An active bolster for a vehicle is provided, wherein the bolster comprises an expansible hollow interior that is inflatable and is self-supporting in both an inflated and in an uninflated position. The bolster has an inflator module for inflating the expansible hollow interior. The bolster has an inner wall for projecting inwardly into the vehicle and away from the side of the vehicle on inflation of the expansible hollow interior. The bolster may have a relatively non-expansible component located between a first expansible chamber and a second expansible chamber. The bolster may comprise an outer wall having an attachment portion for attaching the outer wall to a portion of the side of the vehicle.

A side airbag may include: a bracket coupled to a side portion of a seat; a housing to which the bracket is coupled along the edge thereof through insert molding, and which has an internal housing space communicating with the outside through an opening formed on one side thereof; a cover formed as one body with the housing so as to close the opening, and having a tear line formed along the edge thereof; and a cushion housed in the housing space, and deployed to the outside through the opening by an inflation force while tearing the tear line, when gas is supplied thereto.

In a method for folding a side airbag a first material layer and a second material layer are connected along a first edge portion by a first seam and connected along second edge portions by a second seam perpendicular to the first seam to bound a chamber. The two material layers are placed flat upon one another and a region of the second seam is slipped in a first direction inwards while forming a tip. A tip-distal end of the first and second material layers is folded several times in the first direction and the tip is folded, with the folded-over portion being slipped in the first direction inwardly. A gas generator is inserted in the first direction into the two material layers; and roll folding is carried out from an end in opposition to the gas generator in a second direction in transverse relation to the first direction.

An assembly for a vehicle includes a seat. The assembly includes a first airbag and a second airbag each supported by the seat. The first airbag and the second airbag are inflatable to an inflated position. The assembly includes a buckle fixed to one of the first airbag and the second airbag and a clip fixed to the other of the first airbag and the second airbag. The clip is releasably connected to the buckle. The assembly includes a non-inflatable panel having a joint fixed to the first airbag and a releasable fastener releasably connected to the second airbag.

A side airbag device-installed vehicle seat including: an inner bag section that extends out from a side airbag main body, past a seat front of a side frame, and to a seat width direction inner side of the side frame, and that inflates within a side section of a seatback when an internal portion of the inner bag section in communication with an inside of the side airbag main body is supplied with gas from a gas generator; and a reaction force member including a fixing portion that is fixed to the side frame, and a reaction force application portion that is interposed between the inner bag section and the side frame at the seat width direction inner side of the side frame and that applies reaction force to the inner bag section during inflation, the inner bag section being anchored to the reaction force application portion.

[PROBLEM]

To provide an airbag device that can reliably expand and deploy.

[MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM]

The present invention is an airbag device mounted on one side of a vehicle seat in which both ends of a seat-shaped cushion that are opposed in horizontal and longitudinal directions during expansion and deployment are respectively bent a plurality of times and formed into molded parts R1, R2, and is provided with a first holding member 43 that holds the first molded part R1 on one end of either of the ends at least until the start of expansion and deployment and a second holding member 44 that holds the second molded part R2 on the other end at least until the start of expansion and deployment.

[Problem] To provide a side airbag apparatus capable of quickly and properly restraining a passenger in the initial stage of deploying an airbag, along with a passenger protection apparatus including this. [Resolution means] A side airbag apparatus according to the present invention includes: an airbag for restraining a passenger when expanded and deployed; and an inflator for supplying expansion gas to the airbag. The airbag includes: a first chamber which houses the inflator and is deployed outside in the vehicle width direction of the frame side wall part; and a second chamber which is deployed inside in the vehicle width direction of the frame side wall part. In addition, the first chamber is deployed such that at least a portion thereof, as seen from the vehicle side, overlaps the frame side wall part. At this time, the rear end part of an expanding region of the second chamber, as seen from the vehicle side, is formed in front of the rear end part of the first chamber.

An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle. The module includes an airbag formed by connected first and second panels, wherein the airbag includes first and second inflatable chambers. The module also includes an inflator for providing inflation gas for the airbag. The first and second inflatable chambers are fluidly connected by a gas flow passage. The first and second panels are connected together along a volume controlling seam located in the second chamber. The seam is configured to give way during inflation of the airbag to thereby allow the second chamber to completely inflate.

An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle. The module includes an airbag and an inflator for providing inflation gas for the airbag. A diffuser is positioned in the airbag and configured to direct the flow of inflation gas into the airbag. The diffuser includes a main panel and a deflector panel connected together. The diffuser is configured to provide for first and second flow paths for inflation gas to exit diffuser and flow into the cushion. The main panel is folded along a fold line to create two folded portions and the deflector panel is located within the connected folded portions. The deflector panel is located in the first flow path and extends beyond the folded portions of the main panel. The extending portion of the deflector panel forces the inflation gas to change direction.

A vehicle side airbag device including: inflator that operates to generate gas; airbag that is provided at side section of seatback of vehicle seat, that inflates and deploys using gas generated by the inflator, that protects occupant from at least head to abdominal region, and in which, in inflated and deployed state, rearward sloping portion configured by location at lower end side of front edge portion of the airbag extends diagonally toward vehicle upper rear on progression from lower end toward upper end of the rearward sloping portion; and flow regulating section that is provided at lower section of the airbag, and that ejects gas generated by the inflator from upper ejection opening toward upper section side of the airbag, and from lower ejection opening along lower edge portion of the airbag toward rearward sloping portion side.