Air bag system for a motor vehicle

An air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system comprising:

• an inflatable air bag;
• a collision sensor for sensing a collision of the motor vehicle to generate a collision sensing signal;
• an electronic control unit for receiving the collision sensing signal from said collision sensor to control an operation of said inflatable air bag, and for generating an air bag expansion triggering signal when it is judged that the collision is dangerous by receiving the collision sensing signal;
• an inflator for injecting an inflation gas into said inflatable air bag in accordance with the air bag expansion triggering signal from said electronic control unit to expand said inflatable air bag, said inflator including a cylindrical container having a front, rear and side wall formed as one piece, a burstable thin metal sealing diaphragm for partitioning an internal space of said cylindrical container into a first chamber and a second chamber, a cylindrical filter mounted to the front wall, a gas generating material retained in said first chamber for inflating said air bag, a pyrotechnic material retained in said second chamber for burning the gas generating material and a pyrotechnic means mounted to the rear wall for igniting the pyrotechnic material;
• a flexible hose for preliminarily charging air into said inflatable air bag, said flexible hose being connected between said inflatable air bag and said inflator;
• an air pipe for introducing the air into said flexible hose, said air pipe being connected to said flexible hose;
• an air supplying means for supplying air to said flexible hose through said air pipe, said air supplying means being provided between said air pipe and an inlet manifold of the motor vehicle, the air being supplied from the inlet manifold;
• a cut off valve provided to said air pipe for adjusting an amount of the air admitted into said inflatable air bag and said flexible hose in accordance with a control signal from said electronic control unit;
• and
• a pressure sensor installed within said flexible hose for sensing an air pressure within said flexible hose to generate a pressure sensing signal,
• wherein said inflatable air bag is preliminarily charged with the air under an atmospheric pressure in an amount of about 1/2 to about 2/3 of a capacity of said air bag, said electronic control unit consistently maintains the quantity of the air preliminarily charging into said inflatable air bag and said flexible hose by controlling said cut off valve in accordance with the pressure sensing signal from said pressure sensor, and said collision sensor, said electronic control unit and said inflator are formed as a single module.

An air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system comprising:

• an inflatable air bag;
• a collision sensor for sensing the collision of the motor vehicle to generate a collision sensing signal;
• an electronic control unit for receiving the collision sensing signal from said collision sensor to control an operation of said inflatable air bag, and for generating an air bag expansion triggering signal when it is judged that the collision is dangerous by receiving the collision sensing signal;
• an inflator for injecting an inflation gas into said inflatable air bag in accordance with an air bag expansion triggering signal from said electronic control unit to expand said inflatable air bag, said inflator including a cylindrical container being comprised of either a steel or a stainless steel, and having a front, rear and side wall formed as one piece, a burstable thin metal sealing diaphragm for partitioning an internal space of said cylindrical container into a first chamber and a second chamber, a cylindrical filter comprised of either a metal or a ceramic, and mounted to the front wall, a gas generating material retained in said first chamber for inflating said air bag, a pyrotechnic material retained in said second chamber for burning the gas generating material and a pyrotechnic means mounted to the rear wall for igniting the pyrotechnic material;
• a flexible hose connected between said inflatable air bag and said inflator for preliminarily charging air into said inflatable air bag;
• an air pipe connected between an inlet manifold of the motor vehicle and said flexible hose for introducing the air into said flexible hose;
• an air supplying means for supplying air to said flexible hose through said air pipe, said air supplying means being provided between said air pipe and the inlet manifold of the motor vehicle, the air being supplied from the inlet manifold;
• a cut off valve provided in said air pipe for adjusting an amount of the air admitted into said inflatable air bag and said flexible hose in accordance with a control signal from said electronic control unit;
• and
• a pressure sensor installed within said flexible hose for sensing an air pressure within said flexible hose to generate a pressure sensing signal,
• wherein said inflatable air bag is preliminarily charged with the air under an atmospheric pressure of about 1/2 through 2/3 of a capacity of said air bag, said electronic control unit consistently maintains the quantity of the air preliminarily charging into said inflatable air bag and said flexible hose by controlling said cut off valve in accordance with the pressure sensing signal from said pressure senor, and said collision sensor, said electronic control unit and said inflator are formed as a single module.