Airbag device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an airbag device, which may include: an airbag module mounted at a lower end portion of a bumper pad; an airbag cushion configured to deploy from the airbag module to deploy in a space between a knee portion and a head portion of a passenger, wherein a tether is connected to the airbag cushion in a deployment direction of the airbag cushion toward at least one of the knee portion, chest portion, and head portion of the passenger to form an integral deployment shape of the airbag cushion; and a release device connected to the tether near the airbag module and operable to allow the tether to be released or held in a fixed state according to the body type of a passenger on a vehicle seat during deployment of the airbag cushion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag device that can safely protect passengers in response to a thin design of a bumper pad. Background Art

[0002] When a car accident occurs, the airbag reduces or prevents injuries by absorbing the shock of the passengers due to the proper inflation of the airbag pad, and the inflation of the airbag pad plays an important role in ensuring the safety of the passengers.

[0003] That is, at the initial deployment of the airbag pad, the passengers can be quickly restrained by the rapid inflation, and when the passengers start to contact the airbag pad so that the weight of the airbag pad is applied to the passengers, the shock of the passengers can be appropriately absorbed by properly discharging the inflation gas in the airbag pad.

[0004] In addition, the requirements in various regulations (such as the Low Risk Deployment (LRD) regulation) can be satisfied. The LRD regulation requires discharging the inflation gas through the vent holes even at the initial deployment stage of the airbag pad to minimize the injuries to children or passengers located near the airbag device.

[0005] Meanwhile, recently, the bumper pad tends to be designed in a thin shape as one of the ways to increase the utilization rate of the interior space of the vehicle.

[0006] However, as the bumper pad becomes thinner, the space for installing the passenger airbag becomes narrower, making it difficult to install the airbag.

[0007] In addition, since the height of the bumper pad is reduced and the distance between the bumper pad and the passengers is increased, the airbag protection area for protecting the passengers becomes wider. Therefore, an airbag device is required to correctly respond to the thin bumper pad design.

[0008] The above description of the related art is only for enhancing the understanding of the background of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the art cannot interpret it as forming the related art.

[0009] The information included in the background art section of the present invention is only for enhancing the understanding of the general background of the present invention, and cannot be regarded as an admission or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing an airbag device configured to safely protect passengers in response to a thin design of a bumper pad.

[0011] To achieve the above object, an airbag device is provided. The airbag device includes: an airbag module installed at the lower end of a bumper pad; an airbag pad configured to deploy from the airbag module to deploy in the space between a passenger's knee portion and head portion, wherein a tether is connected to the airbag pad in the deployment direction toward at least one of the passenger's knee portion, chest portion, and head portion to form an integrated deployment shape; and a release device connected to the tether near the airbag module and operating to allow the tether to be released or held in a fixed state according to the body type of a passenger on a vehicle seat during the deployment of the airbag pad.

[0012] A hollow portion may be formed in the middle of the airbag pad in the left-right direction.

[0013] The upper body protection portion of the airbag pad may deploy in an annular shape surrounding the hollow portion, and the lower body protection portion of the airbag pad may deploy downward from the front end of the upper body protection portion.

[0014] The tether may include: a first tether connected between the release device and the hollow portion toward the passenger's head portion; a second tether connected in the hollow portion toward the passenger's chest portion; and a third tether connected in the lower body protection portion toward the passenger's knee portion.

[0015] The first tether may have a first end connected to the release device, an intermediate portion passing through the lower end of the hollow portion and through the interior of the airbag pad, and a second end passing through the hollow portion to connect to the inner surface of the upper end of the hollow portion.

[0016] The second tether may have a first end and a second end respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end and the rear end of the hollow portion.

[0017] The third tether may have a first end connected to the lower end of the first tether and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear portion of the lower body protection portion.

[0018] An air vent chamber may be provided in the airbag pad around the shape of the first tether.

[0019] An upper vent hole and a lower vent hole may be respectively formed at the upper end and the lower end of the air vent chamber to allow the first tether to pass through the air vent chamber, and the cross-sectional area of the first end of the first tether may be larger than the cross-sectional area of the lower vent hole such that when the first tether is released, the first end of the first tether hangs on the lower vent hole.

[0020] A diffuser having a longer lateral distance than the lateral distance of the lower vent hole may be connected between the first end of the first tether and the release device such that when the first tether is released, the diffuser hangs on the lower vent hole.

[0021] The first tether can penetrate through the lower end portion of the hollow portion.

[0022] The upper end portion of the ventilation chamber can be sutured to the lower end portion of the hollow portion through which the first tether is set to penetrate, so that the upper ventilation hole can communicate with the inside of the hollow portion.

[0023] The lower end portion of the ventilation chamber can be sutured to the inner surface of the airbag cushion, so that the lower ventilation hole can communicate with the inside of the airbag cushion.

[0024] A plurality of through holes can be formed in the third tether.

[0025] The first tether can have a first end connected to the release device, an intermediate portion that penetrates and is fixed to the lower end portion of the hollow portion and passes through the inside of the airbag cushion, and a second end that passes through the hollow portion to connect to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion.

[0026] The second tether can have a first end and a second end respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the hollow portion.

[0027] The third tether can have a first end connected to the lower end portion of the first tether and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear portion of the lower body protection portion.

[0028] The diffuser can be connected between the first end of the first tether and the release device.

[0029] The first tether can have a first end connected to the release device, an intermediate portion disposed inside the hollow portion by penetrating through the upper body protection portion, and a second end that passes through the hollow portion to connect to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion.

[0030] The second tether can have a first end and a second end respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the hollow portion.

[0031] The third tether can have a first end connected to the release device and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear portion of the lower body protection portion.

[0032] The through chamber can be provided in the upper body protection portion around the shape of the first tether.

[0033] The upper end portion of the through chamber can be sutured to the lower end portion of the hollow portion through which the first tether is set to penetrate.

[0034] The lower end portion of the through chamber can be sutured to the lower end portion of the upper body protection portion through which the first tether is set to penetrate.

[0035] The tether ventilation hole can be positioned in the front portion in the gas discharge direction of the inflator of the airbag cushion.

[0036] The linear connecting rope can be connected between the first tether and the release device and between the third tether and the release device.

[0037] The airbag module may further include: an airbag housing disposed within a lower end portion of the bumper pad and having an end portion opening towards the bumper pad; an inflator disposed within the airbag housing and configured to inject gas into the airbag pad; and an airbag door having a first end portion inserted and mounted in an airbag mounting hole formed in the lower end portion of the bumper pad and a second end portion mounted to cover the open end portion of the airbag housing.

[0038] The airbag module may further include: a controller configured to determine the body type of a passenger on the seat and, when the airbag pad is deployed in response to a collision of the vehicle, control the release device to operate selectively according to the body type of the passenger.

[0039] As described above, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in a thin bumper pad design, the tether is released or held in a fixed state according to the body type or seating position of the passenger, thereby quickly restraining the passenger by changing the deployment shape of the airbag pad and increasing the passenger protection area, and thus safely protecting the passenger.

[0040] In addition, the initial deployment pressure of the airbag pad can be reduced by controlling the diffuser structure and the release time point of the tether, thereby improving the LRD performance. In addition, by using one integrated airbag module to perform the functions of protecting the head portion, chest portion, and knee portion of the passenger simultaneously, the manufacturing cost and weight of the airbag module can be reduced, and the packaging of the airbag module can be reduced.

[0041] The method and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages that will become more apparent or will be set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings incorporated herein and the following detailed description, which together are used to explain certain principles of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Figure 1A and Figure 1B are views showing the deployment shape of the airbag pad according to the body type of the passenger in various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 are views showing the configurations of various exemplary embodiments of the tether connection structure for deploying the airbag pad of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 3 is a view showing the shape of the airbag device as viewed from the passenger side Figure 2 thereof.

[0045] Figure 4 is a view showing Figure 2 the configuration of the tether connection structure and the ventilation chamber shown

[0046] Figure 5 is a view showing Figure 4 a structure in which a tether is suspended on a ventilation hole formed in the ventilation chamber of

[0047] Figure 6 is a view showing the operation of releasing and deploying the tether when deploying Figure 2 the airbag cushion of

[0048] Figure 7 is a view showing the configurations of various exemplary embodiments of the tether connection structure for deploying the airbag cushion of the present invention

[0049] Figure 8 is a view showing Figure 7 the operation of releasing and deploying the tether when deploying the airbag cushion of

[0050] Figure 9 is a view showing the configurations of various exemplary embodiments of the tether connection structure for deploying the airbag cushion of the present invention

[0051] Figure 10 is a view showing Figure 9 the configuration of the tether connection structure and the through chamber shown

[0052] Figure 11 is a view showing Figure 9 the operation of releasing and deploying the tether when deploying the airbag cushion of

[0053] Figure 12 is a view showing the airbag module installed at the lower end of the bumper pad in various exemplary embodiments of the present invention

[0054] Figure 13 is a view showing the cross-sectional structure of the airbag module and the shape in which the diffuser and the connecting rope are coupled according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention

[0055] Figure 14 is a view showing the airflow discharged from the inflator and injected into the airbag cushion of the present invention

[0056] Figure 15 is a view showing the airflow injected into the airbag cushion of the present invention

[0057] It will be appreciated that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and represent a somewhat simplified representation of various features that illustrate the basic principles of the present invention. Specific design features of the present invention as included herein (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes) will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

[0058] In the drawings, in several views of the drawings, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0059] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the drawings and described below. Although the present invention will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that this specification is not intended to limit the present invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0060] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0061] An airbag device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is an airbag device applicable to a passenger seat of a vehicle and can be installed at a lower portion of a bumper pad 10, at a front portion of the passenger seat, and the airbag device includes an airbag module 100, an airbag pad 200, and a release device 300.

[0062] See Figure 1A and Figure 1B , the airbag device includes: an airbag module 100, which is installed at a lower end portion of the bumper pad 10; an airbag pad 200, which is configured to deploy from the airbag module 100 to deploy in a space between a knee portion and a head portion of a passenger, wherein a tether can be connected to the airbag pad 100 in a deployment direction toward at least one of the knee portion, chest portion, and head portion of the passenger to form an integral deployment shape; and a release device 300, which is connected to the tether near the airbag module 100 and operates to allow the tether to be released or held in a fixed state according to the body type of a passenger on the vehicle seat during the deployment of the airbag pad 200.

[0063] That is, as the bumper pad 10 becomes thinner, the internal space at the upper end portion of the bumper pad 10 becomes narrower, making it difficult to install the airbag module 100.

[0064] Accordingly, in accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the installation position of the airbag module 100 is changed to the lower end portion of the bumper pad 10, where a relatively large space is available to enable the installation of the airbag module 100 in a thin design environment of the bumper pad 10.

[0065] In addition, when the distance between the bumper pad 10 and the passenger becomes longer due to the thin bumper pad 10, a larger passenger protection area is required to be protected by the airbag.

[0066] Accordingly, in accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the airbag pad 200 is deployed toward the knee portion, chest portion, and head portion of the passenger, and the tether is connected to each of the knee portion, chest portion, and head portion of the passenger, thereby safely protecting the upper body and lower body of the passenger by a single airbag.

[0067] As described above, by using a single integrated airbag module 100 to simultaneously protect the head portion, chest portion, and knee portion of the passenger, the manufacturing cost and weight of the airbag module 100 can be reduced, and the packaging of the airbag module 100 can be reduced.

[0068] When the airbag pad 200 is deployed, depending on the body type of the passenger, the tether can be released or held in a fixed state so that the deployed shape of the airbag pad 200 can be changed according to the body type of the passenger.

[0069] For example, Figure 1A shows the deployed shape of the airbag pad 200 when a 5% adult female passenger is seated on the seat, where the body of the passenger is located at its relatively front side.

[0070] In this case, the tether is not released so that each tether connected in the directions of the head portion, chest portion, and knee portion of the passenger maintains the deployed shape of the airbag pad 200, and the position of the rear end portion of the deployed airbag pad 200 is located at the relatively front side, and thus the passenger close to its front side can be optimally protected.

[0071] In addition, the overlap between the windshield 20 and the airbag pad 200 is increased to improve the early restraint of the passenger.

[0072] Meanwhile, Figure 1B shows the deployed shape of the airbag pad 200 when an adult male passenger with an average body type is seated on the seat, where the body of the passenger is located at its relatively rear side.

[0073] In this case, the tether is released by the release device 300 so that the gas is evenly distributed in the airbag cushion 200 and the rear end portion of the airbag cushion 200 is located at the relatively rear side, and thus the passenger can be safely protected by increasing not only the lower body protection area including the knees of the rear passenger but also the upper body protection area including the head portion and the chest portion.

[0074] However, in the LRD condition, the tether release time point is set to be later than a predetermined time period (about 20 ms) after the airbag is ignited so that the initial deployment pressure of the airbag cushion 200 can be reduced to meet the LRD performance.

[0075] Meanwhile, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a hollow shape may be formed in the middle portion of the airbag cushion 200 in the deployed shape.

[0076] Specifically, a circular hollow portion 210 may be formed in the middle portion of the airbag cushion 200 in the left - right axial direction. In addition, the upper body protection portion 200a may be deployed at the upper portion of the airbag cushion 200 in an annular shape around the hollow portion 210, and the lower body protection portion 200b may be deployed at the lower portion of the airbag cushion 200 from the front end portion of the upper body protection portion 200a toward its lower side.

[0077] That is, the hollow shape is applied to the middle portion of the airbag cushion 200, so that the volume in the airbag is reduced, thereby preventing injury due to the airbag deployment pressure when the airbag is initially deployed and improving the LRD performance.

[0078] In addition, the head portion and the chest portion of the passenger can be protected by the upper body protection portion 200a having the hollow portion 210, and the knee portion of the passenger can be protected by the lower body protection portion 200b integrally deployed with the lower portion of the upper body protection portion 200a, thereby increasing the protection area of the airbag and safely protecting the passenger.

[0079] Meanwhile, the tether of the present invention may include a first tether 220, a second tether 230, and a third tether 240.

[0080] First, the first tether 220 may be connected between the release device 300 and the hollow portion 210 in the direction toward the head portion of the passenger. The first tether 220 is configured to control the shape of the upper body protection portion 200a of the airbag cushion 200 by releasing or fixing according to the body type of the passenger when forming the deployed shape of the upper body protection portion 200a toward the head portion of the passenger.

[0081] The second tether 230 may be connected in the hollow portion 210 in the direction toward the chest portion of the passenger. The second tether 230 forms the deployed shape of the upper body protection portion 200a toward the chest portion of the passenger.

[0082] The third tether 240 can be connected to the lower body protection part 200b in the direction towards the knee part of the passenger. The third tether 240 is configured to control the shape of the lower body protection part 200b of the airbag cushion 200 by releasing or fixing according to the body type of the passenger when forming the unfolded shape of the lower body protection part 200b of the airbag cushion 200 towards the knee part of the passenger.

[0083] Figure 2 is a view showing the configuration of various exemplary embodiments of the tether connection structure for deploying the airbag cushion 200 of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a view showing Figure 2 the shape of the airbag device as observed from the passenger side. For reference, Figure 2 shows the shape of the airbag cushion 200 deployed in a state where the tether is fixed.

[0084] Referring to the accompanying drawings, according to the configuration of various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first tether 220 has: a first end that is connected to the release device 300; an intermediate portion that passes through the inner surface of the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210 and passes through the inside of the airbag cushion 200; and a second end that passes through the hollow portion 210 and is connected to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0085] For example, the first tether 220 connected to the release device 300 can pass through the inner surface of the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210 while passing through the inside of the lower body protection part 200b of the lower part of the airbag cushion 200 and the inside of the upper body protection part 200a connected to the lower body protection part 200b, and the first tether 220 passing through the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210 can be sutured to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion 210 while passing through the hollow portion 210 obliquely in the direction towards the head part of the passenger.

[0086] For example, the first tether 220, the second tether 230, and the third tether 240 can be formed in a strip shape and can be connected to the inner surface of the airbag cushion 200 or other connection parts by suturing.

[0087] The first end and the second end of the second tether 230 can be respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0088] That is, the first end of the second tether 230 can be sutured to the inner surface of the front end portion of the hollow portion 210, and the second end of the second tether 230 can be sutured to the inner surface of the rear end portion of the hollow portion 210 while being connected almost horizontally in the direction towards the chest part of the passenger.

[0089] In addition, the third tether 240 may have a first end connected to the lower end of the first tether 220 and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear portion of the lower body protection portion 200b.

[0090] For example, the first end of the third tether 240 may be sutured to the portion where the first tether 220 and the diffuser 270 are connected, and the second end of the third tether 240 may be sutured to the inner surface of the lower body protection portion 200b while being connected almost horizontally in the direction of the knee portion of the passenger.

[0091] In addition, Figure 4 is a view showing Figure 2 the configured tether connection structure and the ventilation chamber 250, and Figure 5 is a view showing Figure 4 a structure in which a tether is suspended on the ventilation hole 252 formed in the ventilation chamber 250 of

[0092] Referring to the accompanying drawings, a ventilation chamber 250 in the shape surrounding the first tether 220 may be provided in the airbag cushion 200, and an upper ventilation hole 251 and a lower ventilation hole 252 may be respectively formed at the upper end and the lower end of the ventilation chamber 250 such that the first tether 220 is provided to penetrate through the ventilation chamber 250.

[0093] That is to say, the ventilation chamber 250 may be provided in the upper body protection portion 200a located between the hollow portion 210 and the lower body protection portion 200b, and when the first tether 220 is provided to penetrate through the ventilation chamber 250 through the upper ventilation hole 251 and the lower ventilation hole 252, the inside of the ventilation chamber 250 may become a moving path of the first tether 220.

[0094] In addition, the cross-sectional area of the first end of the first tether 220 may be larger than the cross-sectional area of the ventilation hole 252 formed in the ventilation chamber 250 such that the first end of the first tether 220 is suspended on the ventilation hole 252.

[0095] For example, a rectangular strip-shaped diffuser 270 having a longer lateral distance than the lateral distance of the ventilation hole 252 may be connected between the first end of the first tether 220 and the release device 300 such that the cross-sectional area of the first end of the first tether 220 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the ventilation hole 252.

[0096] That is to say, when the first tether 220 is released according to the body type of the passenger, as Figure 6 shown, the first tether 220 is loosened, and a force for pulling the first tether 220 from the hollow portion 210 is applied by the deployment pressure of the airbag cushion 200 such that the first end of the first tether 220 blocks the lower ventilation hole 252, and thus the deployment shape of the airbag cushion 200 may be formed to be relatively large by preventing the loss of the gas filled in the airbag cushion 200.

[0097] In addition, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first tether 220 may be disposed to penetrate through the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0098] The upper end portion of the ventilation chamber 250 may be sutured to the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210 through which the first tether 220 is disposed to penetrate, such that the upper ventilation hole 251 communicates with the interior of the hollow portion 210, and then the lower end portion of the ventilation chamber 250 is sutured to the inner surface of the airbag cushion 200, such that the lower ventilation hole 252 communicates with the interior of the airbag cushion 200.

[0099] That is, when the first tether 220 is not released according to the body type of the passenger, as Figure 2 shown, the first tether 220 may be held in a fixed and tensioned state, and the first tether 220 may not block the lower ventilation hole 252, such that the gas inside the airbag cushion 200 is discharged to the outside through the upper ventilation hole 251 from the lower ventilation hole 252, and thus the deployment shape of the airbag cushion 200 may be formed to be relatively small.

[0100] Currently, when the gas discharged from the inflator 120 collides with the middle portion of the diffuser 270, the gas may flow along the diffuser 270 such that the amount of gas flowing at the upper portion of the airbag cushion 200 is greater than the amount of gas flowing at the lower portion of the airbag cushion, such that the upper portion of the airbag cushion 200 deploys before its lower portion, and thus at the initial stage of airbag deployment, the upward deployment speed of the airbag cushion 200 increases, thereby safely protecting the body of an adult passenger with a small body type.

[0101] In addition, referring to Figure 2 , the first end portion of the second tether 230 may be sutured adjacent to the position where the first tether 220 is disposed to penetrate through the hollow portion 210, and the second end portion of the second tether 230 may be sutured to the inner surface of the rear end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0102] For example, the first end portion of the second tether 230 may be sutured to the inner surface of the hollow portion 210 through which the first tether 220 is disposed to penetrate, and the second end portion of the second tether 230 may be sutured to the inner surface of the rear end portion of the hollow portion 210, thereby maintaining the shape of the upper body protector 200a that unfolds toward the chest portion of the passenger.

[0103] In addition, a plurality of through holes 241 may be formed in the third tether 240.

[0104] Therefore, when the first tether 220 is not released, some of the gas flowing from the upper body protection part 200a toward the lower body protection part 200b can flow in through the through-hole 241, and thus the deployment shape of the lower body protection part 200b can be controlled to adjust the knee protection area of the passenger.

[0105] Meanwhile, Figure 7 is a view showing the configuration of various exemplary embodiments of the tether connection structure for deploying the airbag cushion 200 of the present invention.

[0106] Referring to the accompanying drawings, according to the configuration of various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first tether 220 has: a first end that is connected to the release device 300; an intermediate portion that penetrates and is fixed to the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210 and passes through the inside of the airbag cushion 200; and a second end that passes through the hollow portion 210 and is connected to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0107] For example, the first tether 220 connected to the release device 300 can penetrate the inner surface of the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210, while passing through the inside of the lower body protection part 200b of the lower part of the airbag cushion 200 and the inside of the upper body protection part 200a connected thereto, and the first tether 220 can be sutured to the inner surface of the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0108] The first tether 220 that penetrates the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210 can be sutured to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion 210 while passing through the hollow portion 210 obliquely in the direction toward the head portion of the passenger.

[0109] In addition, the first end and the second end of the second tether 230 can be respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0110] That is, the first end of the second tether 230 can be sutured to the inner surface of the front end portion of the hollow portion 210, and the second end of the second tether 230 can be sutured to the inner surface of the rear end portion of the hollow portion 210 while being connected almost horizontally in the direction toward the chest portion of the passenger.

[0111] In addition, the third tether 240 can have a first end connected to the lower end portion of the first tether 220 and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear portion of the lower body protection part 200b.

[0112] For example, the first end of the third tether 240 can be sutured to the portion where the first tether 220 is connected to the diffuser 270, and the second end of the third tether 240 can be sutured to the inner surface of the lower body protection part 200b while being connected almost horizontally in the direction toward the knee portion of the passenger.

[0113] In addition, the diffuser 270 can be connected between the first end of the first tether 220 and the release device 300.

[0114] That is, when the first tether 220 is not released according to the passenger's body type, as Figure 7 shown, since the first tether 220 is held in a fixed and taut state, the deployment shape of the airbag cushion 200 can be formed to be relatively small, and when the gas discharged from the inflator 120 collides with the middle part of the diffuser 270, the gas can flow along the diffuser 270 so that more gas flows at the upper part of the airbag cushion 200 than at the lower part of the airbag cushion.

[0115] Therefore, the upper part of the airbag cushion 200 can be deployed before the lower part of the airbag cushion 200, so that at the initial airbag deployment, the upward deployment speed of the airbag cushion 200 increases, thereby safely protecting the body of an adult passenger with a small body type.

[0116] On the other hand, as Figure 8 shown, when the first tether 220 is released according to the passenger's body type, the lower end of the first tether 220 is loosened, and a force to pull the first tether 220 from the hollow part 210 can be applied through the deployment pressure of the airbag cushion 200.

[0117] Therefore, the gas discharged from the inflator 120 can be uniformly injected forward and upward without colliding with the diffuser 270 connected to the first tether 220 so that the upper part and the lower part of the airbag cushion 200 are deployed simultaneously, thereby forming a relatively large deployment shape of the airbag cushion 200, and safely protecting the body of an adult passenger located relatively far from the bumper pad 10.

[0118] As Figure 7 shown, the linear connecting rope 280 can be connected between the diffuser 270 and the release device 300.

[0119] For example, the first ends of the two connecting ropes 280 can be respectively connected to both sides of the diffuser 270, and the second ends of the two connecting ropes 280 can be gathered to be connected to a single point of the release device 300.

[0120] That is, since the diffuser 270 and the release device 300 are connected to each other through the linear connecting rope 280, when the release operation of the first tether 220 is required, the first tether 220 can be released by cutting the connecting rope 280, thereby quickly releasing the first tether 220 to improve the responsiveness of the airbag device.

[0121] For example, the release device 300 may be configured to release the first tether 220 by directly cutting the first tether 220 or by cutting a connecting tether 280 connected to the first tether 220.

[0122] Meanwhile, Figure 9 is a view showing configurations of various exemplary embodiments of a tether connection structure for deploying the airbag cushion 200 of the present invention.

[0123] Referring to the accompanying drawings, according to the configurations of various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first tether 220 may have: a first end that is connected to the release device 300; an intermediate portion that is installed in the hollow portion 210 by passing through the upper body protection portion 200a; and a second end that passes through the hollow portion 210 and is connected to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0124] For example, the first tether 220 connected to the release device 300 may penetrate from the inside of the lower body protection portion 200b of the lower portion of the airbag cushion 200 to the outside of the airbag cushion 200, and then the first tether 220 is arranged to penetrate through the upper body protection portion 200a again to reach the outside of the inner surface of the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0125] The first tether 220 that penetrates to the outside of the lower end portion of the hollow portion 210 may obliquely pass through the hollow portion 210 toward the head portion of the passenger, and then may be stitched to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0126] In addition, the first end and the second end of the second tether 230 may be respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the hollow portion 210.

[0127] That is, the first end of the second tether 230 may be stitched to the inner surface of the front end portion of the hollow portion 210, and the second end of the second tether 230 may be stitched to the inner surface of the rear portion of the hollow portion 210 while being connected almost horizontally in the direction toward the chest of the passenger.

[0128] In addition, the third tether 240 has a structure in which one end thereof is connected to the release device 300 and the other end thereof is connected to the rear inner surface of the lower body protection portion 200b.

[0129] For example, the first end of the third tether 240 may be connected to the release device 300, and the second end of the third tether 240 may be stitched to the inner surface of the lower body protection portion 200b while being connected in the direction toward the knee portion of the passenger.

[0130] In addition, referring to Figure 9, the through chamber 260 can be disposed in the upper body protection part 200a around the shape of the first tether 220, and guide holes 261 and 262 can be formed at the upper end part and the lower end part of the through chamber 260 such that the first tether 220 is disposed to pass through the through chamber 260.

[0131] The upper end part of the through chamber 260 is sewn to the lower end part of the hollow part 210 through which the first tether 220 is disposed to pass, and the lower end part of the through chamber 260 is sewn to the lower end part of the upper body protection part 200a through which the first tether 220 is disposed to pass. Accordingly, the through chamber 260 does not communicate with the inside of the airbag cushion 200 but communicates with the outside of the airbag cushion 200, thereby forming a path through which the first tether 220 can move.

[0132] That is to say, the first tether 220 connected to the release device 300 is connected from the outside of the airbag cushion 200 to the inner surface of the hollow part 210, and the path along which the first tether 220 moves is formed to pass through the through chamber 260, thereby Figure 11 releasing the entire first tether 220 as shown.

[0133] Accordingly, when the first tether 220 is released, the first tether 220 is pulled by the deployment pressure of the airbag cushion 200 such that gas is supplied to the front part of the airbag cushion 200, and when the airbag cushion 200 is deployed toward the passenger, the body of an adult passenger positioned relatively far from the bumper 10 is safely protected.

[0134] In addition, Figure 10 is a view showing Figure 9 the tether connection structure and the configuration of the through chamber 260, in which a tether vent hole 221 is formed at the first end part of the first tether 220, and the tether vent hole 221 can be in front of the gas discharge direction of the inflator 120 in the airbag cushion 200.

[0135] That is to say, when the first tether 220 is not released according to the body type of the passenger, the first tether 220 remains in a fixed and tightened state, and thus the gas discharged from the inflator 120 flows in through the tether vent hole 221 such that a larger amount of gas flows at the upper part rather than the lower part of the airbag cushion 200.

[0136] Accordingly, at the initial airbag deployment, the upper part of the airbag cushion 200 is deployed before its lower part, thereby increasing the upward deployment speed of the airbag cushion 200 and thus safely protecting the body of an adult passenger with a small body type.

[0137] In addition, as Figure 9As shown, the linear connecting ropes 280 can be connected between the first tether 220 and the release device 300 and between the third tether 240 and the release device 300.

[0138] For example, two first ends of the two connecting ropes 280 can be respectively connected to the first ends of the first tether 220 and the third tether 240, and two second ends of the two connecting ropes 280 can be respectively connected to the release device 300.

[0139] That is, since the first tether 220 and the release device 300 are connected to each other through the linear connecting rope 280, and the third tether 240 and the release device 300 are also connected to each other through the linear connecting rope 280, when the release operations of the first tether 220 and the third tether 240 are required, the connecting rope 280 can be cut to release the first tether 220 and the third tether 240, so that the release operation of the first tether 220 can be quickly executed to improve the responsiveness of the airbag device. At the same time, the first tether 220 can be separated from the third tether 240 to release the entire portion of the first tether 220.

[0140] At the same time, Figure 12 is a view showing an airbag module 100 installed at the lower end of the bumper pad 10 in various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and Figure 13 is a view showing a cross-sectional structure of the airbag module 100 according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention and the shape in which the diffuser 270 and the connecting rope 280 are coupled.

[0141] Referring to the drawings, the airbag module 100 may include: an airbag housing 110, which is disposed inside the lower end of the bumper pad 10 and has an end opening toward the bumper pad 10; an inflator 120, which is disposed inside the airbag housing 110 and is configured to inject gas into the airbag pad 200; and an airbag door 140, which has a first end inserted and installed in an airbag mounting hole 11 formed in the lower end of the bumper pad 10 and a second end installed to cover the open end of the airbag housing 110.

[0142] Specifically, the middle part of the airbag housing 110 can be installed near the knee height of a passenger on the seat and can be aligned with the middle part in the left-right width direction of the seat.

[0143] The rear end of the airbag housing 110 can be modularized and installed on the glove box panel through a bracket, so that the glove box and the airbag housing 110 can be modularized and supplied to the production line.

[0144] In addition, the release device 300 may be installed at the lower portion of the airbag housing 110, and the connection rope 280 connected to the release device 300 may penetrate the bottom surface of the airbag housing 110 and may be connected to the diffuser 270 or the tether.

[0145] The inflator 120 may be a cylindrical inflator 120 configured to discharge gas in its radial direction, and the retainer 130 may be disposed to surround the inflator 120, and gas discharge holes may be formed at the front end portion of the retainer 130 to guide the gas discharged from the inflator 120 toward the airbag door 140.

[0146] In addition, a tear line 141 may be formed in the inner surface of the upper end portion of the airbag door 140 in the left - right direction, such that when the tear line 141 is torn by the deployment pressure of the airbag cushion 200, the airbag door 140 may be opened, and the airbag cushion 200 may be deployed through the opened airbag door 140.

[0147] The airbag cushion 200 mounted on the airbag module 100 according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention simultaneously performs the functions of an airbag for protecting the head portion and the chest portion and a knee airbag for protecting the knee portion, thereby integrally configuring the airbag module 100 to reduce the manufacturing cost and weight and reduce the packaging size of the airbag module 100.

[0148] Meanwhile, referring Figure 1A and Figure 1B , the airbag module may further include a controller configured to determine the body type of a passenger on the seat, and when the airbag cushion is deployed in response to a collision of the vehicle, control the release device 300 to selectively operate according to the body type of the passenger.

[0149] The controller may be an airbag control unit (ACU) configured to control the operation of the airbag, and the controller may use a seat position information transmission sensor to detect the weight and size of the passenger on the seat to determine the body type of the passenger.

[0150] When determining the body type of the passenger, in the case of an ordinary adult male, the tether is released when the airbag is deployed, and in the case of an adult female with a relatively small body type, the tether is fixed when the airbag is deployed. In addition, in the case of a child passenger with a small body type, the tether may be controlled to be released by slightly delaying the release time of the tether when the airbag is deployed, so as to meet the LRD performance.

[0151] For example, a controller according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by: a non-volatile memory configured to store data related to an algorithm configured to control the operation of various components of a vehicle or software instructions for reproducing the algorithm; and a processor configured to perform the operations to be described below by using the data stored in the memory. Here, the memory and the processor may be implemented as separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor may be implemented as a single integrated chip. The processor may be of one or more types.

[0152] Meanwhile, Figure 14 is a view showing the airflow discharged from the inflator 120 in various exemplary embodiments of the present invention and injected into the airbag cushion 200, and Figure 15 is a view showing the airflow injected into the airbag cushion 200 of the present invention.

[0153] Therefore, referring to the accompanying drawings, when the airbag cushion 200 according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is deployed in response to a vehicle collision, the controller may be configured to determine a passenger located on the passenger seat.

[0154] Once determined, in the case where the passenger is an adult passenger with a small body size, gas may be discharged by operating the inflator 120 while the controller controls the release device 300 so as not to release the tether.

[0155] Therefore, when the gas discharged from the inflator 120 is injected into the airbag cushion 200, the airbag cushion 200 begins to deploy, and since the first tether 220 is not released, the gas discharged from the inflator 120 collides with the diffuser 270.

[0156] Therefore, the gas flows along the diffuser 270 towards the upper part of the airbag cushion 200, and when the gas flows inside the annular upper body protection part 200a, the upper body protection part 200a deploys.

[0157] In the current case, the amount of gas flowing towards the upper part of the diffuser 270 is greater than the amount of gas flowing towards the rear part of the diffuser 270, such that the upper body protection part 200a of the upper part of the airbag cushion 200 deploys before the lower body protection part 200b of the lower part of the airbag cushion 200.

[0158] Therefore, the upward deployment speed of the airbag cushion 200 increases during the initial airbag deployment to quickly restrain the head and chest parts of the passenger located in the front due to the small body size, and when the weight of the passenger is applied to the airbag cushion 200, the gas inside the airbag cushion 200 is appropriately discharged to safely protect the passenger.

[0159] In addition, the gas flowing from the upper body protection part 200a to the lower body protection part 200b flows through the through hole 241 formed in the third tether 240, and the gas flows into the lower body protection part 200b from both sides of the diffuser 270, so that the lower body protection part 200b unfolds at a predetermined level or higher to protect the knee part of the passenger.

[0160] Meanwhile, when the airbag deploys in response to a vehicle collision, in the case where a passenger with a large body type is seated on the seat, the controller operates the inflator 120 to discharge gas and at the same time controls the release device 300 to release the tether.

[0161] Therefore, when the gas discharged from the inflator 120 is injected into the airbag cushion 200, the airbag cushion 200 begins to deploy, and when the first tether 220 is released, the gas discharged from the inflator 120 uniformly flows into the airbag cushion 200, thereby fully deploying the airbag cushion 200.

[0162] In the current situation, when gas is discharged toward the passenger, the passenger side direction of the airbag cushion 200 deploys before the upper direction of the airbag cushion 200.

[0163] Therefore, the deployment speed of the airbag cushion 200 in the passenger side direction increases at the initial airbag deployment to quickly restrain the upper body and lower body of the passenger located at the rear due to the large body type, and when the weight of the passenger is applied to the airbag cushion 200, the passenger can be safely protected by appropriately discharging the gas inside the airbag cushion 200.

[0164] As described above, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in the thin design of the bumper pad 10, the tether can be selectively released or held in a fixed state according to the body type or seating position of the passenger, so that the deployment shape of the airbag cushion 200 can be changed to quickly restrain the passenger, and thus the passenger protection area can be increased to safely protect the passenger.

[0165] In addition, the initial deployment pressure of the airbag cushion 200 can be reduced by the structure of the diffuser 270 and by controlling the release time point of the tether, thereby improving the LRD performance.

[0166] In addition, by using a single integrated airbag module 100 to simultaneously protect the head part, chest part, and knee part of the passenger, the manufacturing cost and weight of the airbag module 100 can be reduced, and the packaging of the airbag module 100 can be reduced.

[0167] In addition, the terms "controller", "control unit", or "control device" refer to a hardware device including a memory and a processor, the processor being configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithmic structure. The memory stores the algorithmic steps, and the processor executes the algorithmic steps to perform one or more processes of the method according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be implemented by: a non-volatile memory configured to store an algorithm for controlling the operation of various components of a vehicle or data related to software commands for executing the algorithm; and a processor configured to use the data stored in the memory to perform the above operations. The memory and the processor can be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor can be integrated in a single chip. The processor can be implemented as one or more processors.

[0168] The controller or control unit can be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program, and the predetermined program can include a series of commands for performing the method according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0169] The foregoing invention can also be embodied as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data that can be subsequently read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state disks (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc., and embodiments as carrier waves (e.g., transmitted via the Internet).

[0170] For the convenience of explanation and to accurately define the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "front", "rear", "back", "inner", "outer", "inward", "outward", "internal", "external", "inside", "outside", "intrinsic", "extrinsic", "forward", and "backward" are used to describe the features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of the features shown in the drawings. It will be further understood that the term "connected" or its derivatives refer to both direct connection and indirect connection.

[0171] In addition, the term "fixed connection" means that the members in a fixed connection always rotate at the same speed. In addition, the term "selectively connectable" means that the "selectively connectable members" rotate separately when the selectively connectable members are not engaged with each other, rotate at the same speed when the selectively connectable members are engaged with each other, and are fixed when at least one of the selectively connectable members is a fixed member and the remaining selectively connectable members are engaged with the fixed member.

[0172] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and its practical application to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize the various exemplary embodiments of the invention and various alternatives and modifications thereof. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An airbag device, comprising: An airbag module, which is arranged at the lower end of the bumper pad; An airbag pad, which is configured to deploy from the airbag module to deploy in the space between a first position and a second position higher than the first position in the vehicle, wherein a tether is connected to the airbag pad in the deployment direction of the airbag pad towards at least one of the first position, the third position and the second position in the vehicle to form an integral deployment shape, and in the height direction of the vehicle, the third position is arranged between the first position and the second position; and A release device, which is connected to the tether adjacent to the airbag module and is operated to release or hold the tether, Wherein the airbag pad includes a hollow portion in the middle of the airbag pad in the left - right direction of the vehicle, and an upper body protection portion and a lower body protection portion, Wherein the upper body protection portion of the airbag pad deploys in an annular shape surrounding the hollow portion, the lower body protection portion of the airbag pad deploys downward from the front end of the upper body protection portion, and Wherein the tether includes: A first tether, which is connected between the release device and the hollow portion towards the second position; A second tether, which is connected in the hollow portion towards the third position; and A third tether, which is connected in the lower body protection portion towards the first position.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, Wherein the first position, the second position and the third position are the knee part, the head part and the chest part of a passenger, and Wherein the release device is configured to be operated to release the tether or hold the tether in a fixed state according to the body type of the passenger on the seat of the vehicle during the deployment of the airbag pad.

3. The airbag device according to claim 1, Wherein the first tether has a first end connected to the release device, a lower end passing through the lower end of the hollow portion and passing through the middle portion inside the airbag pad, and a second end passing through the hollow portion to be connected to the inner surface of the upper end of the hollow portion; Wherein the second tether has a first end and a second end respectively connected to the inner surface of the front end and the inner surface of the rear end of the hollow portion; and Wherein the third tether has a first end connected to the lower end of the first tether and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear portion of the lower body protection portion.

4. The airbag device according to claim 3, Wherein an air vent chamber is arranged in the airbag pad, and the air vent chamber is formed to surround the first tether, Wherein upper air vents and lower air vents are respectively formed at the upper end and the lower end of the air vent chamber to allow the first tether to pass through the air vent chamber, and Wherein the cross - section of the first end of the first tether is larger than the cross - section of the lower air vent, so that when the first tether is released, the first end of the first tether hangs on the lower air vent.

5. The airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the diffuser is connected between the first end of the first tether and the release device, and the lateral distance of the diffuser is greater than the lateral distance of the lower vent hole, so that when the first tether is released, the diffuser hangs on the lower vent hole.

6. The airbag device according to claim 5, wherein the first tether is arranged to penetrate the lower end of the hollow part, wherein the upper end of the ventilation chamber is sutured to the lower end of the hollow part penetrated by the first tether, so that the upper vent hole is in fluid communication with the inside of the hollow part, and wherein the lower end of the ventilation chamber is sutured to the inner surface of the airbag cushion, so that the lower vent hole is in fluid communication with the inside of the airbag cushion.

7. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein at least one through hole is formed in the third tether.

8. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the first tether has a first end connected to the release device, an intermediate part penetrating and fixed to the lower end of the hollow part and passing through the inside of the airbag cushion, and a second end passing through the hollow part to be connected to the inner surface of the upper end of the hollow part; wherein the second tether has a first end and a second end respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end and the rear end of the hollow part; and wherein the third tether has a first end connected to the lower end of the first tether and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear part of the lower body protection part.

9. The airbag device according to claim 8, wherein the diffuser is connected between the first end of the first tether and the release device.

10. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the first tether has a first end connected to the release device, an intermediate part arranged in the hollow part by penetrating the upper body protection part, and a second end passing through the hollow part to be connected to the inner surface of the upper end of the hollow part; wherein the second tether has a first end and a second end respectively connected to the inner surfaces of the front end and the rear end of the hollow part; and wherein the third tether has a first end connected to the release device and a second end connected to the inner surface of the rear part of the lower body protection part.

11. The airbag device according to claim 10, wherein a through chamber is provided in the upper body protection part to surround the first tether, wherein the upper end of the through chamber is sutured to the lower end of the hollow part penetrated by the first tether, and wherein the lower end of the through chamber is sutured to the lower end of the upper body protection part penetrated by the first tether.

12. The airbag device according to claim 10, wherein a tether vent hole is formed at the first end of the first tether, and wherein the tether vent hole is arranged in front of the gas discharge direction of the inflater of the airbag cushion.

13. The airbag device according to claim 8, wherein the connecting rope is connected between the first tether and the release device or between the third tether and the release device.

14. The airbag device according to claim 13, wherein the connecting rope includes a first connecting rope and a second connecting rope, wherein a first end portion of the first connecting rope and a first end portion of the second connecting rope are respectively connected to a first side and a second side of the diffuser, and a second end portion of the first connecting rope and a second end portion of the second connecting rope are connected to one point of the release device.

15. The airbag device according to claim 13, wherein the connecting rope includes a first connecting rope and a second connecting rope, and wherein a first end portion of the first connecting rope and a first end portion of the second connecting rope are respectively connected to a first end portion of the first tether and a first end portion of the third tether, and a second end portion of the first connecting rope and a second end portion of the second connecting rope are respectively connected to the release device.

16. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag module further includes: an airbag housing, the airbag housing being disposed within a lower end portion of the bumper pad and having an end portion opening towards the bumper pad; an inflator, the inflator being disposed within the airbag housing and configured to inject gas into the airbag pad; and an airbag door, the airbag door having a first end portion inserted and mounted in an airbag mounting hole formed in the lower end portion of the bumper pad, and a second end portion mounted to cover the end portion of the airbag housing opening towards the bumper pad.

17. The airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the airbag module further includes: a controller, the controller being connected to the release device and configured to determine the body type of a passenger on the seat, and to control the release device to selectively operate according to the body type of the passenger when the airbag pad is deployed in response to a collision of the vehicle.

18. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag module further includes: a controller, the controller being connected to the release device and configured to control the release device to selectively operate when the airbag pad is deployed in response to a collision of the vehicle.

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