Side airbag structure and folding method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a side airbag structure, comprising: an airbag body installed between passengers, wherein an upper inflation chamber and a lower inflation chamber arranged in an upper and lower manner are formed in the airbag body, a closed area is provided in the airbag body between the upper inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber, and an inflation port is provided at the periphery of the airbag body on one side of the closed area, which is connected to the upper inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber respectively; a first external tie bar, wherein one end of the first external tie bar is connected to the upper edge of the airbag body and the other end is connected to the lower edge of the airbag body; and a second external tie bar, wherein one end of the second external tie bar is connected to the front edge of the airbag body and the other end is connected to the rear edge of the airbag body. A folding method for the above-mentioned side airbag structure is also disclosed. The present invention avoids collisions between passengers and prevents secondary injuries to the passengers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile airbags, and in particular to a side airbag structure and a folding method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Airbags are a passive safety device that, when used in conjunction with seat belts, can provide effective collision protection for passengers. In a collision, airbags can reduce head injuries by 25% and facial injuries by around 80%.

[0003] Most existing car airbags protect the head and face of the occupants, but they cannot prevent collisions between occupants. When a car crashes, if the main driver and the front passenger occupants collide with each other, it is very easy to cause secondary injuries to the occupants.

[0004] Therefore, the applicant has found a solution to the above-mentioned problem through beneficial exploration and research. The technical solution to be introduced below is produced in this context. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One of the technical problems to be solved by the present invention is to provide a side airbag structure that can prevent passengers from colliding with each other in response to the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0006] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a folding method for the above-mentioned side airbag structure.

[0007] A side airbag structure as a first aspect of the present invention includes:

[0008] An airbag body installed between the occupants, wherein the airbag body is formed with an upper inflation chamber and a lower inflation chamber arranged vertically, a closed area is provided in the airbag body between the upper inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber, and an inflation port is provided at a peripheral edge of the airbag body on one side of the closed area, the inflation port being in communication with the upper inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber respectively;

[0009] a first external tie bar, one end of which is connected to the upper edge of the airbag body and the other end of which is connected to the lower edge of the airbag body; and

[0010] A second external tie bar, one end of which is connected to the front end edge of the airbag body, and the other end of which is connected to the rear end edge of the airbag body.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air bag body is formed by symmetrically arranged left and right air bag material sheets that are sealed and sewn along their peripheries.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the left and right air bag panels are sealed and sewn with sewing thread at the area of ​​the air bag body between the upper and lower inflation chambers, so that this area forms the closed area.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the upper inflatable chamber is located above the occupant's shoulders, and the lower inflatable chamber is located below the occupant's shoulders.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, first and second cutting lines are cut at intervals on the closed area, so that first and second through holes are formed on the closed area, and the first external reinforcement is restricted after passing through the first and second through holes in sequence.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second external reinforcement passes through a gap formed between the portion of the first external reinforcement located at the first and second through holes and the closed area, so that the second external reinforcement is restricted.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one end of the first external tie bar is fixedly connected to the upper edge of the airbag body by sewing, and the other end thereof is fixedly connected to the lower edge of the airbag body by sewing; one end of the second external tie bar is fixedly connected to the front end edge of the airbag body by sewing, and the other end thereof is fixed to the rear end edge of the airbag body by bolts and close to the inflation port of the airbag body.

[0017] As a second aspect of the present invention, a method for folding the above-mentioned side airbag structure comprises the following steps:

[0018] Step S1, laying the sewn airbag body flat;

[0019] Step S2: Fold the lower end of the airbag body toward the inside of the airbag body along the crease points Z1 and Z2, so that the lower edge of the folded airbag body is flush with the inflation hole of the airbag body;

[0020] Step S3: Fold the upper end of the airbag body three times in a Z-shape along crease points Z3 and Z4, ensuring that the width of each fold layer is equal and that the upper edge of the folded airbag body is perpendicular to the left edge of the airbag body;

[0021] Step S4: fold the right end of the airbag body to the left along the crease point Z5 so that the right edge of the folded airbag body is parallel to the left edge of the airbag body;

[0022] Step S5, folding the left end of the airbag body in a Z-shape multiple times along the fold ZH and folding it to the right edge of the airbag body;

[0023] Step S6: heat-setting the folded airbag body.

[0024] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] 1. The side airbag structure of the present invention is installed between the occupants. When the car collides, it will quickly inflate and deploy, avoiding collisions between the occupants and preventing secondary injuries to the occupants.

[0026] 2. Because the first external tie bar connects the upper and lower inflation chambers and passes through the enclosed area, the upper and lower inflation chambers move closer to the center during the deployment process, placing them closer to the occupant. This better protects the occupant's head and neck from displacement, reduces injury risk, and ensures the stability of the airbag after inflation, improving the rigidity of the airbag structure.

[0027] 3. The second outer tie bar allows the airbag to tilt toward the occupant during deployment, thereby preventing the occupant from falling forward and better protecting the occupants.

[0028] 4. The folding method of the present invention adopts a combination of Z-shaped folding and plug folding, which ensures the rapidity and stability of the air bag deployment during the inflation process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the side airbag structure of the present invention after being flattened and unfolded.

[0031] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the planar effect of the side airbag structure of the present invention after inflation and deployment.

[0032] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the axial structure of the side airbag structure of the present invention after inflation and deployment.

[0033] Figure 4 1 is a schematic diagram showing the effect of the folding step S1 of the side airbag structure of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 5 1 is a schematic diagram showing the effect of the folding step S2 of the side airbag structure of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 6 1 is a schematic diagram showing the effect of the folding step S3 of the side airbag structure of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 7 1 is a schematic diagram showing the effect of the folding step S4 of the side airbag structure of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 1 is a schematic diagram showing the effect of the folding step S5 of the side airbag structure of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects achieved by the present invention easier to understand, the present invention is further described below with reference to specific illustrations.

[0039] See also Figure 1 , the figure shows a side airbag structure, including an airbag body 100 and external tensioning bars 200a, 200b.

[0040] The airbag body 100 is installed between the occupants. It contains an upper inflation chamber 110 and a lower inflation chamber 120, arranged vertically. The upper inflation chamber 110 is located above the occupant's shoulders, while the lower inflation chamber 120 is located below the occupant's shoulders. A closed area 130 is located between the upper and lower inflation chambers 110, 120. An inflation port 140 is defined along the periphery of the airbag body 100, located on one side of the closed area 130. The inflation port 140 communicates with the upper and lower inflation chambers 120, 130, respectively. The airbag body 100 is constructed from symmetrically arranged left and right airbag panels, which are sealed and sewn along their peripheries. The left and right air bag panels are sealed and sewn with sewing thread 101 at the area of ​​the air bag body 100 between the upper inflation chamber 110 and the lower inflation chamber 120 , so that a closed area 130 is formed in the area.

[0041] One end of the outer tie bar 200a is sewn to the upper edge of the airbag body 100, and the other end is sewn to the lower edge of the airbag body 100. Separation lines 131 and 132 are cut at intervals in the closed area 130, forming through-holes 131a and 132a in the closed area. The outer tie bar 200a passes through the through-holes 131a and 132a in sequence, thereby restraining the outer tie bar 200a.

[0042] One end of the outer tie bar 200b is sewn to the front edge of the airbag body 100, and the other end is bolted to the rear edge of the airbag body 100, near the inflation port 140 of the airbag body 100. The outer tie bar 200b passes through the gap formed between the portion of the outer tie bar 200a located between the through holes 131a and 132a and the closed area 130, thereby constraining the outer tie bar 200b. That is, the outer tie bars 200a and 200b are arranged in an X-shape.

[0043] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 When a car collides, the airbag body 100 rapidly inflates and deploys, preventing collisions between occupants and preventing secondary injuries. Because the external tie bars 200a connect the upper and lower inflation chambers 110 and 120 and extend through the enclosed area 130, the upper and lower inflation chambers 110 and 120 converge toward the center during the deployment process, placing them closer to the occupant. This better protects the occupant's head and neck from displacement, minimizing injury risk, while also ensuring the airbag's stability after inflation and increasing the rigidity of the airbag structure. The external tie bars 200b cause the airbag to tilt toward the occupant during deployment, thereby preventing the occupant from tipping forward and better protecting the safety of the vehicle's occupants.

[0044] See also Figures 4 to 8 , the figure shows a folding method of the side airbag structure of the present invention, comprising the following steps:

[0045] Step S1, see Figure 4 , lay the sewn air bag body 100 flat on a flat surface, and arrange the outer reinforcement 200a, 200b, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 shown.

[0046] Step S2, see Figure 5 and combined Figure 4 The lower end of the airbag body 100 is folded toward the inside of the airbag body 100 along the crease points Z1 and Z2 so that the lower edge 102 of the folded airbag body 100 is flush with the inflation hole 140 of the airbag body.

[0047] Step S3, see Figure 6 and combined Figure 5 The upper end of the airbag body 100 is folded three times in a Z shape along the crease points Z3 and Z4 to ensure that the width of each fold layer is equal, and the upper edge 103 of the folded airbag body 100 is perpendicular to the left edge 104 of the airbag body to ensure the flatness of the folded airbag body 100.

[0048] Step S4, see Figure 7 and combined Figure 6, fold the right end of the airbag body 100 to the left along the crease point Z5 so that the right edge 105 of the folded airbag body 100 is parallel to the left edge 104 of the airbag body.

[0049] Step S5, see Figure 8 and combined Figure 7 , the left end of the airbag body 100 is folded multiple times in a Z-shape along the fold line ZH and folded to the right edge 105 of the airbag body 100.

[0050] Step S6: heat-setting the folded airbag body.

[0051] When a vehicle is hit from the side, the vehicle's sensors transmit an ignition signal to the vehicle's electronic control system (ECU), which in turn transmits the ignition signal to the airbag module. Upon receiving the ignition signal, the airbag module's gas generator begins to inflate the airbag body 100. Gas enters the airbag body 100 through the inflation port 140, then flows through the inflation port 140 to the upper inflation chamber 110 and the lower inflation chamber 120, respectively. At this point, the multiple Z-shaped folds in step S5 are deployed first. These multiple Z-shaped folds ensure that the folded airbag body deploys quickly and successfully breaks through the seat tear line. These multiple Z-shaped folds also constrain the direction of the airbag's deployment. Next, the upper and lower inflatable chambers 110 and 120 continue to inflate, and folding steps S2 and S3 continue to unfold. The tuck folding in folding step S2 and the Z-shaped folding in folding step S3 both ensure the airbag's deployment rate. The Z-shaped folding in folding step S3 not only ensures the rate, but also ensures the stability of the airbag during the deployment of the upper inflatable chamber 110, without being affected by the surrounding space. Inflation continues until the airbag is substantially full. The folding method of the present invention utilizes a combination of Z-shaped folding and tuck folding to ensure rapid and stable deployment of the airbag during inflation.

[0052] The basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention are shown and described above. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The above embodiments and descriptions are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection claimed in the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A side airbag structure, characterized in that: include: An airbag body installed between the occupants, wherein the airbag body is formed with an upper inflation chamber and a lower inflation chamber arranged vertically, a closed area is provided in the airbag body between the upper inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber, and an inflation port is provided at a peripheral edge of the airbag body on one side of the closed area, the inflation port being in communication with the upper inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber respectively; a first external tie bar, one end of which is connected to the upper edge of the airbag body and the other end of which is connected to the lower edge of the airbag body; and a second outer tie bar, one end of the second outer tie bar being connected to the front end edge of the airbag body, and the other end of the second outer tie bar being connected to the rear end edge of the airbag body; The closed area is cut with first and second cutting lines at intervals, so that the closed area is provided with first and second through holes, and the first external reinforcement is restrained after passing through the first and second through holes in sequence; The second external reinforcement passes through the gap formed between the portion of the first external reinforcement located at the first and second through holes and the closed area, so that the first external reinforcement and the second external reinforcement are arranged in an X shape, thereby restricting the second external reinforcement; The folding method of the side airbag structure comprises the following steps: Step S1, laying the sewn airbag body flat; Step S2: Fold the lower end of the airbag body toward the inside of the airbag body along the crease points Z1 and Z2, so that the lower edge of the folded airbag body is flush with the inflation hole of the airbag body; Step S3: Fold the upper end of the airbag body three times in a Z-shape along crease points Z3 and Z4, ensuring that the width of each fold layer is equal and that the upper edge of the folded airbag body is perpendicular to the left edge of the airbag body; Step S4: Fold the right end of the airbag body to the left along the crease point Z5 so that the right edge of the folded airbag body is parallel to the left edge of the airbag body; Step S5, folding the left end of the airbag body multiple times in a Z-shape along the fold ZH and folding it to the right edge of the airbag body; Step S6: heat-setting the folded airbag body.

2. The side airbag structure according to claim 1, wherein: The air bag body is formed by symmetrically arranged left and right air bag material sheets which are sealed and sewn along the periphery.

3. The side airbag structure according to claim 2, wherein: The left and right air bag sheets are sealed and sewn with sewing threads at an area of ​​the air bag body between the upper inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber, so that the area forms the closed area.

4. The side airbag structure according to claim 1, wherein: The upper inflatable chamber is located above the occupant's shoulders, and the lower inflatable chamber is located below the occupant's shoulders.

5. The side airbag structure according to claim 1, wherein: One end of the first external tie bar is fixedly connected to the upper edge of the airbag body by sewing, and the other end thereof is fixedly connected to the lower edge of the airbag body by sewing; one end of the second external tie bar is fixedly connected to the front end edge of the airbag body by sewing, and the other end thereof is fixed to the rear end edge of the airbag body by bolts and close to the inflation port of the airbag body.

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