Vehicle front passenger seat airbag device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle front passenger seat airbag device. The vehicle front passenger seat airbag device can suppress excessive load applied to a passenger. The vehicle front passenger seat airbag device includes an airbag body, a flow regulation cloth, and a sewn portion. The airbag body is housed in a vehicle rear side end portion of an instrument panel on a front passenger seat side, and is configured to inflate and deploy toward a vehicle rear side from an opening portion of the instrument panel by gas ejected from an inflator. The flow regulation cloth is provided in a tubular shape including an open portion that is open to an inside of the airbag body at left and right sides, includes an inlet port in a peripheral surface of the flow regulation cloth to introduce the gas ejected from the inflator, and is configured to distribute the gas introduced from the inlet port to the left and right sides of the inside of the airbag body through the open portion. The sewn portion is configured by sewing a portion of the flow regulation cloth further toward an upper side than the inlet port to the airbag body in a left-right direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a front passenger seat airbag device for a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] To date, front passenger seat airbag devices, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-148628, have been known that, when the airbag is inflating and deploying, the dummy's head is prevented from tilting forward by a front wing covering the bulging side of the airbag from top to bottom, and the dummy's head is prevented from tilting suddenly backward by a rear wing covering the bulging side of the airbag from bottom to top.

[0003] However, in cases such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), where the dashboard has been made thinner (its length in the height direction has been reduced), this results in a layout where the airbags are positioned more towards the passengers. In such cases, there is no space to adjust the deployment direction of the airbags as described above.

[0004] Furthermore, in situations where the airbags have already deployed, such as in a rear-end collision while the vehicle is stationary, there are concerns that the flow-regulating fabric, which is located inside the airbag and expands at high internal pressure upon initial deployment, may forcefully compress the passenger's chest through the airbag.

[0005] That is, passengers may not always be seated in the correct posture relative to the seat while the vehicle is stationary, and if the airbag deploys when the passenger's chest is near the dashboard, there is a concern that the passenger may suffer injury from the flow conditioning cloth that inflates with high internal pressure upon initial deployment.

[0006] In particular, when the passenger is a child (e.g., a three-year-old infant), the amount of contact between the airbag and the high internal pressure flow control fabric (the amount of overlapping interference in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a side view along the vehicle width) is large when the passenger is not seated in a correct posture. There is a corresponding concern that the airbag (flow control fabric) will apply excessive load to adult or child passengers who are not seated in a correct posture. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This disclosure correspondingly provides a vehicle front passenger seat airbag device that can suppress excessive load being applied to the passenger.

[0008] A vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to a first aspect of this disclosure includes an airbag body, a flow adjustment fabric, and a stitching portion. The airbag body is housed in the rear end of a dashboard on the front passenger seat side of the vehicle and is configured to inflate and deploy towards the rear of the vehicle from an opening in the dashboard by gas ejected from an inflator. The flow adjustment fabric is configured in a tubular shape including openings on the left and right sides that open into the interior of the airbag body. An inlet port is included on the peripheral surface of the flow adjustment fabric to introduce gas ejected from the inflator, and it is configured to distribute the gas introduced from the inlet port towards the left and right sides of the interior of the airbag body through the openings. The stitching portion is configured by stitching at least one portion of the flow adjustment fabric, either a portion further upward or further downward than the inlet port, to the airbag body in a left-right direction.

[0009] In the first aspect, in the event of a vehicle collision (or rear-end collision), the inflator is activated, and the airbag body inflates and deploys while the gas ejected from the inflator passes through the flow control fabric and is distributed to the left and right sides of the interior of the airbag body. However, in cases where, for example, a three-year-old child passenger is not seated in the correct posture relative to the seat (front passenger seat), there is a situation where the child passenger's chest is facing the flow control fabric.

[0010] However, at least one portion of the flow-adjusting fabric, either further upward or further downward than the inlet port, is sewn to the airbag body in the left-right direction. The amount of the flow-adjusting fabric protruding towards the rear of the vehicle is correspondingly reduced, and the thickness of the flow-adjusting fabric in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is reduced. Therefore, for such child passengers, the amount of contact (interference) between the airbag body and the high internal pressure flow-adjusting fabric is reduced. That is, excessive load is suppressed from being applied to the passenger.

[0011] Furthermore, the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to the second aspect of this disclosure is the same as the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device of the first aspect, wherein the stitching portion is formed at the center of the flow adjustment fabric in the left-right direction.

[0012] Secondly, the seam is formed at the center of the flow-adjusting fabric in the left-right direction. This means that while the expansion behavior of the flow-adjusting fabric becomes unstable when it is inflated and unfolded by being momentarily supplied with gas, the amount of protrusion (thickness in the front-rear direction) of the flow-adjusting fabric towards the rear of the vehicle at the center of the left-right direction is reduced. Therefore, for example, for child passengers, the amount of contact (interference) between the airbag body and the high internal pressure flow-adjusting fabric is more effectively reduced, and excessive load is more effectively suppressed from being applied to the passenger.

[0013] Furthermore, the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to the third aspect of this disclosure is the same as the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device of the first or second aspect, wherein, when the flow adjustment cloth is being deployed, the rear end of each of the openings is positioned further toward the rear of the vehicle than the rear end of the dashboard.

[0014] Thirdly, when the flow control fabric is deployed, the rear end of each of the openings is positioned further towards the rear of the vehicle than the rear end of the dashboard. Gas is thus effectively distributed from the openings of the flow control fabric towards the left and right sides of the airbag body. This allows for a more effective deployment of the airbag body.

[0015] Furthermore, the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to the fourth aspect of this disclosure is a vehicle front passenger seat airbag device of the third aspect, wherein, in the case where the stitching portion is stitched further upward than the inlet port, the stitching portion is formed at a position 30 mm upward or downward from the upper edge of the opening, and in the case where the stitching portion is stitched further downward than the inlet port, the stitching portion is formed at a position 30 mm downward or upward from the lower edge of the opening.

[0016] Fourthly, in the case where the seam is sewn further upwards than the inlet port, the seam is formed at a position 30 mm upwards or downwards from the upper edge of the opening; and in the case where the seam is sewn further downwards than the inlet port, the seam is formed at a position 30 mm downwards or upwards from the lower edge of the opening. Compared to the cases where the seam is not formed at a position 30 mm upwards or downwards from the upper edge of the opening and the seam is not formed at a position 30 mm downwards or upwards from the lower edge of the opening, this correspondingly means that the amount of protrusion of the flow-adjusting fabric toward the rear of the vehicle (its thickness in the vehicle's longitudinal direction) is more effectively reduced, and excessive load is more effectively suppressed from being applied to the passenger.

[0017] Furthermore, a vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to the fifth aspect of this disclosure is a vehicle front passenger seat airbag device of the fourth aspect, wherein, in a side view, the dashboard is formed such that its length in the vehicle height direction is shorter than its length in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0018] Fifthly, in the side view, the dashboard is configured such that its length in the vehicle height direction is shorter than its length in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, although the airbag body and the flow adjustment fabric are positioned towards the passenger side, the amount of the flow adjustment fabric protruding towards the rear of the vehicle (its thickness in the vehicle longitudinal direction) is reduced, and thus the passenger is effectively restrained by the airbag body when excessive load is suppressed from being applied to the passenger.

[0019] As described above, in the front passenger seat airbag device of a vehicle, this disclosure enables the suppression of excessive load being applied to the passenger. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic side view illustrating a vehicle front passenger seat airbag device along with a child passenger, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic side view illustrating the state in which the flow adjustment cloth and the airbag body of the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to this exemplary embodiment have been inflated and deployed.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic view of the flow adjustment fabric and the airbag body of the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to this exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 4 This is an unfolded view illustrating the stitching position of the flow adjustment fabric of the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to this exemplary embodiment;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic side view illustrating the flow adjustment cloth and the airbag body of the front passenger seat airbag device in a vehicle according to this exemplary embodiment during deployment.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic plan view section illustrating the flow adjustment cloth and the airbag body of the vehicle's front passenger seat airbag device in the middle of deployment according to this exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Figure 7 It is a graph illustrating the relationship between the amount of contact between the airbag body and the passenger and the elapsed time after the inflator of the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to this exemplary embodiment is actuated, along with comparative examples.

[0028] Figure 8This is a schematic side view illustrating the state of the flow adjustment cloth and airbag body of the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device in a variant example according to this exemplary embodiment, where they have been inflated and deployed.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic side view illustrating the state of the front passenger seat airbag device and the airbag body in the vehicle according to the comparative example, where they have been inflated and deployed.

[0030] Figure 10A This is a schematic side view illustrating the flow adjustment cloth and the airbag body of the front passenger seat airbag device in the vehicle according to the comparative example, during deployment; and

[0031] Figure 10B This is a schematic cross-sectional plan view illustrating the flow adjustment cloth and the airbag body of the front passenger seat airbag device in the vehicle according to the comparative example, during the deployment phase. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following is a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that for ease of explanation, in the drawings, arrow UP indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, arrow FR indicates the forward direction of the vehicle, and arrow RH indicates the rightward direction of the vehicle. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, in the following description, the terms up / down, forward / backward, and left / right directions refer to the up / down, forward / backward, and left / right directions of the vehicle. The left / right direction has the same definition as the vehicle width direction.

[0033] As in Figure 1 Schematic illustration, as an example, the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device (hereinafter referred to as "airbag device") 10 according to this exemplary embodiment is provided in a right-hand drive vehicle (omitted in the figures). That is, the airbag device 10 is housed inside the instrument panel 12 made of resin on the left front seat side of the vehicle, i.e., the front passenger seat side.

[0034] Note that the vehicle to which the airbag device 10 is applied according to this exemplary embodiment is primarily an electric vehicle (battery electric vehicle (BEV)). In a battery electric vehicle, the engine compartment is smaller and the passenger compartment is larger. This means that in a side view along the width of the vehicle, the length (height) of the dashboard 12 in the vertical direction tends to be shorter than its length in the longitudinal direction.

[0035] That is, the dashboard 12 tends to be thinner by reducing its length (height) in the vertical direction in the side view. Therefore, the airbag device 10 is housed in the rear end 12B of the dashboard 12. Moreover, in cases where the child passenger P is not seated in the correct posture relative to the front passenger seat, the rear end 12B of the dashboard 12 is sometimes located in front of the chest Pc of the child passenger P (e.g., a passenger equivalent to a three-year-old infant dummy).

[0036] The airbag device 10 is equipped with a single inflator 16 supported by a support member 14 located inside the dashboard 12. The inflator 16 is configured to momentarily eject (supply) gas into the airbag body 20, which will be described later, through the interior of the flow control fabric 30.

[0037] The inflator 16 is electrically connected to a detection device (omitted in the figures) such as an acceleration sensor located on the vehicle, and the inflator 16 is actuated by a collision (or rear-end collision) of the vehicle detected by this detection device, in one configuration causing gas to be instantaneously ejected into the flow control cloth 30 (in the airbag body 20).

[0038] Note the opening 12A (see below) used to inflate and deploy the airbag body 20 rearward. Figure 2 An opening 12A is formed in the rear end 12B of the instrument panel 12, and the opening 12A is integrally disposed in the door portion (omitted in the drawings) of the instrument panel 12 to close it. The door portion is configured to be ruptured by the flow adjustment cloth 30 and the airbag body 20 when the flow adjustment cloth 30 and the airbag body 20 are inflated and deployed by the actuation of the inflator 16.

[0039] Moreover, as in Figure 2 Schematic diagram: The airbag device 10 is equipped with an airbag body 20 made of fabric, which is inflated and deployed rearward by gas ejected from the inflator 16 through an opening 12A in the dashboard 12. Note that... Figure 2 The shape of the airbag body 20 and the flow adjustment cloth 30, which will be described later, is shown in the image with the passenger P seated in the front passenger seat omitted, thus illustrating the situation where the airbag body 20 and the flow adjustment cloth 30 have been inflated and deployed.

[0040] As in Figure 3 As illustrated, the airbag body 20 is configured with a main panel 22 and a left panel 24 and a right panel 26. The main panel 22 is formed into a basic tubular shape and is arranged in the front-to-back direction. The left panel 24 and the right panel 26 have a shape that is symmetrical to each other and close the left and right sides of the basic tubular main panel 22, thereby forming a bag shape.

[0041] To describe in more detail, the main panel 22 has one end 22A and another end 22B along its length, configured to form a generally tubular shape by being fixed to each of the support members 14. The peripheral edges 24A of the left panel 24 and 26A of the right panel 26 are then attached thereto by being sewn to the left peripheral edge 22L and right peripheral edge 22R of the main panel 22, respectively. The airbag body 20 is thus configured to form a bag shape.

[0042] As in Figure 2 As illustrated, a portion of the outer side (on the side opposite to the passenger restraint surface) of the front wall 28 of the inflated and deployed airbag body 20 contacts the inner surface of the windshield 18 with a specific pressure and is compressed relative to the windshield 18 rearward (receiving a reaction force from the windshield 18).

[0043] Note that vents (omitted in the figures) are formed respectively in the left panel 24 and right panel 26 of the airbag body 20 to release gas after the passenger P has been restrained. The width (length along the left-right direction) of the airbag body 20 is set to a certain extent so as to extend outward in the left-right direction toward the two knees of an adult passenger (e.g., a passenger equivalent to an adult dummy AM50: omitted in the figures). The airbag body 20 is configured such that it is received inside the rear end 12B of the instrument panel 12 in a folded state folded in a specific folding direction.

[0044] Moreover, as in Figure 2 Schematic illustration: The airbag device 10 is equipped with a flow-regulating fabric 30 made of cloth (made of a fabric material similar to that of the airbag body 20) on the dashboard 12 side inside the airbag body 20. As shown in... Figure 6 As illustrated, the flow control cloth 30 is configured to have a tubular shape of a specific length and to be open on the left and right sides when it is expanded and unfolded by gas ejected from the inflator 16.

[0045] That is, the flow conditioning cloth 30 is configured to, by placing it in Figure 3 and Figure 4 The two ends 30A and 30B, shown in the diagram, are stitched together along their length to form a tubular shape having an axial direction (length direction) along the left-right direction. This results in a configuration where the open portion 32 (see...) Figure 6 The flow control fabric 30 is formed on both sides in the left and right directions to supply gas to the airbag body 20.

[0046] The flow control fabric 30 includes an inlet port 34 for introducing gas ejected from the inflator 16 into the central portion of its surrounding surface 33 in the left-right direction (axial direction). That is, in the flow control fabric 30, the inlet port 34 is connected to the ejection port of the inflator 16 (omitted in the drawings), and the periphery of the inlet port 34 is also fixed to one end 22A and the other end 22B of the main panel 22 and to the support member 14.

[0047] The flow adjustment fabric 30 thus has a configuration in which gas introduced (expelled into) the inlet port 34 is distributed toward the left and right sides of the interior of the airbag body 20. Note that when the flow adjustment fabric 30 is being deployed, the rear end 32B of each of the openings 32 is configured to be positioned further rearward than the rear end 12B of the instrument panel 12 (see...). Figure 6 Furthermore, the flow adjustment cloth 30 is also housed inside the rear end 12B of the instrument panel 12 in a folded state, together with the airbag body 20, folded in a specific folding direction.

[0048] Moreover, as in Figure 2 and Figure 4 Schematic illustration: The airbag device 10 is equipped with a stitching portion 36, which is configured by stitching the portion of the flow adjustment fabric 30 further upward than the inlet port 34 to the airbag body 20 in the left-right direction. The stitching portion 36 is formed only at the center of the flow adjustment fabric 30 in the left-right direction (axial direction) and not at the ends of the flow adjustment fabric 30 in the left-right direction (axial direction). The length of the stitching portion 36 is at least the left-right length of the chest Pc of the child passenger P (a three-year-old infant dummy).

[0049] The stitch 36 is formed in the side view at a position 30 mm upward (+30 mm position) from the upper edge 12C of the opening 12A of the instrument panel 12. Note that the stitch 36 is not limited to the embodiment formed at the indicated position, and may also be formed at a position 30 mm downward (-30 mm position) from the upper edge 12C of the opening 12A of the instrument panel 12 (inner side of the instrument panel 12).

[0050] The operation of the airbag device 10 configured as described above according to this exemplary embodiment will then be described.

[0051] In the event that the detection device has detected a collision (or rear-end collision) involving the vehicle, the inflator 16 is activated, and gas is instantaneously ejected (supplied) through the interior of the flow control fabric 30 into the airbag body 20. That is, the airbag body 20 is inflated and deployed rearward (towards the passenger P side). To describe in more detail, the gas ejected from the inflator 16 is first ejected (supplied) into the flow control fabric 30.

[0052] The gas that has been injected (supplied) into the flow regulating cloth 30 passes through the interior of the cloth 30, is ejected from the openings 32 formed on the left and right sides of the flow regulating cloth 30 (distributed in the left-right direction), and is supplied to the airbag body 20. This means that by providing the flow regulating cloth 30 inside the airbag body 20, compared with a configuration in which the flow regulating cloth 30 is not provided inside the airbag body 20, it is possible to suppress the instability of the behavior of the airbag body 20 due to the high pressure of the instantaneously ejected gas.

[0053] Moreover, in the flow regulating cloth 30, such as in Figure 6 In the schematic deployment configuration, the rear end 32B of the opening 32 is located behind the rear end 12B of the instrument panel 12. Therefore, compared to the case where the rear end 32B of the opening 32 is located at the same position as the rear end 12B of the instrument panel 12, gas can be more efficiently distributed from the opening 32 of the flow control fabric 30 within the airbag body 20 in the left-right direction. This allows the airbag body 20 to play a more effective role in deployment performance.

[0054] Moreover, as in Figure 2 As illustrated, a portion of the outer side of the front wall 28 of the airbag body 20 contacts the inner surface of the windshield 18 with a specific pressure and is compressed relatively rearward by the windshield 18 (obtaining a reaction force from the windshield 18).

[0055] Therefore, for example, even though the dashboard 12 has become thinner and the airbag body 20 has become larger, when it is momentarily supplied with gas and inflates and deploys, the deployment behavior of the airbag body 20 can be more effectively prevented from becoming unstable (the deployment behavior can be stabilized more effectively). This makes it possible to properly restrain the passenger P sitting in the front passenger seat.

[0056] Furthermore, a stitch 36 is formed on the flow adjustment fabric 30 by stitching a portion further upward than the inlet port 34 to the airbag body 20 in the left-right direction. Therefore, due to the stitch 36, the flow adjustment fabric 30 near the stitch 36 moves together with the airbag body 20 during deployment of the flow adjustment fabric 30 and the airbag body 20, and the protrusion height of the flow adjustment fabric 30 relative to the instrument panel 12 is suppressed. Therefore, as in Figure 5 and Figure 6 As illustrated, even for a child passenger P, such as a three-year-old infant dummy, the chest Pc is positioned facing the rear end 12B of the dashboard 12 in the front-rear direction, and the surrounding surface 33 of the expanded and unfolded flow adjustment cloth 30 does not compress the chest Pc through the airbag body 20.

[0057] The following describes the airbag device 110 according to the comparative example. Figure 9 Schematic diagram: The flow adjustment fabric 130 of this airbag device 110 is not provided with a stitch 36 configured by stitching a portion further upward than the inlet port (omitted in the figure) along the left-right direction to the airbag body 120 (see diagram). Figure 2 wait).

[0058] Therefore, as in Figure 10A and Figure 10B As illustrated, for a child passenger P, equivalent to a three-year-old infant dummy, with his chest Pc in a position facing the rear end 12B of the dashboard 12 in the front-rear direction, the surrounding surface 133 of the inflated and unfolded flow adjustment cloth 130 compresses the chest Pc through the airbag body 120.

[0059] In contrast, in the airbag device 10 according to this exemplary embodiment, as in Figure 2 and Figure 5 As illustrated, the seam portion 36 is formed further upward toward the inlet port 34 of the flow regulating fabric 30 along the left-right direction. This means that when the flow regulating fabric 30 has been expanded and unfolded, its protrusion toward the rear side of the surrounding surface 33 can be reduced, thereby enabling the thickness of the flow regulating fabric 30 itself to be reduced along the essentially front-back direction.

[0060] Therefore, as in Figure 7 As illustrated in the diagram, for child passenger P, compared to the case of airbag device 110 according to the comparative example (indicated by the dashed line), the amount of contact between the airbag body 20 and the high internal pressure flow regulating cloth 30 due to the actuation of the inflator 16 (the amount of overlapping interference in the front-rear direction in the side view: indicated by the solid line) can be reduced.

[0061] That is, the airbag device 10 according to this exemplary embodiment enables the suppression of excessive load being applied to the child passenger P. This thereby enables the reduction of the severity score of chest Pc and, consequently, neck injury to the child passenger P.

[0062] Moreover, as in Figure 4 As illustrated, the stitching portion 36 is formed only at the central portion in the left-right direction of the flow regulating fabric 30 (i.e., not at the two ends in the left-right direction of the flow regulating fabric 30). This makes it possible to suppress the deployment behavior of the flow regulating fabric 30 when it is momentarily supplied with gas and expands and deploys, compared to the case where the stitching portion 36 is formed along the entire left-right direction (axial direction) of the flow regulating fabric 30. Furthermore, it makes it possible to reduce the effectiveness of suppressing the flow rate regulation of the gas flowing to the airbag body 20.

[0063] That is, the stitching portion 36, configured as described above, reduces the rearward protrusion (thickness in the substantially front-rear direction) at the central portion in the left-right direction of the flow adjustment fabric 30, while also suppressing a decrease in the deployment performance of the airbag body 20. Therefore, for the child passenger P, the amount of contact (interference) between the airbag body 20 and the high internal pressure flow adjustment fabric 30 can be reduced more effectively, thereby more effectively suppressing the application of excessive load to the child passenger P.

[0064] The length of the seam 36 is set to be at least the lateral length of the chest Pc of the child passenger P (three-year-old infant dummy). Therefore, compared to the case where the length of the seam 36 is less than the lateral length at the chest Pc of the child passenger P (three-year-old infant dummy), the amount of contact (interference) between the airbag body 20 and the high internal pressure flow regulating fabric 30 at the child passenger P can be reduced more effectively, thereby making it more effective to suppress excessive load being applied to the child passenger P.

[0065] Furthermore, the stitch 36 is formed at a position 30 mm upward (+30 mm position) from the upper edge 12C of the opening 12A of the dashboard 12, or at a position 30 mm downward (-30 mm position) from there. Therefore, compared to the case where the stitch 36 is not formed at a position 30 mm upward (+30 mm position) from the upper edge 12C of the opening 12A of the dashboard 12, or at a position 30 mm downward (-30 mm position) from there, the stitch 36 can more effectively reduce the rearward protrusion of the flow adjustment fabric 30 (thickness in the basic front-rear direction) while maintaining the deployment performance of the airbag body 20, and can more effectively suppress excessive load being applied to the child passenger P.

[0066] Furthermore, the instrument panel 12 has a height length that is shorter in the side view than in the front-rear direction. This means that although the airbag body 20 and the flow adjustment cloth 30 are positioned toward the passenger P, the rearward protrusion of the flow adjustment cloth 30 (thickness in the substantially front-rear direction) is reduced, and thus the passenger P can be effectively restrained by the airbag body 20 while suppressing excessive load from being applied to the passenger P.

[0067] Variation Example

[0068] Note that, as in Figure 8 Schematic illustration: Instead of the stitching portion 36 configured as described above, the airbag device 10 may be provided with a stitching portion 38, which is configured by stitching the portion of the flow adjustment fabric 30 further downward from the inlet port 34 to the airbag body 20 along the left-right direction. This stitching portion 38 is also formed only at the center of the flow adjustment fabric 30 in the left-right direction (axial direction), and not at the two ends of the flow adjustment fabric 30 in the left-right direction (axial direction). The length of the stitching portion 38 is set to be at least the left-right length of the chest Pc of the child passenger P (a three-year-old infant dummy).

[0069] Furthermore, the stitching portion 38 is formed in the side view at a position 30 mm downward from the lower edge 12D of the opening 12A of the instrument panel 12 (+30 mm position). Note that the position of the stitching portion 38 is not limited to the position shown in the figure, and the stitching portion 38 may also be formed at a position 30 mm upward (towards the inside of the instrument panel 12) from the lower edge 12D of the opening 12A of the instrument panel 12 (-30 mm position).

[0070] In the case where the stitching portion 38 is formed at a position 30 mm downward (+30 mm position) from the lower edge 12D of the opening 12A of the dashboard 12 or at a position 30 mm upward (-30 mm position) from there, compared to the case where the stitching portion 38 is not formed at a position 30 mm downward (+30 mm position) from the lower edge 12D of the opening 12A or at a position 30 mm upward (-30 mm position) from there, the rearward protrusion of the flow adjustment cloth 30 (thickness in the basic front-rear direction) can be reduced more effectively while maintaining the deployment performance of the airbag body 20, and thereby it is possible to more effectively suppress excessive load being applied to the child passenger P.

[0071] The vehicle front passenger seat airbag device 10 according to this exemplary embodiment has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the vehicle front passenger seat airbag device 10 according to this exemplary embodiment is not limited to the drawings, and appropriate design variations are possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. For example, the inflator 16 can be configured to be actuated not only in the case where a collision (or rear-end collision) of the vehicle has been detected, but also in the case where a collision (or rear-end collision) of the vehicle is predicted by a collision prediction sensor or the like.

[0072] Furthermore, both the upper side seam 36 and the lower side seam 38 can be formed on the flow adjustment fabric 30. In this exemplary embodiment, the seams 36 and 38 can be formed by sewing at least one portion of the flow adjustment fabric 30 that is further upward from the inlet port 34 or further downward to the airbag body 20 along the left-right direction. However, since the upper side seam 36 has a better positional relationship with the chest Pc of the child passenger P as described above, the seam 36 is more effective in reducing the amount of protrusion of the flow adjustment fabric 30 toward the chest Pc than the lower side seam 38.

[0073] Furthermore, the passenger is not limited to the child passenger P described above, but can also be an adult passenger as described above. For example, an adult passenger may be conceivable not being seated in the correct posture relative to the front passenger seat while the vehicle is stationary. More specifically, an adult passenger may be conceivable having removed their seat belt and lying down while their chest is near the dashboard 12. If the airbag body 20 deploys in this state due to a rear-end collision or the like, there is concern that the passenger may suffer injury from the high internal pressure flow regulating cloth 30 that inflates upon initial deployment.

[0074] However, as described above, this exemplary embodiment is equipped with stitching portions 36 and 38, where at least one portion of the flow adjustment fabric 30 that is further upward or further downward than the inlet port 34 is stitched to the airbag body 20 in a left-right direction. This means that even excessive load can be suppressed on adult passengers lying down, for example, with their chest near the dashboard 12 (not seated in the correct posture).

Claims

1. A vehicle front passenger seat airbag device, comprising: An airbag body is housed in the rear end of the vehicle on the front passenger seat side of the dashboard and is configured to inflate and deploy from an opening in the dashboard toward the rear of the vehicle by gas ejected from an inflator. A flow-regulating fabric, configured in a tubular shape including openings on the left and right sides that open into the interior of the airbag body, the flow-regulating fabric including inlet ports on its peripheral surface for introducing gas ejected from the inflator, and the flow-regulating fabric being configured to distribute the gas introduced from the inlet ports through the openings toward the left and right sides of the interior of the airbag body; and The stitching portion is configured by stitching at least one portion of the flow adjustment fabric, which is further upward or further downward than the inlet port, to the airbag body in a left-right direction. The stitched portion is formed only at the central portion in the left-right direction of the flow-regulating fabric, and not at the left-right ends of the flow-regulating fabric. In the case where the flow adjustment fabric is being unfolded, the rear-side end of each of the openings is positioned further toward the rear of the vehicle than the rear-side end of the dashboard. In the case where the suture portion is sutured further upwards than the inlet port, the suture portion is formed at a position 30 mm upwards or 30 mm downwards from the upper edge of the opening. In the case where the suture portion is sutured further downward than the inlet port, the suture portion is formed at a position 30 mm downward or 30 mm upward from the lower edge of the opening.

2. The vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the suture is at least the lateral length of the chest of a three-year-old infant dummy.

3. The vehicle front passenger seat airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, In the side view, the dashboard is configured such that its length in the vehicle height direction is shorter than its length in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Images