Passenger airbag device of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Passenger airbag device, comprising: an airbag flap (20); a shaft (30) positioned at both ends of the airbag flap (20), the shaft (30) having a first mounting opening (32) at one end and a second mounting opening (34) at the other end; and an airbag housing (10) having a first hook (12) received in the first mounting opening (32) and a second hook (14) received in the second mounting opening (34), wherein an airbag is accommodated in the airbag housing (10), and wherein the first hook (12) is in contact with an edge (37, 38) of the first mounting opening (32), and the second hook (14) is not in contact with an edge (40) of the second mounting opening (34), wherein the airbag flap (20) has a tear portion (22) intended to be torn open and positioned closer to the second hook (14) than to the first hook (12), wherein the first hook (12) and the second hook (14) each have a vertical portion (16) extending vertically from the airbag housing (10) and a parallel portion (18) extending substantially vertically from the vertical portion (16), wherein the vertical portion (16) and the parallel portion (18) of the first hook (12) are in contact with the edge (37, 38) of the first mounting opening (32), wherein the parallel portion (18) extends away from the airbag flap (20), and wherein the first hook (12) has at one end a projection (19) which is inserted into a seating recess (36) formed near the first mounting opening (32) of the shaft (30).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a passenger airbag of a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger airbag that can be deployed more efficiently.

[0002] An airbag of a motor vehicle is arranged in front of the driver's seat or the front passenger seat, i.e. the seat next to the driver's seat, in such a way that it can expand immediately in the event of a collision of the motor vehicle in order to protect the life or limb of a driver or a front passenger.

[0003] Fig. 1 shows the structure of a conventional passenger airbag device. An airbag module 3 and an airbag are installed in an airbag case 2 provided on the inside of a baffle plate 1 in front of the passenger seat, i.e., the seat adjacent to the driver's seat of a motor vehicle, and an airbag door 4 is arranged in front of the airbag and the airbag module 3.

[0004] The airbag door 4 includes a baffle layer 4a, a door layer 4b, and a porous foam 4c disposed between the baffle layer 4a and the door layer 4b. With the airbag device configured as above, when an airbag actuation signal is generated from an electronic control unit (ECU) upon a collision of the vehicle, a gas generator disposed in the airbag module 3 ignites an explosion, causing the airbag to expand. In response to the expansion of the airbag, the door layer 4b and the baffle layer 4a of the airbag door 4 are opened, causing the airbag to inflate toward the passenger seat, thereby protecting the body of an occupant in the passenger seat.

[0005] The timing of airbag deployment is a very important factor in ensuring occupant safety. Since safety is significantly affected by the deployment time, it is necessary to precisely control the deployment time. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop a simple structure that allows the airbag device to be easily installed.

[0006] Further airbag devices are known, for example, from US 6 039 342 A, EP 1 908 648 A1, EP 1 880 906 A1 and EP 1 759 935 A1.

[0007] The invention provides a passenger airbag device in which a timing at which an airbag is to be deployed can be precisely controlled and with which the airbag can be easily mounted and more stably fixed.

[0008] The present invention provides a passenger airbag device according to claim 1 and claim 3. Further developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0009] According to the invention, since the one portion of the hook and the shaft are in contact with each other not only at the time of deployment of the airbag but also at the time of mounting the airbag, the airbag can be deployed more stably compared with a structure in which the hook can move more freely in the mounting hole.

[0010] In addition, due to the structure of the present invention in which the hook of the airbag case is inserted into the mounting hole, the airbag case and the shaft can be easily coupled together.

[0011] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a conventional passenger airbag device; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of a passenger airbag device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a view showing the deployment process of the airbag from Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of a passenger airbag device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0012] In the figures, identical or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0013] With reference to Fig. 2, the structure of a passenger airbag device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described.

[0014] In the passenger airbag device according to the invention, an airbag door 20 is positioned opposite an occupant sitting in the seat adjacent to the driver's seat. A duct 30 is fixed to both ends of the airbag door 20, and an airbag case 10 is coupled to the duct 30 to accommodate an airbag therein.

[0015] A first mounting opening 32 is formed in one end of the shaft 30, and a second mounting opening 34 is formed in the other end of the shaft 30. The airbag housing 10 has a first hook 12 received in the first mounting opening 32 and a second hook 14 received in the second mounting opening 34. The first hook 12 and the second hook 14 of the airbag housing 10 are mounted in the first mounting opening 32 and the second mounting opening 34 of the shaft 30, respectively, such that the airbag housing 10 can be coupled to the shaft 30.

[0016] The airbag flap 20 has a tear portion 22 positioned closer to the second hook 14 than to the first hook 12. When the airbag is deployed, the tear portion 22 is torn open, allowing the airbag flap 20 to pivot. As shown in Fig. 3, when the airbag is deployed, the airbag flap 20 pivots towards the first hook 12, thereby forming a space through which the airbag can be deployed.

[0017] In particular, it is preferable that the first hook 12 contacts edges 37 and 38 of the first mounting hole 32, and the second hook 14 contacts an edge 42 but not an edge 40 of the second mounting hole 34. Specifically, in the embodiment, the airbag case 10 has an asymmetric structure in which one end of the airbag case 10 contacts one end of the shaft 30, and the other end of the airbag case 10 does not fully contact the other end of the shaft 30.

[0018] The first hook 12 and the second hook 14 each have a vertical portion 16 extending vertically from the airbag housing 10 and a parallel portion 18 extending substantially vertically from the vertical portion 16. Therefore, the parallel portion 18 can be oriented substantially parallel to the outer surface of the airbag housing 10.

[0019] Furthermore, it is preferable that the vertical portion 16 and the parallel portion 18 of the first hook 12 contact the edges 37 and 38 of the first mounting opening 32. Here, the parallel portion 18 extends away from the airbag flap 20, so that the first hook 12 and the second hook 14 can have a substantially U-shaped configuration. Specifically, the edges 37 and 38 of the first mounting opening 32 can be fixedly mounted in the area defined by the vertical and parallel portions 16 and 18. Alternatively, the edges 37 and 38 of the first mounting opening 32 can be fixed by press fitting. In this case, the length of the vertical portion 16 can be equal to or less than the thickness of the shaft 30, so that the edges 37 and 38 of the first mounting opening 32 can be press-fitted between the parallel portion 18 and the airbag housing 10.

[0020] Furthermore, it is preferred that the parallel portion 18 of the second hook 14 is in contact with the edge 42 of the second mounting opening 34, but the perpendicular portion 16 of the second hook 14 is not in contact with the edge 40 of the second mounting opening 34.

[0021] With reference to Fig. 3 describes the deployment process of the airbag.

[0022] Consider a case where an airbag positioned in the seat next to the driver's seat is deployed in an accident or intentionally by an occupant. An inflation gas is introduced into the airbag, which then inflates the airbag.

[0023] At this time, the airbag expands in the interior of the airbag door 20 and the airbag case 10. A gas generator that supplies gas to the airbag is omitted for simplicity of the figure. Since the first hook 12 and one end of the first mounting hole 32 are in contact with each other, the space of the first mounting hole 32 is prevented from delaying the deployment of the airbag during airbag deployment. If the first mounting hole 32 and the first hook 12 remain loose without contacting each other, the airbag case 10 can be arranged hanging downward within the dimensions of the first mounting hole 32 during airbag storage. In addition, during airbag deployment, the deployment force of the airbag can be absorbed in the space of the first mounting hole 32. Therefore, it is difficult for the airbag to expand at a proper time during the airbag door tearing.

[0024] As the airbag continuously expands and becomes larger than the interior of the airbag case 10, the tear portion 22 is torn open, and the airbag door 20 pivots in a counterclockwise direction. Here, the direction is the same as the direction in which the first hook 12 is located. The airbag is deployed toward an occupant sitting in the seat adjacent to the driver's seat.

[0025] With reference to Fig. 4, a passenger airbag device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described. This embodiment is substantially the same as the previous embodiment, except that a protrusion 19 is provided to more stably fix the first hook 12 in the first mounting hole 32.

[0026] The projection 19 is formed at the distal end of the parallel portion 18 of the first hook 12 and can be inserted into a seating recess 36 formed in one end of the shaft 30. Since the shape of the projection 19 is the same as that of the seating recess 36, the projection 19 can be fitted into the seating recess 36.

[0027] In this case, the contact state between the first hook 12 and the first mounting hole 32 can be more stable compared to the previous embodiment.

[0028] According to the invention, since the one portion of the hook and the shaft are in contact with each other not only at the time of deployment of the airbag but also at the time of mounting the airbag, the airbag can be deployed more stably compared with a structure in which the airbag case can move more freely in the mounting hole.

[0029] Furthermore, in the structure of the present invention in which the hook of the airbag case is inserted into the mounting hole, the airbag case and the duct can be easily coupled together.

[0030] For ease of description and accurate definition of the appended claims, the terms "bottom", "inside" and "outside" are used to describe the features of the exemplary embodiments with respect to their positions in the figures.

Claims

[1] Passenger airbag device, comprising: an airbag flap (20); a shaft (30) positioned at both ends of the airbag flap (20), the shaft (30) having a first mounting opening (32) at one end and a second mounting opening (34) at the other end; and an airbag housing (10) having a first hook (12) received in the first mounting opening (32) and a second hook (14) received in the second mounting opening (34), wherein an airbag is accommodated in the airbag housing (10), and wherein the first hook (12) is in contact with an edge (37, 38) of the first mounting opening (32), and the second hook (14) is not in contact with an edge (40) of the second mounting opening (34), wherein the airbag flap (20) has a tear portion (22) intended to be torn open and positioned closer to the second hook (14) than to the first hook (12), wherein the first hook (12) and the second hook (14) each have a vertical portion (16) extending vertically from the airbag housing (10) and a parallel portion (18) extending substantially vertically from the vertical portion (16), wherein the vertical portion (16) and the parallel portion (18) of the first hook (12) are in contact with the edge (37, 38) of the first mounting opening (32), wherein the parallel portion (18) extends away from the airbag flap (20), and wherein the first hook (12) has at one end a projection (19) which is inserted into a seating recess (36) formed near the first mounting opening (32) of the shaft (30). [2] A passenger airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the edge of the first mounting opening (32) has first and second edges (37, 38), of which the first edge (37) is arranged higher than the second edge (38), and wherein the edge of the second mounting opening (34) has first and second edges (40, 42), of which the first edge (40) is arranged higher than the second edge (42). [3] Passenger airbag device, comprising: an airbag flap (20); a shaft (30) positioned at both ends of the airbag flap (20), the shaft (30) having a first mounting opening (32) at one end and a second mounting opening (34) at the other end; and an airbag housing (10) having a first hook (12) received in the first mounting opening (32) and a second hook (14) received in the second mounting opening (34), wherein an airbag is accommodated in the airbag housing (10), wherein the first hook (12) and the second hook (14) each have a vertical portion (16) extending vertically from the airbag housing (10) and a parallel portion (18) extending substantially vertically from the vertical portion (16), and wherein the first hook (12) has at one end a projection (19) which is inserted into a seating recess (36) formed near the first mounting opening (32) of the shaft (30). [4] The passenger airbag device according to claim 3, wherein the first hook (12) is in contact with an edge (37, 38) of the first mounting opening (32), and the second hook (14) is not in contact with an edge (40) of the second mounting opening (34). [5] A passenger airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the edge of the first mounting opening (32) has first and second edges (37, 38), of which the first edge (37) is arranged higher than the second edge (38), and wherein the edge of the second mounting opening (34) has first and second edges (40, 42), of which the first edge (40) is arranged higher than the second edge (42). [6] A passenger airbag device according to claim 5, wherein the vertical portion (16) and the parallel portion (18) of the first hook (12) are in contact with the first and second edges (37, 38) of the first mounting opening (32). [7] The passenger airbag device according to claim 5, wherein the parallel portion (18) of the second hook (14) is in contact with the second edge (42) but not with the first edge (40) of the second mounting opening (34).

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