Airbag device

Abstract

Provided is an airbag device capable of appropriately controlling the deployment shape of an airbag. The present invention is an airbag device mounted on a vehicle, which includes: an airbag that inflates and deploys to restrain an occupant; a tether that extends in the deployment direction of the airbag to restrict the deployment shape of the airbag; and a holding portion that holds the tether in a slidable state along the surface of the airbag.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an airbag device mounted on a vehicle, and more particularly to an airbag device capable of appropriately controlling the deployment shape of the airbag. Background Technology

[0002] As is well known, one or more airbags are installed in vehicles to protect occupants in the event of an accident. Airbag devices include, for example, driver's airbags that deploy near the center of the steering wheel to protect the driver; curtain airbags that deploy downwards from the inside of the window to protect occupants in lateral impacts, rollovers, or overturning accidents; and side airbags that deploy at the side of the occupant (the side of the seat) to protect occupants in lateral impacts, among other forms.

[0003] In airbag systems, the shape of the deployed airbag is sometimes controlled to a desired shape. In the airbag system described in Patent Document 1, a strap is used to control the deployment shape of the airbag. However, since the strap is bridging the surface of the airbag, there is a concern that the strap may interfere directly with the occupant.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-137307 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an airbag device capable of appropriately controlling the deployment shape of the airbag.

[0009] Problem Solving Methods

[0010] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides an airbag device mounted on a vehicle, comprising: an airbag that inflates and deploys to restrain an occupant; a strap that extends in the deployment direction of the airbag and restricts the deployment shape of the airbag; and a retaining portion that holds the strap in a slidable manner along the surface of the airbag.

[0011] Here, "deployment direction" is, for example, roughly forward in a side airbag and roughly downward in a curtain airbag.

[0012] In this invention, because the tether is designed to slide along the surface of the airbag, it does not protrude from the airbag surface in a bridge shape, thus avoiding unnecessary interference with the occupant. Furthermore, the deployment shape of the airbag can be reliably and precisely controlled.

[0013] The strap may be configured to have: a first end connected to the front surface of the seat in the fore-and-aft direction of the airbag deployment direction; and a second end located behind the first end of the airbag in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, opposite to the front surface.

[0014] The second end can be connected to a structural part of the vehicle, such as the seat frame. Alternatively, the second end (rear end) of the strap can be connected to a structural part other than the seat frame, or it can be directly connected to the vicinity of the rear end of the airbag.

[0015] The tether may have a bend midway along its length. By providing a bend in the tether, this bend can serve as the starting point for the airbag to bend, enabling the airbag to deploy reliably while bending.

[0016] The retaining part can form a ring shape in the cross section in the direction orthogonal to the length direction of the strap.

[0017] The retaining member forming the retaining portion can be a long strip-shaped component connected to the surface of the airbag. By using the long strip-shaped retaining member to hold the strap, the strap slides inside the retaining member, thereby placing the outwardly protruding portion of the retaining member within the desired minimum. Furthermore, since the position of the strap does not deviate from the desired (aimed) position, the deployment shape of the airbag can be reliably controlled using the tension of the strap.

[0018] The strap has a bend midway along its length, and the retaining member may be configured to have a bend area corresponding to the bend of the strap.

[0019] The retaining components can be multiple annular components connected to the surface of the airbag at predetermined intervals. For example, they can be arranged like a belt loop on trousers.

[0020] The airbag may be configured to have a compression section that, when folded, pulls the portion of the retaining section that is closer to the first end than the bending section toward the second end, thereby forming a fold on the airbag.

[0021] Here, the term "folds" refers not only to the regular folding shape of the bellows, but also to the arbitrary shrinking (contraction) shape. By compressing the airbag into a folded state and placing it in its stowed position, the airbag compression process is simplified (time is reduced).

[0022] The airbag may be configured to protect the occupant's head periphery by deploying from near the upper part of the vehicle seat.

[0023] The airbag may include: a first chamber that protects one side of the occupant's head; a second chamber connected to the first chamber that protects the front of the occupant's head; a third chamber connected to the second chamber that deploys from the front of the occupant's head to the other side; and a fourth chamber connected to the third chamber that deploys to the other side of the occupant's head.

[0024] By employing this structure, the airbags surround the occupant's head from one side, in front, or to the other side, thus reliably restraining the occupant's head regardless of the seat's position or tilt angle. In other words, when the airbags deploy, the steering wheel or dashboard does not need to act as a reaction surface, enabling stable performance independent of the seat's position.

[0025] The airbag comprises: a first chamber protecting one side of the occupant's head; a second chamber connected to the first chamber protecting the front of the occupant's head; a third chamber connected to the second chamber and deploying from the front of the occupant's head to the other side; and a fourth chamber connected to the third chamber and deploying on the other side of the occupant's head. Furthermore, a first end of the tether can be connected to the second chamber, and a second end can be connected to the first chamber.

[0026] The retaining portion has a bend along its length, in the middle or rear portion of the second chamber. By bending the second chamber midway, it can be reliably positioned in front of the occupant's head.

[0027] The first chamber and the second chamber are formed into one piece by bonding two base fabrics, the first end of the strap is connected to the front end of the second chamber, and the second chamber bends from the vicinity of the bend toward the direction of the occupant's head.

[0028] The first chamber may include: an upper part that extends upwards first; and a front part that is connected to the upper part and extends forwards. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1This is a perspective view showing the main external shape of a vehicle seat to which the airbag device of the present invention can be applied, with the airbag device omitted from the illustration.

[0030] Figure 2 It is shown as Figure 1 The diagram shown is a perspective view of the internal structure (seat frame) in which the frame of a vehicle seat functions, omitting an illustration of the airbag system.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic side view of a vehicle seat equipped with the airbag device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the state in which the airbag device 20 is housed from an outside perspective in the vehicle width direction.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a top view schematically showing the deployed state of the airbag in the airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 5 This is a top perspective view (top view) showing the deployed state of the airbag in the airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a front perspective view showing the deployed state of the airbag in the airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a top view showing the shape of the panel constituting the airbag used in the airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, for forming a first chamber and a second chamber.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a top view showing the shape of the panel of the airbag used in the airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, for forming the side chamber.

[0037] Figure 9 This is a top view showing the shape of the panel of the airbag used in the airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, forming a third chamber.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a top view showing the shape of the panel of the airbag used in the airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, forming a fourth chamber.

[0039] Figure 11 It is used for Figures 7 to 10 A top view illustrating the connections of the panels shown.

[0040] Figure 12 It is shown Figures 7 to 10 A top view showing the connection status of the panel.

[0041] Figure 13 This is a top view illustrating a portion of the airbag compression process according to an embodiment of the present invention. For ease of explanation, only the first and second chambers are shown, omitting the other chambers. Figure 12 ). Detailed Implementation

[0042] The airbag device according to the present invention will now be described based on the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when an occupant is seated in a proper posture, the direction the occupant is facing is referred to as "forward," and the opposite direction is referred to as "rear," and when the axis of seating is shown, it is referred to as the "front-back direction." Furthermore, when an occupant is seated in a proper posture, the occupant's right side is referred to as the "right direction," and the occupant's left side is referred to as the "left direction," and when the coordinate axis is shown, it is referred to as the "left-right direction." Additionally, when an occupant is seated in a proper posture, the direction of the occupant's head is referred to as "above," and the direction of the occupant's waist is referred to as "below," and when the coordinate axis is shown, it is referred to as the "up-down direction." Furthermore, in the deployed airbag, the side facing the occupant (head) is the inner side, and the opposite side is the outer side.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the main external shape of the vehicle seat used in the occupant protection device according to the present invention, omitting the illustration of the airbag device 20. Figure 2 It is shown as Figure 1 The diagram shows a perspective view of the internal structure (seat frame) in which the frame of the vehicle seat functions. The illustration of the airbag device 20 is also omitted here. Figure 3 This is a schematic side view of the occupant protection device involved in the present invention, showing the state in which the airbag device 20 is housed on the side (far side) of the door away from the vehicle seat, as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0044] The vehicle seat to which this invention is applicable, when viewed as a part, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes a seat cushion 2 for passengers to sit on, a seat back 1 forming a backrest, and a headrest 3 connected to the upper end of the seat back 1.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the airbag device 20 involved in this embodiment is housed in the side support (far side) of the vehicle seat. Appendix 21 is the outer shell housing a part of the airbag constituting the airbag device 20 (head protection airbag cushion 31), which is the upper part of the seat back 1 and fixed to the right side of the headrest 3. When the airbag device 20 is activated and the airbag 30 deploys, the front or diagonally front of the outer shell 21 cracks.

[0046] Additionally, the head protection airbag cushion 31 (see reference) Figure 3 In addition to being stored in the separate outer shell 21, it can also be stored inside the upper part of the seat back 1. In particular, in the case of a vehicle seat where the headrest 3 is integrated with the seat back 1, the storage space for the head protection airbag 31 can be flexibly configured.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, a seat back frame 1f, forming the skeleton of the seat, is provided inside the seat back 1. A pad made of polyurethane foam or similar material is provided on its surface and around its perimeter, and the surface of this pad is covered with leather, fabric, or other leather. A seating frame 2f is provided on the underside of the seat cushion 2. A pad made of polyurethane foam or similar material is provided on its upper surface and around its perimeter, and the surface of this pad is covered with leather, fabric, or other leather. The seating frame 2f and the seat back frame 1f are connected by a tilting mechanism 4.

[0048] like Figure 2 As shown, the seat back frame 1f is frame-shaped and includes: a seat frame 10, which is arranged separately on the left and right sides and extends in the vertical direction; an upper frame, which connects to the upper end of the seat frame 10; and a lower frame, which connects to the lower end. The headrest 3 is formed by providing a cushioning member on the outside of the headrest frame.

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic side view of the occupant protection device involved in the present invention, showing the state of the airbag device 20 housed on the side (far side) of the door away from the vehicle seat, viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0050] like Figure 3 As shown, the airbag device 20 is housed near the upper right side of the seat back 1 of the vehicle seat. The airbag 30, as described later, includes a head protection airbag 31 for protecting the occupant's head and a side protection airbag 40 for protecting the occupant's sides. In this embodiment, the airbag device 20 is positioned on the so-called distal side, but it could also be positioned on the proximal side.

[0051] Figure 4 This is a top view schematically showing the deployed state of the airbag 30 in the airbag device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a top-view perspective (top view) showing the deployed state of the airbag 30. Figure 6 This is a frontal perspective view showing the deployed state of the airbag 30. Additionally, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the middle, the dashed line represents the suture line.

[0052] Mainly such as Figure 4As shown, the airbag device 20 involved in this embodiment includes: an inflator 160 (see reference 160). Figure 6 , 8 The airbag 30, which generates inflating gas, deploys from near the upper right side of the vehicle seat to protect the head of occupant P. The airbag 30 includes: a first chamber 32 that protects one side of occupant P's head; a second chamber 34 connected to the first chamber 32 that protects the front of occupant P's head; a third chamber 36 connected to the second chamber 34 that deploys from the front of occupant P's head to the other side; and a fourth chamber 38 connected to the third chamber 36 that deploys to the other side of occupant P's head.

[0053] The airbag device 20 further includes: a strap 200 extending in the deployment direction (forward) of the airbag 30 to restrict the deployment shape of the airbag 30; and a retaining member 202 that retains the strap 200 so that it is slidable along the surface of the airbag 30. See below. Figure 7 The details of the strap 200 and the retaining component 202 are described below.

[0054] The strap 200 has: a first end 201a, which is connected to the inner surface of the second chamber 34; and a second end 201b, which is the opposite side to the first end 201a. The second end 201b is connected to the seat frame. Alternatively, the second end 201b (rear end) of the strap 200 can be connected to a structural part other than the seat frame, or it can be directly connected to the vicinity of the rear end of the first chamber 32.

[0055] The first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are formed as a single chamber. The rear of the second chamber 34 curves toward the head of the occupant P, thereby allowing the second chamber 34 to reliably deploy in front of the occupant's head.

[0056] The tether 200 is positioned between the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34. When the airbag 30 deploys, the tension of the tether 200 causes the second chamber 34 to bend. Additionally, one end of the tether 200 is connected to the inner surface of the second chamber 34, but the other end can also be connected to the surface of the first chamber 32 or other components such as the seat frame.

[0057] like Figures 4-6 As shown, a side chamber 40 is connected below the first chamber 32. The side chamber 40 restrains at least the right shoulder area of ​​the occupant P, but may also restrain the waist. Depending on the direction and timing of the force applied to the occupant P to be protected, the configuration is such that the side chamber 40 and the first chamber 32 deploy simultaneously or one of them deploys first. Figure 6 and Figure 8As shown, the expanding gas is released from the inflator 160 housed in the side chamber 40, and flows to the first chamber and / or the side chamber 40, and then sequentially to the second chamber 34, the third chamber 36 and the fourth chamber 38.

[0058] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, four chambers (32, 34, 36, 38) unfold around the right side of the occupant P's head, extending to the left side. The second chamber 34 curves inward from the first chamber 32 towards the occupant's side, while... Figure 6 As shown, the airbag 30 bends slightly upwards and deploys, thus reliably protecting the front of the occupant's head (face). Since the airbag 30 (at least the first chamber 32 and the fourth chamber 38) is located above the occupant's shoulder, interference with the occupant's shoulder that could worsen deployment is prevented. Furthermore, by placing the airbag 30 on the occupant's shoulder, the distance between the airbag 30 and the occupant's head is reduced, allowing for rapid restraint of the occupant's head.

[0059] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in the top view of the airbag 30 when it has inflated, the second chamber 34 extends at an angle from the curved region 200a toward the occupant P, relative to its longer longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction of the first chamber 32. Furthermore, the direction of inflation of the third chamber 36, from the gas inlet of the third chamber 36 near the end of the second chamber 34 toward the gas inlet of the fourth chamber 38, is approximately opposite to the longitudinal direction of the first chamber 32 in the front-rear direction, and is angled relative to the longitudinal direction of the inflated second chamber 34, moving from the end of the second chamber 34 toward the direction approaching the occupant P. Similarly, the direction of inflation of the fourth chamber 38, starting from the gas inlet of the fourth chamber 38 near the end of the third chamber 36, is approximately opposite to the longitudinal direction of the first chamber 32 in the front-rear direction, and is angled relative to the inflation direction of the third chamber 36, moving from the end of the third chamber 36 toward the direction approaching the occupant P. With this structure, the airbag 30 inflates and deploys by wrapping around the head of the occupant P from one of his shoulders.

[0060] Figure 7 This is a top view showing the panel (base fabric) forming the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34. (See attached image.) Figure 7As shown, the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are formed into one piece by bonding two base fabrics 130a (inner panel) and 130b (outer panel). In the figure, reference numeral 132 shows the area corresponding to the first chamber 32, and reference numeral 134 shows the area corresponding to the second chamber. When the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are deployed, the inner panel 130a faces the occupant P side.

[0061] The first chamber 32 (region 132) includes: an opening 154 connected to the side chamber 40; and a tab 152 connected to a tab 164 of the side chamber 40. Expansion gas flows into the first chamber 32 from near the rear end of the side chamber 40 through the opening 154. Near the end of the inner panel of the second chamber 34, an exhaust port 150a is formed, which is in fluid communication with the third chamber 36. This exhaust port 150a extends along the lower edge of the second chamber 34 and is connected to the inner panel 136a of the third chamber 36 by sewing. Figure 9 The exhaust ports 150a and 150b are connected together. Then, the exhaust port 37 is formed through the exhaust ports 150a and 150b.

[0062] The first chamber 32 is configured to include: an upper direction portion 132a, which generally guides the gas flowing in from the opening 154 upwards; and a forward direction portion 132b, which is connected to the upper direction portion 132a and extends forward. Additionally, in Figure 7 In the middle, the dashed lines other than the upper direction part 132a and the front direction part 132b represent the suture line.

[0063] like Figure 7 As shown, the bend 200a is located near the junction of the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34. The strap 200 and retaining member 202 extending towards the first chamber 32 side of the bend 200a are arranged in a generally straight line. The strap 200 and retaining member 202 extending towards the second chamber 34 side of the bend 200a are also arranged in a generally straight line. When the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are flat before expansion, the generally straight lines of the strap 200 and retaining member 202 on the first chamber 32 side and the second chamber 34 side are arranged in the bend 200a such that the second chamber 34 side is inclined relative to the first chamber 32 side towards the direction of the vent 37 between the second chamber 34 and the third chamber 36.

[0064] In the first chamber 32, since the expanding gas initially flows into the upper direction section 132a, the first chamber 32 can be quickly and reliably pulled to the upper part of the shoulder of the occupant P.

[0065] Figure 8 This is a top view showing the panel (base fabric) forming the side chamber 40. (See image) Figure 8As shown, the side chamber 40 is formed by bonding two base fabrics 140a (inner panel) and 140b (outer panel). In the figure, reference numeral 166 is the opening connected to the opening 154a of the first chamber 32, and reference numeral 162 is the inflator holding part for housing the inflator 160. Additionally, reference numeral 164 is the connecting piece connected to the connecting piece 152 of the first chamber 32.

[0066] The side chamber 40 and the first chamber 32 are directly connected in their respective openings 154a and 166, and the deployment posture can be controlled by connecting the tabs 152 and 164 to each other. Furthermore, in Figure 8 In the diagram, the dashed lines outside the inflator 160 represent suture lines. The connecting tab 164 is located on the upper edge of the side protective airbag cushion 40. The tab 152 of the first chamber 32 is located on the lower edge of the first chamber. These tabs 152 and 164 are connected to each other, reducing unintentional swaying during expansion and increasing the stability of expansion. Furthermore, the connection between the tabs 152 and 164 prevents the airbag cushion from dispersing during expansion, providing more integrated and comprehensive protection for the occupant P.

[0067] Figure 9 This is a top view showing the panel (base fabric) forming the third chamber 36. Figure 9 In the middle, the dashed line represents the suture line.

[0068] like Figure 9 As shown, the third chamber 36 is formed by bonding two base fabrics 136a (inner panel) and 136b (outer panel). An exhaust port 150b, connected to the exhaust port 150a of the second chamber 34, is formed near one end of the inner panel 136a. Additionally, an exhaust port 170a, connected to the exhaust port 170b of the fourth chamber 38, is formed near the other end of the inner panel 136a. An exhaust hole 39 is then formed through the exhaust ports 170a and 170b. Figure 7 , Figure 9 In addition, compared with exhaust port 170a, exhaust port 150b has a longer length in the short side direction and a larger opening area.

[0069] Figure 10 This is a top view showing the panel (base fabric) 138 forming the fourth chamber 38. Figure 10 In the middle, the dashed line represents the suture line.

[0070] like Figure 10 As shown, the fourth chamber 38 is shaped into a bag by folding a panel 138 in half. Near the center of the panel 138 in the longitudinal direction, an exhaust port 170b is formed, which is connected to the exhaust port 170a of the third chamber. The center line along the longitudinal direction of the exhaust port 170b becomes the fold line of the panel 138.

[0071] Figure 11 It is used for Figures 7 to 10 A top view illustrating the connections of the shown panels. Additionally, Figure 12 It shows the... Figures 7 to 10 The top view shows the connected state of the panels. (Example) Figure 11 As shown, the chamber that integrates the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 is the largest, followed by the side chamber 40. In contrast, the third chamber 36 has a smaller capacity, and the fourth chamber 38 is designed to have an even smaller capacity.

[0072] The second chamber 34 and the third chamber 36 are connected only around the periphery of exhaust ports 150a and 150b by stitching. Additionally, the third chamber 36 and the fourth chamber 38 are connected only around the periphery of exhaust ports 170a and 170b by stitching.

[0073] (Airbag compression)

[0074] Figure 13 This is a top view illustrating a portion of the compression process of the airbag 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For ease of explanation, only the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are shown; the other chambers (third chamber 36, fourth chamber 38, side chamber 40) are omitted from the illustration. In fact, as... Figure 12 As shown, after all the chambers are connected by sewing, a compression process is performed.

[0075] from Figure 13 In the state shown in (A), the tether 200 is pulled backward (pulled over), forming a wrinkled area 210 with many folds around the tether 200 in the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34. Figure 13 (B)). Next, the upper and lower parts of the pleated region 210 are folded towards the center in a corrugated manner to compress it. In addition, the "pleats" of the pleated region 210 can be arbitrarily reduced (contracted) or can adopt a somewhat regular folding shape such as corrugated folding.

[0076] Then, the third chamber 36 and the fourth chamber 38 are folded together in a bellows-like manner and then wound up. Finally, the airbag 30 is compressed by folding or winding the side chambers 40 in a bellows-like manner.

[0077] (Airbag deployment)

[0078] like Figures 4 to 6As shown, in the airbag device 20 of this embodiment, if a vehicle collision occurs, the inflator 160 is activated, and expanding gas flows from the inflator holding portion 162 located near the rear end of the side chamber 40 into the first chamber 32. When the expanding gas flows into the first chamber 32, the upper part 132a ( Figure 7 The gas expands, and then the forward section 132b expands. Then, the gas flows from the first chamber 32 into the second chamber 34.

[0079] At this time, due to the use of strap 200 ( Figure 4 The first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34, or the second chamber 34 and the seat frame, are connected, so the forward expansion of the second chamber 34 is restricted. It bends from the bend 200a of the strap 200, i.e., the bend area 202a of the retaining member 202, and expands forward toward the occupant. Figure 4 , Figure 5 Additionally, such as Figure 6 As shown, the second chamber 34 is curved upwards at the front end, and the exhaust port 150a extends longitudinally.

[0080] Next, the expanding gas flows from the second chamber 34 into the third chamber 36 through the exhaust port 37, and the third chamber 36 expands from the front of the occupant P towards the left side of the head. Since the inner panel 134a of the second chamber 34 and the inner panel 136a of the third chamber 36 are connected to each other around the exhaust port 37, the expansion of the third chamber 36 in the outward direction (away from the occupant's head) is restricted, forming a curved shape that surrounds the head of the occupant P.

[0081] Next, the expanding gas flows from the third chamber 36 into the fourth chamber 38 through the exhaust port 39, and the fourth chamber 38 expands near the left side of the occupant P's head. Since the inner panel 136a of the third chamber 36 and the fourth chamber 36 are connected around the exhaust port 39, the expansion of the fourth chamber 36 in the outward direction (away from the occupant's head) is restricted, forming a curved shape that surrounds the occupant P's head.

[0082] In this embodiment, because the tether 200 is designed to slide along the surface of the airbag 30, the tether 200 will not protrude from the surface of the airbag 30 in a bridge-like manner, thus avoiding unnecessary interference with the occupant P. Furthermore, the deployment shape of the airbag 30 can be reliably and precisely controlled. And, through these structures, the airbag 30 inflates and deploys by wrapping around the occupant's head.

[0083] Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention has many equivalent changes and modifications. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments described above are to be considered exemplary and not restrictive. Various changes can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in the specific embodiments, the description focuses on distal airbags, but it can also be applied to proximal airbags (the side of the vehicle seat away from the door) and single-seat vehicles such as small-mobility vehicles (including vehicles with only one seat in a row regardless of whether there is a door). Furthermore, it is not limited to side airbags, but can also be applied to various types of airbags that require the airbag to bend mid-air.

Claims

1. An airbag device mounted on a vehicle, characterized in that, have: Airbags, which inflate and deploy to restrain occupants; A strap, which extends in the deployment direction of the airbag, restricts the deployment shape of the airbag; A retaining element holds the strap in a sliding position along the surface of the airbag. The airbag protects the occupant's head by deploying from near the top of the vehicle seat. The airbag comprises: a first chamber protecting one side of the occupant; a second chamber connected to the first chamber protecting the front of the occupant's head; a third chamber connected to the second chamber and deploying from the front of the occupant's head to the other side; and a fourth chamber connected to the third chamber and deploying on the other side of the occupant. The retaining portion has a curved portion located midway along its length and in the middle portion of the second chamber, the curved portion serving as the starting point when the airbag bends.

2. The airbag device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The strap has: a first end connected to the front surface of the seat in the fore-and-aft direction of the airbag deployment direction; and a second end located behind the first end of the airbag in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, opposite to the front surface.

3. The airbag device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The second end is connected to the structural part of the vehicle.

4. The airbag device as described in claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that, The retaining member forming the retaining part has a cross-section in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the strap that is formed into a ring shape.

5. The airbag device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The retaining component is a long strip-shaped component connected to the surface of the airbag.

6. The airbag device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The retaining component is a plurality of annular components connected to the surface of the airbag at predetermined intervals.

7. The airbag device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The retaining component is not positioned in a manner corresponding to the curved portion.

8. The airbag device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The airbag has a compression section that, when folded, pulls the portion of the retaining section that is closer to the first end than the curved section toward the second end, thereby forming folds on the airbag.

9. The airbag device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first end of the strap is connected to the second chamber, and the second end is connected to the first chamber.

10. The airbag device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first chamber and the second chamber are formed into one piece by bonding two base fabrics together. The first end of the tether is connected to the vicinity of the front end of the second chamber. The second chamber is configured to curve from near the curved portion toward the occupant's head.

11. The airbag device as described in claim 1 or 10, characterized in that, The first chamber includes: an upper part that extends upwards first; and a front part that is connected to the upper part and extends forwards.

Images