Airbag device for vehicle

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an airbag device for a vehicle which achieves both improvement of passenger restraining force and reduction of windshield load. [Solution] In the present invention, an airbag cushion 108 includes an inflator connection part 118; a main expansion part 120 formed on a vehicle rear side of the inflator connection part 118; a front side contact part 122 that expands from the inflator connection part 118 along an upper surface 102a of an instrument panel 102; a cushion upper surface part 126 formed in a state of being separated from a windshield 114; a front surface protection part 128, of the main expansion part 120, that restrains a passenger 112 from a vehicle front side; and a pair of rear projection parts 130, 132 that project to the vehicle rear side from both sides in a vehicle width direction of the front surface protection part 128. The airbag cushion 108 maintains a self-supported posture as a result of the front side contact part 122 contacting the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 and the main expansion part 120 contacting a rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102.

Description

Vehicle airbag device

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag device that includes an airbag cushion that inflates and deploys between an instrument panel of a vehicle and an occupant seated in a front seat.

[0002] Airbag systems are now standard equipment on most modern vehicles. Airbag systems are safety devices that activate in emergencies such as vehicle collisions, and protect occupants by using an airbag cushion that inflates and deploys using gas force. There are various types of airbag systems depending on their installation location and purpose. For example, in the driver's seat, a front airbag is installed in the center of the steering wheel. In the passenger seat, a passenger airbag is installed in the instrument panel or its surrounding area.

[0003] The airbag cushions of various airbag devices are designed to fully restrain the occupant, taking into consideration the installation location, etc. For example, the airbag 2 shown in Figure 1 of Patent Document 1 is for the passenger seat, and has a wide contact portion 2a with the upper surface of the instrument panel 3 so that it can stand on its own on the instrument panel 3.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-21726

[0005] In recent years, vehicle safety performance evaluations have required that excessive load not be placed on the windshield. Patent Document 1 also states in paragraph 0006 that the airbag 2 is shaped so as not to come into contact with the windshield 5. However, the technology in Patent Document 1 only applies to the contact portion 2a forward of the inflator 4, leaving room for improvement in terms of stabilizing the posture of the airbag cushion and preventing it from coming into contact with the windshield.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present invention has an object to provide a vehicle airbag device that achieves both an improved occupant restraint force and a reduced load on the windshield.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a representative configuration of a vehicle airbag device according to the present invention is a vehicle airbag device including an airbag cushion that inflates and deploys between the instrument panel of the vehicle and an occupant seated in a normal posture in a front seat, and an inflator that is fixed to the inside of the upper surface of the instrument panel and supplies gas to the airbag cushion, wherein the airbag cushion has an inflator connection portion into which a part of the inflator is inserted, a main inflation portion that is formed rearward of the inflator connection portion and inflates to a position below the upper surface of the instrument panel, and an inflator connection portion that extends from the inflator connection portion to the inflator. The airbag cushion has a front contact portion that inflates to protrude in a wedge shape toward the front of the vehicle along the upper surface of the instrument panel, a cushion upper surface portion that is formed from the front contact portion to the upper side of the main inflation portion, a front protection portion that is formed in the area of ​​the main inflation portion that faces the occupant and restrains the occupant from the front of the vehicle, and a pair of rear protrusions that are provided on both sides of the front protection portion in the vehicle width direction and inflated to protrude toward the rear of the vehicle, and the airbag cushion is characterized in that it can maintain an upright posture by the front contact portion contacting the upper surface of the instrument panel and the main inflation portion contacting the portion of the rear surface of the instrument panel that extends in the vertical direction.

[0008] The airbag cushion can maintain an upright position by contacting the front contact portion with the upper surface of the instrument panel and the main inflatable portion with the rear surface of the instrument panel. With this configuration, the airbag cushion can stabilize its position without contacting the windshield and efficiently restrain the occupant. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to reduce the load on the windshield and improve the occupant restraint force at the same time.

[0009] The main expansion portion may have a lower expansion portion that expands and deploys below an imaginary line extending along the upper surface of the instrument panel, and the lower expansion portion may have a rear contact portion that is formed at the bottom of the lower expansion portion and bulges forward more than the upper portion of the lower expansion portion to contact the rear surface of the instrument panel.

[0010] According to the above configuration, the rear contact portion formed on the lower inflation portion makes it easier for the main inflation portion to come into contact with the rear surface of the instrument panel, thereby making it possible to use the rear surface of the instrument panel as a reaction surface and further stabilize the posture of the airbag cushion.

[0011] The airbag cushion may further have a diffuser provided around the inflator connection portion inside the airbag cushion and covering a portion of the inflator, and the diffuser may have a front opening that guides gas supplied from the inflator to a front expansion portion in front of the vehicle, and a rear opening that guides gas supplied from the inflator to a main expansion portion in the rear of the vehicle.

[0012] According to the above configuration, by sending gas to the front contact portion and the main inflation portion using the diffuser, the front contact portion and the main inflation portion are quickly inflated and deployed to contact the instrument panel, thereby making it possible to further stabilize the posture of the airbag cushion.

[0013] The airbag cushion includes a main panel that forms the cushion upper surface, the front protection portion, and the underside of the airbag cushion that extends from the main inflation portion to the front contact portion and that is provided with an inflator connection portion; a pair of side panels that form the vehicle width outer sides of the main inflation portion, the front contact portion, and the rearward protrusion, respectively; and a pair of inner lobe panels that form the vehicle width inner sides of the rearward protrusion, wherein the outer lobe panel portions of the side panels that form the vehicle width outer sides of the rearward protrusion have a larger area than the inner lobe panels when unfolded and placed on a flat surface, and the outer lobe panel portions may have a three-dimensional shape by joining predetermined cutouts cut out toward the center in a closed state.

[0014] The above configuration advantageously realizes an airbag cushion having a pair of rearward protrusions. In particular, the three-dimensional shape of the outer lobe panel portion allows for a large volume of the pair of rearward protrusions. Furthermore, the area of ​​the inner lobe panel is smaller than that of the outer lobe panel portion, so the inner lobe panel experiences a larger tension than the outer lobe panel portion. As a result, the pair of rearward protrusions are pulled by the inner lobe panel and inflate so as to tilt inward, thereby increasing the restraining force against an occupant who enters between the pair of rearward protrusions.

[0015] The cushion upper surface portion may be formed by inflating and deploying the upper surface of the airbag cushion in a state separated from the windshield of the vehicle.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the cushion upper surface portion is deployed in a state separated from the windshield, thereby making it possible to reduce the burden on the windshield.

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle airbag device that achieves both an improved occupant restraint force and a reduced load on the windshield.

[0018] 1(b) is a diagram illustrating an outline of a vehicle airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the airbag cushion. FIG. 1(b) is a diagram illustrating the airbag cushion alone when inflated and deployed. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating each panel member forming the airbag cushion of FIG. 3. FIG. 4(b) is a diagram illustrating a process of forming a rearward protrusion from the side panel of FIG. 4(b). FIG. 3(b) is a diagram illustrating a process of restraining an occupant by the airbag cushion of FIG. 3(b). FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the airbag cushion of FIG. 2 restrains an occupant. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the side panel of FIG.

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dimensions, materials, and other specific values ​​shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention and, unless otherwise specified, do not limit the present invention. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0020] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of an outline of a vehicle airbag device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1A is a diagram illustrating the vehicle airbag device 100 before it is deployed. In this embodiment, the vehicle airbag device 100 is installed in front of a front-row right seat 104 as a passenger airbag for a front passenger seat in a left-hand drive vehicle.

[0021] 1(a) and other drawings, the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Back), the left and right directions in the vehicle width direction are indicated by arrows L (Left) and R (Right), and the up-down direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows U (Up) and D (Down). In particular, "up" refers to the direction of the head of an occupant sitting in a normal position in the seat, and "down" refers to the direction of the lower legs of the occupant.

[0022] An airbag cushion 108 (see FIG. 1B) of the vehicle airbag device 100 is stored in a storage section 106 provided in an instrument panel 102. The storage section 106 is installed in front of a seat 104, and stores the airbag cushion 108 as well as an inflator 110 (see FIG. 2) which is a gas generator.

[0023] Fig. 1(b) is a diagram illustrating the state of the vehicle airbag device 100 of Fig. 1(a) after it has been activated. When a collision is predicted or detected, the airbag cushion 108 inflates and deploys from the storage portion 106 (see Fig. 1(a)) toward the front of the seat 104. The airbag cushion 108 is bag-shaped and is formed by overlapping and sewing or bonding a plurality of panels that make up its surface.

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the airbag cushion 108 taken along line AA in Figure 1(b) , and also illustrates an occupant 112 seated in the seat 104 in a normal position.

[0025] 2 is an example of a dummy used in automobile crash tests. Examples of dummies that can be used for the occupant 112 include the AM50 and AF05 Hybrid III dummies, which are used for frontal crash tests.

[0026] AM50 is a dummy that simulates a male with a height of 175 cm and a weight of 78 kg, which corresponds to 50% of the average American adult male. AF05 is a model of a small female with a height of 145 cm, a seated height of 79 cm, and a weight of approximately 45 kg. Each of these dummies was created based on the standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

[0027] The airbag cushion 108 inflates and deploys between the instrument panel 102 and an occupant 112 seated in a normal position in the seat 104 (see FIG. 1B). In particular, the airbag cushion 108 of this embodiment inflates and deploys between the upper surface 102a and the windshield 114, and between the rear surface 102b and the occupant 112 in the seat 104, while remaining in contact with the upper surface 102a and the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102 and standing on its own, thereby being able to restrain the occupant 112 from the front of the vehicle.

[0028] The airbag cushion 108 is connected to an inflator 110, which is a gas generator, by an inflator connector 118. The inflator 110 is fixed to the inside of the top surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 using stud bolts (not shown), and the portion of the inflator 110 having gas ejection holes is inserted into the airbag cushion 108 through the inflator connector 118.

[0029] The inflator 110 is activated by an impact detection signal sent from a predetermined sensor and supplies gas to the inside of the airbag cushion 108. The airbag cushion 108 begins to inflate with the gas from the inflator 110, and the inflation pressure at this time tears open the cover of the storage section 106, causing the airbag cushion 108 to inflate and deploy toward the seat 104 (see FIG. 1(b)).

[0030] In this embodiment, a disk-shaped inflator 110 is used. Currently popular inflators include types that are filled with gas generating agent and burn it to generate gas, types that are filled with compressed gas and supply gas without generating heat, and hybrid types that use both combustion gas and compressed gas. Any of these types can be used as the inflator 110.

[0031] The diffuser 116 is a member that rectifies the flow of gas supplied from the inflator 110. The diffuser 116 is disposed around the inflator connection portion 118 on the inside of the airbag cushion 108, and covers the inflator 110 inserted into the airbag cushion 108.

[0032] The diffuser 116 has a front opening 116a and a rear opening 116b as openings through which gas flows. The diffuser 116 guides gas in the front-rear direction through these openings, thereby enabling the airbag cushion 108 to be efficiently filled with gas.

[0033] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the airbag cushion 108 alone when inflated and deployed in Fig. 1B. Fig. 3A is a diagram illustrating the airbag cushion 108 in Fig. 1B as viewed from the left side in the vehicle width direction.

[0034] The airbag cushion 108 is provided with an inflator connection portion 118 as a portion into which a portion of the inflator 110 (see FIG. 2) is inserted. The inflator connection portion 118 is provided at a portion of the airbag cushion 108 that overlaps the instrument panel 102 from above, and in this embodiment, is provided at a portion slightly forward of the center of the airbag cushion 108.

[0035] The airbag cushion 108 is provided with a main inflation portion 120 as a primary inflation portion. The main inflation portion 120 is a portion that is formed rearward of the vehicle relative to the inflator connection portion 118 and has a larger vertical dimension, and widely restrains the occupant 112 (see FIG. 2 ).

[0036] 2, the main inflatable portion 120 inflates so that its upper end 120a is located near the windshield 114 and its lower end 120b is located below an imaginary line L1 extending rearward from the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102. This enables the main inflatable portion 120 to widely restrain the upper body of the occupant 112, mainly from the head 172 to the chest 184.

[0037] The airbag cushion 108 is provided with a front contact portion 122 as an inflatable portion for maintaining the airbag cushion 108 in an upstanding position. The front contact portion 122 inflates from the inflator connecting portion 118 along the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 so as to protrude in a wedge shape toward the front of the vehicle. The front contact portion 122 fits into the space between the instrument panel 102 and the windshield 114 and makes surface contact with the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102, thereby supporting the airbag cushion 108 in an upstanding position.

[0038] The main inflation portion 120 also has a rear contact portion 124 as a portion that supports the airbag cushion 108 in an upright position. As illustrated in Figure 3, the main inflation portion 120 includes an upper inflation portion 121a that inflates and deploys above an imaginary line L1 that extends along the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 (see Figure 2), and a lower inflation portion 121b that inflates and deploys below the imaginary line L1. The rear contact portion 124 is formed in the lower inflation portion 121b of the main inflation portion 120.

[0039] The rear contact portion 124 is formed at the bottom of the lower inflation portion 121b and is formed to bulge forward more than the upper portion of the lower inflation portion 121b on the imaginary line L1 side. In particular, the rear contact portion 124 is provided to bulge forward toward the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102 (see FIG. 2). The bulging shape of the rear contact portion 124 makes it easier for the main inflation portion 120 to come into contact with the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102.

[0040] As described above, the airbag cushion 108 has the front contact portion 122 contacting the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102, and the main inflation portion 120 contacting the portion of the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102 that extends in the vertical direction via the rear contact portion 124, making it possible to use the upper surface 102a and the rear surface 102b as reaction surfaces when restraining an occupant.

[0041] The diffuser 116 in Fig. 2 also helps to maintain the airbag cushion 108 in a self-standing position. More specifically, the diffuser 116 has a front opening 116a that opens toward a front contact portion 122 at the front of the vehicle, and a rear opening 116b that opens toward the main inflation portion 120 at the rear of the vehicle. That is, the diffuser 116 quickly guides the gas supplied from the inflator 110 to the front contact portion 122 and the main inflation portion 120. This allows the airbag cushion 108 to quickly inflate and deploy the front contact portion 122 and the main inflation portion 120, thereby allowing the airbag cushion 108 to quickly become self-standing.

[0042] In this embodiment, the airbag cushion 108 is able to stand on its own using the upper surface 102a and rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102, and therefore does not need to maintain its position using the windshield 114. Therefore, the cushion upper surface portion 126 is configured to be spaced apart from the windshield 114.

[0043] The cushion upper surface portion 126 is the portion that forms the upper surface of the airbag cushion 108, extending from the front contact portion 122 to the main inflation portion 120. The airbag cushion 108 is formed by inflating and deploying the cushion upper surface portion 126 in a state spaced apart from the windshield 114, thereby reducing the strain that may be placed on the windshield 114. Furthermore, by limiting the volume of the airbag cushion 108 to a level that does not cause it to come into contact with the windshield 114, it is possible to reduce the amount of panel material used to form the airbag cushion 108 and to employ a low-output inflator, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the airbag cushion 108.

[0044] Fig. 3(b) is a top view of the airbag cushion 108 of Fig. 3(a). The main inflatable portion 120 is provided with a front protection portion 128 that restrains the occupant 112 (see Fig. 2) from the front, and a pair of rearward protrusions 130, 132 that restrain the head from the sides.

[0045] The front protection portion 128 is a region formed in the main inflatable portion 120 in the vertical direction in an area facing the vehicle rear occupant 112 (see FIG. 2 ). The front protection portion 128 restrains the area from the head 172 to the chest 184 and abdomen 190 of the occupant 112 from the front of the vehicle.

[0046] The pair of rearward protrusions 130, 132 are portions that inflate to protrude rearward from the upper portion of the main inflatable portion 120. The rearward protrusions 130, 132 are provided on both sides of the front protection portion 128 in the vehicle width direction, and mainly restrain the sides of the head 174 of the occupant 112 (see FIG. 6(b)).

[0047] FIG. 4 illustrates the panel members that form the airbag cushion 108 of FIG.

[0048] 4A is a diagram illustrating the main panel 134 of the airbag cushion 108 of FIG. 3B laid out on a flat surface. The main panel 134 is a panel member that forms the cushion upper surface portion 126, the front protection portion 128, and the underside of the airbag cushion 108 that extends from the main inflation portion 120 to the front contact portion 122.

[0049] The main panel 134 is in the form of a long strip, and is used by joining side edges 136, 138 to the edges of side panels 152, 154 shown in Figures 4(b) and 4(c) by sewing or the like. Ends 140, 142 of the main panel 134 are joined to each other by sewing or the like.

[0050] The main panel 134 has curved portions 144, 146 formed at portions of its side edges 136, 138. Inner lobe panels 160, 162 (see FIGS. 4(d) and 4(e)) that form the insides of the rearward projections 130, 132 (see FIG. 3(b)) are joined to the curved portions 144, 146.

[0051] The main panel 134 is provided with an inflator connection portion 118 into which the inflator 110 (see FIG. 2) is inserted. The inflator connection portion 118 is formed at a location of the main panel 134 that overlaps the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 from above.

[0052] The inflator connecting portion 118 includes an opening 148 into which a portion of the inflator 110 (see FIG. 2) having a gas ejection hole is inserted, and bolt holes 150 into which stud bolts extending from a retainer ring (not shown) to which the inflator 110 is attached are inserted. The airbag cushion 108 is fixed to the inside of the storage portion 106 by connecting the inflator connecting portion 118 to the inflator 110.

[0053] Figure 4(b) is a diagram illustrating the left side panel 152 in the vehicle width direction of Figure 3(b) when unfolded and laid flat. The side panel 152 is a panel member that forms the side portion in the vehicle width direction of the airbag cushion 108. The side panel 152, together with the side panel on the right side in the vehicle width direction (see Figure 4(c)), has a shape that is symmetrical on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction of the airbag cushion 108 (see Figure 3(b)).

[0054] The side panel 152 forms the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the range that covers the main inflatable portion 120, the front contact portion 122, and the rear protruding portion 130 in Figure 3(a) . The side panel 152 also has a vent hole 153 that discharges gas.

[0055] The side panel 152 is sized so that the upper edge 158 does not come into contact with the windshield 114 when the lower edge 156 forming the lower surface of the front contact portion 122 is in contact with the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102, so that the cushion upper surface portion 126 (see Figure 2) does not come into contact with the windshield 114.

[0056] Fig. 4(c) is a diagram illustrating the side panel 154 on the right side in the vehicle width direction of Fig. 3(b) when it is unfolded and laid flat. The side panel 154 has a shape symmetrical to the side panel 152 in Fig. 4(b) and has a similar configuration to the side panel 152.

[0057] 4(d) is a diagram illustrating the inner lobe panel 160 on the left side in the vehicle width direction of FIG. 3(b) laid out on a flat surface. The inner lobe panel 160 is a panel member that forms the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the rearward protrusion 130. The inner lobe panel 160 has an approximately crescent shape, with an outer peripheral portion 160a joined to the side panel 152 and an inner peripheral portion 160b joined to the main panel 134.

[0058] 4(e) is a diagram illustrating the inner lobe panel 162 on the right side in the vehicle width direction of FIG. 3(b) laid out on a flat surface. The inner lobe panel 162 has a shape symmetrical to the inner lobe panel 160 in FIG. 4(d) and has a similar configuration to the inner lobe panel 162.

[0059] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a process of forming the rear protrusion 130 (see FIG. 3B) from the side panel 152 of FIG. 4B.

[0060] Fig. 5(a) is a diagram illustrating the side panel 152 of Fig. 4(b). The shaded area of ​​the side panel 152 is an outer lobe panel portion 164 that forms the vehicle width direction outer side of the rearward protrusion 130 (see Fig. 3(b)). The outer lobe panel portion 164 has an outer periphery 166 joined to the outer periphery 160a of the inner lobe panel 160 of Fig. 4(d), and together with the inner lobe panel 160, forms the rearward protrusion 130.

[0061] The outer lobe panel portion 164 has a larger area than the inner lobe panel 160 (see FIG. 4(d)) when laid out flat. The outer lobe panel portion 164 is provided with a notch 168 cut out toward the center.

[0062] Figure 5(b) shows the cutout 168 of the side panel 152 of Figure 5(a) in a closed state. The outer periphery 166 of the outer lobe panel portion 164 is joined in a closed state by stitching or the like along the edges of the cutout 168, resulting in a periphery 166 that is approximately the same shape and length as the outer periphery 160a of the inner lobe panel 160 (see Figure 4(d)). In this state, the outer periphery 166 of the outer lobe panel portion 164 and the outer periphery 160a of the inner lobe panel 160 are joined together to form the rearward projection 130 (see Figure 3(a)).

[0063] 5(c) is a cross-sectional view of the rearward protrusion 130 corresponding to the cross section B-B of the side panel 152 in FIG. 5(b). As described above, the outer lobe panel portion 164 has a larger area than the inner lobe panel 160. Furthermore, when the cutout 168 is closed, the outer lobe panel portion 164 assumes a three-dimensional shape. In this way, the outer lobe panel portion 164 has a larger area and a three-dimensional shape than the inner lobe panel 160, which allows the rearward protrusion 130 to ensure a large capacity.

[0064] 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the process in which the airbag cushion 108 of Fig. 3B restrains the occupant 112. Fig. 6A is a diagram illustrating the state of the airbag cushion 108 immediately after it is inflated and deployed.

[0065] The airbag cushion 108 inflates and deploys in front of the vehicle occupant 112 seated in the seat 104 (see FIG. 1B). At this time, the airbag cushion 108 not only inflates the front protection portion 128 of the main inflation portion 120 in front of the occupant 112, but also inflates so that the rear protrusions 130, 132 protrude rearward from both sides of the front protection portion 128 in the vehicle width direction.

[0066] 6(b) is a diagram showing the state in which the occupant 112 of FIG. 6(a) has entered the airbag cushion 108. In an oblique collision, which is a collision from the diagonal front, the occupant 112 may also move diagonally forward. In this case, the rear protrusions 130, 132 function effectively to protect the occupant 112.

[0067] As illustrated in Figure 6 (b), for example, when an occupant 112 moves diagonally forward to the left, the airbag cushion 108 restrains the head 172 of the occupant 112 from the front of the vehicle with the front protection portion 128, while also restraining the head 172 of the occupant 112 from the side of the head 174 with the rear protrusion portion 130.

[0068] In an oblique collision or the like, when the head 172 of the occupant 112 approaching diagonally forward comes into contact with only the front protection part 128, a clockwise rotational force (rotation 176 shown by the arrow) around the neck as viewed from above may be generated in the head 172. It has been found that such rotation 176 of the head 172 is likely to increase the injury level of the occupant 112.

[0069] In this embodiment, the front protection portion 128 and the rear protrusion 130 actively restrain the area from the front side of the head 172 to the side of the head 174, making it possible to reduce or counteract and absorb the rotation 176 occurring in the head 172. This configuration reduces the angular velocity of the rotation 176 of the head 172 of the occupant 112, and suppresses the injury level to the head 172 associated with the rotation 176.

[0070] As described with reference to Figure 5(c), rearward protrusion 130 is configured such that inner lobe panel 160 has a smaller area than outer lobe panel portion 164. Therefore, inner lobe panel 160 is more likely to experience tension than outer lobe panel portion 164. The same applies to rearward protrusion 132, which is made up of outer lobe panel portion 165 and inner lobe panel 162.

[0071] With the above configuration, the rearward protrusions 130, 132 in Figure 6(b) are likely to generate inward forces 180, 182 as they are pulled by the inner lobe panels 160, 162, respectively, making it possible to restrain the head 172 of the occupant 112 by wrapping it around from both sides. In addition to this effect, the three-dimensional shape of the outer lobe panel portion 164 (see Figure 5(c)) ensures a larger capacity for the rearward protrusions 130, 132, allowing the rearward protrusions 130, 132 to exert a high occupant restraint force on the head 172 of the occupant 112.

[0072] 2 restraining the occupant 112. When the occupant 112 enters the front protection portion 128, a force 186 may be generated in the airbag cushion 108, in which the rear contact portion 124 of the main inflatable portion 120 pushes the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102 forward, and a force 188 may be generated in which the front contact portion 122 pushes the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 downward.

[0073] More specifically, when the occupant 112 falls forward, a force 186 is generated in the main inflation portion 120 that rotates it downward around the inflator connection portion 118, causing the rear contact portion 124 to interfere with the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102. Furthermore, when the occupant 112 generates a force in a direction that lifts the main inflation portion 120, a force 188 is generated in the front contact portion 122 that rotates it downward around the inflator connection portion 118, causing the front contact portion 122 to interfere with the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102.

[0074] Due to the above-described action, the airbag cushion 108 comes into contact with the upper surface 102a and the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102, and is able to restrain the occupant 112 in a stable position by using the upper surface 102a and the rear surface 102b as reaction surfaces. In this way, when the airbag cushion 108 restrains the occupant, it is able to maintain an upright position by making full use of the instrument panel 102 without using the windshield 114 as a reaction surface.

[0075] As described above, the airbag cushion 108 of this embodiment is able to maintain an independent posture by inflating and deploying the cushion upper surface portion 126 away from the windshield 114, with the front contact portion 122 contacting the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 and the main inflatable portion 120 contacting the rear surface 102b of the instrument panel 102 via the rear contact portion 124. With this configuration, the airbag cushion 108 can stabilize its posture without contacting the windshield 114 and efficiently restrain the occupant 112. Therefore, the vehicle airbag device 100 of this embodiment can achieve both a reduction in the burden on the windshield 114 and an improvement in the occupant restraining force.

[0076] The airbag cushion 108 guides gas to the front contact portion 122 and the main inflation portion 120 by the diffuser 116, thereby quickly inflating and deploying the front contact portion 122 and the main inflation portion 120. This also makes it possible to bring the airbag cushion 108 into contact with the instrument panel 102 and stabilize the posture of the airbag cushion 108 more quickly.

[0077] Furthermore, as described with reference to FIG. 6( b), the airbag cushion 108 generates inward forces 180, 182 on the rearward projections 130, 132 by utilizing the difference in area between the outer lobe panel portions 164, 165 and the inner lobe panels 160, 162. Compared to conventional methods of forming projections on the airbag cushion 108 by utilizing the tension of an internal tether or the like, the airbag cushion 108 has a simpler configuration, requires fewer materials and stitching, and is therefore less costly. Furthermore, omitting an internal tether or the like allows gas to flow smoothly inside the airbag cushion 108, ensuring rapid inflation and deployment.

[0078] Figure 8 illustrates a modified example (side panel 200) of the side panel 152 of Figure 5. In the following description, components already described will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Furthermore, components with the same names as components already described will have the same configuration and function even if assigned different reference numerals.

[0079] 8A illustrates the side panel 200 in an unfolded, flat position. The side panel 200 has a fold region 206 in the outer lobe panel portion 202. The fold region 206 is an area that is folded over when joined to the inner lobe panel 160. The side panel 200 can be joined to the inner lobe panel 160 (see FIG. 4D ) with the fold region 206 folded over, while still providing a larger surface area for the outer lobe panel portion 202.

[0080] Figure 8(b) shows the state in which the cutout portion 204 of the side panel 200 in Figure 8(a) has been joined. The periphery 208 of the outer lobe panel portion 202 is formed into approximately the same shape and length as the periphery 160a of the inner lobe panel 160 (see Figure 4(d)) by folding the folded region 206 and then joining the edges of the cutout portion 204 by stitching or the like to form a closed state. In this state, the periphery 208 of the outer lobe panel portion 202 and the periphery 160a of the inner lobe panel 160 are joined to form a rearward protrusion 210 (see Figure 8(c)).

[0081] Figure 8(c) is a cross-sectional view of rearward protrusion 210 corresponding to cross section CC of side panel 200 in Figure 8(b). As described above, outer lobe panel portion 202 has a larger area than inner lobe panel 160 (see Figure 4(d)). Furthermore, when cutout portion 204 is closed, outer lobe panel portion 202 has a three-dimensional shape.

[0082] 8(d) is a diagram illustrating the state in which the rearward projection 210 of FIG. 8(c) is inflated. When gas flows into the rearward projection 210, the folded region 206 is unfolded, allowing the outer lobe panel portion 202 to inflate more. In this way, the rearward projection 210 utilizing the outer lobe panel portion 202 can ensure a larger volume, further increasing the occupant restraint force.

[0083] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above-described embodiments are merely preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments may be implemented or performed in various ways. Unless otherwise specified in the present specification, the present invention is not limited to the detailed shapes, sizes, and configurations of parts shown in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the expressions and terms used in the present specification are for the purpose of explanation and are not intended to be limiting unless otherwise specified.

[0084] Therefore, it is clear that a person skilled in the art can think of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0085] The present invention can be used in a vehicle airbag device that includes an airbag cushion that inflates and deploys between the instrument panel of the vehicle and an occupant seated in a front seat.

[0086] 100...vehicle airbag device, 102...instrument panel, 102a...upper surface, 102b...rear surface, 104...seat, 106...storage section, 108...airbag cushion, 110...inflator, 112...occupant, 114...windshield, 116...diffuser, 116a...front opening, 116b...rear opening, 118...inflator connection section, 120...main inflation section, 120a...upper end, 120b...lower end, 121a...upper inflation section, 121b...lower inflation section, 122...front contact section, 124...rear contact section, 126...cushion upper surface section, 128...front protection section, 130, 132...rear protrusion section, 134...main panel, 136, 138...side edges, 140, 142...ends, 144, 146...bays Bent portion, 148...opening, 150...bolt hole, 152...side panel, 153...vent hole, 154...side panel, 155...vent hole, 156...lower edge, 158...upper edge, 160...inner lobe panel, 160a...outer periphery, 160b...inner periphery, 162...inner lobe panel, 164...outer lobe panel portion, 165...outer lobe panel portion , 166...periphery, 168...notch, 170...notch, 172...head, 174...temporal region, 176...rotation, 180, 182...force, 184...chest, 186...force, 188...force, 190...abdomen, L1...imaginary line, 200...side panel, 202...outer lobe panel portion, 204...notch, 206...folded region, 208...periphery, 210...posterior protrusion

Claims

1. A vehicle airbag device comprising an airbag cushion which inflates and deploys between the instrument panel of a vehicle and an occupant seated in a normal position in a front row seat, and an inflator which is fixed to the inside of an upper surface of the instrument panel and supplies gas to the airbag cushion, wherein the airbag cushion has: an inflator connection portion into which a part of the inflator is inserted; a main expansion portion which is formed rearward of the vehicle from the inflator connection portion and which inflates to a position lower than the upper surface of the instrument panel; a front contact portion which inflates so as to protrude in a wedge shape toward the front of the vehicle along the upper surface of the instrument panel from the inflator connection portion; a cushion upper surface portion which is formed from the front contact portion to the upper side of the main expansion portion; a front protection portion which is formed in an area of ​​the main expansion portion which faces the occupant and which restrains the occupant from the front of the vehicle; and a pair of rear protrusions which are provided on both sides of the front protection portion in the vehicle width direction and which inflate so as to protrude rearward of the vehicle, The airbag cushion is capable of maintaining an upright position by having the front contact portion contact an upper surface of the instrument panel and the main expansion portion contact a portion of the rear surface of the instrument panel that extends in the vertical direction, wherein the airbag cushion is capable of maintaining an upright position.

2. The vehicle airbag device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the main inflation portion has a lower inflation portion that inflates and deploys below an imaginary line extending along the upper surface of the instrument panel, and the lower inflation portion has a rear contact portion that is formed at the bottom of the lower inflation portion, bulges out further forward than an upper portion of the lower inflation portion, and contacts the rear surface of the instrument panel.

3. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the airbag cushion further has a diffuser provided around the inflator connection portion on the inside of the airbag cushion and covering a part of the inflator, the diffuser having a front opening that guides gas supplied from the inflator to the front contact portion at the front of the vehicle, and a rear opening that guides gas supplied from the inflator to the main inflation portion at the rear of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle airbag device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the airbag cushion includes: a main panel which forms the cushion upper surface portion, the front protection portion, and the underside of the airbag cushion ranging from the main inflation portion to the front contact portion, and on which the inflator connection portion is provided; a pair of side panels which form the vehicle width outer sides of the main inflation portion, the front contact portion, and the rear protrusion; and a pair of inner lobe panels which form the vehicle width inner side of the rear protrusion, wherein the outer lobe panel portions of the side panels which form the vehicle width outer sides of the rear protrusion have a larger area than the inner lobe panels when unfolded and placed on a flat surface, and the outer lobe panel portions have a three-dimensional shape by joining predetermined cutout portions cut out toward the center in a closed state.

5. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cushion upper surface portion is formed by inflating and deploying the upper surface of the airbag cushion in a state spaced apart from the windshield of the vehicle.

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