Side airbag device

Abstract

The invention provides a side airbag device which can be well inflated and deployed with a small inflator, protect the head and the chest with an appropriate constraining force, and ensure high OOP performance. A side airbag device (100) structure according to the present invention is characterized by being provided with: a bag-shaped airbag cushion (110); an inflator (150); a first section (130a) that divides the airbag cushion (110) into a first chamber (132) on the rear side of the vehicle and a second chamber (134) on the front side of the vehicle; a second section (130b) that partitions the third chamber (136) above the first chamber (132) and the second chamber (134) of the airbag cushion (110); a first internal exhaust port (142) disposed in the first section (130a); and a second internal exhaust port (144) which is disposed in the second section and which is provided with a check valve structure that causes the gas flowing into the second chamber to flow to the third chamber and prevents the reverse flow of the gas.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application based on the invention with application number 201880027894.X, application date April 17, 2018, applicant Autoliv Development Company, and invention title "Side Airbag Device". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to a side airbag device that expands upward from the side of a vehicle seat. Technical Background

[0003] In recent years, airbags have become a standard feature in most vehicles. Airbags are safety devices that deploy in emergencies such as collisions, using air pressure to inflate and protect occupants. Depending on their location and purpose, airbags can be categorized into several types. One type, designed to protect occupants from side collisions and subsequent rollovers or rollovers, is the side airbag, which inflates only laterally towards the occupant from the side of the seat.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a side airbag device that deploys between the side of the vehicle compartment and the occupant. In the side airbag device of Patent Document 1, the airbag includes a chest inflation chamber corresponding to the occupant's chest and a head inflation chamber corresponding to the occupant's head. As described in Patent Document 1, the airbag capacity of the side airbag device protecting both the occupant's head and chest is relatively large. Therefore, it takes time for it to fully inflate and deploy, requiring a large inflator with a long gas generation time.

[0005] Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the deployment of the airbag in the direction of separation between the inner surfaces is limited by a limiting part. This suppresses the airbag volume during inflation, allowing for miniaturization of the inflator. Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, the limiting part used to restrict the deployment of the airbag in the direction of separation between the inner surfaces is curved relative to the airflow direction from the chest inflation chamber to the head inflation chamber. This suppresses damage to the limiting part caused by gas pressure during inflation, improving the reliability of the airbag.

[0006] Existing technical documents

[0007] Patent documents

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-175497 Summary of the Invention

[0009] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0010] In the side airbag device of Patent Document 1, a restraining part is provided between the chest expansion chamber and the head expansion chamber, and the chest expansion chamber and the head expansion chamber are connected. Therefore, when the airbag inflates, the internal pressure of the chest expansion chamber and the head expansion chamber is basically the same. Consequently, the restraint force in the area restraining the head and the area restraining the chest cannot be adjusted individually.

[0011] Furthermore, airbag devices are designed to perform at their maximum capacity when the occupant is in a normal, properly seated position during a collision, but should not cause excessive impact even when the occupant is in an irregularly seated position. Therefore, an Out-of-Position (OOP) test is performed on the airbag device to confirm its OOP performance and to ensure there is no harm in an irregularly seated position. However, the side airbag device in Patent Document 1 does not consider OOP performance at all, thus leaving room for further improvement.

[0012] In view of such issues, the object of the present invention is to provide a side airbag device that can protect the head and chest of the occupant with appropriate restraint while inflating and deploying well with a small inflator, and can ensure a high degree of OOP performance.

[0013] Methods for solving problems

[0014] To address the aforementioned issues, the representative structure of the side airbag device according to the present invention is as follows: In a side airbag device that expands upwards from the side of a vehicle seat, the side airbag device is characterized by comprising: a bag-shaped airbag cushion; an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag cushion to cause it to expand; a first partition that, during expansion, extends upwards from the lower edge of the airbag cushion and divides the airbag cushion into a first chamber on the rear side of the vehicle and a second chamber on the front side of the vehicle; and a second partition that, during expansion, extends from the upper end of the first partition... The front edge of the airbag extends to the rear edge and divides the third chamber above the first and second chambers of the airbag. The first chamber houses an inflator and is elongated in the vertical direction along the side of the seat. The side airbag device also includes: a first internal vent disposed on the first partition and allowing gas supplied from the inflator to flow from the first chamber to the second chamber; and a second internal vent disposed on the second partition and having a check valve structure that allows gas flowing into the second chamber to flow into the third chamber and prevents gas from flowing back from the third chamber to the second chamber.

[0015] In the above structure, the side airbag cushion is divided into three chambers by a first division and a second division. In the three chambers, the second chamber restrains the occupant's shoulders and chest, and the third chamber restrains the occupant's head. Therefore, the entire upper body of the occupant can be adequately protected in the event of a collision. In particular, by dividing the second and third chambers by the second division, the internal pressure within these chambers can be appropriately set. Therefore, the occupant's head and chest can be protected with appropriate restraint force.

[0016] The first chamber is elongated along the side of the seat in the vertical direction. Therefore, during expansion and deployment, the first chamber contacts the side of the seat but not the occupant. Thus, even when the occupant is in an irregular sitting position during expansion and deployment, the impact on the occupant is greatly reduced, and a high degree of OOP performance is ensured.

[0017] During inflation, gas supplied from the inflator flows from the first chamber to the second chamber through the first internal vent. Gas flowing into the second chamber then flows into the third chamber through the second internal vent. At this point, because the second internal vent is a check valve, it prevents gas flowing into the third chamber from flowing back into the second chamber. Therefore, the internal pressure in the third chamber can be maintained at a higher level, thereby increasing the restraint on the occupant's head.

[0018] The side airbag device preferably further includes a third internal exhaust port, which is disposed on the second partition and has a check valve structure. The check valve structure allows gas supplied from the inflator to flow from the first chamber to the third chamber and prevents gas from flowing back from the third chamber to the first chamber.

[0019] According to the structure involved, when the airbag inflates and deploys, gas can flow from the first chamber to the third chamber through the third internal vent. That is, gas is supplied to the third chamber without passing through the second chamber. This allows the third chamber to inflate and deploy rapidly, quickly restraining the occupant's head. Furthermore, since the third internal vent also has a check valve structure, it prevents gas from flowing back from the third chamber to the first chamber. Therefore, the restraint force on the occupant's head can be improved.

[0020] The airbag cushion can inflate and deploy on the distal side of the seat. Thus, for example, the aforementioned effect can be achieved in a side airbag system that inflates and deploys between the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, also known as a distal side airbag system.

[0021] The second chamber can be located to protect the occupant's shoulders and chest, the second compartment can be located at a height corresponding to the occupant's neck, and the third chamber can be located to protect the occupant's head. With this configuration, the occupant's shoulders and chest can be reliably restrained by the second chamber, and the occupant's head can be restrained by the third chamber.

[0022] Invention Effects

[0023] According to the present invention, a side airbag device can be provided that, even when protecting the head and chest of an occupant, can protect the head and chest with appropriate restraint while being well inflated and deployed with a small inflator, and can ensure a high degree of OOP performance. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the side airbag device according to this embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the airbag cushion and the occupant during an inflating collision. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific values ​​shown in the embodiments are merely illustrative for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the invention. The invention is not limited except where specifically stated. Furthermore, in this specification and the accompanying drawings, elements having substantially the same function or structure are labeled with the same symbols to avoid repetitive descriptions. Moreover, elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from the illustrations.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the side airbag device 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the airbag cushion 110 and the occupant 104 during an inflation collision. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in... Figure 1 In the image, the vehicle's seat 102 and inflator 150 are shown in dashed lines. Figure 1 The vehicle as a whole is not shown in the image.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the side airbag device 100 of this embodiment is configured such that the airbag cushion 110 expands and deploys upwards from the side 102a of the vehicle seat 102. The airbag cushion 110 is a bag-shaped portion that supports the occupant 104 in the event of an emergency such as a vehicle collision. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the airbag cushion 110 expands in a flat shape on the vehicle center side, or the so-called distal side, of the seat 102.

[0029] The airbag cushion 110 is formed into a bag shape by layering multiple base fabrics and sewing or bonding them together. The airbag cushion 110 is wrapped or folded and stored in a shell (not shown) on the side 102a of the seat 102. The stored airbag cushion 110 is not visible from the outside because it is covered by a seat cover or the like. Furthermore, when the side airbag device 100 is deployed, the airbag cushion 110 causes the seat cover or the like to rupture and expand laterally toward the occupant 104, restraining the occupant from the side. Thus, in the event of a side collision, the airbag cushion 110 absorbs the occupant who intends to move toward the center of the vehicle.

[0030] An inflator 150 is provided on the side 102a of the seat 102, together with the airbag cushion 110. The inflator 150 is a gas generating device that receives an operating signal sent from the vehicle side when a collision occurs, supplies gas to the airbag cushion 110, causing it to inflate and deploy. In this embodiment, the inflator 150 is cylinder-shaped, with its length direction as the vertical direction, and is built into the airbag cushion 110. In the inflator 150, studs (not shown) that are integrated with the surface protrude from the inside of the airbag cushion 110 to the outside and are fastened to the outer shell or the like of the side 102a of the seat 102.

[0031] The commonly used inflators 150 include types that fill with a gas generating agent and burn it to produce gas, types that fill with compressed gas but do not produce heat supply gas, and types that utilize a mixture of combustion gas and compressed gas. Any of these types can be used as an inflator 150.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, in the side airbag device 100 of this embodiment, the airbag cushion is divided into three chambers. A first partition 130a extends upward from the lower edge 110a of the airbag cushion 110 when it is inflated. This first partition 130a divides the interior of the airbag cushion 110 into a first chamber 132 on the rear side of the vehicle and a second chamber 134 on the front side of the vehicle.

[0033] The second partition 130b extends from the upper end of the first partition 130a from the leading edge 110b of the inflated airbag cushion 110 to the trailing edge 110c. In this invention, the "occupant" is defined as having the same physique as a World SID (World Side Impact Dummy), for example, based on anthropometric data of an adult male in an internationally standardized side impact dummy developed by ISO / TC22 / SC12 / WG5. The second partition 130b is located at a height corresponding to the neck 104a of the occupant 104. Through this second partition 130b, a third chamber 136 is formed above the first chamber 132 and the second chamber 134 inside the airbag cushion 110.

[0034] The first chamber 132 is elongated in the vertical direction along the side 102a of the seat 102 and houses the inflator 150. The second chamber 134 is positioned to protect the shoulders 104b and chest 104c of the occupant 104. Since the second partition 130b is located at a height equivalent to the neck 104a of the occupant 104, the third chamber 136 is positioned to protect the head 104d of the occupant 104.

[0035] According to the above structure, in the three chambers divided by the first division section 130a and the second division section 130b, the second chamber 134 restrains the shoulder 104b and chest 104c of the occupant 104, and the third chamber 136 restrains the head 104d of the occupant 104. Thus, the entire upper body of the occupant 104 can be reliably protected in the event of a collision.

[0036] On one hand, the first chamber 132 along the side of the seat 102 contacts the side 102a of the seat 102 during expansion, but makes almost no contact with the occupant 104. That is, the first chamber 132 functions as a chamber for Low Risk Deployment (LRD): out of position (OOP) to prevent excessive impact on the occupant 104 during the initial stage of expansion. Therefore, even when the occupant 104 is in an irregular sitting position during expansion, the impact on the occupant can be significantly reduced, ensuring high OOP performance.

[0037] Furthermore, by dividing the second chamber 134 and the third chamber 136 by the second partition 130b, the internal pressure in these chambers can be appropriately set. Therefore, the head 104d, shoulders 104b, and chest 104c of the occupant 104 can be protected with appropriate restraint.

[0038] Furthermore, the airbag cushion's interior is divided into three chambers by the first partition section 130a and the second partition section 130b. By providing an internal vent with a check valve structure described later, the internal volume of the airbag cushion 110 is reduced compared to the case without partitioning. Therefore, even the large airbag cushion 110 protecting the occupant's head 104d, shoulders 104b, and chest 104c can be fully inflated and deployed using a small inflator 150. Thus, the side airbag device 100 can utilize a small inflator 150, enabling miniaturization of the device and cost reduction.

[0039] Refer again Figure 1 .like Figure 1As shown, a first internal vent 142 is provided on the first partition section 130a. Gas supplied from the inflator 150 flows from the first chamber 132 to the second chamber 134 through this first internal vent 142. A second internal vent 144 with a check valve structure is provided on the second partition section 130b. Gas flowing into the second chamber 134 through this second internal vent 144 flows to the third chamber 136.

[0040] According to the above structure, gas supplied from the inflator 150 flows within the airbag cushion 110, inflating in the order of the first chamber 132, the second chamber 134, and the third chamber 136. This allows for shoulder restraint during the initial stage of expansion because the second internal vent 144 has a check valve structure that prevents gas flowing into the third chamber 136 from flowing back into the second chamber 134. Therefore, the internal pressure in the third chamber can be maintained at a higher level, thereby increasing the restraint on the occupant's head 104d.

[0041] Furthermore, in the side airbag device 100 of this embodiment, a third internal vent 146 with a check valve structure is disposed on the second partition portion 130b. Through this third internal vent 146, gas supplied from the inflator 150 flows from the first chamber 132 to the third chamber 136. Thus, gas is supplied to the third chamber 136 without passing through the second chamber 134. Therefore, the third chamber 136 can also expand and deploy rapidly, and can quickly restrain the head 104d of the occupant 104.

[0042] Furthermore, by providing the first internal vent 142, the deployment force of the airbag cushion 110 towards the front of the vehicle can be increased. By providing the second internal vent 144 and the third internal vent 146, the deployment force of the airbag cushion 110 towards the top can be increased. Therefore, according to the above structure, the force on the side 102a of the seat 102 during the crack expansion and deployment can be increased, and the airbag cushion 110 can be efficiently expanded and deployed as a whole.

[0043] Furthermore, since a check valve structure is also provided in the third internal exhaust port 146, backflow of gas from the third chamber 136 to the first chamber 132 is prevented. Therefore, the restraint force on the head 104d of the occupant 104 can be improved. In this embodiment, a structure in which the third internal exhaust port 146 is provided on the second partition portion 130b is shown; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and a structure without the third internal exhaust port 146 may also be provided.

[0044] Secondly, refer to Figure 2 The positional relationship between the airbag cushion 110 and the occupant 104 during inflation and deployment is explained. Figure 2 Examples (a) to (c) illustrate the vehicle seats and the occupants seated there, viewed from the front. Furthermore, in Figure 2 In (a) to (c), only the externally observable airbag cushion 110 is shown in the side airbag device 100. For ease of explanation, of the two seats arranged side-by-side in the vehicle width direction, the seat on the left is referred to as the driver's seat 102b, and the seat on the right is referred to as the front passenger seat 102c.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown in (a), when a collision load is applied to the passenger side 102C side of the vehicle due to a side impact, the airbag 110 causes the distal side 102a of the passenger side 102c (refer to) Figure 1 The airbag 110 begins to inflate and deploy when the airbag cracks. At this time, the airbag 210 of the other side airbag device deploys near the occupant 106c in the front passenger seat 102c, thereby pushing the occupant 106c in the front passenger seat 102c towards the center side in the vehicle width direction.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown in (b), when the airbag cushion 110 inflates and deploys, the upper body of the passenger in the front passenger seat 102C, which moves towards the center of the vehicle width direction via the proximal airbag cushion 110, namely the shoulder 104b and chest 104c, is restrained by the airbag cushion 110. At this time, the upper body of the driver in the driver's seat 102b, namely the shoulder 104b and chest 104c, which is pushed to the center of the vehicle width direction by the collision load, is also restrained by the airbag cushion 110.

[0047] Then, as Figure 2 As shown in (c), the heads 104d of the occupants 106b and 106c in the driver's seat 102b and the front passenger seat 102c are restrained by the airbag cushion 110. At this time, as... Figure 2 As shown in (b), by restraining the upper bodies of passenger 106b in driver's seat 102b and passenger 106c in front passenger seat 102c, the flow of gas from the second chamber 134 to the third chamber 136 is facilitated. Therefore, energy near the shoulders of occupants 106b and 106c can be absorbed while increasing the restraint force on the head 104d within the airbag cushion 110 (strictly speaking, the third chamber 136). Thus, even in the side airbag device 100 that restrains both the upper body and head of the occupants, a high restraint force can be ensured using a small inflator 150.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a side airbag device 100 inflating and deploying at the distal airbag cushion 110 of the seat 102 is illustrated, namely a so-called distal airbag; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention can also be applied to a side airbag device inflating proximally from the side opposite to the seat 102, where the airbag cushion 110 inflates.

[0049] In addition, Figure 2The present invention has been described with the example of an occupant simultaneously seated in both the driver's seat 102b and the front passenger seat 102c, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, if the occupant is seated only in the driver's seat 102b, the side airbag device of this embodiment can properly restrain the head and upper body of the occupant 106b in the driver's seat 102b.

[0050] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments described above are merely preferred examples of the present invention. Various other methods may be used to implement or perform these embodiments. In particular, the present invention is not limited to the shape, size, and structural arrangement of the detailed components shown in the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified in this patent application specification. Furthermore, the expressions and terms used in this patent application specification are for illustrative purposes only. Unless specifically limited, the invention is not limited thereto.

[0051] Therefore, those skilled in the art will readily conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope described in the claims. It should be understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of this invention.

[0052] Industrial availability

[0053] This invention can be used in a side airbag device that expands upward from the side of a vehicle seat.

[0054] Symbol Explanation

[0055] 100…Side airbag device 102…Seat

[0056] 102a…side view 102b…driver's seat

[0057] 102c… Passenger seat 104… Occupant

[0058] 104a…Neck 104b…Shoulder

[0059] 104C…breasts 104D…head

[0060] 106b…crew 106c…crew

[0061] 110…Airbag cushion 110a…Lower edge

[0062] 110b…leading edge 110c…tailing edge

[0063] 130a…First Division 130b…Second Division

[0064] 132…First chamber 134…Second chamber

[0065] 136…Third chamber 142…First internal exhaust port

[0066] 144…Second internal exhaust port 146…Third internal exhaust port

[0067] 150…Inflator 210…Airbag cushion

Claims

1. A side airbag device, which expands upward from the side of a vehicle seat, characterized in that it comprises: Bag-shaped air cushion; An inflator that supplies gas to the airbag cushion to inflate and deploy it; The first division section divides the airbag cushion into a first chamber on the rear side of the vehicle and a second chamber on the front side of the vehicle when it expands and deploys. The second division, when inflated, extends from the front edge to the rear edge of the airbag via the upper end of the first division and divides the third chamber above the first and second chambers of the airbag. The inflator is housed in the first chamber, which is elongated along the side of the seat in the vertical direction. When the first chamber along the side of the seat expands, it contacts the side of the seat but not the occupant. The first chamber functions as an LRD chamber to reduce the impact on the occupants during the initial expansion and deployment phase, thereby mitigating the impact on occupants in irregular seating positions during expansion and deployment, ensuring OOP performance. The side airbag system also includes, A first internal exhaust port is disposed on the first partition and allows gas supplied from the inflator to flow from the first chamber to the second chamber; A second internal exhaust port, disposed on the second partition, has a check valve structure that directs gas flowing into the second chamber to the third chamber and prevents gas from flowing back from the third chamber to the third chamber. Second chamber, The first division extends upward from the lower edge of the airbag to the second division when the airbag inflates and deploys. The second internal exhaust port is located on the upper front side of the first partition section. The second chamber is located at a position that protects the occupant's shoulders and chest. The second partition is located at a position equivalent to the height of the occupant's neck. The third chamber is located in a position to protect the occupants' heads. The side airbag device further includes a third internal vent, which is disposed on the second partition and has a check valve structure. The check valve structure directs the gas supplied from the inflator from the first chamber to the third chamber and prevents the gas from flowing back from the third chamber to the first chamber.

2. The side airbag device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The airbag cushion inflates and deploys on the distal side of the seat.

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