Side airbag device for vehicle

Abstract

A side airbag apparatus of a vehicle is provided. The side airbag apparatus includes: an airbag cushion embedded in a backrest of a seat and inflated and deployed to correspond to an entire side surface of an upper body of an occupant at the time of a side collision of the vehicle; and an inflator configured to generate a gas through an impact detection signal to supply the gas to the airbag cushion when the side of the vehicle collides. The airbag cushion has a height at which the airbag cushion inflates and deploys upward as a result of contact with an arm of an occupant. Accordingly, interference with a curtain airbag is avoided at an early stage of deployment of the airbag cushion, and the upper chamber inflates upward upon contact with the arm of the occupant, thereby allowing the head of the occupant to be safely protected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly to a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle that protects passengers by preventing collision between passengers at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Generally, a vehicle airbag apparatus is a safety device for protecting passengers by injecting gas into the airbag according to a signal of a collision detection sensor and rapidly inflating the airbag when a vehicle collides.

[0003] Such an airbag device is installed in a steering wheel, an instrument panel, a seat, a side wall, etc. provided in a vehicle, and protects an occupant by inflating toward the front or side of the occupant when the vehicle collides.

[0004] That is, the vehicle may be provided with front airbags that deploy in front of the driver's seat and the passenger seat, curtain airbags and side airbags that deploy from the location where a side collision occurs (hereinafter referred to as the "collision side") to protect passengers, and knee airbags for protecting the passengers' knees.

[0005] Side airbags may include a near-side airbag that is inflated and deployed between an occupant and a vehicle structural member, such as a door, and protects the occupant from vehicle structural members that protrude inwardly due to the impact of a side collision, and a far-side airbag or a center-side airbag that limits the movement of the occupant to the inside of the vehicle in response to the side collision.

[0006] At the same time, the side airbag must fully protect the side of the occupant's body from the head to the lower body.

[0007] However, since the occupant can adjust the angle of the backrest in various ways, the occupant's posture is not constantly fixed in one position.

[0008] For example, when an occupant is in a normal seating position, a side airbag must avoid interfering with a curtain airbag during deployment so as not to impede deployment of the curtain airbag.

[0009] That is, if interference occurs between the upper portion of the side airbag and the lower portion of the curtain airbag, the thickness and pressure provided on the upper portion of the side airbag may apply an impact to the chest of the occupant, potentially increasing the risk of rib damage.

[0010] Additionally, if the occupant rotates the backrest rearwardly to rest in rest mode, thereby deviating from the normal seating position, the side airbag must still adequately protect the occupant's head moving rearwardly and upwardly from the backrest.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for technology that can protect the sides of the body of an occupant from the head to the lower body not only in a normal sitting position but also in a resting mode.

[0012] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1866083 (published on June 11, 2018)

[0013] (Patent Document 2) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1708213 (published on February 20, 2017) Summary of the invention

[0014] Technical issues

[0015] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a side airbag device for a vehicle which can safely protect an occupant by inflating and deploying the airbag toward one side of the occupant in the event of a side collision of the vehicle.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle that can safely protect the head of an occupant by moving the occupant's arms upward during a side collision so that an upper chamber of the side airbag expands upward.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle that can safely protect the lower body and upper body (including the pelvic area to the head) of an occupant regardless of the occupant's posture.

[0018] Solution to the problem

[0019] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, a side airbag device of a vehicle according to the present disclosure includes: an airbag cushion, which is embedded in a seat backrest and is inflated and deployed to correspond to the entire side surface of the upper body of an occupant when the vehicle collides sideways; and an inflator, which is configured to generate gas by an impact detection signal when the vehicle collides sideways to supply the gas to the airbag cushion, wherein the airbag cushion has a height at which the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed upward due to contact with the arm of the occupant.

[0020] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0021] As described above, in the side airbag apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effect of being able to adjust the height at which the airbag cushion of the side airbag is inflated and deployed upward.

[0022] That is, according to the present invention, in the early stage of deployment of the airbag cushion, the height to which the airbag cushion is inflated upward can be limited to avoid interference with the curtain airbag.

[0023] Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent injury to the chest of an occupant caused by excessive pressure generated in the side airbag due to interference of the upper portion of the side airbag with the lower portion of the curtain airbag.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the arm of the occupant may come into contact with the airbag cushion to move upward so as to expand the upper chamber of the airbag cushion upward.

[0025] Therefore, according to the present invention, even when the occupant is in a semi-recumbent position with the backrest tilted rearward by more than 40 degrees, the upper chamber can be inflated to safely protect the occupant's head.

[0026] Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve the effect that the lower body and upper body of the occupant can be safely protected as a whole from the pelvic portion to the head regardless of the posture of the occupant. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seat to which a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied;

[0028] Figure 2 is Figure 1 A perspective view of a state in which an airbag cushion is deployed in a side airbag device of a vehicle shown in FIG.

[0029] Figure 3 and Figure 4 They are Figure 2 a side view and a front view of the airbag cushion shown in ; and

[0030] Figure 5 and Figure 6 They are a side view and a front view respectively showing a state in which the upper chamber of the airbag cushion is rotated upward. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Hereinafter, a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] In the present invention, a side airbag device is embedded in a seatback, and during a side collision of a vehicle, an airbag cushion inflates and deploys forward, upward, and downward from a side surface of the seatback to correspond to the entire side of an occupant's upper body, thereby safely protecting the occupant.

[0033] Hereinafter, the configuration of the side airbag device installed in the driver's seat of a general vehicle will be described, and the direction facing the front surface of the vehicle with respect to the driver's seat will be referred to as "forward direction F", and the direction facing the rear surface of the vehicle will be referred to as "rearward direction B". Together with these terms, terms indicating directions such as "left side L", "right side R", "upward direction U", and "downward direction D" are defined to indicate the corresponding directions with respect to the above-mentioned forward direction and rearward direction.

[0034] Therefore, the forward F direction and the rearward B direction of the vehicle may be expressed as horizontal directions, and the upward U direction and the downward D direction of the vehicle may be expressed as vertical directions.

[0035] In addition, hereinafter, a configuration of a near-side airbag that is inflated and deployed between an occupant and a vehicle configuration member such as a door to protect the occupant from the vehicle configuration member protruding inwardly due to an impact of a side collision will be described.

[0036] Here, the present invention may also be modified to be applied to a far-side airbag or a center-side airbag which restricts the movement of an occupant toward the inside of the vehicle due to rebound of a side collision.

[0037] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seat to which a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied, and Figure 2 is Figure 1 0 is a perspective view of a state in which an airbag cushion is deployed in a side airbag device of a vehicle shown in .

[0038] A side airbag device for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: an airbag cushion 20 that is embedded in a backrest 12 of a seat 11 and is inflated and deployed to correspond to the entire side surface of the upper body of an occupant when the vehicle collides sideways; and an inflator 30 that generates gas in response to an impact detection signal when the vehicle collides sideways to supply the gas to the airbag cushion 20.

[0039] The airbag cushion 20 is inflated and deployed in the forward, upward, and downward directions from the backrest 12 of the seat 11, and is inflated and deployed to correspond to the sides of the pelvis and the entire upper body of the occupant, that is, the abdomen, chest, neck, and head of the occupant. Therefore, the airbag cushion 20 can be inflated and deployed between the occupant and the vehicle configuration member such as the door to safely protect the occupant from the vehicle configuration member protruding inwardly due to the impact of the side collision.

[0040] To this end, the airbag cushion 20 may be configured to be inflated and deployed in a substantially circular, elliptical, or hexahedral shape, and may be inflated and deployed from the side of the occupant toward an upward and forward direction.

[0041] For example, the airbag cushion 20 can be pulled out from the near side of the occupant, that is, pulled out to the outside of the backrest 12 by cutting along the cutting line 13 defined on the left side surface of the backrest 12, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 3 , and can be inflated and deployed forward, upward, and downward toward the side surface of the entire upper body of the occupant.

[0042] The airbag cushion 20 may be provided in a bag shape by joining an edge of an inner panel that contacts an occupant during inflation and deployment with an edge of an outer panel provided on an opposite side of the inner panel, such as by a sewing method or the like.

[0043] The airbag cushion 20 may be divided into a plurality of chambers.

[0044] For example, the airbag cushion 20 may include a central chamber 21 corresponding to the chest and upper abdomen of the occupant, a lower chamber 22 corresponding to the pelvis and lower abdomen of the occupant, and an upper chamber 23 corresponding to the head of the occupant.

[0045] Here, the upper chamber 23 may be vertically rotatable with respect to the rear end portion connected to the central chamber 21 .

[0046] That is, when the occupant is in the rest mode position, for example, when the occupant is half-lying in the rearward reclining position with the backrest tilted rearward, the upper chamber 21 can rotate upward to correspond to the state in which the occupant's head protrudes toward the rear upper side of the backrest.

[0047] Therefore, the present invention may be configured to reduce the height of the upwardly protruding portion of the airbag cushion compared to that of the cushion applied to the side airbag in the related art so as to avoid interference with the curtain airbag during deployment of the side airbag.

[0048] In addition, according to the present invention, when a door or other parts intrudes into a vehicle due to a side collision, the shoulders and arms of the occupant may move upward while contacting the side airbag.

[0049] Thus, according to the present invention, by moving the occupant's arms upward, the upper chamber may expand upward to correspond to the occupant's head in the rest mode position.

[0050] Therefore, according to the present invention, even when the occupant is in a semi-recumbent position with the backrest tilted rearward by more than 40 degrees, the upper chamber can be inflated to safely protect the occupant's head.

[0051] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 6 The configuration of the airbag cushion is described in detail.

[0052] Figure 3and Figure 4 They are Figure 2 side and front views of the airbag cushion shown in FIG. Figure 5 and Figure 6 They are a side view and a front view respectively showing a state in which the upper chamber of the airbag cushion is rotated upward.

[0053] Right now, Figure 3 and Figure 4 shows the deployment operation state of the airbag cushion at the initial stage of a collision, and Figure 5 and Figure 6 A deployment operation state of the airbag cushion at a certain point after a certain amount of time has passed after a collision is shown.

[0054] like Figures 3 to 6 As shown in FIG. 1 , the supply hole 24 may be defined in a central portion of the airbag cushion 20 , ie, a central chamber 21 connected to the inflator 30 to receive gas upon a side collision of the vehicle.

[0055] The airbag cushion 20 may have multiple chamber walls.

[0056] For example, the first chamber wall 25 may be disposed between the central chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 , thereby separating the central chamber 21 from the lower chamber 22 .

[0057] The second chamber wall 26 may be disposed in the central chamber 21 to define a shape of the central chamber 21 .

[0058] A third chamber wall 27 may be disposed between the central chamber 21 and the upper chamber 23 , which separates the central chamber 21 from the upper chamber 23 .

[0059] The first chamber wall 25 may be disposed substantially horizontally along the front-rear direction of the airbag cushion 20 , or slightly inclined toward the front lower side of the airbag cushion 20 .

[0060] A lower exhaust port 211 that supplies gas provided to the central chamber 21 to the lower chamber 22 may be defined between the first chamber wall 25 and a rear end portion of the airbag cushion 20 .

[0061] The second chamber wall 26 may be disposed in a vertical direction between a rear end of the central chamber 21 and a central portion of the central chamber 21. The second chamber wall 26 may extend from a substantially central rear end of the inner panel of the airbag cushion 20 to a lower end of the lower chamber 22.

[0062] Therefore, the central chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 may be inflated and expanded such that each of the central end portion and the front end portion has a thickness greater than that of the rear end portion with respect to the second chamber wall 26 .

[0063] For example, the central chamber 21 may be inflated and expanded such that the width in the left-right direction gradually decreases upward from the central portion thereof.

[0064] Therefore, when the arm of the occupant comes into contact with the central chamber 21 , the arm of the occupant may move upward along the inner surface of the central chamber 21 .

[0065] The third chamber wall 27 may separate the central chamber 21 from the upper chamber 23 such that the upper chamber 23 has a substantially “∩” shape when viewed from the side.

[0066] To this end, the third chamber wall 27 may be deflected forward and downward at a portion where the central chamber 21 and the upper chamber 23 are connected to each other.

[0067] The third chamber wall 27 may be provided as a non-inflation region that is not inflated during inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 20 and may have a larger area than that of a space between the upper chamber 23 and the central chamber 21 , thereby allowing the upper chamber 23 to expand upward.

[0068] Therefore, the third chamber wall 27 may remain partially folded during the initial deployment of the airbag cushion 20 , and may be deployed and expanded upward when the upper chamber 23 moves upward due to the movement of the occupant's arm.

[0069] Here, the third chamber wall 27 may define a maximum height by which the upper chamber 23 moves upward and expands.

[0070] Like this, according to the present invention, the upper chamber and the rear portion of the central chamber can be connected to each other to transmit gas, and the upper chamber can expand upward in response to the upward movement of the occupant's arm so as to correspond to the occupant's head in the rest mode posture, thereby safely protecting the occupant's head.

[0071] Meanwhile, the airbag cushion 20 may be provided with an external exhaust port (not shown) that discharges gas inside the airbag cushion 20 to the outside.

[0072] For example, the external exhaust port may be provided at a front end portion of the central portion of the central chamber 21 .

[0073] Therefore, after the airbag cushion 20 is inflated and deployed at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the central chamber 21 may gradually release the gas therein through the external exhaust port over time, thereby allowing the deployment pressure to be adjusted.

[0074] Hereinafter, an operating method of a side airbag apparatus of a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0075] In the event of a side collision of the vehicle, there is a contact time difference between the airbag cushion 20 and the upper body of the occupant depending on a part of the upper body.

[0076] That is, while the pelvis, abdomen, and chest portions of the occupant move toward the collision side immediately after the impact, the head portion of the occupant rotates about the neck, and therefore, a relative time delay occurs before colliding with the vehicle member.

[0077] Therefore, according to the present invention, in the early stage of a side collision of a vehicle, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the gas generated from the inflator 30 may be sequentially supplied to the lower chamber 22 and the upper chamber 23 through the central chamber 21 to inflate and deploy the airbag.

[0078] Here, since the upper chamber 23 is inflated and deployed while maintaining its front end portion almost in contact with the upper end portion of the center chamber 21 , the airbag can avoid interference with the curtain airbag 40 on the roof rail side of the vehicle.

[0079] As such, according to the present invention, in the early stage of deployment of the airbag cushion, the height to which the airbag cushion is inflated upward can be limited to avoid interference with the curtain airbag.

[0080] Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the chest injury of the occupant caused by excessive pressure generated in the side airbag when the upper portion of the side airbag interferes with the lower portion of the curtain airbag.

[0081] Meanwhile, in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the occupant may move toward the collision side while in contact with the airbag cushion 20. Here, the arm of the occupant may move upward along the inner surface of the central chamber 21 of the airbag cushion 20.

[0082] When the arm of the occupant moving upward moves to the height of the third chamber wall 27 between the central chamber 21 and the upper chamber 23 of the airbag cushion 20, the upper chamber 23 rotates upward around the rear portion connected to the central chamber 21, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 and Figure 6 as shown in .

[0083] Therefore, the upper chamber 23 can move upwards more than Figure 3 and Figure 4 The height shown in is higher for expansion.

[0084] Like this, according to the present invention, in the event of a side collision of a vehicle, the upper chamber of the airbag cushion can be expanded upward due to the movement of the occupant's arm.

[0085] Therefore, when the occupant rotates the backrest rearward to rest in the rest mode, deviating from the normal seating position, the side airbag according to the present invention can still fully protect the occupant's head moving rearward and upward from the backrest.

[0086] According to the experimental results, it was confirmed that even when the occupant tilted the seat back more than 40 degrees rearward, the side of the entire upper body of the occupant including the head can be effectively protected.

[0087] In addition, according to the present invention, a plurality of chamber walls that partition one airbag cushion into a plurality of chambers may be provided to create a non-inflated area, and gas supplied to a central chamber of the airbag cushion may be supplied to an upper chamber to protect an occupant's head to reduce the amount of gas required for deployment of the airbag cushion, thereby minimizing the capacity of the inflator.

[0088] Although the present invention made by the inventors of the present application has been specifically described based on the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the technical spirit of the present disclosure.

[0089] Industrial Applicability

[0090] The present invention can be applied to a side airbag device technology for a vehicle, which causes an upper chamber of the side airbag to expand upward when it comes into contact with an occupant's arm, thereby safely protecting the occupant's head.

Claims

1. A side airbag device for a vehicle, the side airbag device comprising: an airbag cushion embedded in a backrest of a seat and inflated and deployed to correspond to an entire side surface of an upper body of an occupant at a side collision of the vehicle; and an inflator configured to generate gas by an impact detection signal to supply the gas to the airbag cushion at the time of the side collision of the vehicle, wherein the airbag cushion has a height at which the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed upward due to contact with an arm of an occupant.

2. The side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag cushion comprises: a central chamber corresponding to an upper portion of the chest and abdomen of the occupant; a lower chamber corresponding to the pelvis of the occupant and the lower part of the abdomen; and an upper chamber corresponding to the head of the occupant, wherein the upper chamber is inflated and expanded in an early stage to contact the upper chamber, and then moves upward to expand due to the upward movement of the occupant's arms.

3. The side airbag apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the upper chamber has a rear portion connected to the central chamber to receive the gas supplied from the inflator, and rotates upward around the rear portion connected to the central chamber to expand when contacting the occupant's arm.

4. The side airbag apparatus according to claim 2, wherein chamber walls that are inflated when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed are provided in the central chamber and the upper chamber, wherein the chamber walls limit the height of the upper chamber expanding upward.

5. The side airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the central chamber is inflated and deployed so that each of a central portion and a front end portion thereof has a thickness greater than a thickness of a rear end portion thereof.

6. The side airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the central chamber is inflated and deployed so that its width in the left-right direction gradually decreases upward from the central portion thereof so as to move the arm of the occupant upward when in contact with the arm of the occupant.

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