Patent ID: 12240406

Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described or provided, the same, or like, drawing reference numerals may be understood to refer to the same, or like, elements, features, and structures. The drawings may not be to scale, and the relative size, proportions, and depiction of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application. For example, the sequences of operations described herein are merely examples, and are not limited to those set forth herein, but may be changed as will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application, with the exception of operations necessarily occurring in a certain order.

The features described herein may be embodied in different forms and are not to be construed as being limited to the examples described herein. Rather, the examples described herein have been provided merely to illustrate some of the many possible ways of implementing the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein that will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application.

Advantages and features of the present disclosure and methods of achieving the advantages and features will be clear with reference to embodiments described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein but will be implemented in various forms. The embodiments of the present disclosure are provided so that the present disclosure is completely disclosed, and a person with ordinary skill in the art can fully understand the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure will be defined only by the scope of the appended claims. Meanwhile, the terms used in the present specification are for explaining the embodiments, not for limiting the present disclosure.

Terms, such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b) or the like, may be used herein to describe components. Each of these terminologies is not used to define an essence, order or sequence of a corresponding component but used merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other component(s). For example, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

Throughout the specification, when a component is described as being “connected to,” or “coupled to” another component, it may be directly “connected to,” or “coupled to” the other component, or there may be one or more other components intervening therebetween. In contrast, when an element is described as being “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element, there can be no other elements intervening therebetween.

In a description of the embodiment, in a case in which any one element is described as being formed on or under another element, such a description includes both a case in which the two elements are formed in direct contact with each other and a case in which the two elements are in indirect contact with each other with one or more other elements interposed between the two elements. In addition, when one element is described as being formed on or under another element, such a description may include a case in which the one element is formed at an upper side or a lower side with respect to another element.

The singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises/comprising” and/or “includes/including” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

With reference toFIGS.1and2, the present invention relates to an airbag device. The airbag device includes a first chamber100configured to be deployed in a shape that surrounds one side and a front side of a seat, a second chamber200configured to be deployed in a shape that surrounds the other side and the front side of the seat and fitted with the first chamber100by a fastening means at a portion where the second chamber200overlaps the first chamber100, and side tethers300connected to at least one of or both a portion between the first chamber100and an airbag module10embedded at one side of a seatback20and a portion between the second chamber200and an airbag module10embedded at the other side of the seatback20.

For example, one end of the first chamber100is fixed to one side of the seatback20, and the first chamber100is deployed forward. One end of the second chamber200is fixed to the other side of the seatback20, and the second chamber200is deployed forward.

Further, the other end of the first chamber100and the other end of the second chamber200are deployed to overlap each other at a position in front of the seat20, i.e., a position in front of the passenger seated in the seat20. In this state, the first chamber100and the second chamber200are fastened by the fastening means.

The fastening means may include hooks230and bridges130. The hook230having a ring shape is coupled to the second chamber200, and the bridge130is coupled to a portion of the first chamber100that overlaps the second chamber200. Therefore, during a process in which the first chamber100and the second chamber200are spread outward while being deployed forward, the hooks230are caught by the bridges130, such that the first chamber100and the second chamber200are fastened.

The hook230and the bridge130will be described more specifically. First, the hook230has a fixing plate formed at an end thereof and having a quadrangular plate shape, such that one surface of the fixing plate is fixed to an outer surface of the second chamber200. A loop portion having a ring shape bent in one direction is formed at a center of the other surface of the fixing plate. For reference, the loop portion may be mounted in a shape bent toward a second side part210of the second chamber200, which will be described below, so as to be fastened to the bridge130fixed to the first chamber100.

Further, at least two or more hooks230are fixed in a leftward/rightward direction, thereby ensuring the engagement with the bridge130.

Further, the bridge130has two opposite leg portions respectively fixed to upper and lower portions of a rear surface of a first front part120to be described below, and a catching portion is connected between the leg portions and spaced apart from the rear surface of the first front part120, such that the loop portion is caught and fastened by the catching portion.

The bridge130is formed in a handle shape elongated upward and downward, and at least two or more bridges130are fixed in the leftward/rightward direction, thereby ensuring the engagement with the hook230.

Further, Velcro, a tape, a bonding agent, and the like may be applied as another example of the fastening means.

That is, fastening means, which are each one of Velcro, a tape, and a bonding agent, are respectively fixed to the portions of the first and second chambers100and200that face and overlap each other, such that the first chamber100and the second chamber200may be fastened.

In addition, another fastening structure such as Velcro, a tape, and a bonding agent may be additionally applied together with the hook230and the bridge130.

That is, the hook230and the bridge130are respectively fixed and fastened to the portions of the first and second chambers100and200that face and overlap each other, and another fastening structure including one or more of Velcro, a tape, and a bonding agent is additionally applied to the other portions of the first and second chambers100and200that face and overlap each other, such that a fastening force between the first chamber100and the second chamber200may be increased.

Further, a rear end of the side tether300is fixed to one side of the seatback20, and a front end of the side tether300is fixed to an inner surface of the first chamber100.

In addition, a rear end of another side tether300is fixed to the other side of the seatback20, and a front end of another side tether300is fixed to an inner surface of the second chamber200.

With the above-mentioned configuration of the present invention, the first chamber100and the second chamber200are deployed in the shape that surrounds two opposite sides of the passenger, and the first chamber100and the second chamber200are fastened at the position in front of the passenger by means of the hook230and the bridge130without a structure for supporting the airbag, such that an airbag cushion10entirely surrounds the two opposite sides and the front side of the passenger seated in the seat.

Therefore, the airbag directly restrains the passenger in accordance with various positions of the seat and various postures of the passenger, thereby safely protecting the passenger while coping with various collision modes. Therefore, the airbag may be substituted for a seat belt as well as airbags disposed at the other portions, thereby greatly improving marketability.

In particular, the side tethers300are fixed to the inner surfaces of the first and second chambers100and200, which minimizes the rotation amounts by which the first and second chambers100and200rotate outward during the process in which the first chamber100and the second chamber200are deployed.

Therefore, the first chamber100and the second chamber200are prevented from being spread toward two opposite sides, thereby ensuring the fastening performance of the hook230and the bridge130that fasten the first chamber100and the second chamber200.

Further, the first chamber100includes a first side part110and the first front part120, and the second chamber200includes the second side part210and a second front part220.

With reference to the drawings, the first chamber100includes the first side part110fixed to one side of the seat and configured to cover one side of the seat, and the first front part120configured to cover the front side of the seat by being bent toward the front side of the seat from a front end of the first side part110. The second chamber200includes the second side part210fixed to the other side of the seat and configured to cover the other side of the seat, and the second front part220configured to cover the front side of the seat by being bent toward the front side of the seat from a front end of the second side part210and overlap a rear side of the first front part120.

More specifically, a rear end of the first side part110is fixed to one side of a seatback frame22provided in the seatback20, and the front end of the first side part110is deployed forward and covers one side of the seat.

Further, the front end of the first front part120is connected to one end of the first side part110, and the other end of the first side part110is perpendicularly deployed toward the other side of the seat, such that the first chamber100is deployed in an ‘L’ shape.

In addition, a rear end of the second side part210is fixed to the other side of the seatback frame22provided in the seatback20, and the front end of the second side part210is deployed forward and covers the other side of the seat.

Further, the front end of the second front part220is connected to one end of the second side part210, and the other end of the second side part210is perpendicularly deployed toward the other side of the seat, such that the second chamber200is deployed in an ‘L’ shape.

Therefore, when the first chamber100and the second chamber200are deployed, a body of the passenger seated in the seat is loaded onto the second chamber200, such that the second chamber200is fitted with the first chamber100by the hook230and the bridge130during the process in which the front end of the second chamber200moves toward the front end of the first chamber100.

Meanwhile, as illustrated inFIG.3, in the present invention, one or more of the side tether300may be formed in a surface shape, respectively and connected with the first chamber100and the second chamber200.

In case that the plurality of (n) side tethers300is connected, the side tethers300may be independently connected, or another side tether300may be connected to one side tether300by sewing.

Further, the side tether300connected to one side of the seatback20may be connected to an inner surface of the first side part110, and the side tether300connected to the other side of the seatback20may be connected to an inner surface of the second side part210.

Specifically, the side tether300includes a main side tether300aand a sub-side tether300b. The main side tether300amay be connected between the seatback20and the chamber, and the sub-side tether300bmay be connected between the main side tether300aand the chamber. The sub-side tether300bmay be connected to a connection point of the chamber different from a connection point of the chamber to which the main side tether300ais connected.

For example, in case that one main side tether300aand one sub-side tether300bare connected between one side of the seatback20and the first chamber100, a rear end of the main side tether300amay be connected to one side of the seatback20, and a front end of the main side tether300amay be sewed to the inner surface of the front end of the first side part110.

Further, the rear end of the sub-side tether300bmay be sewed to a middle portion of the main side tether300a, and the front end of the sub-side tether300bmay be sewed to a position on the inner surface of the first side part110, the position being disposed forward or rearward of the point to which the main side tether300ais connected.

In addition, in case that two sub-side tethers300bare connected, a rear end of the other sub-side tether300bmay be sewed to a middle portion of the main side tether300aor the sub-side tether300b, and a front end of the other sub-side tether300bmay be sewed to a position on the inner surface of the first side part110, the position being disposed forward or rearward of the point to which the main side tether300aand the sub-side tether300bare connected.

Further, with reference toFIGS.4and5, in the present invention, inflator studs12are fixed to an inflator11included in the airbag module10, the inflator studs12are mounted on the seatback frame22embedded in the seatback20, and the side tether300may be connected to the inflator stud12.

Specifically, the airbag modules10are mounted on the seatback frames22, which are provided at the left and right sides of the seatback20, by the inflator studs12.

Further, the rear end of the side tether300is connected to the inflator stud12.

That is, because the side tether300is connected to the inflator stud12used to mount the airbag module10on the seatback20, a separate component or device for fixing the side tether300need not be connected, which reduces manufacturing costs.

Further, the airbag cushion may be deployed outside the seatback frame22, and the side tether300may be unfolded inside the seatback frame22with the seatback frame22interposed therebetween.

That is, the inflator stud12penetrates the seatback frame22leftward and rightward and fastens the seatback frame22formed in the forward/rearward direction.

Therefore, the airbag module10is fixed to the inflator stud12outside the seatback frame22and deployed forward, and the side tether300is fixed to the inflator stud12inside the seatback frame22.

Therefore, a position to which the rear end of the side tether300is fixed and a position at which the airbag cushion is deployed are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, such that the side tether300holds the chamber with a higher force, thereby effectively preventing the two opposite chambers from being spread leftward and rightward.

As described above, in the present invention, the side tethers300are fixed to the inner surfaces of the first and second chambers100and200, which minimizes the rotation amounts by which the first and second chambers100and200rotate outward during the process in which the first chamber100and the second chamber200are deployed.

Therefore, the first chamber100and the second chamber200are prevented from being spread toward two opposite sides, thereby ensuring the fastening performance of the hook230and the bridge130that fasten the first chamber100and the second chamber200.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure do not list all available combinations but are for describing a representative aspect of the present disclosure, and descriptions of various embodiments may be applied independently or may be applied through a combination of two or more.

A number of embodiments have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

While this disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application that various changes in form and details may be made in these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. The examples described herein are to be considered in a descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects in each example are to be considered as being applicable to similar features or aspects in other examples. Suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order, and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner, and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the disclosure is defined not by the detailed description, but by the claims and their equivalents, and all variations within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included in the disclosure.