Airbag device

Abstract

Airbag device, comprising: an airbag cushion configured to expand on a side surface of a seat back; a first tether extending through an upper portion of the airbag cushion from a lower portion of the seatback to form a loop; and a second tether strap connected to the first tether strap and extending through the airbag cushion at an upper portion of the seatback.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0089898, filed on July 8, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Area of ​​Revelation

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an airbag device configured to support an upper portion of a center side airbag at the front and rear sides to ensure stable expansion capability of an airbag cushion. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0003] A center side airbag is configured to expand in an upward and downward direction between a driver and a passenger. The center side airbag is designed so that a cushion is supported by a center console or between a driver and a passenger to prevent not only a collision between the occupants but also a secondary collision.

[0004] Such a center side airbag is attached to a seatback by its lower portion, and its airbag cushion is configured to expand from a lower side to an upper side.

[0005] However, since the attachment point of the airbag is limited to the lower section, the upper section of the airbag cushion may move to the right and left during the expansion of the airbag cushion.

[0006] Accordingly, there may be a problem that the upper portion of the airbag cushion is rotated in a right-left direction and / or in a front-back direction around the point where the airbag cushion is attached to the seatback, thereby reducing the binding force for an occupant.

[0007] Details described as background information are intended only to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and are not to be construed as an acknowledgement of prior art that is already known to one skilled in the art. SUMMARY

[0008] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an airbag device configured to support an upper portion of a center side airbag at front and rear sides to ensure stable expandability of an airbag cushion.

[0009] Objects to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned object, and other objects of the present invention not mentioned above will be recognized by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the following description.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, the above and other objects can be achieved by providing an airbag device comprising an airbag cushion configured to expand on a side surface of a seat back, a first tether extending through an upper region of the airbag cushion from a lower portion of the seat back to form a loop, and a second tether connected to the first tether and extending through the airbag cushion at an upper portion of the seat back.

[0011] Two end portions of the first tether may be attached to the lower portion of the seatback and one end portion of the second tether may be attached to the upper portion of the seatback, so that the first tether and the second tether are attached at three points to the upper and lower portions of the seatback to support the airbag cushion.

[0012] The lower portion of the seatback may have a plurality of inflation ports, and a plurality of through-holes may be arranged in the upper region of the airbag cushion in a forward and backward direction such that the first tether extends through one or more of the plurality of through-holes and is attached to one or more of the plurality of inflation ports.

[0013] A first through-hole may be disposed in a front end portion of the airbag cushion, and the first tether may extend through the first through-hole.

[0014] A second through-hole may be disposed in a central portion of the airbag cushion, and the first tether may extend sequentially through the first through-hole and the second through-hole and be secured to the lower portion of the seat back.

[0015] The first tether may include a first portion connected between a first inflation port disposed at the lower portion of the seat back and the second through-hole, a second portion connected between the second through-hole and the first through-hole, and a third portion connected between the first through-hole and a second inflation port disposed adjacent to the first inflation port.

[0016] The second tether strap may be directly connected to the first section of the first tether strap.

[0017] The second tether may be connected to the first tether extending from an inner side surface of the airbag cushion.

[0018] A third through-hole may be disposed in a rear end portion of the airbag cushion, and the second tether may extend through the third through-hole.

[0019] A point at which the second tether strap is attached to the backrest may be higher than the first through hole and the second through hole. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a view showing the expansion of an airbag cushion according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 is a view illustrating a construction in which a first tether and a second tether are connected to the airbag cushion according to the present disclosure; Fig. 3 is a view illustrating a construction in which the second tether is connected to an upper portion of a seat back; and Fig. 4 an enlarged view of section A in Fig. 3 is. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In the following description of embodiments disclosed herein, a detailed description of well-known functions or configurations related to the invention is omitted if doing so would obscure the subject matter of the invention. The accompanying drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of various technical features, and it is noted that the embodiments presented herein are not limited by the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the present disclosure should be construed to cover all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions in addition to those specifically shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0022] It is understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., used herein to describe various elements, should not be construed as limiting those elements. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another.

[0023] The singular forms "ein", "eine" and "der" or "die" or "das" as used here also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0024] It is understood that the terms "comprising", "comprising", "having", etc., when used in this specification, indicate the presence of certain features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0025] In general, suffixes such as "module" and "unit," when used in the following description, may be used to refer to elements or components to facilitate the preparation of the description. The use of such suffixes is intended solely to facilitate the preparation of the description, and the suffixes do not imply any particular meaning or function.

[0026] When an element is described as "connected to another element," there may be intermediate elements, or the element may be directly connected to the other element. However, when an element is described as "directly connected to another element," there are no intermediate elements.

[0027] In the following, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brevity of the description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will not be repeated.

[0028] An airbag device according to the present disclosure may include an airbag cushion 100 configured to expand on a side surface of a seat, a first tether 200 extending through an upper region of the airbag cushion 100 at a lower portion of the seat to form a loop, and a second tether 300 extending through the airbag cushion 100 and connected to the first tether 200 at an upper portion of the seat.

[0029] As is apparent from the drawings, the airbag cushion 100 according to the present disclosure may be an airbag cushion 100 for a side airbag or a center side airbag and may be deployed between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat.

[0030] Accordingly, a plurality of inflation ports 12 configured to attach an inflator may be attached to a lower portion of a side surface of a seat back frame 11 of a driver's or front passenger's seat, and the airbag cushion 100 may be mounted on the inflation port 12.

[0031] The first tether 200, which is attached to the inflation nozzle 12 at one of its end portions, can extend through the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 and be attached to the inflation nozzle 12. Thus, the first tether 200 can extend through the airbag cushion 100 to form a loop and support the airbag cushion 100.

[0032] Specifically, one end portion of the second tether 300 may be fixed to an upper portion of the side surface of the seat back frame 11, and the other end portion of the second tether 300 may be connected to the first tether 200 through the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100.

[0033] As mentioned above, the lower portion of the airbag cushion 100 can be attached to the lower portion of the seatback 10, and the first tether 200, which extends from the lower portion of the seatback 10 through the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100, can support the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100. Specifically, the first tether 200 can be supported by the second tether 300, which is connected to the first tether 200 at the upper portion of the seatback 10.

[0034] Accordingly, since the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 is stably held by the first tether 200 and the second tether 300, rotation of the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 in a right-left direction and / or in a front-backward direction during expansion of the airbag cushion 100 can be prevented, thereby not only reducing the expansion difference between the upper and lower portions of the airbag cushion 100, but also effectively restraining the head of an occupant and safely protecting the occupant.

[0035] In addition, according to the present disclosure, the two end portions of the first tether 200 can be respectively attached to the lower portion of the seat back 10, and the end portion of the second tether 300 can be respectively attached to the upper portion of the seat back 10, so that the first tether 200 and the second tether 300 can be attached to the seat back 10 at three points to support the airbag cushion 100.

[0036] In particular, two inflation nozzles 12 may be attached to an upper and a lower point of the lower portion of the side surface of the backrest 10, and the first tether 200 may be attached at one end portion thereof to the upper inflation nozzle 12 and at the other end portion thereof to the lower inflation nozzle 12.

[0037] The rear end portion of the second tether 300 can be attached to the upper portion of the side surface of the backrest 10.

[0038] Since the first tether belt 200 is attached to the lower portion of the seat back 10 at two points and the second tether belt 300 is attached to the upper portion of the seat back 10 at one point, the first tether belt 200 and the second tether belt 300 can be attached to the seat back 10 at three points, thereby supporting the upper and lower portions of the airbag cushion 100.

[0039] Further, according to the present disclosure, a plurality of inflation ports 12 may be provided at the lower portion of the seat back 10, and a plurality of through holes may be formed through the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 so that the first tether 200 is attached to the inflation port 12 through the through holes.

[0040] For example, when two through-holes are formed through the front and rear surfaces of the airbag cushion 100, the first tether 200 attached to the upper inflation nozzle 12 may extend upward and be passed through the rear through-hole, and the first tether 200 that has been passed through the rear through-hole may extend through the front through-hole and be attached to the inflation nozzle 12.

[0041] Preferably, a first through-hole 110 may be formed through the front end portion of the airbag cushion 100, and the first tether 200 may pass through the first through-hole 110.

[0042] The first through hole 110 may be formed, for example, in the edge of the front end portion of the upper area of ​​the airbag cushion 100.

[0043] Since the first tether 200 engages the frontmost end portion of the airbag cushion, the front portion of the airbag cushion 100 can be prevented from moving to the right or left.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, a second through-hole 120 may be formed in the center of the airbag cushion 100, and the first tether 200 may sequentially pass through the first through-hole 110 and the second through-hole 120 and be fixed to the lower portion of the seat back.

[0045] For example, a dead zone that is not filled with gas may be formed in the center of the airbag cushion 100, and the second through hole 120 may be formed through the dead zone.

[0046] Thus, the first tether 200 attached to the upper inflation nozzle 12 can extend upward and pass through the first through-hole 110 in the center of the airbag cushion 100, and the first tether 200 passed through the first through-hole 110 can pass through the second through-hole 120 at the front of the airbag cushion 100. The first tether 200 passed through the second through-hole 120 can extend downward and be attached to the lower inflation nozzle 12.

[0047] Accordingly, since the first tether 200 attached to the inflation nozzle 12 sequentially passes through the first through-hole 110 and the second through-hole 120 in the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 and extends in the forward and backward directions, the first tether 200 can form a triangular loop to support the airbag cushion 100.

[0048] This makes it possible to prevent rotation of the airbag cushion 100, which would otherwise occur during expansion of the airbag cushion 100, and thus ensure stable expansion of the airbag cushion 100.

[0049] According to the present disclosure, the first tether 200 may include a first portion 200a connected between a first inflation port 12a provided at the lower portion of the seat back 10 and the first through-hole 110, a second portion 200b connected between the first through-hole 110 and the second through-hole 120, and a third portion 200c connected between the second through-hole 120 and a second inflation port 12b adjacent to the first inflation port 12a.

[0050] For example, the portion of the first tether 200 connected between the first inflation port 12a, which is the upper one of the two inflation ports 12, and the first through-hole 110 in the center of the airbag cushion 100 may correspond to the first portion 200a of the first tether 200, and the portion of the first tether 200 connected between the first through-hole 110 located in the center of the airbag cushion 100 and the second through-hole 120 located at the front of the airbag cushion 100 may correspond to the second portion 200b of the first tether 200. Furthermore, the portion of the first tether 200 connected between the second through-hole 120 located at the front of the airbag cushion 100 and the second inflation port 12b, which is the lower one of the two inflation ports 12, may correspond to the third portion 200c of the first tether 200.

[0051] Accordingly, according to the present disclosure, the second tether 300 may be directly connected to the first portion 200a or the third portion 200c of the first tether 200.

[0052] Preferably, the second tether 300 can be directly connected to the first portion 200a of the first tether 200.

[0053] Because the first portion 200a is positioned closer to the upper portion of the backrest 10 than the second portion 200b and the third portion 200c, the length of the second tether directly connected to the first tether 200 can be shortened the most when the second tether 300 is connected to the first portion 200a.

[0054] Consequently, since the tension of the second tether 300 is maintained in a relatively high and stable state, it is possible to effectively suppress movement of the airbag cushion 100 in a right-left direction and / or in a front-backward direction.

[0055] The second tether 300 may be connected to the first tether 200 extending from the inside of the airbag cushion 100.

[0056] For example, the first portion 200a of the first tether 200 may extend along the inner surface of the airbag cushion 100 facing an occupant, and the second portion 200b of the first tether 200 may pass through the first through-hole 110 and extend along the outer surface of the airbag cushion 100. The third portion 200c of the first tether 200 may pass through the second through-hole 120 and extend along the inner surface of the airbag cushion 100.

[0057] Because the second tether 300 is connected to the first portion 200a of the first tether 200 extending toward the occupant, the second tether 300 can provide the first tether 200 with a force that pulls the first tether 200 toward the occupant, thereby more securely restraining the occupant's body loaded on the airbag cushion 100.

[0058] According to the present disclosure, a third through-hole 130 may be formed in the rear end portion of the airbag cushion 100, and the second tether 300 may pass through the third through-hole 130.

[0059] The third through hole 130 may be formed, for example, in the rear edge of the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100.

[0060] The third through-hole 130 can serve as a path for the second tether 300. The second tether 300 can engage the third through-hole 130 and support the airbag cushion 100, thereby preventing the rear portion of the airbag cushion 100 from moving right and left.

[0061] Consequently, the second tether 300 can prevent movement of the airbag cushion 100 after expansion of the airbag cushion 100 and ensure stable expansion capability of the airbag cushion 100.

[0062] Further, according to the present disclosure, the attachment point at which the second tether 300 is attached to the seat back 10 may be higher than the first through-hole 110 and the second through-hole 120.

[0063] The third through hole 130 may be arranged higher than the second through hole 120.

[0064] Because the attachment point at which the second tether belt 300 is attached to the seat back 10 is higher than the first through-hole 110 and the second through-hole 120 through which the first tether belt 200 passes, the rear end portion of the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 can be pulled at a relatively high level.

[0065] Consequently, the second tether 300 can provide a tensile force that pulls the airbag cushion 100 upward at a location rearward of the airbag cushion 100, thereby more stably restraining the movement of an occupant's head.

[0066] The attachment point at which the second tether strap 300 is attached to the backrest 10 may be freely changeable depending on the position in which the second tether strap 300 is bent or depending on the position in which an occupant is restrained.

[0067] A description will now be given of an operation in which the center side airbag expands or deploys using the airbag device according to the present disclosure.

[0068] After activation of the airbag and thus the expansion or deployment of the airbag cushion 100, the first tether 200 can initially be positioned on a path defined by the first through-hole 110 and the second through-hole 120, thereby preventing initial movement of the airbag cushion 100 upon expansion of the airbag cushion 100.

[0069] Subsequently, when the airbag cushion 100 fully expands, the second tether 300 attached to the upper portion of the seatback 10 may pull the first tether 200 rearward to prevent movement of the airbag cushion 100 in the forward and rearward directions.

[0070] As described above, according to the present disclosure, the first tether 200 extending from the lower portion of the seat back 10 through the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 can support the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100, and the second tether 300 connected to the first tether 200 at the upper portion of the seat back 10 can support the first tether 200 in the state where the lower portion of the airbag cushion 100 is attached to the lower portion of the seat back 10.

[0071] Consequently, since the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 can be stably held by the first tether 200 and the second tether 300, it is possible not only to prevent rotation of the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 in a right-and-left direction and / or in a front-and-back direction during expansion of the airbag cushion 100 to reduce the difference in expansion between the upper and lower portions of the airbag cushion 100, but also to more effectively restrain the head of an occupant to safely protect the occupant.

[0072] As can be seen from the above description, the present disclosure provides advantages in that the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 is stably supported by the first tether 200 and the second tether 300, not only to prevent rotation of the upper portion of the airbag cushion 100 in a right-and-left direction and / or in a front-and-back direction during expansion of the airbag cushion 100, to reduce a difference in expansion between the upper and lower portions of the airbag cushion 100, but also to more effectively restrain the head of an occupant to safely protect the occupant.

[0073] Effects that can be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects of the present invention not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the following descriptions.

[0074] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can be embodied in various other embodiments without changing the technical ideas or features thereof. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] KR 10-2024-0089898

[0001]

Claims

[1] Airbag device, comprising: an airbag cushion configured to expand on a side surface of a seat back; a first tether extending through an upper portion of the airbag cushion from a lower portion of the seatback to form a loop; and a second tether strap connected to the first tether strap and extending through the airbag cushion at an upper portion of the seatback. [2] The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein two end portions of the first tether are fixed to the lower portion of the seat back, and one end portion of the second tether is fixed to the upper portion of the seat back, so that the first tether and the second tether are fixed to the upper and lower portions of the seat back at three points to support the airbag cushion. [3] The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the seat back has a plurality of inflation ports, and a plurality of through holes are arranged in the upper portion of the airbag cushion in a front and rear direction such that the first tether extends through one or more of the plurality of through holes and is attached to one or more of the plurality of inflation ports. [4] The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a first through-hole is disposed in a front end portion of the airbag cushion, and the first tether extends through the first through-hole. [5] The airbag device according to claim 4, wherein a second through-hole is disposed in a central portion of the airbag cushion, and the first tether extends sequentially through the first through-hole and the second through-hole and is fixed to the lower portion of the seat back. [6] The airbag device according to claim 5, wherein the first tether comprises: a first portion connected between a first inflation port disposed at the lower portion of the seat back and the second through hole; a second portion connected between the second through-hole and the first through-hole; and a third portion connected between the first through-hole and a second inflation port disposed adjacent to the first inflation port. [7] The airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the second tether is directly connected to the first portion of the first tether. [8] The airbag device according to claim 5, wherein a point at which the second tether is attached to the seat back is higher than the first through-hole and the second through-hole. [9] The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the second tether is connected to the first tether extending from an inner side surface of the airbag cushion. [10] The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a third through-hole is disposed in a rear end portion of the airbag cushion, and the second tether extends through the third through-hole.

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