Vehicle seat side air bag

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle seat side airbag. The side air bag is configured to be unfolded between two seats arranged in the same row after being inflated and comprises a first fabric panel and a second fabric panel which face passengers on the two seats respectively, a low-tension area is formed on the second fabric panel, and the first fabric panel and the second fabric panel are arranged in the low-tension area before the side air bag is inflated in place. A surface tension of the low tension region is less than a surface tension of the first fabric panel. The vehicle seat side air bag has a good protection effect on both a main driver and a co-driver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle safety, and in particular to a vehicle seat side airbag. Background Art

[0002] With the development of various automobile collision test models, the demand for airbag protection is increasing.

[0003] Seat-mounted airbags are typically installed inside the front seats, particularly the inner side of the driver's seatback. Upon deployment, the airbags are positioned between the two seats, providing effective safety protection. While existing airbags protect both the driver and front passenger, these simply deploy quickly in a side impact and don't adjust to the driver's or front passenger's posture. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the drawback of existing seat-side airbags, which are difficult to provide real-time protection for passengers on both sides, the present invention provides a vehicle seat-side airbag. The vehicle seat-side airbag can be installed on either the driver's side or the passenger's side, providing good protection for passengers on both seats.

[0005] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the following technical solutions:

[0006] The present invention provides a vehicle seat side airbag, which is deployed between two seats arranged in the same row after being inflated, and comprises a first fabric panel and a second fabric panel facing the occupants of the two seats respectively.

[0007] A low-tension area is formed on the second fabric panel and is configured such that, before the side airbag is fully inflated, the surface tension of the low-tension area is less than the surface tension of the first fabric panel.

[0008] In the present invention, the vehicle seat side airbag can be arranged on the driver's side or the passenger's side.

[0009] Preferably, the side airbag includes a first cavity and a second cavity that are interconnected; the first cavity is formed by several panels including the first fabric panel, and the second cavity is formed by several panels including part of the second fabric panel, and the part of the second fabric panel constituting the second cavity forms the low-tension area; the first cavity is filled into place before the second cavity.

[0010] Preferably, the side airbag further comprises a third fabric panel provided with a communicating hole and a drawstring, wherein the third fabric panel is sewn to the second fabric panel along its periphery; a second cavity is formed between the second fabric panel and the third fabric panel, and an overlapping area of ​​the second fabric panel and the third fabric panel corresponds to the low-tension area; a first cavity is formed between the first fabric panel, the second fabric panel excluding the low-tension area, and the third fabric panel;

[0011] One end of the pull strap is fixed to the third fabric panel, and the other end is fixed to the first fabric panel; during the inflation and deployment of the side airbag, the pull strap pulls the third fabric panel away from the second fabric panel.

[0012] Preferably, the drawstring is a zero-length sewing thread that directly fixes the third fabric panel to the first fabric panel.

[0013] Preferably, the zero-length sewing line has a closed shape and a maximum width that is less than one quarter of the width of the third fabric panel.

[0014] Preferably, the first fabric panel is folded along a transverse folding line to form two layers of cloth, and the two layers of cloth are fixed in contact with each other by a first stitch at a preset distance from the folding line. The two layers of cloth within the preset distance form a locking area, and the other end of the drawstring is fixed to the locking area.

[0015] Preferably, there are two groups of communicating holes, which are respectively located on the left and right sides of the drawstring; each group of communicating holes has two communicating holes, which are symmetrically arranged relative to the folding line.

[0016] Preferably, the first cavity portion above the folding line is bent toward the head of one occupant of the two seats, and the low-tension area is used to receive the head of the other occupant of the two seats.

[0017] Preferably, the folding line extends along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the first seam includes a straight section arranged at the preset distance and parallel to the folding line, and connecting sections located at both ends of the straight section and extending to the folding line.

[0018] Preferably, the connecting section is arc-shaped, and the distance between the intersection point with the folding line is greater than the width of the third fabric panel.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the at least one technical solution adopted in the embodiments of this specification can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0020] The vehicle seat side airbag of the present invention provides excellent protection for both seat occupants. Specifically, if the vehicle seat side airbag is installed on the driver's side, in the event of a collision on the passenger side of the vehicle, gas can quickly fill the main chamber, forming a high-pressure zone, quickly preventing the driver's seat occupant from falling to the passenger side. Due to the structural design of the vehicle seat side airbag, it features a delayed inflation function. During a collision on the driver's side of the vehicle, the passenger's seat occupant will tend to fall to the driver's side. During this period, the airbag device delays inflation, achieving equal pressure throughout the airbag, thereby protecting the passenger. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the vehicle seat side airbag provided by the present application being activated when the vehicle is involved in different side collisions;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the fabric panel structure of the vehicle seat side airbag provided in this application;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the sewing process of the vehicle seat side airbag provided in this application;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the vehicle seat side airbag provided in this application;

[0026] Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of the second cavity of the vehicle seat side airbag provided in this application;

[0027] Figure 6 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the vehicle seat side airbag provided in this application during the inflation process;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat side airbag provided in this application during the inflation process;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat side airbag provided in this application.

[0030] Description of reference numerals:

[0031] First fabric panel 1, second fabric panel 2, third fabric panel 3, connecting hole 301, first cavity 4, upper cavity 401, lower cavity 402, second cavity 5, low tension area 6, draw tape 7, zero-length sewing thread 701, locking area 8, folding line 9, first stitching line 10, gas generator 11, circumferential stitching line 12, circular stitching line 13. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] The following describes the embodiments of the present application through specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the contents disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The present application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the features in the following embodiments and embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] It should be noted that various aspects of the embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It should be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any specific structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that an aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspect described herein can be used to implement an apparatus and / or practice a method. In addition, other structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects described herein can be used to implement this apparatus and / or practice this method.

[0035] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic illustrations of the basic concept of the present application. The illustrations only show components related to the present application and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity and proportion of each component can be changed at will, and the component layout type may also be more complicated.

[0036] Additionally, in the following description, specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of the examples. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the aspects described can be practiced without these specific details.

[0037] After extensive and in-depth experiments, the inventor designed a vehicle seat side airbag.

[0038] The following describes the technical solutions provided by various embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0039] In an embodiment of the present application, a vehicle seat side airbag arranged on the side close to the main driver is taken as an example; the vehicle seat side airbag, after inflation, deploys between two seats arranged in the same row; the vehicle seat side airbag includes a first fabric panel 1 and a second fabric panel 2 facing the occupants on the two seats respectively, the first fabric panel 1 is arranged on the side of the main driver, and the second fabric panel 2 is arranged on the side of the front passenger; a low-tension area 6 is formed on the second fabric panel 2, which is configured so that before the side airbag is filled into place, the surface tension of the low-tension area 6 is less than the surface tension of the first fabric panel 1.

[0040] Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the vehicle seat side airbag activation provided by this application when the vehicle has different side collisions. Figure 1 As shown, in a passenger-side collision, the driver's seat occupant will tilt toward the passenger side, closer to the vehicle's seat-side airbag. In a driver-side collision, the passenger's seat occupant will tilt toward the driver's side, further away from the vehicle's seat-side airbag, and will contact the airbag later than the driver's seat occupant. By providing a low-tension area, a surface tension difference is created between the first fabric panel 1 and a portion of the second fabric panel 2. This allows for more effective differential protection for occupants on both sides by utilizing limited inflation volume, such as prioritizing restraint on one side without compromising overall restraint effectiveness. Furthermore, in extreme cases, premature contact with the low-tension area can effectively reduce deflection, such as head movement, and minimize injury.

[0041] In some embodiments, the low-tension region 6 can be implemented by providing an internal drawstring. The internal drawstring is provided on a portion of the second fabric panel 2 corresponding to the low-tension region 6. During inflation, the low-tension region 6 is subjected to the tension of the internal drawstring, causing other regions of the second fabric panel 2 to inflate before the low-tension region, thereby achieving a delayed inflation effect for the low-tension region 6.

[0042] In the embodiment of the present application, the low-tension region 6 is realized by a closed cavity structure. Figure 4 and Figure 5 They are respectively a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the vehicle seat side airbag and a partial enlarged view of the second cavity. Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the side airbag includes a first cavity 4 and a second cavity 5 which are interconnected; the first cavity 4 is formed by several panels including a first fabric panel 1, and the second cavity 5 is formed by several panels including a second fabric panel 2, and part of the second fabric panels constituting the second cavity 5 form a low-tension area 6; the first cavity 4 is filled into place before the second cavity 5.

[0043] Among them, after the side airbag is divided into a first cavity 4 and a second cavity 5, the gas can fill the first cavity 4 faster by controlling the volume of the two cavities and the size of the connecting hole, giving priority to protecting the main driver and passenger; before the first cavity 4 is filled, since the second cavity is always in an unfilled state, the fabric surface is soft and forms a low-tension area 6. After the first cavity 4 is filled, more gas will gradually enter the second cavity 5 until it is full. At this time, the entire seat side airbag including the first cavity and the second cavity forms a uniform pressure and is filled in place.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present application, Figure 5 As shown, the side airbag also includes a third fabric panel 3 having a communication hole 301 and a drawstring 7. The third fabric panel 3 is sewn to the second fabric panel 2 along its periphery. A second cavity 5 is formed between the second fabric panel 2 and the third fabric panel 3. The overlapping area of ​​the second fabric panel 2 and the third fabric panel 3 corresponds to a low-tension area 6. A first cavity 4 is formed between the first fabric panel 1, the second fabric panel 2 excluding the low-tension area 6, and the third fabric panel 3.

[0045] One end of the drawstring 7 is fixed to the third fabric panel 3, and the other end is fixed to the first fabric panel 1; the drawstring 7 can be a sewing thread or a conventional drawstring in the field; during the inflation and deployment of the side airbag, the drawstring 7 pulls the third fabric panel 3 away from the second fabric panel 2, so that the gas is filled in the cavity between the third fabric panel 3 and the second fabric panel 2, forming a second cavity 5.

[0046] Among them, by designing a third fabric panel and a drawstring in the side airbag, during the inflation process, the gas will preferentially fill the first cavity 4 formed by the first fabric panel 1, the second fabric panel 2 except the low-tension area 6, and the third fabric panel 3, so that the side airbag can achieve the effect of inflation and deployment; during this process, the drawstring 7 pulls the third fabric panel 3 away from the second fabric panel 2, so that the gas is filled in the second cavity 5.

[0047] Figure 6 and Figure 7 They are respectively a three-dimensional schematic diagram and a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the vehicle seat side airbag during the inflation process. Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the bottom of a vehicle seat-mounted side airbag is typically connected to a gas generator 11, with the second chamber 5 deployed away from the first chamber 4. When the vehicle is impacted and the gas generator ignites, gas preferentially enters the first chamber 4, filling it completely. During this process, a small amount of gas enters the second chamber 5 through the connecting hole 301, gradually filling it.

[0048] Figure 8 Figure 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a vehicle seat side airbag. Figure 8 As shown, the drawstring 7 is a zero-length sewing thread 701 that directly fixes the third fabric panel 3 on the first fabric panel 1. Through the above-mentioned structural design, the zero-length sewing thread is used as the drawstring, and there is no need to set an additional drawstring. It is also possible to achieve the effect of "pulling the third fabric panel 3 away from the second fabric panel 2, so that the gas is filled in the cavity between the third fabric panel 3 and the second fabric panel 2, and forming the second cavity 5". Among them, the "zero length" in the zero-length sewing thread 701 refers to the length along the cross-sectional direction of the vehicle seat side airbag; further, the zero-length sewing thread 701 has a closed shape, and the maximum width is less than one-quarter of the width of the third fabric panel 3. The closed shape can be any one of a circle, a triangle or an irregular shape. The width should not be set too large, otherwise it will affect the maximum volume and air intake effect of the second cavity. It is preferably less than one-quarter of the width of the third fabric panel.

[0049] like Figure 2-4 As shown, the first fabric panel 1 is folded in half along a transverse fold line 9 to form two layers of fabric. These two layers are secured together at a predetermined distance from the fold line 9 by a first seam 10. The two layers of fabric within the predetermined distance form a locking region 8, to which the other end of the drawstring 7 is secured. This locking region creates a curved shape upon inflation, and securing the other end of the drawstring to the locking region positions the low-tension region at the bend. This structural design not only improves the overall bending resistance of the side airbag but also increases the air intake velocity of the second chamber. The portion of the first chamber 4 above the fold line 9 bends toward the head of one of the two seat occupants, while the low-tension region 6 accommodates the head of the other seat occupant. Due to the locking region, the upper portion of the first chamber is tilted toward the occupant's head, protecting it, while the second chamber accommodates the other occupant's head.

[0050] like Figure 3As shown, there are two groups of communication holes 301, located on the left and right sides of the drawstring 7. Each group of communication holes 301 has two communication holes 301, symmetrically arranged about the fold line 9. During side airbag deployment, the continuous inflow of gas causes a certain amount of stress in the fabric panel at the fold line 9, causing it to bend. The symmetrical arrangement of the communication holes 301 eliminates this stress, allowing gas to enter the second cavity 5 from both sides of the fold line, thereby increasing the inflation speed of the second cavity 5.

[0051] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 As shown, the folding line 9 extends along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the first seam 10 includes a straight section arranged at a preset distance and parallel to the folding line 9 and connecting sections at both ends of the straight section extending to the folding line 9.

[0052] Furthermore, the preset distance from the fold line 9 can be changed, for example, by increasing the preset distance from the fold line 9. At the new preset distance, the two layers of fabric are sewn together and secured in contact with each other using the first stitching 10. The first cavity 4 includes an upper cavity 401 and a lower cavity 402 that are interconnected. When inflated, the drawstring 7 pulls and pulls the upper cavity 401, which protects the head, and, in conjunction with the locking region, controls the upper cavity 401 to bend relative to the lower cavity 402 to form angles α and β, where angle α is smaller than angle β.

[0053] Furthermore, by lengthening the preset distance of the fold line 9, the degrees of the angle α and the angle β can be changed (for example, the degree of the angle α is reduced, and the degree of the angle β is increased), thereby increasing the curvature of the upper cavity 401 relative to the lower cavity 402, so that the upper cavity 401 is closer to the vehicle seat occupant.

[0054] Furthermore, the two ends of the first stitching 10 are located on the fold line 9, extending downward through connecting segments and connected by a straight segment parallel to the fold line 9. The connecting segments are curved, and the distance between the two intersection points with the fold line 9 is greater than the width of the third fabric panel 3. The provision of the curved connecting segments effectively prevents stress concentration when the pouch is bent, protecting the pouch from tearing.

[0055] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Schematic diagrams of the fabric panel structure and sewing process for a vehicle seat side airbag. In some embodiments, the side airbag's sewing process illustrates the following: The side airbag structure comprises a first fabric panel 1, a second fabric panel 2, and a third fabric panel 3 positioned between the first and second fabric panels 1 and 2. The first and second fabric panels 1 and 2 have the same cut shape, while the third fabric panel 3 is smaller than the first and second fabric panels 1 and 2.

[0056] First, the third fabric panel 3 is sewn onto the second fabric panel 2 via circumferential stitches 12 . The middle portion of the third fabric panel 3 is sewn onto the first fabric panel 1 via circular stitches 13 .

[0057] Secondly, the first fabric panel 1 is folded along the fold line 9 to form two layers of cloth. During the folding process to form the double layer of cloth, the upper end and the lower end of the first fabric panel 1 move toward each other, shortening the distance between the upper end and the lower end. The two layers of cloth are sewn and fixed in contact with each other through the first stitch 10, and the covering area of ​​the fold line 9 and the first stitch 10 on the two layers of cloth forms a locking area 2.

[0058] The folding line 9 may be the axis of the center line position of the first fabric panel 1 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, or the axis of any other position of the first fabric panel 1 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0059] Finally, the first fabric panel 1 and the second fabric panel 2 are sealed and sewn along the outer periphery to form a side airbag in a non-inflated state.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, when a collision occurs on the passenger side of the vehicle, gas can quickly fill the main chamber, forming a high-pressure area, quickly preventing the driver from falling to the passenger side. Due to the structural design of the vehicle's seat-mounted side airbag, it has a delayed inflation function. When a collision occurs on the driver's side of the vehicle, the passenger will fall to the driver's side. During this period, the seat-mounted side airbag delays inflation, achieving equal pressure throughout the airbag, thus protecting the passenger.

[0061] The same or similar parts between the various embodiments in the specification can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the method embodiment described later, since it corresponds to the system, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the partial description of the system embodiment.

[0062] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat side airbag, which, after inflation, deploys between two seats arranged in the same row, comprises a first fabric panel and a second fabric panel facing the occupants of the two seats, respectively, characterized in that: A low-tension area is formed on the second fabric panel and is configured such that, before the side airbag is fully inflated, the surface tension of the low-tension area is less than the surface tension of the first fabric panel.

2. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side airbag includes a first cavity and a second cavity that are interconnected; the first cavity is formed by several panels including the first fabric panel, and the second cavity is formed by several panels including part of the second fabric panel, and the part of the second fabric panel constituting the second cavity forms the low-tension area; the first cavity is filled into place before the second cavity.

3. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 2, characterized in that: The side airbag further includes a third fabric panel having a communication hole and a drawstring, wherein the third fabric panel is sewn to the second fabric panel along a periphery; a second cavity is formed between the second fabric panel and the third fabric panel, and an overlapping area of ​​the second fabric panel and the third fabric panel corresponds to the low-tension area; A first cavity is formed between the first fabric panel, the second fabric panel excluding the low tension area, and the third fabric panel; One end of the pull strap is fixed to the third fabric panel, and the other end is fixed to the first fabric panel; during the inflation and deployment of the side airbag, the pull strap pulls the third fabric panel away from the second fabric panel.

4. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 3, characterized in that: The drawstring is a zero-length sewing thread that directly fixes the third fabric panel to the first fabric panel.

5. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 4, characterized in that: The zero-length sewing line has a closed shape and a maximum width that is less than one-quarter of the width of the third fabric panel.

6. The vehicle seat side airbag according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that: The first fabric panel is folded in half along a transverse folding line to form two layers of cloth, and the two layers of cloth are fixed in contact with each other by a first stitch at a preset distance from the folding line. The two layers of cloth within the preset distance form a locking area, and the other end of the drawstring is fixed to the locking area.

7. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 6, characterized in that: There are two groups of communicating holes, which are respectively located on the left and right sides of the drawstring; each group of communicating holes has two communicating holes, which are symmetrically arranged relative to the folding line.

8. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first cavity portion above the fold line is bent toward the head of one occupant of the two seats, and the low-tension area is used to receive the head of the other occupant of the two seats.

9. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 6, characterized in that: The folding line extends along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the first stitching line includes a straight section arranged at the preset distance and parallel to the folding line, and connecting sections located at both ends of the straight section and extending to the folding line.

10. The vehicle seat side airbag according to claim 9, characterized in that: The connecting section is arc-shaped, and the distance between the intersection point with the folding line is greater than the width of the third fabric panel.

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