the retainer, a direction in which the inflator securing portion protrudes is changed from the second direction to the first direction by rotating the inflator about the axis of the inflator.

2. The method for assembling the airbag apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the preparing of the transitional assembly, the transitional assembly is prepared in which the engagement portion is arranged in a vicinity of the insertion port.

3. The method for assembling the airbag apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the retainer includes a holding portion, which covers a second part of the inflator in the direction of the axis, and
in the attaching of the inflator, the second part of the inflator is inserted into the holding portion, and the inflator is rotated about the axis so that the inflator securing portion is engaged with the engagement portion.

4. The method for assembling the airbag apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein, in the preparing of the transitional assembly, the transitional assembly, in which the holding portion is arranged in the vicinity of the insertion port, is prepared.

5. The method for assembling the airbag apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the preparing of the transitional assembly, the transitional assembly, in which the engagement portion, is arranged outside of the airbag.

Assignees

• Toyoda Gosei Kk

Inventors

• Hotta Masashi
• Sato Yuji
• Honda Kensaku
• Goto Yoshiaki
• Yamashita Akira

Classifications

• B60R21/217 Primary

  Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B60R21/2171 Primary

  specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters (B60R21/2176 takes precedence) · CPC title