Seat-belt airbag

Abstract

To provide a seat-belt airbag for ensuring a protective area for an occupant by adjusting depending on seating arrangement, a deployed shape of an airbag cushion deployed at a seat belt.SOLUTION: A seat-belt airbag includes: a diaphragm configured to divide an internal space of an airbag cushion, which is deployed from a seat belt, into a first chamber and a second chamber; a first support part formed into a shape spreading toward a front side of an occupant at a lower side of the first chamber, and supported by thighs of an occupant; a second support part formed into a shape spreading toward the occupant at an upper side of the second chamber and supporting a head of the occupant; and deployment adjusting means for adjusting, according to a seat arrangement, a deployment procedure of the first chamber and the second chamber. The first support part is formed such that a bottom surface of the first chamber spreads laterally toward the front side of the occupant in an occupant direction, and the second support part is formed such that a top surface of the second chamber spreads laterally toward the occupant in front of the occupant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat belt airbag, and more particularly to a seat belt airbag that ensures a protection area for an occupant by adjusting the deployed shape of an airbag cushion deployed by a seat belt in accordance with the arrangement of seats. [Background technology]

[0002] An airbag operates by filling an airbag cushion with high-pressure gas generated by an inflator to absorb the impact on the body of an occupant or restrain the movement of the body during a vehicle collision. An airbag module is comprised of an inflator that generates gas, an airbag cushion that is filled with gas to restrain and protect an occupant, and a housing or mounting plate that contains and fixes the inflator and the airbag cushion. Such an airbag module is installed in a location where it can be fixed sufficiently firmly, such as the armature of a steering wheel or a cowl cross bar. However, since it is necessary to secure a space for installing the airbag and a path for deploying the cushion, there is a problem that the freedom of interior design is restricted. In addition, it is difficult to accommodate changes in interior structure, seating posture, and seat position, and there are large differences in the protection area depending on the driver's gender and age, making it difficult to ensure excellent protection performance in various situations. The matters described above as the background art are intended to provide an understanding of the background of the present invention, and should not be accepted as constituting prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0000128 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a seat belt airbag that ensures a protective area for the occupant by adjusting the deployed shape of the airbag cushion that is deployed by the seat belt in accordance with the seat arrangement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The configuration of the present invention to achieve the above-mentioned object may include a partition that divides the internal space of the airbag cushion deployed by a seat belt into a first chamber and a second chamber, a first support portion formed in a shape that expands toward the front of the occupant at the lower part of the first chamber and is supported by the occupant's thighs, a second support portion formed in a shape that expands toward the occupant at the upper part of the second chamber and is supported by the occupant's head, and a deployment adjustment means that adjusts the deployment operation of the first chamber and the second chamber in accordance with the arrangement of the seats. The first support portion may be formed such that a bottom surface of the first chamber widens left and right in a direction forward of the occupant in the occupant direction. The second support portion may be formed such that an upper surface of the second chamber widens left and right toward the occupant in front of the occupant. The diaphragm may be defined diagonally between a front end of the first support portion and a rear end of the second support portion. Both sides of the diaphragm may be fixed to a corner where a rear side region connecting upward on both sides of the first support portion and a front side region connecting downward on both sides of the second support portion intersect. The gap between the diaphragm and the front end of the first support, and the gap between the diaphragm and the rear end of the second support may be configured so that the flow rate of gas passing therethrough is less than a certain amount.

[0006] The deployment adjustment means may include a first inflator and a second inflator that supply gas to the first chamber and the second chamber respectively, and a controller that controls the first inflator and the second inflator to be selectively activated depending on the seat position. A diffuser communicating with the first chamber may be provided at the gas inlet of the airbag cushion, and gas from the first inflator may flow into the first chamber via the diffuser. A gas hose communicating with the second chamber may be provided at the gas inlet of the airbag cushion, and gas from the second inflator may flow into the second chamber via the gas hose. The diffuser may have an outlet port communicating with the first chamber, and the gas hose may pass through the diffuser and be connected to communicate with the second chamber. The controller may control the first inflator to be activated when a protection condition for the legs of an occupant is satisfied based on a signal from a seat position sensor, and may control the second inflator to be activated when a protection condition for the head of an occupant is satisfied.

[0007] The deployment adjusting means may include an active vent formed in the diaphragm as a hole, a tether having one end connected to the active vent and configured to close the active vent when the tether is pulled in a direction in which the airbag cushion is deployed to generate tension, an active actuator connected to the other end of the tether to generate tension in the tether and to be disconnected from the tether to release the tension, and a controller configured to selectively operate the active actuator according to a seat position. The tether may be wound around an edge of the active vent, and the tether may tighten around the edge of the active vent due to the tension generated in the tether to close the active vent. A diffuser may be fixed to the inner surface of the gas inlet of the airbag cushion, a hit shield may be fixed to the inner surface of the diffuser, a slit may be formed in the diffuser overlapping with the hit shield, and the tether may be connected between the hit shield and the diffuser and through the slit. The distance between the end of the hit shield and the slit may be equal to or greater than a certain length.

[0008] The inflator, the hit shield, and the diffuser may be fastened together by a fastener, and the slit may be formed between a fastening point at which the gas inlet and the diffuser are fixed, and a fastening point of the fastener. The controller may control the active actuator not to operate when a protection condition for the legs of an occupant is satisfied, and may control the active actuator to operate when a protection condition for the head of an occupant is satisfied, based on a signal from the seat position sensor. The deployment adjustment means may include an active vent formed in the diaphragm as a hole, a tether having one end connected to the active vent and pulled in the direction in which the airbag cushion deploys when the airbag cushion deploys, and a tether fixing part to which the other end of the tether is always fixed and whose position does not change when the seat arrangement is changed, and a slack length of the tether extending from the tether fixing part to the active vent may be formed so that when the seat arrangement is switched to one that satisfies the protection conditions for the occupant's legs, the tether is pulled to a length that closes the active vent, and when the seat arrangement is switched to one that satisfies the protection conditions for the occupant's head, the tether is pulled to a length that keeps the active vent open. Effect of the Invention

[0009] As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention has an advantage that the airbag cushion can be deployed in a shape optimized for a collision situation by varying the deployment and deployment time of the first and second chambers partitioned in front and behind the airbag cushion according to the arrangement of the seats, thereby stably securing the protection area of ​​the occupant. Furthermore, by deploying the first chamber in a shape that spreads out toward the front of the occupant, the airbag cushion is supported by the thighs of the occupant, which has the effect of stably restraining the upper body of the occupant, and by deploying the second chamber in a shape that spreads out toward the occupant, the area in which the occupant's head is supported is expanded, thereby safely protecting the occupant. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which an airbag cushion is deployed with an occupant seated in the seat according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a view showing an embodiment in which a partition is provided inside an airbag cushion partitioned into a first chamber and a second chamber according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram showing a first panel and a second panel that constitute the airbag cushion of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a diagram showing a first panel and a second panel that constitute the airbag cushion of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining an operation in which gas is supplied into the first and second chambers by the first and second inflators according to the present invention. [Figure 7] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining an operation in which gas is supplied into the first chamber by the first inflator according to the present invention. [Figure 8] 6A to 6C are diagrams for explaining an operation in which gas is supplied into the second chamber by the second inflator according to the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration in which an active vent is formed in a diaphragm according to the present invention. [Figure 10] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an operation in which the active vent is closed and gas is supplied into the first chamber according to the present invention. [Figure 11] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating the shape of an active vent with a tether wound therearound according to the present invention; [Figure 12] 11A to 11C are views for explaining an operation in which an active vent is opened and gas is supplied into the first and second chambers according to the present invention. [Figure 13] 1 is a diagram showing a structure in which a tether is fixed to a tether fixing part according to the present invention; [Figure 14]FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the length of the tether when switching to a seat arrangement that satisfies the protection conditions for the legs of an occupant in the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the length of the tether when the seat arrangement is switched to one that satisfies the conditions for protecting the head of an occupant in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, the embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Regardless of the drawing numbers, the same or similar components will be given the same reference numbers, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted. The suffixes "module" and "section" for components used in the following description are given or mixed together only to facilitate the writing of the specification, and do not have any distinct meanings or roles in themselves. In describing the embodiments disclosed herein, if it is determined that a detailed description of related publicly known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the attached drawings are for easily understanding the embodiments disclosed herein, and the technical ideas disclosed herein are not limited by the attached drawings, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives included in the ideas and technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another. When an element is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another element, it should be understood that it may be directly coupled or connected to the other element, but that there may also be other elements between them. On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements between them. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context. As used herein, terms such as "comprise" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described herein, but should be understood as not precluding the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. The controller may include a communication device that communicates with other controllers and sensors to control the functions it is responsible for, a memory that stores an operating system, logic commands, input / output information, etc., and one or more processors that perform judgments, calculations, decisions, etc. necessary to control the functions it is responsible for.

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The seatbelt airbag of the present invention includes a partition 200 that divides the internal space of an airbag cushion 100, which is deployed by a seatbelt 10, into a first chamber 100a and a second chamber 100b, a first support part 110 that is formed in a shape that expands toward the front of the occupant at the lower part of the first chamber 100a and supports the thighs of the occupant, a second support part 120 that is formed in a shape that expands toward the occupant at the upper part of the second chamber 100b and supports the head of the occupant, and a deployment adjustment means that adjusts the deployment operation of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b in accordance with the seat arrangement. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, in a seat arrangement in which occupants are seated facing each other, there is no structure in front of the occupants to mount an airbag, so it is necessary to deploy an airbag cushion 100 in front of the occupants to protect them. In addition, in a seat arrangement in which there is a partition in front of the occupant, in order to prevent the occupant from colliding hard against the partition, it is necessary to protect the occupant by deploying an airbag cushion 100 with sufficient volume between the occupant and the partition.

[0014] As a result, in the present invention, the airbag cushion 100 is configured to deploy from the lap webbing 11 of the seat belt 10 that surrounds the waist of the occupant, so that the airbag cushion 100 deploys in front of the occupant to protect the occupant. The airbag cushion 100 has an internal space divided into front and rear spaces by a partition 200. Thus, a first chamber 100a is formed at the rear of the airbag cushion 100, and a second chamber 100b is formed at the front of the airbag cushion 100. In particular, the lower portion of the first chamber 100a is deployed in a shape that spreads out toward the front of the occupant, so that the widely deployed portion of the airbag cushion 100 is supported by the thighs of the occupant. Therefore, the airbag cushion 100 can be prevented from slipping out between the legs of the occupant, and the occupant can be safely protected in a seat arrangement in which the occupants are seated facing each other. Furthermore, the upper part of the second chamber 100b is deployed in a shape that spreads out toward the occupant, so that the occupant's head is supported by the widely deployed portion of the airbag cushion 100, thereby protecting the occupant. As such, the primary protection area for the occupant differs depending on the seat arrangement, so it is necessary to provide the occupant with protection performance suited to the collision situation.

[0015] Therefore, in a seat arrangement that satisfies the conditions for protecting the occupant's legs, the first chamber 100a is deployed prior to the second chamber 100b, and in a seat arrangement that satisfies the conditions for protecting the occupant's head, the second chamber 100b is deployed prior to the first chamber 100a, thereby enabling the airbag cushion 100 to be deployed in a manner appropriate to the collision situation, thereby safely protecting the occupant. In the present invention, the first support portion 110 may be formed such that a bottom surface of the first chamber 100a widens left and right toward the front of the occupant in the occupant direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a first support portion 110 formed on the bottom surface of the first chamber 100a is supported by the thighs of an occupant. Specifically, when a collision occurs, the seat belt 10 primarily restrains the body of the occupant. That is, the upper body of the occupant rotates forward around the pelvis, which is close to the center of gravity of the body, and the rotational movement of the upper body of the occupant can be restrained by the airbag cushion 100. In this case, when the upper body is restrained, the airbag cushion 100 must provide sufficient support and must not lose restraining force due to side-to-side swaying. In particular, since there is a possibility that the occupant's knees will spread apart when a collision occurs, it is advantageous for the bottom surface of the airbag cushion 100 to be formed in a shape that spreads out the further forward from the pelvis.

[0016] Therefore, the present invention prevents the airbag cushion 100 from slipping out between the knees or swaying from side to side by expanding the bottom surface of the first chamber 100a widely toward the knees, and provides stronger support by providing a restraining force in the part far from the center of rotation. Further, the second support portion 120 may be formed such that the upper surface of the second chamber 100b widens left and right toward the occupant in front of the occupant to support the head of the occupant. Specifically, when a collision occurs with a structure in front of the occupant, the occupant's upper body rotates, increasing the risk of the occupant's head colliding with the structure, so airbag cushion 100 must be deployed in the space between the structure and the head to prevent the head from colliding with the structure. As a result, the front-to-rear length of the airbag cushion 100 is maintained, but by forming the rear surface of the airbag cushion 100 with which the occupant's head comes into contact broadly on both sides, the airbag cushion 100 can stably restrain the occupant's head even if the upper body partially sways left and right.

[0017] In addition, by forming the airbag cushion 100 in a shape that tapers toward the front of the occupant in the occupant direction, a sufficient protective area can be provided and the overall volume of the airbag cushion 100 can be reduced. This reduces the size of the airbag cushion 100, thereby preventing the comfort of the seat belt 10 from decreasing when the airbag cushion 100 is stored in the seat belt 10, and reducing the capacity of the inflator 300. Meanwhile, in the present invention, the partition 200 may be obliquely partitioned between the front end of the first support portion 110 and the rear end of the second support portion 120. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper end of the diaphragm 200 contacts the rear corner of the second support part 120 where the occupant's head is supported, and the lower end of the diaphragm 200 contacts the front corner of the first support part 110 where the occupant's knees are supported. Accordingly, the diaphragm 200 extends in an inclined manner from a front lower end to a rear upper end inside the airbag cushion 100, thereby partitioning the internal space of the airbag cushion 100. Further, both sides of the diaphragm 200 may be fixed to a corner where a rear side region b2 connecting upward on both sides of the first support portion 110 and a front side region a2 connecting downward on both sides of the second support portion 120 intersect.

[0018] 2, 4 and 5, the front region a1 of the airbag cushion 100 facing forward of the occupant is formed in the shape of a right-angled triangle, the front side region a2 is connected to the left and right hypotenuses of the front region a1, respectively, a folding line FL is formed at the portion where the front region a1 and the front side region a2 are connected, and the front side region a2 is folded relative to the front region a1 based on the folding line FL. In addition, the bottom side of the front region a1 is connected to the bottom side of the bottom region a3, and a folding line FL is formed at the portion where the front region a1 and the bottom region a3 are connected, and the bottom region a3 is folded relative to the front region a1 based on the folding line FL. Furthermore, the rear region b1 of the airbag cushion 100 facing the occupant is formed into the shape of an inverted right-angled triangle, the rear side region b2 is connected to the left and right hypotenuses of the rear region b1, respectively, a folding line FL is formed at the portion where the rear region b1 and the rear side region b2 are connected, and the rear side region b2 is folded relative to the rear region b1 based on the folding line FL.

[0019] In addition, the bottom side of the rear region b1 is connected to the bottom side of the upper region b3, and a folding line FL is formed at the portion where the rear region b1 and the upper region b3 are connected, and the upper region b3 is folded relative to the rear region b1 based on the folding line FL. In addition, the other oblique side of the front side region a2 and the other oblique side of the rear side region b2 are connected by sewing, the bottom sides of the front side regions a2 on both sides and the oblique sides of the top region b3 are connected by sewing, and the bottom sides of the rear side regions b2 on both sides and the oblique sides of the bottom region a3 are connected by sewing, thereby realizing the shape of the airbag cushion 100. In particular, the left and right sides of the diaphragm 200 are sewn along the portions where the other oblique side of the front side region a2 and the other oblique side of the rear side region b2 are sewn, so that the diaphragm 200 diagonally divides the internal space of the airbag cushion 100. The diaphragm 200 is sewn together with the rear side region b2 and the front side region a2 when sewing them, so that sewing just for fixing the diaphragm 200 is not required.

[0020] Furthermore, the gap between the barrier 200 and the front end of the first support 110 and the gap between the barrier 200 and the rear end of the second support 120 may be configured so that the flow rate of gas passing through the gap is less than a certain amount. That is, the dividing membrane 200 is fixed to both sides of the inner surface of the airbag cushion 100 by sewing both sides of the dividing membrane 200, but the upper and lower ends of the dividing membrane 200 are not sewn to the airbag cushion 100, and a gap may form between the dividing membrane 200 and the inner surface of the airbag cushion 100. This may cause gas to flow through the gap between the upper and lower ends of the membrane 200 . However, since a narrow gap may be formed at the upper and lower ends of the membrane 200, restricting the amount of gas flow, in some cases, the upper and lower ends of the membrane 200 may be sewn to the inner surface of the airbag cushion in order to ensure airtightness. Meanwhile, as a first embodiment of the deployment adjusting means of the present invention, the deployment operation of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b can be adjusted using an inflator.

[0021] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the deployment adjustment means of the present invention includes a first inflator 300a and a second inflator 300b that supply gas to the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b respectively, and a controller C that controls the first inflator 300a and the second inflator 300b to selectively activate them depending on the seat position. For example, the first inflator 300a and the second inflator 300b may provide gas to the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b via different paths. This allows the deployment sequence of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b to be adjusted by either activating the first inflator 300a and the second inflator 300b simultaneously or by selecting and activating only one of them depending on the seat arrangement.

[0022] Furthermore, a diffuser 140 communicating with the first chamber 100a may be provided at the gas inlet 130 of the airbag cushion 100, so that gas from the first inflator 300a flows into the first chamber 100a via the diffuser 140, and a gas hose 150 communicating with the second chamber 100b may be provided at the gas inlet 130 of the airbag cushion 100, so that gas from the second inflator 300b flows into the second chamber 100b via the gas hose 150. Also, the diffuser 140 may be formed with an outlet 141 communicating with the first chamber 100a, and the gas hose 150 may be connected to pass through the diffuser 140 and communicate with the second chamber 100b. For example, a first inflator 300 a and a second inflator 300 b may be coupled to the diffuser 140 . Further, a discharge port 141 is formed in the diffuser 140 facing the airbag cushion 100, and the discharge port 141 is formed so as to be capable of communicating with the first chamber 100a. As a result, the gas generated in the first inflator 300a moves along the diffuser 140 and is supplied into the first chamber 100a through the discharge port 141 formed in the diffuser 140. One end of a gas hose 150 is connected to the second inflator 300b, and the other end of the gas hose 150 passes through the diffuser 140 and is connected to the first chamber 100a so as to be able to communicate with the first chamber 100a.

[0023] For this purpose, the other end of the gas hose 150 may be connected in a manner that it enters into the second chamber 100b through a gap formed at the lower end of the partition wall, or may be connected in a manner that it penetrates the partition wall and enters into the second chamber 100b. As a result, the gas generated in the second inflator 300b moves along the gas hose 150 and is supplied into the second chamber 100b. Furthermore, the controller C may control the first inflator 300a to be activated when a protection condition for the occupant's legs is satisfied based on a signal from the seat position sensor 400, and may control the second inflator 300b to be activated when a protection condition for the occupant's head is satisfied. In other words, the seat position sensor 400 can detect the rotation angle of the seat around the "Z" axis, so that, based on the signal detected by the seat position sensor 400, it is possible to determine whether the seat arrangement is such that the occupants are seated facing each other, or such that the seat arrangement is such that the occupants are seated facing a partition.

[0024] First, in a seat arrangement in which the occupants are seated facing each other, by activating only the first inflator 300a as shown in FIG. 7, the first chamber 100a is first deployed, and then the gas filled in the first chamber 100a moves to the second chamber 100b, which then deploys the second chamber 100b. As a result, the first chamber 100a inflates and deploys before the second chamber 100b, and in particular the lower end of the first chamber 100a deploys in a shape that spreads out toward the front of the occupant, so that the first support portion 110 of the first chamber 100a is supported by the thighs of the occupant, thereby stably restraining the upper body of the occupant. Furthermore, in a seat arrangement in which the occupants face vehicle structures such as a bulkhead, by activating only the second inflator 300b as shown in FIG. 8, the second chamber 100b is deployed first, and then the gas filled in the second chamber 100b moves to the first chamber 100a, which then deploys the first chamber 100a. As a result, the second chamber 100b inflates and deploys before the first chamber 100a, and in particular the upper end of the second chamber 100b deploys in a shape that widens toward the occupant's head, so that the occupant's head is supported by the second support portion 120 of the second chamber 100b, thereby safely protecting the occupant's head.

[0025] Meanwhile, as a second embodiment of the deployment adjusting means of the present invention, the deployment operation of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b can be adjusted using a tether 230 and an active vent 210. 9 to 11, the deployment adjusting means includes an active vent 210 formed in the diaphragm 200 as a hole, a tether 230 having one end connected to the active vent 210 and configured to close the active vent 210 when the tether 230 is pulled in the direction in which the airbag cushion 100 deploys and generates tension when the airbag cushion 100 deploys, an active actuator 240 connected to the other end of the tether 230 and configured to generate tension in the tether 230 and to be disconnected from the tether 230 to release the tension, and a controller C configured to selectively operate the active actuator 240 according to the seat position. For example, a single inflator 300 may be connected to the diffuser 140 . Further, a discharge port 141 is formed in the diffuser 140 facing the airbag cushion 100, and the discharge port 141 is formed so as to be capable of communicating with the first chamber 100a. As a result, the gas generated in the inflator 300 moves along the diffuser 140 and is supplied into the first chamber 100a through the discharge port 141 formed in the diffuser 140. In particular, an active vent 210 may be formed in the membrane 200 , and a normal vent 220 may be further formed in the membrane 200 located above the active vent 210 .

[0026] In addition, one end of the tether 230 may be connected to the active vent 210, and the other end of the tether 230 may be hung in the form of a ring on the active actuator 240. In this case, the tether 230 may pass through the outlet 141 of the diffuser 140 and be connected to the active vent 210 and the active actuator 240. Additionally, active actuator 240 may be actuated to either keep the other end of tether 230 in a tethered state or to release tether 230 . That is, depending on whether the active actuator 240 is activated, tension may be formed in the tether 230 and gas may be supplied to the first chamber 100a with the active vent 210 closed, or tension may not be formed in the tether 230 and gas may be supplied to the first chamber 100a with the active vent 210 open. Thus, by selectively operating the active actuator 240 according to the seat arrangement, the deployment operation of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b can be adjusted. Further, in the present invention, the tether 230 may be wrapped around the edge of the active vent 210, and tension formed in the tether 230 causes the tether 230 to tighten around the edge of the active vent 210, closing the active vent 210.

[0027] 10 and 11, the tether 230 is wound around the outer wall 211 in a sewn manner while one end of the tether 230 is fixed to the outer wall 211 forming the hole of the active vent 210. In addition, the tether 230 wound around the outer wall 211 exits through a passage hole 212 formed in the outer wall 211 to form the active vent 210. As a result, when the active vent 210 moves away from the active actuator 240 due to the gas pressure generated when the airbag cushion 100 is deployed, the tether 230 is pulled, creating tension, and the tether 230 wound around the outer wall 211 tightens around the outer wall 211, closing the active vent 210. Furthermore, in the present invention, a diffuser 140 may be fixed to the inner surface of the gas inlet 130 of the airbag cushion 100, a hit shield 160 may be fixed to the inner surface of the diffuser 140, a slit 142 may be formed in the diffuser 140 overlapping with the hit shield 160, and the tether 230 may be connected between the hit shield 160 and the diffuser 140 and by passing through the slit 142.

[0028] Explaining with reference to FIGS. 10 and 12, slits 142 are formed in diffuser 140, and hit shield 160 is fixed to diffuser 140 in a shape that blocks slits 142 with the inner surface of diffuser 140. As a result, the tether 230 extending from the active vent 210 passes between the slit 142 and the hit shield 160 , passes through the slit 142 , exits the diffuser 140 , and is connected to the active actuator 240 . That is, since the hit shield 160 blocks the slit 142, the path along which the gas of the inflator 300 extends to the slit 142 is formed in a complex manner. This allows the outflow of gas through the slits 142 to be minimized even when the tether 230 passes through the slits 142 . Furthermore, the distance between the end of the hit shield 160 and the slit 142 may be greater than or equal to a certain length. Also, the inflator 300, the hit shield 160, and the diffuser 140 may be fastened together by a fastener 170, and the slit 142 may be formed between a fixing point P1 at which the gas inlet 130 and the diffuser 140 are fixed, and a fastening point P2 of the fastener 170. The fastener 170 may be a clamp.

[0029] For example, the distance between the slit 142 and the end of the hit shield 160 is at least 10 mm. In addition, a slit 142 is formed in the section between the point where the airbag cushion 100 and the diffuser 140 are sewn together and the point where the clamp is fastened, thereby forming a path for the gas of the inflator 300 to extend to the slit 142 as long as possible, thereby minimizing gas leakage. Furthermore, the controller C may control the active actuator 240 not to operate when a protection condition for the occupant's legs is satisfied based on the signal from the seat position sensor 400, and may control the active actuator 240 to operate when a protection condition for the occupant's head is satisfied. First, in a seat arrangement in which the occupants are seated facing each other, the active actuator 240 is not activated as shown in FIG. 10, so that the tether 230 can be maintained in a fixed state. As a result, when gas provided by the inflator 300 fills the first chamber 100a and inflates it, the distance between the active vent 210 and the active actuator 240 increases, tension is generated in the tether 230, and in the process, the active vent 210 is closed.

[0030] The amount of gas transmitted from the first chamber 100a to the second chamber 100b is reduced, and the first chamber 100a is inflated and deployed before the second chamber 100b. In particular, the lower end of the first chamber 100a is deployed in a shape that spreads out toward the front of the occupant, so that the first support portion 110 of the first chamber 100a is supported by the thighs of the occupant, thereby stably restraining the upper body of the occupant. Furthermore, in a seat arrangement in which the occupant faces a vehicle structure such as a bulkhead, the tether 230 can be released by activating the active actuator 240 as shown in FIG. When gas provided from the inflator 300 fills the first chamber 100a and inflates it, tension is not formed in the tether 230, so the tether 230 cannot pull the active vent 210, and as a result, gas is filled in the active vent 210 with the active vent 210 open. Therefore, the amount of gas transmitted from the first chamber 100a to the second chamber 100b increases, and the second chamber 100b easily expands. In particular, the upper end of the second chamber 100b expands in a shape that widens toward the occupant's head, so that the occupant's head is supported by the second support portion 120 of the second chamber 100b, thereby safely protecting the occupant's head.

[0031] Meanwhile, in a third embodiment of the deployment adjusting means of the present invention, the deployment operation of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b can be adjusted by changing the slack length of the tether 230. 13 to 15, the deployment adjustment means includes an active vent 210 formed in the diaphragm 200 as a hole, a tether 230 having one end connected to the active vent 210 and being pulled in the direction in which the airbag cushion 100 deploys when the airbag cushion 100 deploys, and a tether fixing part 250 to which the other end of the tether 230 is always fixed and whose position does not change when the seat arrangement is changed, and the tether 230 may have an excess length extending from the tether fixing part 250 to the active vent 210 such that the tether 230 is pulled to close the active vent 210 when the seat arrangement is switched to one that satisfies the protection conditions for the legs of the occupant, and that the tether 230 is pulled to maintain the active vent 210 in an open state when the seat arrangement is switched to one that satisfies the protection conditions for the head of the occupant. That is, in FIG. 10, an active actuator 240 is used to release the tether 230, but in FIG. 13, a tether fixing part 250 is used instead of the active actuator 240 so that the other end of the tether 230 is always kept fixed to the tether fixing part 250.

[0032] Further, the seat has a center of rotation that serves as a reference for rotation, and the seat always rotates around this center of rotation. The tether fixing part 250 is located at a specific position based on the center of rotation of the seat, and the positions of the center of rotation of the seat and the tether fixing part 250 do not change when the seat rotates, so the positional relationship between the tether fixing part 250 and the center of rotation of the seat is fixed. For reference, even if the position of the seat changes forward / backward or left / right, the seat moves while maintaining the positional relationship between the center of rotation and the tether fixing part 250. As a result, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, when the seat rotates to switch between a state facing the front and a state facing the rear of the vehicle, the position of the tether fixing part 250 to which the other end of the tether 230 is fixed does not change, while the position of one end of the tether 230 connected to the inflator 300 side changes, and therefore the length of the tether 230 extending from the tether fixing part 250 to the active vent 210 also changes. The airbag cushion 100 is deployed with the active vent 210 in an open or closed state according to the seat arrangement caused by the rotation of the seat, and the deployment operation of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b can be adjusted.

[0033] Specifically, in a seat arrangement in which the occupants are seated facing each other, as shown in FIG. 14, the slack length of the tether 230 extending from the tether fixing portion 250 to the active vent 210 is relatively short, so there is no slack in the length of the tether 230. As a result, when gas provided by the inflator 300 fills the first chamber 100a and inflates it, the distance between the active vent 210 and the tether fixing portion 250 increases, tension is generated in the tether 230, and in the process, the active vent 210 is closed. As a result, the amount of gas transmitted from the first chamber 100a to the second chamber 100b is reduced, and the first chamber 100a is inflated and deployed before the second chamber 100b. In particular, the lower end of the first chamber 100a is deployed in a shape that spreads out toward the front of the occupant, so that the first support portion 110 of the first chamber 100a is supported by the thighs of the occupant, thereby stably restraining the upper body of the occupant.

[0034] Furthermore, in a seat arrangement in which the occupants face a vehicle structure such as a bulkhead, as shown in FIG. 15, the tether 230 has a relatively long slack length extending from the tether fixing portion 250 to the active vent 210, so that the tether 230 has a slack length. As a result, when gas provided from the inflator 300 fills and inflates the first chamber 100a, tension is not formed in the tether 230 because the distance between the active vent 210 and the tether fixing portion 250 is short, and the active vent 210 cannot be pulled and tightened by the tether 230, so gas is filled with the active vent 210 open. Therefore, the amount of gas transmitted from the first chamber 100a to the second chamber 100b increases, and the second chamber 100b easily expands. In particular, the upper end of the second chamber 100b expands in a shape that widens toward the occupant's head, so that the occupant's head is supported by the second support portion 120 of the second chamber 100b, thereby safely protecting the occupant's head.

[0035] In this way, the present invention deploys the airbag cushion 100 by varying whether or not to deploy and the deployment time of the first chamber 100a and the second chamber 100b partitioned into the front and rear of the airbag cushion 100 according to the seat arrangement, thereby making it possible to deploy the airbag cushion 100 in a shape optimized for the collision situation, and thereby making it possible to stably secure a protection area for the occupant regardless of the seating position of the occupant and the type of occupant. Furthermore, as the lower end of the first chamber 100a is deployed in a shape that spreads out toward the front of the occupant, the airbag cushion 100 is supported by the thighs of the occupant and stably restrains the upper body of the occupant, and as the upper end of the second chamber 100b is deployed in a shape that spreads out toward the occupant, the area over which the occupant's head is supported is expanded, thereby safely protecting the occupant. Meanwhile, the present invention has been described in detail only with reference to the above specific examples, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, and it goes without saying that such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 10. Seatbelts 11 Wrap Webbing 100 Airbag Cushion 100a First chamber 100b Second chamber 110 1st support part 120 Second support part 130 Gas inlet 140 Diffuser 141 Discharge port 142 Slit 150 Gas Hose 160 Hit Shield 170 Fasteners 200 Diaphragm 210 Active Vent 211 Exterior Wall 212 Passing hole 220 Vent 230 Tether 240 Active Actuator 250 Tether fixing part 300 Inflator 300a First Inflator 300b Second Inflator 400 Seat Position Sensor C Controller P1 fixed point P2 Binding point a1 front area a2 front side area a3 bottom area b1 rear area b2 rear side area b3 top area

Claims

1. A partition that divides an internal space of an airbag cushion deployed by a seat belt into a first chamber and a second chamber; a first support portion formed in a lower portion of the first chamber and having a shape expanding toward the front of the occupant and supported by the thighs of the occupant; a second support portion formed in an upper portion of the second chamber and having a shape expanding toward the occupant, the second support portion supporting the head of the occupant; A seat belt airbag comprising: a deployment adjustment means for adjusting the deployment of a first chamber and a second chamber in accordance with a seat arrangement.

2. The seat belt airbag according to claim 1, wherein the first support portion is formed such that a bottom surface of the first chamber is widened on both sides toward the front of the occupant in the occupant direction.

3. The seat belt airbag according to claim 1, wherein the second support portion is formed such that an upper surface of the second chamber is widened in both left and right directions toward the occupant in front of the occupant.

4. 2. The seat belt airbag according to claim 1, wherein the partition is defined obliquely between a front end of the first support portion and a rear end of the second support portion.

5. 2. The seat belt airbag according to claim 1, wherein both sides of the diaphragm are fixed to a corner where a rear side region that is connected upward on both sides of the first support portion intersects with a front side region that is connected downward on both sides of the second support portion.

6. 5. The seat belt airbag according to claim 4, characterized in that the amount of gas passing between the partition and the front end of the first support portion, and between the partition and the rear end of the second support portion, is configured to be less than a certain amount.

7. The deployment adjustment means is a first inflator and a second inflator for supplying gas to the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively; 2. The seat belt airbag according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for selectively controlling the activation of the first inflator and the second inflator in response to a seat position.

8. A diffuser communicating with the first chamber is provided at the gas inlet of the airbag cushion, and gas from the first inflator flows into the first chamber through the diffuser; 8. The seat belt airbag according to claim 7, wherein a gas hose communicating with the second chamber is provided at the gas inlet of the airbag cushion, and gas from the second inflator flows into the second chamber through the gas hose.

9. The diffuser is formed with a discharge port communicating with the first chamber; 9. The seat belt airbag according to claim 8, wherein the gas hose passes through a diffuser and is connected to communicate with the second chamber.

10. The controller includes: a control unit that controls the first inflator to be activated when a protection condition for the legs of an occupant is satisfied based on a signal from a seat position sensor; 8. The seat belt airbag according to claim 7, wherein the second inflator is controlled to be activated when a condition for protecting the head of an occupant is satisfied.

11. The deployment adjustment means is An active vent formed as a hole in the diaphragm; a tether having one end connected to the active vent and configured to close the active vent when tension is generated by pulling the tether in a direction in which the airbag cushion is deployed when the airbag cushion is deployed; an active actuator connected to the other end of the tether to create tension in the tether and to release the tension by being actuated to be disconnected from the tether; 2. The seat belt airbag of claim 1, further comprising a controller for selectively controlling the active actuator to be activated in response to a seat position.

12. 12. The seat belt airbag of claim 11, wherein the tether is wrapped around an edge of the active vent, such that tension created in the tether causes the tether to tighten around the edge of the active vent, closing the active vent.

13. A diffuser is fixed to an inner surface of the gas inlet of the airbag cushion, A hit shield is fixed to an inner surface of the diffuser, A slit is formed in the diffuser overlapping with the hit shield, 12. The seat belt airbag according to claim 11, wherein the tether is connected between the hit shield and the diffuser and through a slit.

14. The seat belt airbag according to claim 13, wherein a distance between the end of the hit shield and the slit is equal to or greater than a certain length.

15. The inflator, the hit shield, and the diffuser are fastened together by fasteners, 14. The seat belt airbag according to claim 13, wherein the slit is formed between a fixing point where the gas inlet and the diffuser are fixed and a fastening point of a fastener.

16. The controller includes: The seat position sensor signal is used to control the active actuator so that it will not operate when the conditions for protecting the legs of the occupant are met.

12. The seat belt airbag according to claim 11, wherein the active actuator is controlled to be activated when a protection condition for the head of an occupant is satisfied.

17. The deployment adjustment means is An active vent formed as a hole in the diaphragm; a tether having one end connected to the active vent and capable of being pulled in a direction in which the airbag cushion is deployed when the airbag cushion is deployed; a tether fixing portion to which the other end of the tether is always fixed and whose position does not change when the seat arrangement is changed; The slack length of the tether extending from the tether fixing portion to the active vent is 2. The seat belt airbag according to claim 1, wherein the tether is formed so that, when the seat arrangement is switched to one that satisfies the protection conditions for the legs of an occupant, the tether is pulled to a length that closes the active vent, and, when the seat arrangement is switched to one that satisfies the protection conditions for the head of an occupant, the tether is pulled to a length that keeps the active vent open.

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