Occupant protection device

Abstract

Occupant protection device, with an airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C), a housing part (12) configured to be arranged in an instrument panel (1) located on the front of a front seat in a vehicle (V), and a gas generator (8R, 8L) configured to discharge a filling gas, in the the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) is configured to be received in a folded state in the housing part (12) and to be inflated by the filling gas, which is derived from the gas generator (8R, 8L), flowing into the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C), the housing part (12) is configured to have an elongated shape with a width dimension in a right-left direction, such that the housing part (12) extends over a front area from a passenger seat (PS) to the driver's seat (DS) to accommodate the folded airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) when the occupant protection device is installed in the vehicle (V), the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) is configured such that it projects from the housing part (12) towards an upper rear side, so that it can cover the front area from the passenger seat (PS) to the driver's seat (DS) at the time of full inflation when the occupant protection device is installed in the vehicle (V), the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) a passenger seat intake filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) configured to be positioned at the front of the passenger seat (PS) and to accommodate a passenger (MP) when inflated with the filling gas from the gas generator (8R, 8L), a driver seat intake filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) configured to be positioned at the front of the driver seat (DS) and to accommodate a driver (MD) when inflated with the filling gas from the gas generator (8R, 8L), an inlet-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) which is continuously formed substantially along the right-left direction at a front area from the passenger seat intake filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) to the driver seat intake filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) and is inflated by allowing the filling gas, which is derived from the gas generator (8R, 8L), to flow into the inlet-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C), End-side flow path sections (42R, 42L; 42AR, 42AL; 42BR, 42BL; 42CR, 42CL), which are configured such that they are arranged substantially along a front-back direction at the time of completion of filling, such that both ends of the inflow-side filling section (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) are connected in the right-left direction to end edges, which are separated in the right-left direction at the time of completion of filling, of the passenger seat intake filling section (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and the driver's seat intake filling section (29; 29A; 29B; 29C), and that they connect the end edges, which are separated in the right-left direction, of the passenger seat intake filling section (30; 30A; 30B, 30C) and the driver's seat intake filling part (29; 29A; 29B, 29C) at the time of completion of filling by supporting the filling gas which enters the inflow-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B;21C) is flowing, is enabled to flow out to the passenger seat intake filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and the driver seat intake filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C), and ; a central flow path section (43; 43A, 43B; 43C) which is configured such that it is substantially located along the front-back direction at the time of completion of filling in the region between the end flow path sections (42R, 42L; 42AR, 42AL; 42BR, 42BL; 42CR, 42CL), such that the inflow-side filling section (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) is connected to a near edge section, in which the passenger seat intake filling section (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) is near the driver seat intake filling section (29; 29A; 29B; 29C), and that it connects the near edge section in the passenger seat intake filling section (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and in the driver's seat intake filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) at the time of completion of filling by enabling the filling gas that has flowed into the inlet-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) to reach the passenger seat intake filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and the driver's seat intake filling part (29;29A; 29B; 29C) to flow out, the inlet-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) is configured such that at least both, a right and a left end side (21a, 21b) are attached in the housing part (12) at the time of completion of filling, and ; the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) has an opening part (38; 38A; 38B; 38C) which is formed on the front of the driver's seat inlet filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) and is designed such that it can be vertically penetrated when the occupant protection device is installed in the vehicle (V), so that a steering wheel (W) which is arranged on the front of the driver's seat (DS) can be inserted through the opening part (38; 38A; 38B; 38C) at the time of completion of the inflation.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an occupant protection device having an airbag which is accommodated in a folded state in a case member provided in an instrument panel provided at a front side of a front seat in a vehicle and is inflated by allowing an inflation gas (filling gas) discharged from a gas generator to flow thereinto. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] DE 10 2015 008 801 A1 discloses a passenger airbag and a knee protection airbag. DE 692 01 767 T2 discloses an occupant protection device. JP 2016 - 84 037 A discloses an airbag device.

[0003] In the prior art, an occupant protection device is known which protects a passenger sitting on a passenger seat and a driver sitting on a driver seat simultaneously by using an airbag which is inflated to cover an area at the front of a passenger seat to a driver seat (e.g., JP S49 - 58 546 A).

[0004] In the prior art occupant protection device, a gas guide part connected to a gas generator for guiding the inflation gas into the airbag is configured to extend substantially along a right-left direction so as to be arranged over almost the entire area of ​​the airbag in the left-right direction at the time of inflation completion, and is configured to inflate the airbag by allowing the inflation gas to flow into the airbag from a plurality of outflow holes arranged in the right-left direction.

[0005] However, the prior art occupant protection device is configured such that a bag-shaped airbag inflates only in the front direction from the driver's seat to the passenger's seat, and thus the volume of the airbag is large. Therefore, there is a need for improvement to reduce the volume or to complete inflation quickly. SUMMARY

[0006] The invention has been made to solve the problem described above, and an object is to provide an occupant protection device which can prevent an increase in volume of an airbag and which can quickly and easily protect a passenger and a driver with a fully inflated airbag.

[0007] The above object is achieved by an occupant device according to claim 1.

[0008] According to one aspect of the teachings herein, there is provided an occupant protection device comprising an airbag which is accommodated in a folded state in a housing part provided in an instrument panel arranged at a front side of a front seat in a vehicle, and which is inflated by allowing an inflation gas discharged from a gas generator to flow thereinto, in which the airbag is configured to be arranged to cover a front area from a passenger seat to a driver's seat at the time of inflation completion, the housing part is arranged across the front area from the passenger seat to the driver's seat for accommodating the folded airbag, and the airbag comprises: a passenger seat accommodating inflation part which is arranged at a front side of the passenger seat and is inflated to accommodate (cushion, cushion) a passenger,a driver's seat accommodation inflation part arranged at a front side of the driver's seat and inflated to accommodate a driver; an inflow-side inflation part continuously formed substantially along a right-left direction at a front portion from the passenger seat accommodation inflation part to the driver's seat accommodation inflation part and inflated by allowing the inflation gas discharged from the gas generator to flow therein; an end-side flow path part configured to be arranged substantially along a front-rear direction at the time of inflation completion, such that both ends of the inflow-side inflation part in the right-left direction each have end edges that are separate (separated, apart) in the right-left direction at the time of inflation completion;of the passenger seat accommodation filling part and the driver seat accommodation filling part, and that it supports the end edges, which are separated in the left-right direction, of the passenger seat accommodation filling part and the driver seat accommodation filling part at the time of filling completion by allowing the inflation gas that has flowed into the inflow-side inflation part to flow out to the passenger seat accommodation filling part and the driver seat accommodation filling part, and a middle flow path part which is configured to be arranged substantially along the front-rear direction at the time of filling completion in the area between the end flow path parts, so that the inflow-side inflation part is provided with a near edge part at which the passenger seat accommodation filling part is close to the driver seat accommodation filling part,and that it supports the near edge parts in the passenger seat accommodation filling part and the driver seat accommodation filling part at the time of filling completion by allowing the inflation gas that has flowed into the inflow-side filling part to flow out to the passenger seat accommodation filling part and the driver seat accommodation filling part, and the inflow-side filling part is configured such that at least both the right and left end sides are mounted in the housing part at the time of filling completion.

[0009] In the occupant protection device of the present teachings, in the airbag, the inflation gas that has flowed into the inflow-side inflation part is allowed to flow into the passenger seat accommodation inflation part and the driver seat accommodation inflation part through the two end flow path parts located at the end edges, which are separated (apart) in the right-left direction, of the passenger seat accommodation inflation part and the driver seat accommodation inflation part, and the middle flow path part located in the near (close to each other) edge parts where the passenger seat accommodation inflation part is close to the driver seat accommodation inflation part, so that it inflates the passenger seat accommodation inflation part and the driver seat accommodation inflation part.For this reason, although the airbag includes the passenger seat receiving inflation part located at the front of the passenger seat and the driver seat receiving inflation part located at the front of the driver seat, and has a shape that is wide (large) in the right-left direction when fully inflated, the passenger seat receiving inflation part and the driver seat receiving inflation part can be quickly inflated with excellent balance in the right-left direction. Furthermore, in the occupant protection device of the present teachings, the airbag is configured such that both the right and left ends are mounted in the inflow-side inflation part in the housing part at the time of inflation completion.Thus, although the inflow-side filling part is continuously arranged substantially along the right-left direction so as to extend across the front portion from the passenger seat to the driver seat, in other words, is arranged in a rod shape substantially along the right-left direction at the time of filling completion, the inflow-side filling part may be arranged so as to prevent the rising (floating) of both the right and left end sides.Furthermore, in the airbag, at the time of inflation completion, the end flow path portions connect both the right and left ends of the inflow-side inflation portion to the end edges separated in the right-left direction of the passenger seat receptacle inflation portion and the driver seat receptacle inflation portion, so that the end edges separated in the right-left direction of the passenger seat receptacle inflation portion and the driver seat receptacle inflation portion are supported. The middle flow path portion supports the near edge portions where the passenger seat receptacle inflation portion is close to the driver seat receptacle inflation portion.For this reason, at the time of airbag inflation completion, both the right and left edges of the front passenger seat support inflation section and the driver seat support inflation section are supported by the end flow path sections and the middle flow path section, which inflate in a rod shape substantially along the front-to-rear direction. The front passenger and the driver moving forward can be easily protected by the right and left sides of the front passenger seat support inflation section and the driver seat support inflation section.

[0010] Therefore, in the passenger protection device of the present teachings, an increase in the volume of the airbag can be prevented, and the passenger and the driver can be quickly and easily protected by the fully inflated airbag.

[0011] In the passenger protection device of the present teachings, the airbag is provided with an opening portion configured to be penetrated in the vertical direction, so that the steering wheel disposed at the front of the driver's seat can be inserted therethrough at the time of inflation completion. Thus, the inflating airbag can be prevented from being interfered with by the steering wheel during deployment and inflation of the airbag, and the airbag can be inflated more quickly and smoothly, which is preferable.

[0012] In the passenger protection device configured as above, the airbag is arranged at the front of the passenger seat accommodation inflation portion with a non-inflation area that prevents the inflation gas from flowing into the area between the end flow path portion and the middle flow path portion. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the volume of the airbag, which is preferable.

[0013] In the occupant protection device configured as above, the passenger seat accommodation filling part and the driver seat accommodation filling part are configured such that the rear surfaces are continuously connected in the right-left direction at the time of inflation completion. Therefore, during an oblique collision of the vehicle or an offset collision, in a case where the passenger or the driver moves obliquely toward the front side as the center side in the right-left direction, the passenger or the driver moving obliquely toward the front side can be accurately protected by the part between the passenger seat accommodation filling part and the driver seat accommodation filling part, which is preferable.

[0014] The passenger seat receiving inflation part and the driver seat receiving inflation part are configured such that the inflation area, which is inflated by allowing the inflation gas to flow therein, is continuous in the right-left direction. Thus, the passenger or the driver who moves obliquely toward the front can be protected with good cushioning performance and can be protected more accurately, which is preferable.

[0015] In the passenger protection device configured as above, a protrusion inflation part, which is arranged to protrude rearward at the time of inflation completion, may be arranged between the passenger seat accommodation inflation part and the driver seat accommodation inflation part. Even with such a configuration, the passenger or the driver moving obliquely toward the front as the center side in the right-left direction can be accurately protected by the protrusion inflation part, which is preferable.

[0016] In the occupant protection device configured as above, the gas generator is arranged on both the right and left end sides of the inflow-side filling part at the time of filling completion.

[0017] The inflow-side filling part is attached to the housing part using the two gas generators, which is preferred.

[0018] When the occupant protection device is configured as above, an attachment member for attaching the inflow-side inflation part in the housing part can be used as well as an attachment member for attaching the inflator in the housing part. Therefore, the number of components or the number of attachment processes can be prevented from increasing. Furthermore, although the airbag is configured to be wide (large) in the right-left direction to cover the front area from the passenger seat to the driver's seat, the airbag can be quickly inflated with excellent balance in the right-left direction by disposing the inflators at two locations on both the right and left end sides.

[0019] In the occupant protection device configured as above, the gas generator is configured as a disc type.

[0020] The inflow-side filling part has an attachment opening through which the gas generator is insertable into the lower wall part located on a lower surface at the time of filling completion, and a peripheral edge of the attachment opening is mounted in the housing part using a holder that fixes the gas generator to the housing part, which is preferable.

[0021] When the occupant protection device is configured as above, the peripheral edge of the attachment opening formed in the inflow-side inflation part is pressed into a plane shape using the bracket that fixes the inflator in the housing part, and thus the inflow-side inflation part can be attached to the housing part. Compared with a case where a cylinder-type inflator is used, the inflow-side inflation part can be attached to the housing part over a wider (larger) surface, which is preferable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present teachings will be better understood from the detailed description given below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which an occupant protection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present teachings is mounted in a vehicle; Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a state in which the occupant protection apparatus according to the embodiment is mounted in the vehicle; Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an airbag used in the occupant protection apparatus according to the embodiment is inflated in a single piece when viewed from a front left side; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the airbag of Fig. 3 is inflated in a single piece when viewed from a rear right side; Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the airbag of Fig. 3 is inflated in a single piece; Fig. 6 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the airbag of Fig. 5 and is a view showing part VI-VI of Fig. 5 represents; Fig. 7 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the airbag of Fig. 5 and is a view showing part VII-VII of Fig. 5 represents; Fig. 8 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the airbag of Fig. 5 and is a view showing part VIII-VIII of Fig. 5 represents; Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a state in which the airbag of Fig. 3 is unfolded flat; Fig. 10 is a plan view illustrating a base material forming the airbag of Fig. 3 configured; Fig. 11 is a schematic front view illustrating a state in which the airbag in the occupant protection device of the embodiment is fully inflated (filled); Fig. 12 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a front portion of a driver's seat in a state where the airbag in the occupant protection apparatus of the embodiment is fully inflated; Fig. 13 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a front portion of a passenger seat in a state where the airbag in the occupant protection apparatus of the embodiment is fully inflated; Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an airbag of another embodiment of the present teachings is inflated in one piece, when viewed from a rear right side; Fig. 15 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the airbag of Fig. 14 is inflated in a single piece; Fig. 16 is a partially enlarged side cross-sectional view showing a part of a connecting fabric (connecting cloth) in the airbag of Fig. 14 represents; Fig. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an airbag of another embodiment of the present teachings is inflated in a single piece when viewed from the rear right side; Fig. 18 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an airbag of still another embodiment of the present teachings is inflated in a single piece when viewed from the right rear side; Fig. 19 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a part of a protrusion inflation part in the airbag of Fig. 18 represents; Fig. 20 is a partially enlarged side cross-sectional view showing the part of the protrusion inflation part in the airbag of Fig. 18 represents; Fig. 21 is a plan view illustrating a central part configuring a rear panel (fabric panel) that supports the airbag of Fig. 18 configured; and Fig. 22 is a schematic plan view illustrating a state in which the airbag in the occupant protection device using the airbag of Fig. 18 is fully inflated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] An embodiment of the present teachings will be described below based on the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an occupant protection device M of the embodiment is provided inside an instrument panel 1 (hereinafter referred to as an "instrument panel") arranged at a front side of a front seat (a driver's seat DS, a passenger's seat PS) in a vehicle V. In the case of the embodiment, the occupant protection device M is of the top-mounted type arranged inside the upper surface 2 of the instrument panel 1. Incidentally, in the embodiment, a front-rear direction, an up-down direction, and a right-left direction correspond to a front-rear direction, an up-down direction, and a right-left direction of the vehicle V unless specifically indicated. Furthermore, the vehicle V in which the occupant protection device M of the embodiment is mounted is a left-hand drive vehicle in which the driver's seat DS is arranged on the left side.

[0024] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the occupant protection device M of the embodiment includes a folded airbag 15, two inflators 8 (8L, 8R) that supply the inflation gas to the airbag 15, a case 12 as a case part that accommodates and holds the airbag 15 and the inflators 8 (8L, 8R), two brackets (9L, 9R) for mounting the airbag 15 and the inflators 8 (8L, 8R) in the case 12, and an airbag cover 6 that covers the upper side of the folded airbag 15.

[0025] The airbag cover 6 is formed integrally with the instrument panel 1 from a synthetic resin material, and two front and rear door portions (lid portions) 6a and 6b are configured to be pushed and opened by the airbag 15 when the airbag 15 is deployed and inflated. Furthermore, a connecting wall portion 6c, which is connected to the housing 12, is formed adjacent to the door portions 6a and 6b in the airbag cover 6.

[0026] In the case of the embodiment as in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, two gas generators 8 (8L, 8R) are provided parallel to each other (symmetrically) in the right-left direction such that they are positioned at the right and left ends of an inflow-side inflation part 21 (indicated in the figures) of the airbag 15, respectively. The two gas generators 8 (8L, 8R) are formed as a disk type having the same output and the same external shape. As shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 12 and Fig. As shown in FIG. 13, the gas generator 8 (8L, 8R) includes a nearly cylindrical main body portion 8a having a plurality of gas discharge outlets 8b, and a flange portion 8c for mounting the gas generator 8 in the housing 12. In the case of the embodiment, the gas generator 8 (8L, 8R) is configured to operate during a frontal impact, an oblique impact, and an offset impact of the vehicle V.

[0027] The housing 12 as a housing part is arranged in the front area from the passenger seat PS to the driver seat DS for receiving the folded airbag 15 (see Fig. 2). Specifically, the housing 12 is configured to have a long shape arranged substantially along the left-right direction such that the width dimension in the right-left direction is set smaller than that of the area from the left edge of the left driver's seat DS to the right edge of the right passenger seat PS in the vehicle V. The housing 12 is formed in a nearly elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape having an opening on the upper end side and is made of a metal sheet. As shown in Fig. 1, the housing 12 has a long bottom wall part 12a into which the gas generator 8 is inserted for attachment from below, and a peripheral wall part 12b which extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall part 12a so as to lock with the connecting wall part 6c of the airbag cover 6. The airbag 15 and the gas generator 8 (8L, 8R) penetrate a peripheral edge part 24 (attachment hole 25) of an attachment opening 23 (23L, 23R) (indicated in the figures), the bottom wall part 12a of the casing 12 and the flange part 8c of the gas generator 8 (8L, 8R), and are fixed by a nut 10 in the airbag 15 to the bottom wall part 12a of the casing 12 using bolts 9a of the bracket 9 (9L, 9R) arranged in the airbag 15 as an attachment unit (see Fig. 1, Fig. 12 and Fig. 13). Incidentally, a bracket (not shown) connected to the body side of the vehicle V is arranged in the bottom wall part 12a of the housing 12.

[0028] The airbag 15 has a bag shape formed from a sheet body (web body) having flexibility. As shown in Fig. 3 to 5, a fully inflated shape, when viewed from a vertical direction, is formed as a nearly rectangular shape, and the area at the rear end side expands vertically toward the rear end side at the time of inflation completion. In the airbag 15, a front end 15a is attached to the side of the case 12 at the time of inflation completion. The airbag 15 is arranged to be deployed and inflated by allowing the inflation gas discharged from the gas generator 8 to flow therein while protruding from the case 12 toward the upper rear side, and to cover the front area from the passenger seat PS to the driver seat DS at the time of inflation completion, as shown by a double-dotted line in Fig. 2 and Fig. 11 shown.

[0029] As in Fig. 3 to 8, in the airbag 15, the fully inflated shape is a nearly triangular prism shape extending substantially along the right-left direction, so that the front portion is formed as a nearly rectangular plate shape, and the rear portion is formed to be vertically wide toward the rear end 15b side (widens vertically toward the rear end). The airbag 15 includes an upper wall part 16 disposed on the side of a windshield 4 at the time of inflation completion, a lower wall part 17 disposed on the side of the instrument panel 1, and a rear wall part 18 disposed on the side of an occupant (the driver MD or the front passenger MP).Furthermore, the airbag 15 includes the inflow-side inflation part 21 disposed on the front end 15a side at the time of inflation completion on the case 12 side, an occupant protection part 28 disposed on the rear end 15b side at the time of inflation completion, and end-side flow path parts 42L and 42R and a middle flow path part 43 disposed in the area between the inflow-side inflation part 21 and the occupant protection part 28. Specifically, in the airbag 15 in the flat deployed state, the front area of ​​the end-side flow path parts 42L and 42R from approximately the center in the front-rear direction to the inflow-side inflation part 21 is configured to be slightly narrower toward the front edge side, so that the left edge 15c and the right edge 15d are inclined toward the front end 15a (see FIG. Fig. 9).

[0030] The inflow-side inflation part 21 is continuously formed on the front end 15a side of the airbag 15 substantially along the right-left direction.

[0031] The outer shape is configured as a nearly rod shape at the time of inflation completion, an axial direction of which is substantially along the right-left direction. The inflow-side inflation part 21 is configured such that the width dimension in the right-left direction at the time of inflation completion substantially matches (corresponds to) the width dimension of the occupant protection part 28 in the right-left direction at the time of inflation completion, and is specifically slightly narrower (smaller) compared to the width dimension of the occupant protection part 28 in the right-left direction. The inflow-side inflation part 21 has a left end 21a and a right end 21b disposed in the housing 12.In the case of the embodiment, the lower surface (lower wall part 17) of the left end 21a and the right end 21b is open in a nearly circular shape so that the inflation gas can flow therein, and is arranged with the attachment opening 23 (23L, 23R), the peripheral edge of which is formed in the bottom wall part 12a of the casing 12 using the bracket 9 (9L, 9R). Specifically, the attachment opening 23 is located in the vicinity of the left end 21a and the right end 21b of the upstream inflation part 21, and is formed in the front portion of a left connecting part 37 and a right connecting part 40 (indicated in the figures). In other words, the attachment opening 23 (23L, 23R) is formed in the front region between each of the end flow path parts 42L and 42R and the middle flow path part 43.The attachment opening 23 is formed to open in a nearly circular shape having an inner diameter dimension such that the main body portion 8a of the inflator 8 can be inserted. The peripheral edge is provided with a plurality of attachment holes (4 pieces in the case of the embodiment) for attaching the peripheral edge portion 24 to the bottom wall portion 12a of the housing 12 by inserting the bolt 9a of the bracket 9 (9L, 9R).

[0032] The occupant protection part 28 is arranged in the area from the front of the passenger seat PS to the front of the driver seat DS at the time of inflation completion. In the case of the embodiment, the inflation area, which is inflated by allowing the inflation gas to flow therein, is configured to be continuous in the right-left direction.Specifically, the occupant protection part 28 includes a driver seat receiving inflation part 29 which is arranged at the front of the driver seat DS on the left side at the time of inflation completion and is inflated to protect the driver MD, a passenger seat receiving inflation part 30 which is arranged at the front of the passenger seat PS on the right side at the time of inflation completion and is inflated to protect the passenger MP, and a connecting part 34 which is inflated to establish a connection between the driver seat receiving inflation part 29 and the passenger seat receiving inflation part 30.

[0033] The driver seat receiving filling part 29 is arranged so as to cover almost the entire surface of the upper surface (rear surface) of a steering wheel (steering wheel) W at the time of filling completion when the steering wheel W arranged at the front of the driver seat DS is inserted into an opening part 38 (indicated in the figures) arranged at the front (see Fig. 12). The passenger seat receiving filling part 30 is configured such that the front lower surface side is brought close to the instrument panel 1 at the time of filling completion, so that it is located at the front of the passenger seat PS (see Fig. 13). As in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, in the driver's seat accommodation filling part 29 and the passenger's seat accommodation filling part 30, the rear surfaces 29a and 30a (rear wall part 18) are arranged almost along a vertical direction so that they are almost aligned with each other at the time of filling completion. Furthermore, the passenger's seat accommodation filling part 30 is configured such that the width dimension in the front-rear direction at the time of filling completion is set to be larger than that of the driver's seat accommodation filling part 29, which is arranged to cover the steering wheel W protruding from the instrument panel at the time of filling completion (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7), and the front lower surface is arranged at the time of filling completion so that it is brought close to the instrument panel 1. In particular, as in Fig. 9, a rear edge 40b of the right connecting part 40 formed at the front side of the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30 is arranged at the front side of the rear edge 37b of the left connecting part 37 configuring the peripheral edge of the opening part 38 formed at the front side of the driver seat accommodation filling part 29, and in the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30, the width dimension in the front-rear direction at the time of filling completion is set to be larger than that of the driver seat accommodation filling part 29.

[0034] As in Fig. 5, in the occupant protection part 28 of the embodiment, an upper recess part 32 and a lower recess part 33, which are recessed on one side of an upper edge 28a and on one side of the lower edge 28b, respectively, are formed in the area between the driver's seat accommodation filling part 29 and the passenger's seat accommodation filling part 30. The upper recess part 32 and the lower recess part 33 are arranged so as to bypass a protrusion located in the area around the instrument panel 1 in the driver's cab, for example, to bypass a component such as a rearview mirror (not shown) projecting downward from a vehicle headliner (not shown) and a shift lever (not shown) projecting rearward from the instrument panel 1.Furthermore, in the occupant protection part 28 of the embodiment, the connecting part 34 is configured such that the upper recessed part 32 and the lower recessed part 33 are arranged vertically, and the rear surface 34a at the time of inflation completion is configured to be positioned at the front of the rear surfaces 29a and 30a of the driver's seat accommodation inflation part 29 and the passenger's seat accommodation inflation part 30, respectively. That is, in the airbag 15 of the embodiment, the rear surface 34a of the continuous region is positioned slightly toward the front, and the passenger's seat accommodation inflation part 30 and the driver's seat accommodation inflation part 29 are configured such that the rear surfaces 29a and 30a are continuously connected in the right-left direction by the rear surface 34a of the connecting part 34 at the time of inflation completion (see FIG. Fig. 5).

[0035] As in Fig. 5 and Fig. As shown in FIG. 6, in the airbag 15 of the embodiment, at a front position of the driver's seat accommodation inflation part 29, the left connecting part 37, which is formed by joining (stitching) the upper wall part 16 and the lower wall part 17, is formed between the driver's seat accommodation inflation part 29 and the inflow-side inflation part 21. In the area on the left side of the center of the airbag 15 in the right-left direction, the left connecting part 37 is formed to have a distance (gap) from the left edge 15c of the airbag 15. The left connecting part 37 has an outer shape in which the width dimension in the front-rear direction is set to be slightly larger and has a nearly rectangular shape in which the corner parts (corners) are chamfered (rounded).Furthermore, the right edge 37d of the left connecting part 37 is configured such that the rear portion is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, so as to face leftward toward the rear edge. Furthermore, the upper wall part 16 and the lower wall part 17 are cut out in the area surrounded by the left connecting part 37, and the opening part 38 is formed such that it can be penetrated in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. Fig. 5 and Fig. As shown in Fig. 7, the opening part 38 is configured to open in a nearly rectangular shape so that a ring part R of the steering wheel W arranged at the front of the driver's seat DS can be inserted. In the airbag 15 of the embodiment, the part on the upper end side of the ring part R of the steering wheel W is configured to protrude from the opening part 38 at the time of inflation completion. The opening part 38 is set such that the opening width in the right-left direction is smaller than the outer diameter of the ring part R of the steering wheel W.

[0036] At the front position of the passenger seat receptacle filling part 30, as in Fig. 5 and Fig. As shown in FIG. 7, the right connecting part 40 (non-inflation region), which is formed by joining (stitching) the upper wall part 16 and the lower wall part 17, is also formed between the passenger seat accommodation inflating part 30 and the inflow-side inflating part 21. At the region on the right side of the center of the airbag 15 in the right-left direction, the right connecting part 40 is formed to be spaced from the right edge 15d of the airbag 15. The right connecting part 40 has an outer shape in which the width dimension in the right-left direction is set to be large (larger) and has a nearly rectangular shape in which the corner parts (corners) are chamfered (rounded).In the right connecting part 40, the width dimension in the right-left direction is set to be larger than that of the left connecting part 37, and the width dimension in the front-rear direction is set to be smaller than that of the left connecting part 37. Furthermore, in the right connecting part 40 and the left connecting part 37, front edges 37a and 40a are arranged to match (align) each other in the right-left direction. As described above, the rear edge 40b of the right connecting part 40c is arranged in the front position (front side) with respect to the right edge 37b of the left connecting part 37.

[0037] Further, in the airbag 15 of the embodiment, as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, the area between the left edge 15c of the airbag 15 and the left edge 37c of the left connecting part 37 defines the end flow path part 42L located on the left side. The area between the right edge 15d and the right edge 40d of the right connecting part 40 defines the end flow path part 42R located on the right side. The area between the right edge 37d of the left coupling part 37 and the left edge 40 of the right connecting part 40 defines the center flow path part 43.

[0038] As in Fig. 5, the end flow path part 42L arranged on the left side is configured to be arranged substantially along the front-rear direction at the time of filling completion so as to connect the left end 21a of the inflow-side filling part 21 and an end edge (a left edge 29b in the case of the embodiment) which is separated (removed) in the driver's seat accommodation filling part 29 from the passenger's seat accommodation filling part 30 at the time of filling completion in the right-left direction.The end flow path portion 42R located on the right side is configured to be arranged substantially along the front-to-rear direction at the time of inflation completion, so as to connect the right end 21b of the inflow-side inflation portion 21 and an end edge (a right edge 30C in the case of the embodiment) that is separated (distant) in the right-to-left direction from the driver's seat accommodation inflation portion 29 in the passenger seat accommodation inflation portion 30 at the time of inflation completion. In the end flow path portions 42L and 42R, the fully inflated shape is configured to be a rod shape extending substantially along the front-to-rear direction. In the case of the embodiment, the width dimensions in the right-to-left direction are configured to match (correspond) to each other.The end-side flow path parts 42L and 42R are configured to support (support) the right edge 30c of the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30 and the left edge 29b of the driver seat accommodation filling part 29 at the time of filling completion by allowing the inflation gas G that has flowed into the inflow-side inflation part 21 to flow into the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30 and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29, respectively.

[0039] In the area between the end flow path parts 42L and 42R, the middle flow path part 43 is configured to be located substantially along the front-rear direction at the time of inflation completion, so as to connect the upstream inflation part 21 and the nearby edge parts (the right edge 29c of the driver's seat accommodation inflation part 29 and the left edge 30b of the passenger's seat accommodation inflation part 30) where the passenger's seat accommodation inflation part 30 is close to the driver's seat accommodation inflation part 29. In the middle flow path part 43, the fully inflated shape is configured to have a rod shape extending substantially along the front-rear direction. In the case of the embodiment, the width dimension in the right-left direction is set to be slightly larger than that of the end flow path parts 42L and 42R.Furthermore, the middle flow path part 43 is configured to support (support) the right edge 29c of the driver seat accommodation filling part 29 and the left edge 30b of the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30 at the time of filling completion by allowing the inflation gas G that has flowed into the inflow-side inflation part 21 to flow into the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30 and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29.

[0040] The airbag 15 is configured in a bag shape by joining peripheral edges of a base cloth having a predetermined shape. In the case of the embodiment as shown in Fig. 10, the airbag 15 includes an upper panel (fabric sheet, cloth sheet) 47 disposed on the upper side at the time of inflation completion to configure the upper wall portion 16, a lower panel (fabric sheet, cloth sheet) 48 disposed on the lower side at the time of inflation completion to configure the lower wall portion 17, and a rear panel (fabric sheet, cloth sheet) 49 disposed on the rear side at the time of inflation completion to configure the rear wall portion 18.

[0041] The upper panel 47 and the lower panel 48 are configured such that the outer shapes are almost rectangular. A notch portion (a reference numeral is not assigned) configuring the opening portion 38 and the upper recess portion 32 is formed in the upper panel 47, and a notch portion (a reference numeral is not assigned) configuring the opening portion 38 and the lower recess portion 33 is formed in the lower panel 48. Specifically, the lower panel 48 is configured such that the width dimension in the right-left direction is constant toward the rear edge (edge) 48b.However, the upper panel 47 is configured such that the rear portion, which is connected to the upper portion of the rear panel 49, is formed to be slightly narrower compared to the front portion, and a rear portion 47cb of the left edge 47c and a rear part 47db of a right edge 47d are arranged on the inside (further inward) in the right-left direction with respect to front parts 47ca and 47da of the left edge 47c and the right edge 47d.

[0042] The rear panel 49 has a nearly rectangular outer shape and is divided into three parts in the right-left direction in the case of the embodiment. The rear panel 49 is configured by sewing (joining) adjacent edge parts between a left part 51 and a right part 52, which are located on the right and left end sides, respectively, and a central region 53 located between the left part 51 and the right part 52. Upper side parts 49ca and 49da of a left edge 49c and a right edge 49d are arranged on the inner side (further inward) in the right-left direction so as to correspond to the rear parts 47cb and 47db of the left edge 47c and the right edge 47d, respectively, in the upper panel 47. A recessed portion (reference numeral not assigned) configuring the upper recessed portion 32 and the lower recessed portion 33 is formed in the central portion 43 of the rear panel 49.The upper panel 47, the lower panel 48, and the rear panel 49 that configure the airbag 15 of the embodiment are made of a cloth material of polyester, polyamide, or the like having flexibility.

[0043] The airbag 15 is formed in a bag shape by sewing (joining) with a seam the respective edge parts of the upper panel 47, the lower panel 48 and the rear panel 49. Specifically, although not shown in detail, first, the upper edge 49a and the lower edge 49b of the rear panel 49 are sewn with a seam, respectively, to the rear edges 47b and 48b of the upper panel 47 and the lower panel 48 in a state where the respective edge parts of the left part 51, the middle part 53 and the right part 52 are opposed to each other. The seam edge is folded inward into the part where the upper edge 49a of the back panel 49 and the back edge 47b of the upper panel 47 are sewn by superimposing the back panel 49 and the upper panel 47 so that the outer peripheral edges fit each other.The upper parts 49ca and 49da of the left edge 49c and the right edge 49d in the back panel 49, and the back parts 47cb and 47db of the left edge 47c and the right edge 47d in the upper panel 47 are each sewn with a seam. Then, the upper panel 47 is opened so that the front edge 47a is separated from the back panel 49, and the remaining outer peripheral edge is superimposed to fit the outer peripheral edge of the lower panel 48. The part of the lower panel 48 from the left edge 48c via the front edge 48a to the right edge 48d is sewn (connected) to the lower side 49cb of the left edge 49c of the back panel 49, the front part 47ca of the left edge 47c of the upper panel 47, the front part 47da of the front edge 47a and the right edge 47d, and the lower side 49db of the right edge 49d of the back panel 49 with a seam so that they form a continuous sewn part.At the same time, the left connecting part 37, the right connecting part 40, the upper recess part 32, and the lower recess part 33 are sewn (joined) with a seam, thereby manufacturing the airbag 15. Incidentally, in the airbag 15 of the embodiment, the portion (including the upper edge and the lower edge, excluding the left edge and the right edge) of the rear wall part 18 located on the passenger MP side or the driver MD side at the time of inflation completion is sewn such that the seam edge is not exposed to the outside, and the remaining portion is sewn such that the seam edge is exposed to the outside (see FIG. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4).

[0044] Next, a description will be given of an assembly process of the occupant protection device M of the embodiment in the vehicle V. First, the airbag 15 is folded so that it can be accommodated in the case 12 in a state where the brackets 9L, 9R are inserted therein. Specifically, the upper wall part 16 and the lower wall part 17 are superimposed, and the airbag 15 is folded from the flat-folded state such that the upper edge of the rear wall part 18 faces the inflow-side inflation part 21 side (the front end 15a side of the airbag 15), and the width dimension (width amount) in the longitudinal direction and lateral directions is reduced, so that the airbag 15 can be accommodated in the case 12.In the embodiment, the airbag 15 is folded to have the reduced width dimension in the front-rear direction by roll-folding the rear wall part 18 so as to be wound (rolled) from the lower edge side to the lower wall part 17 side, the roll-folded part is placed on the attachment opening 23, and the area on the front side of the attachment opening 23 is at the front side of the roll-folded part (see . Fig. 1). After folding the airbag 15, the surroundings of the folded airbag 15 are enclosed by a breakable (tearable) wrapping cloth (not shown) so that the fold is prevented from unfolding. Then, the folded airbag 15 is placed on the bottom wall part 12a of the case 12. The main body part 8a of the inflator 8L and 8R is inserted into the case 12 from below the bottom wall part 12a, and the bolt 9a of each bracket 9L, 9R, which protrudes downward from the bottom wall part 12a, is inserted into the flange part 8c of the inflators 8L, 8R. Thereafter, when the nut 10 is tightened on the bolt 9a projecting from the flange part 8c of the gas generator 8L, 8R, the folded airbag 15 and the gas generators 8L, 8R can be attached to the housing 12.Further, at this time, in the airbag 15, the peripheral edge part 24 of the attachment opening 23 (23L, 23R) is attached to the side of the case 12 using the gas generator 8 (8L, 8R) and the bracket 9 (9L, 9R).

[0045] Further, the peripheral wall part 12b of the housing 12 is locked in the connecting wall part 6c of the airbag cover 6 in the instrument panel 1 mounted in the vehicle V, and the bracket (not shown) of the housing 12 is fixed to the body side of the vehicle V, whereby the occupant protection device M can be mounted in the vehicle V.

[0046] In the occupant protection device M of the embodiment, when the inflation gas is discharged from the gas discharge outlet 8b of the gas generator 8 (8L, 8R) during the frontal collision, oblique collision, or offset collision of the vehicle V in a state where the occupant protection device is mounted in the vehicle V, the airbag 15 is inflated by allowing the inflation gas to flow thereinto, and pushes and opens the door parts 6a and 6b of the airbag cover 6. Further, the airbag 15 protrudes upward from the case 12 through the opening formed by pushing and opening the door parts 6a and 6b of the airbag cover 6, and is deployed and inflated while protruding toward the rear side of the vehicle. As shown in Fig. 11 to 13, the inflation (filling) is completed to block a space between the upper surface 2 of the instrument panel 1 and the windshield 4 above the instrument panel 1 and to cover the front area from the passenger seat PS to the driver seat DS.

[0047] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device M of the embodiment, in the airbag 15, the inflation gas G that has flowed into the inflow-side inflation part 21 is allowed to flow into the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30 and the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29 through the two end-side flow path parts 42L and 42R formed in the end edges (in the case of the embodiment, the left edge 29b in the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29 and the right edge 30c in the driver seat accommodation inflation part 30) separated in the right-left direction in the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30 and the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29, and the middle flow path part 43 formed in the near edge parts (the right edge 29c in the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29 and the left edge 30b in the Passenger seat receptacle filling part 30), in which the passenger seat receptacle filling part 30 is arranged near the driver seat receptacle filling part 29,to inflate the passenger seat receptacle inflation part 30 and the driver seat receptacle inflation part 29. For this reason, although the airbag 15 includes the passenger seat receptacle inflation part 30 located at the front of the passenger seat PS and the driver seat receptacle inflation part 29 located at the front of the driver seat DS, and has the full inflation shape width in the right-left direction, the passenger seat receptacle inflation part 30 and the driver seat receptacle inflation part 29 can be quickly inflated (filled) with excellent balance in the right-left direction. Furthermore, in the occupant protection device M of the embodiment, the airbag 15 is configured such that the left end 21a and the right end 21b in the inflow-side inflation part 21 are attached to the casing 12 at the time of inflation completion. Thus,Although the inflow-side filling part 21 is continuously arranged substantially along the right-left direction so as to extend across the front area from the passenger seat PS to the driver seat DS, in other words, is arranged in a rod shape substantially along the right-left direction at the time of filling completion, the inflow-side filling part 21 may be arranged so as to prevent the floating up (rising) of the left end 21a and the right end 21b. Furthermore, in the airbag 15, at the time of inflation completion, the end flow path parts 42L and 42R connect the left end 21a and the right end 21b of the inflow side inflation part 21 to the end edges (left edge 29b, right edge 30c), which are separated in the right-left direction, of the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30 and the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29, respectively.so as to support the right edge 30c of the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30 and the left edge 29b of the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29. The central flow path part 43 supports the near edge parts (right edge 29c, left edge 30b) where the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30 is close to the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29. For this reason, at the time of inflation completion of the airbag 15, the left edges 29b and 30b and the right edges 29c and 30c of the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30 and the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29 are supported by the end flow path parts 42L and 42R and the central flow path part 43, which are inflated in a bar shape substantially along the front-rear direction, respectively. The passenger MP and the driver MD, who move forward, can easily (evenly,gently) by the passenger seat support filling part 30 and the driver seat support filling part 29, in which the right and left sides are supported.

[0048] Therefore, in the occupant protection device M of the embodiment, an increase in volume of the airbag 15 can be prevented, and the front passenger MP and the driver MD can be quickly and smoothly protected by the fully inflated airbag 15.

[0049] In the passenger protection device M of the embodiment, the airbag 15 has the opening part 38 formed to be penetrated in the vertical direction so that the steering wheel W disposed at the front of the driver's seat DS can be inserted therein at the time of inflation completion. Thus, the inflating airbag 15 can be prevented from being interfered with by the steering wheel W during the deployment and inflation of the airbag 15, and the airbag 15 can be inflated more quickly and smoothly. Furthermore, by providing the opening part 38, the volume of the airbag 15 itself can be reduced, compared with a case where the opening part is not provided.Incidentally, if such a point is not taken into consideration, the airbag may not have the opening part for inserting the steering wheel, but may have a leaf-shaped part which covers, for example, the upper side of the steering wheel at the time of inflation completion.

[0050] In the passenger protection device M of the embodiment, at the front of the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30, the airbag 15 has the right connection part 40 as a non-inflation region into which the inflation gas does not flow, in the area between the end flow path part 42R and the middle flow path part 43. Thus, it is possible to reduce the volume of the airbag 15. Incidentally, if such a point is not considered, the airbag may be configured such that the non-inflation region is located at the front of the passenger seat accommodation inflation part.In the airbag 15 of the embodiment, the left connecting part 37 and the right connecting part 40, which are formed by touching (contacting) and sewing the upper wall part 16 and the lower wall part 17, are formed in the region between the occupant protection part 28 (the driver's seat accommodation inflating part 29 and the passenger's seat accommodation inflating part 30) and the inflow-side inflating part 21. The end flow path parts 42L and 42R and the middle flow path part 43 are configured from the range of the distance between the left connecting part 37 and the right connecting part 40, between the left connecting part 37 and the left edge 15c, and between the right connecting part 40 and the right edge 15d. For this reason, the airbag 15 can be greatly prevented from increasing in volume, and the end flow path parts 42L and 42R and the middle flow path part 43 can be formed.In a case where the airbag is configured such that the non-inflation region is not provided, for example, the region between the end flow path part and the middle flow path part may be connected by a tether that regulates the separation distance between the upper wall part and the lower wall part. Furthermore, an additional cylindrical inner tube may be provided in the airbag, and the end flow path part and the middle flow path part may be configured by the inner tube.

[0051] In the occupant protection device M of the embodiment, the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30 and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29 may be configured such that the rear surfaces 29a and 30a are continuously connected in the right-left direction at the time of filling completion. Thus, during an oblique impact or offset impact of the vehicle V, in a case where the passenger MP or the driver MD moves obliquely toward the front side as the center side in the right-left direction, the passenger MP or the driver MD moving obliquely toward the front side can be accurately protected by the part (the rear surface 34a of the connecting part 34) between the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30 and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29.Incidentally, if such a point is not considered, the airbag may be configured in a state where the passenger seat receptacle inflator part and the driver seat receptacle inflator part are separated in the right-left direction.

[0052] In the embodiment, the passenger seat accommodating inflation part 30 and the driver seat accommodating inflation part 29 communicate with each other via the connecting part 34. In other words, the inflation area, which is inflated by allowing the inflation gas to flow therein, is configured to be continuous in the right-left direction, and thus the passenger MP or the driver MD, who move obliquely to the front, can be protected more accurately with good cushioning performance by the connecting part 34, which is inflated by allowing the inflation gas to flow therein. Incidentally, if such a point is not considered, as with an airbag 15A used in Fig. 14 and Fig. 15, the occupant protection part 28A may be configured such that the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A are separated in the right-left direction, and an additional connecting cloth 56 is arranged so as to connect the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A, thereby blocking the distance (gap) between the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A.

[0053] The airbag 15A, which is in Fig. As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the passenger protection part 28A includes the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A separated over the entire vertical range in the right-left direction, and the connecting cloth 56 connecting the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A at the rear surfaces 29a and 30a. In the embodiment, the connecting cloth 56 has a width dimension in the vertical direction set to be slightly smaller than the vertical width dimension of the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A.The passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A are configured such that the rear surfaces 29a and 30b are continuously connected in the right-left direction by the connecting cloth 56 at the time of filling completion. For this reason, although the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30A and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29A are configured to be separated over the entire vertical range in the right-left direction, the passenger MP or the driver MD who moves obliquely toward the front can be accurately protected by the connecting cloth 56 or by the area around the connecting cloth 56.

[0054] In the airbag 15 of the embodiment, the passenger protection part 28 is configured such that the upper recess part 32 and the lower recess part 33 are arranged in the upper edge 28a and the lower edge 28b. However, in such recess parts, only the upper recess part 32b can be formed as in an airbag 15B arranged in Fig. 17 may be provided, and further, the recessed parts may not be provided.

[0055] An airbag 15C may be configured as shown in Fig. 18. In the airbag 15C, the occupant protection part 28C includes a protrusion inflation part 60 disposed between the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30C and the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29C so as to protrude rearward at the time of inflation completion. The airbag 15C has the same configuration as the above-described airbag 15, except for the provision of the protrusion inflation part 60. The same components are designated by a "C" at the end of the same reference numerals, and a detailed description will be omitted.

[0056] At a position where the approximate center of the occupant protection part 28C in the right-left direction is between the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30C and the passenger seat accommodation filling part 29C, the projection filling part 60 is arranged to be connected to the rear surfaces 29a and 30a of the passenger seat accommodation filling part 30C and the driver seat accommodation filling part 29C and to protrude rearward. The outer shape at the time of filling completion is configured to have a trapezoidal shape in which the rear end side is narrow when viewed from the left-right direction and has a nearly constant width dimension in the right-left direction (see Fig. 19 and Fig. 20). The projection filling part 60 is configured such that heads (head parts) PH and DH of the passenger MP and the driver MD are received (cushioned, dampened) by a left wall part 60c and a right wall part 60d, respectively, which are arranged to oppose each other in the right-left direction at the time of filling completion. As shown in Fig. 22, the left wall part 60c and the right wall part 60b are configured to be arranged substantially along the front-rear direction at the time of inflation completion of the airbag 15C. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. As shown in FIG. 19, when viewed from the left-right direction, the extent to which the upper end portion located at the heads PH and DH of the passenger MP and the driver MD, respectively, protrudes rearward is set to be the largest, and the protrusion filling part 60 is converged toward the lower end side. In the protrusion filling part 60, the extent to which the portion on the upper end side protrudes rearward is set so that the heads PH and DH can be easily restrained when the heads PH and DH of the passenger MP and the driver MD, which move obliquely toward the front side, which is the middle side in the right-left direction, are received by the left wall part 60c and the right wall part 60d during the oblique impact of the vehicle V or the offset impact. Specifically, as shown in FIG. Fig. 22, in the airbag 15C, during the oblique impact or the offset impact of the vehicle V, the head PH of the front passenger MP moving obliquely to the left toward the front side is received by the right wall part 60d of the projection inflation part 60, is guided by the right wall part 60d to move toward the front side, and is restrained by the part near the boundary between the front passenger seat receiving inflation part 30 and the projection inflation part 60.

[0057] The upper panel 47C, the lower panel 48C, and the rear panel 49C, which configure the airbag 15C, have the same configuration as the above-described airbag 15, except for the center part 63, which configures the protrusion inflation part 60 in the rear panel 49C. The same components are designated by a "C" at the end of the same reference numerals, and a detailed description will not be given.

[0058] As in Fig. As shown in Fig. 21, the center portion 63 includes a protrusion formation part 64 located at the center side (location) in the right-left direction for configuring the protrusion filling part 60, a center left portion 69 configuring the right portion in the rear surface 29a of the driver's seat accommodation filling part 29, and a center right portion 70 configuring the left portion in the rear surface 30a of the passenger's seat accommodation filling part 30. Each of the center left portion 69 and the center right portion 70 has an outer shape formed into a nearly rectangular shape.

[0059] The protrusion forming part 64 includes a band part (belt part) 65 located at the center (position) in the right-left direction and configuring the area of ​​the protrusion filling part 60 from the upper wall part 60a through the rear wall part 60e to the lower wall part 60b, and side wall configuration parts 66 and 67 formed to protrude to the right and left sides from the position slightly above the vertical center of the flatly deployed band part 65 and configure the left wall part 60c and the right wall part 60d. The side wall configuration parts 66 and 67 are configured to connect to the center left part 69 and the center right part 70, and are configured in a substantially trapezoidal shape that opens (expands) widely toward the center left part 69 and the center right part 70, respectively.The protrusion formation part 64 has a symmetrical shape. Furthermore, in the protrusion formation part 64, an upper left edge 65a of the band part 65 and an upper edge 66a of a left side wall configuration part 66, a left lower edge 65b of the band part 65 and a lower edge 66b of the left side wall configuration part 66, an upper right edge 65c of the band part 65 and an upper edge 67a of the right side wall configuration part 67, and a lower right edge 65d of the band part 65 and a lower edge 67b of the right side wall configuration part 67 are sewn (connected) with a seam to configure the protrusion filling part 60. Incidentally, also in the airbag 15C having such a configuration, the portion of the protrusion inflation part 60 positioned on the passenger MP side or the driver MD side is sewn so that the seam edge is not exposed to the outside at the time of inflation completion.

[0060] In a case where the airbag 15C having such a configuration is used, during the oblique impact or the offset impact of the vehicle, the passenger MP or the driver MD moving obliquely to the front side, which is the middle side in the right-left direction, can be protected more accurately by the protrusion inflation part 60 arranged to protrude rearward between the passenger seat accommodation inflation part 30C and the driver seat accommodation inflation part 29C.

[0061] In the occupant protection device M of the embodiment, the left end 21a and the right end 21b of the inflow-side inflation part 21 are fixed in the housing 12 using the inflators 8L, 8R, and thus, an attachment member for attaching the inflow-side inflation part 21 to the housing 12 can be used in the bracket 9 as well as an attachment member for attaching the inflator 8 to the housing 12. Therefore, the number of components or the number of attachment processes can be prevented from increasing. Furthermore, although the airbag 15 is configured to be wide to cover the front area from the passenger seat PS to the driver seat DS in the right-left direction, by disposing the inflators 8L, 8R at two locations on the right and left end sides, respectively, the airbag 15 can be quickly inflated with an excellent balance in the right-left direction.Incidentally, if such a point is not considered, the inflator may be configured such that it is not arranged at the right and left ends of the inflow-side inflation part, but only at a location approximately in the middle of the right-left direction. In this case, the inflow-side inflation part has its center in the right-left direction mounted in the housing by the inflator, and its right and left ends are mounted in the housing by an additional mounting member.

[0062] Specifically, in the passenger protection device M of the embodiment, a disk-type inflator is used as the inflator 8. The peripheral edge portion of the attachment hole 23 formed in the lower wall portion 17 of the inflow-side inflation portion 21 of the airbag 15 is configured to be mounted in the case 12 by the bracket 9 that fixes the inflator 8 in the case 12. That is, in the passenger protection device M of the embodiment, the peripheral edge portion 24 of the attachment hole 23 formed in the inflow-side inflation portion 21 is pressed into a plane shape using the bracket 9 to mount the inflow-side inflation portion 21 in the case 12.Thus, the inflow-side inflation part 21 can be mounted in the casing 12 over a larger surface area compared with a case where a cylindrical inflator is used. Incidentally, if such a point is not considered, the cylindrical inflator may be used. The cylindrical inflator is connected to the airbag in such a manner that the mounting member (bolt) or the like for mounting in the casing is made to protrude and be received in the airbag, or a cylindrical inflow port formed to protrude from the airbag is connected using a connecting unit such as a clamp.

[0063] It is explicitly emphasized that all features disclosed in the description and / or the claims are to be considered separate and independent of each other for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of limiting the claimed invention, regardless of the feature combinations in the embodiments and / or the claims. It is explicitly stated that all range specifications or specifications of groups of units disclose every possible intermediate value or subgroup of units for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of limiting the claimed invention, in particular also as a limit of a range specification.

Claims

[1] Occupant protection device, with an airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C), a housing part (12) configured to be arranged in a dashboard (1) arranged at a front side of a front seat in a vehicle (V), and a gas generator (8R, 8L) configured to discharge a filling gas, in which the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) is configured to be accommodated in a folded state in the housing part (12) and to be inflated by the inflation gas discharged from the gas generator (8R, 8L) flowing into the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C), the housing part (12) is configured to have a long shape with a width dimension in a right-left direction, so that the housing part (12) is arranged across a front area from a passenger seat (PS) to the driver's seat (DS) for receiving the folded airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) when the occupant protection device is mounted in the vehicle (V), the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) is configured to protrude from the housing part (12) toward an upper rear side so that it can cover the front area from the passenger seat (PS) to the driver seat (DS) at the time of inflation completion when the occupant protection device is mounted in the vehicle (V), the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) a passenger seat accommodating inflation part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) configured to be arranged at the front of the passenger seat (PS) and to accommodate a passenger (MP) when inflated with the inflation gas from the gas generator (8R, 8L), a driver seat accommodation filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) configured to be arranged at the front of the driver seat (DS) and to accommodate a driver (MD) when inflated with the filling gas from the gas generator (8R, 8L), an inflow-side inflation part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) which is continuously formed substantially along the right-left direction at a front portion from the passenger seat accommodation inflation part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) to the driver seat accommodation inflation part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) and is inflated by allowing the inflation gas discharged from the gas generator (8R, 8L) to flow into the inflow-side inflation part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C), end-side flow path parts (42R, 42L; 42AR, 42AL; 42BR, 42BL; 42CR, 42CL) which are configured to be arranged substantially along a front-rear direction at the time of filling completion, so that both ends of the inflow-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) in the right-left direction are respectively connected to end edges, which are separated in the right-left direction at the time of filling completion, of the passenger seat receptacle filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and the driver seat receptacle filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C), and that they connect the end edges, which are separated in the right-left direction, of the passenger seat receptacle filling part (30; 30A; 30B, 30C) and the driver seat accommodation filling part (29; 29A; 29B, 29C) at the time of filling completion by allowing the filling gas flowing into the inflow-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B;21C) is allowed to flow out to the passenger seat accommodation filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and the driver seat accommodation filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C), and; a central flow path part (43; 43A, 43B; 43C) configured to be arranged substantially along the front-rear direction at the time of filling completion at the region between the end flow path parts (42R, 42L; 42AR, 42AL; 42BR, 42BL; 42CR, 42CL), so that the inflow-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) is connected to a near edge part in which the passenger seat accommodation filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) is close to the driver seat accommodation filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C), and to form the near edge part in the passenger seat accommodation filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and in the driver's seat accommodation filling part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) at the time of filling completion by allowing the filling gas that has flowed into the inflow-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) to flow to the passenger's seat accommodation filling part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C) and the driver's seat accommodation filling part (29;29A; 29B; 29C), the inflow-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) is configured such that at least both of a right and a left end side (21a, 21b) are mounted in the housing part (12) at the time of filling completion, and; the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) has an opening part (38; 38A; 38B; 38C) formed on the front side of the driver seat accommodating inflation part (29; 29A; 29B; 29C) and configured to be vertically penetrated when the occupant protection device is mounted in the vehicle (V), so that a steering wheel (W) arranged on the front side of the driver seat (DS) can be inserted through the opening part (38; 38A; 38B; 38C) at the time of inflation completion. [2] The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag (15; 15A; 15B; 15C) has a non-inflation area (40; 40A; 40B; 40C) which does not allow the inflation gas to flow thereinto, in a region between the end flow path part (42R; 42AR; 42BR; 42CR) and the middle flow path part (43; 43A, 43B; 43C) at the front of the passenger seat accommodation inflation part (30; 30A; 30B; 30C). [3] The occupant protection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the passenger seat accommodation filling part (30; 30B) and the driver seat accommodation filling part (29; 29B) are configured such that rear surfaces (29a, 30a) are continuously connected in the right-left direction at the time of filling completion. [4] The occupant protection device according to claim 3, wherein the passenger seat accommodation inflation part (30; 30B) and the driver seat accommodation inflation part (29; 29B) are configured such that inflation areas inflated by allowing the inflation gas to flow into the inflation area are continuous in the right-left direction. [5] The occupant protection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a projection filling part (60) arranged to protrude rearward at the time of filling completion is arranged between the passenger seat receiving filling part (30C) and the driver seat receiving filling part (29C). [6] The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gas generator (8R, 8L) is arranged on both the right and left end sides of the inflow-side inflation part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) at the time of inflation completion, and the inflow-side inflation part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) is mounted in the housing part (12) using the two gas generators (8R, 8L). [7] Occupant protection device according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the gas generator (8R, 8L) is configured as a disc type, and the inflow-side filling part (21; 21A; 21B; 21C) has an attachment opening (23) into which the gas generator (8R, 8L) can be inserted into a lower wall part arranged on a lower surface at the time of filling completion, and a peripheral edge of the attachment opening (23) is mounted in the housing part (12) using a bracket (9) which fixes the gas generator (8R, 8L) in the housing part (12).

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