Vehicle airbag device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle airbag device capable of improving occupant protection when an armrest is stored.SOLUTION: A vehicle airbag device 1, which is provided in a seat structure 5 having a first seat part 11, a second seat part 12, and an armrest 15 provided between the first seat part 11 and the second seat part 12 and configured to be movable between a stored position and a deployed position, includes an airbag 20 inside the armrest 15. When the armrest 15 is at the stored position at the time when a vehicle collision occurs, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys to an outside of the armrest 15, and moves the armrest 15 from the stored position to the deployed position by this inflation and deployment. The airbag 20 has a chamber part 21 above the armrest 15 moved to the deployed position in an inflated and deployed state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A so-called center airbag, which is installed between the left and right seats, is known as a vehicle airbag device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This center airbag is for the rear seats of a vehicle, and by inflating and deploying in the event of a side collision, it catches the rear seat occupants without causing them to come into contact with each other. The center airbag is installed across both the retractable armrest and the seatback. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-115960 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The center airbag described in Patent Document 1 basically inflates and deploys during a vehicle side collision on the condition that the armrest is not stored (in the deployed position). However, the armrest is not necessarily in the deployed position during a vehicle side collision. Furthermore, since the center airbag is bent midway and positioned across both the armrest and the seatback, the deployment behavior when inflated and deployed can be complex.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle airbag device that can improve occupant protection when the armrest is retracted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle airbag device according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle airbag device installed in a seat structure having a first seat portion, a second seat portion, and an armrest arranged between the first seat portion and the second seat portion and configured to be movable between a stored position and a deployed position, the vehicle airbag being provided inside the armrest, and configured so that when the armrest is in the stored position in the event of a vehicle collision, the airbag inflates and deploys to the outside of the armrest, moving the armrest from the stored position to the deployed position through this inflation and deployment, and the airbag, when inflated and deployed, has a chamber portion above the armrest that has moved to the deployed position.

[0007] According to this aspect, when the armrest is in the stowed position during a vehicle collision, the airbag inflates and deploys from the inside to the outside of the armrest. At that time, a force accompanying the inflation and deployment of the airbag is applied to the armrest, causing the armrest to move to the deployed position. The chamber of the airbag is then positioned above the armrest that has moved to the deployed position. This allows the chamber to receive an occupant seated in the first seat section and / or the second seat section. Therefore, occupant protection can be improved when the armrest is stowed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state in which a vehicle airbag device according to an embodiment is mounted on a vehicle and the armrest is in a storage position, where (a) is an oblique view and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the center seat portion as seen from the side of the vehicle. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a vehicle airbag device according to an embodiment is mounted on a vehicle and an armrest is in a deployed position. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of an airbag before and after inflation and deployment as viewed from the side of the vehicle when the armrest is in a stored position during a vehicle collision. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an inflated and deployed airbag as viewed from the side of a vehicle. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of the airbag before and after inflation and deployment as viewed from the side of the vehicle when the armrest is in the deployed position during a vehicle collision. [Figure 6] 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the vehicle airbag device according to the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 7] 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a vehicle airbag device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, up / down, left / right, and front / rear are defined as follows. When an occupant is seated in a seat in a normal posture, the direction the occupant faces is referred to as the forward direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rearward direction, and when indicating the coordinate axes, they are referred to as the front-rear direction or the vehicle's front-rear direction. Furthermore, when an occupant is seated in a seat in a normal posture, the right side of the occupant is referred to as the right direction, and the left side of the occupant is referred to as the leftward direction, and when indicating the coordinate axes, they are referred to as the left-right direction or the vehicle width direction. Similarly, when an occupant is seated in a normal posture, the direction of the occupant's head is referred to as the upward direction, and the direction of the occupant's waist is referred to as the downward direction, and when indicating the coordinate axes, they are referred to as the up / down direction.

[0010] In this document, "occupant" refers to a person with a physique equivalent to that of an average American male, conforming to the frontal impact test dummy (Hybrid III AM50 / frontal impact test dummy established by the NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] standard [49CFR Part 572 Subparts E and O]), with approximate dimensions of 175 cm in height, 88 cm in seated height, and 78 kg in weight.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle airbag device 1 is provided in association with a seat structure 5 in a vehicle interior 2. The seat structure 5 has a first seat portion 11 and a second seat portion 12, and further has a retractable armrest 15 between the first seat portion 11 and the second seat portion 12. The armrest 15 is configured to be movable between a retracted position and a deployed position.

[0012] The seat structure 5 constitutes a rear seat of the vehicle interior 2. However, in other embodiments, it may constitute a front seat of the vehicle interior 2. The seat structure 5 has a bench seat 10 in which a first seat portion 11 and a second seat portion 12 are integrally connected. An armrest 15 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole can be stored in the seat back of the bench seat 10. When the armrest 15 is deployed from the stored position, it can be positioned in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle so as to be approximately parallel to the seat cushion of the bench seat 10 (see Figure 2).

[0013] The bench seat 10 is configured to seat two or three people. In this embodiment, the bench seat 10 is configured to seat three people. That is, the bench seat 10 has a central seat portion 13 between a first seat portion 11 and a second seat portion 12 that are aligned in the vehicle width direction, and the central seat portion 13 is integrally connected to the first seat portion 11 and the second seat portion 12 so as to fill the gap between them. Passengers can sit on any of the seat portions 11, 12, 13.

[0014] The first seat portion 11 has a first seat back 11A capable of supporting the back of the occupant and a first seat cushion 11B capable of supporting the buttocks of the occupant. Similarly, the second seat portion 12 has a second seat back 12A and a second seat cushion 12B, and the central seat portion 13 has a central seat back 13A and a central seat cushion 13B.

[0015] The central seat back 13A of the central seat portion 13 has a storage recess 14 for storing the armrest 15 in a storage position. The storage recess 14 is a space that is open to the front of the vehicle, and here is defined by five wall portions: two walls in the vertical direction, two walls in the horizontal direction, and one wall on the rear side of the vehicle. In other embodiments, the space serving as the storage recess 14 may be open to the front and top of the vehicle.

[0016] In the stored position, the armrest 15 is stored along the wall surfaces of the storage recess 14. At this time, the surface of the armrest 15 facing forward of the vehicle functions as a surface that can support the back of the occupant. Meanwhile, in the deployed position, the armrest 15 protrudes from the storage recess 14 toward the front of the vehicle (see FIG. 2). At this time, the surface of the armrest 15 facing upward of the vehicle functions as a surface that can support the occupant's hands, wrists, elbows, etc. Furthermore, the armrest 15 can be configured to provide various functions, such as a drink holder, storage space, or USB port, in the deployed position.

[0017] The armrest 15 is configured to be movable between a storage position and an unfolded position by rotating. For example, one end of the armrest 15 (the lower end when in the storage position shown in FIG. 1(b)) is connected to the side walls of the first seat back 11A and the second seat back 12A within the storage recess 14, and the armrest 15 is configured to be rotatable around this connection portion as a rotation axis 15A.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2 , when the armrest 15 is rotated around the rotation axis 15A toward the central seat cushion 13B, it can be pulled out (popped out) from the storage position. The armrest 15 pulled out from the storage position can be stopped at the deployed position by having a portion of it supported. For example, the armrest 15 is stopped from rotating at the deployed position by being supported by the lower wall 14A, which faces upward of the vehicle, among the walls that define the storage recess 14. In another embodiment, the armrest 15 may be stopped from rotating at the deployed position by being supported by the central seat cushion 13B. Note that when the armrest 15 is rotated around the rotation axis 15A toward the central seat back 13A, it rotates from the deployed position to the storage position and is stored in the storage recess 14.

[0019] The vehicle airbag device 1 includes an airbag 20 and an inflator 22 (see FIG. 5). The airbag 20 and the inflator 22 are provided inside the armrest 15. However, in other embodiments, the inflator 22 may be provided in a portion of the seat structure 5 other than the armrest 15, and may be provided, for example, inside or outside the first seat portion 11, the second seat portion 12, or the central seat portion 13.

[0020] The airbag 20 is formed into a bag shape, for example, by sewing or bonding one or more pieces of base fabric or the like at appropriate positions, or by weaving using OPW (One-Piece Woven). The airbag 20 is stored in the top portion 15B inside the armrest 15. The airbag 20 may be folded in the stored state, and may be folded into a roll shape, an accordion shape, or a combination thereof.

[0021] A top portion 15B of the armrest 15 faces upward when the armrest 15 is in the deployed position. On the other hand, when the armrest 15 is in the stowed position, the top portion 15B faces a bottom wall 14B, which is one of the walls of the storage recess 14 and faces the front of the vehicle, of the storage recess 14. The outer surface of the top portion 15B is covered with an armrest skin, and an airbag 20 is stored inside this armrest skin, with a part of the airbag 20 fixed to the top portion 15B. A seam or a weak part is formed in part of the armrest skin, and this seam or weak part tears when the airbag 20 inflates and deploys, allowing the airbag 20 to inflate and deploy outside the armrest 15.

[0022] The inflator 22 supplies gas for inflation and deployment to the inside of the airbag 20 in the event of a vehicle collision. The inflator 22 is electrically connected to an electronic control unit (ECU: for example, the control device 700 in FIG. 5). For example, the inflator 22 receives a signal from the ECU that detects the situation at the time of a vehicle collision, and is activated to instantly supply gas to the airbag 20. Various types of inflators can be used as the inflator 22, such as those filled with a gas generating agent, compressed gas, or both.

[0023] As one example, a micro gas generator can be used as the inflator 22. For example, the inflator 22 has an ignition device at the open end of a bottomed cylindrical body, and the ignition device ignites a gas generating agent inside the cylindrical body to generate gas, which is then supplied into the airbag 20 from a plurality of nozzle holes on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body. When installing the inflator 22, the inflator 22 is housed inside the airbag 20, and the stud bolts of the inflator 22 protrude outside the airbag 20 and are fastened and fixed inside the armrest 15. With this configuration, the inflator 22 and the airbag 20 may be built into the armrest 15 together.

[0024] Next, the manner in which the airbag 20 inflates and deploys will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. Whether the armrest 15 is in the stored position or the deployed position, in the event of a vehicle collision, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys outward from the top portion 15B of the armrest 15. Here, "in the event of a vehicle collision" mainly refers to a side collision of the vehicle.

[0025] 3, when the armrest 15 is in the storage position during a vehicle collision, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys outward from the top portion 15B of the armrest 15, with the wall portion defining the storage recess 14, specifically the bottom wall 14B, acting as a reaction surface. As a result, the armrest 15 receives a force from the airbag 20 toward the front of the vehicle, rotates about the rotation axis 15A, and moves to the deployment position.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 4, when the airbag 20 is inflated and deployed, it has a chamber portion 21 above the armrest 15 that has moved to the deployed position. The chamber portion 21 restrains an occupant seated in the first seat portion 11 and / or the second seat portion 12. The chamber portion 21 has surfaces on both sides that widely receive the sides of the upper body (from the head to the waist) of the seated occupant.

[0027] In addition, the airbag 20 has, in an inflated and deployed state, a rear chamber portion 21A that fits within the storage recess 14 and a lower chamber portion 21B that fits within the top portion 15B. Furthermore, the airbag 20 has a connection portion 15C with the armrest 15 within the top portion 15B. The connection portion 15C is a portion that is fastened and fixed to the armrest 15 by, for example, a stud bolt of the inflator 22 described above.

[0028] The rear chamber portion 21A is configured to be able to come into contact with the left and right side walls of the walls that define the storage recess 14. This allows the lateral load from the occupant that is applied to the chamber portion 21 to be supported by the storage recess 14 via the rear chamber portion 21A. Similarly, the lower chamber portion 21B is configured to be able to come into contact with the left and right side walls of the walls that define the space of the ceiling portion 15B. This allows the lateral load from the occupant that is applied to the chamber portion 21 to be supported by the ceiling portion 15B via the lower chamber portion 21B. In other words, the chamber portion 21 according to this embodiment is configured to receive an occupant, while flapping in the vehicle width direction when receiving the occupant can be suppressed by the rear chamber portion 21A and / or the lower chamber portion 21B.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, when the armrest 15 is in the deployed position during a vehicle collision, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys upward outside the armrest 15 while the armrest 15 remains in the deployed position. During this inflation and deployment, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys upward using, for example, the bottom wall of the walls that define the space in the top section 15B as a reaction surface. In the inflated and deployed state, the airbag 20 has the chamber portion 21 above the armrest 15, as described above, and also has a rear chamber portion 21A and a lower chamber portion 21B.

[0030] 6 shows the control configuration of the vehicle airbag device 1. The control device 700 in the vehicle airbag device 1 is an electronic control unit (ECU) including a CPU 710, a memory 720, and an input / output interface 730, and is configured as, for example, a microcomputer. The CPU 710 executes desired calculations in accordance with a control program and performs various processes and controls. The memory 720 includes, for example, a ROM and a RAM. The ROM stores the control program and control data processed by the CPU 710, and the RAM is mainly used as various work areas for control processes. The input / output interface 730 is electrically connected to an external collision sensor 750, an occupant detection sensor 800, and the inflator 22.

[0031] The collision sensor 750 is for detecting a vehicle collision, and may be any of various known types, such as an acceleration sensor or a pressure sensor. The occupant detection sensor 800 is configured to be able to detect the presence or absence of an occupant in the center seat portion 13. As the occupant detection sensor 800, for example, a pressure sensor or a load sensor provided in the center seat cushion 13B of the center seat portion 13 may be used. Furthermore, as the occupant detection sensor 800, a camera provided in the passenger compartment 2 may be used together with or separately from the pressure sensor and / or the load sensor.

[0032] The control device 700 determines whether to activate the inflator 22 based on information from the collision sensor 750 and the occupant detection sensor 800. Specifically, when a vehicle collision is detected and it is detected that no occupant is seated in the center seat portion 13, the control device 700 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 22. On the other hand, when a vehicle collision is not detected, or when a vehicle collision is detected but it is detected that an occupant is seated in the center seat portion 13, the control device 700 does not output an activation signal to the inflator 22 and deactivates the inflator 22.

[0033] The control device 700 can be configured as an airbag ECU capable of communicating with a vehicle-side ECU, and can control the activation of not only the inflator 22 of the vehicle airbag device 1, but also inflators in other airbag devices (for example, a side airbag device, a curtain airbag device, etc.). In another embodiment, the vehicle-side ECU may determine whether or not the vehicle has experienced a side collision, and the control device 700 may receive collision information from the vehicle-side ECU and output an activation signal to the inflator.

[0034] 7 is a flowchart showing a control method for the vehicle airbag device 1. This control method is executed by the control device 700 when the vehicle collides (S11).

[0035] In this control method, the occupant detection sensor 800 detects the presence or absence of an occupant in the central seat portion 13 (S12), and if it is detected that no occupant is seated, the control device 700 activates the inflator 22 (S13). On the other hand, if it is detected that an occupant is seated, the control device 700 deactivates the inflator 22 (S14). By performing such control, it is possible to prevent the armrest 15 from moving from the retracted position to the deployed position when an occupant is seated in the central seat portion 13.

[0036] As described above, the vehicle airbag device 1 of this embodiment is a vehicle airbag device 1 provided in a seat structure 5 having a first seat portion 11, a second seat portion 12, and an armrest 15 provided between the first seat portion 11 and the second seat portion 12 and configured to be movable between a stored position and a deployed position, and is provided with an airbag 20 inside the armrest 15, and is configured so that when the armrest 15 is in the stored position in the event of a vehicle collision, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys to the outside of the armrest 15, and this inflation and deployment moves the armrest 15 from the stored position to the deployed position, and when inflated and deployed, the airbag 20 has a chamber portion 21 above the armrest 15 that has moved to the deployed position.

[0037] According to this aspect, when the armrest 15 is in the stowed position during a vehicle collision, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys from the inside to the outside of the armrest 15, and at that time, a force caused by the inflation and deployment of the airbag 20 is applied to the armrest 15, causing the armrest 15 to move to the deployed position. The chamber portion 21 of the airbag 20 is then positioned above the armrest 15 that has moved to the deployed position. As a result, when an occupant is seated on the first seat portion 11 and / or the second seat portion 12, the occupant can be received by the chamber portion 21.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the armrest 15 is in the deployed position during a vehicle collision, the airbag 20 inflates and deploys upward outside the armrest 15 while the armrest 15 remains in the deployed position. Therefore, it is possible to improve the protection of the occupant seated in the first seat portion 11 and / or the second seat portion 12 not only when the armrest 15 is stored but also when it is deployed (in use).

[0039] In particular, in this embodiment, the airbag 20 before inflation and deployment is provided inside the armrest 15 without spanning multiple parts. This makes it easy to design the deployment behavior and position of the airbag 20, and also makes it easy to use the inflation and deployment of the airbag 20 to move the armrest 15 from the stored position to the deployed position.

[0040] The above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The elements of the embodiments, as well as their arrangement, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc., are not limited to those illustrated and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, configurations shown in different embodiments can be partially substituted or combined with each other.

[0041] For example, in the seat structure 5, a two-seater bench seat may be used instead of the three-seater bench seat 10. In the case of a two-seater bench seat, it is not expected that passengers will sit on the armrest 15. In this case, the bench seat 10 may have a console (interior material) between the first seat portion 11 and the second seat portion 12 instead of the central seat cushion 13B of the central seat portion 13. The stored position of the armrest 15 is a position where it is stored in the seat back of the bench seat 10 (storage recess 14), while the deployed position of the armrest 15 can be a position on the upper surface of the console, for example.

[0042] Furthermore, in the seat structure 5, a separate seat may be used instead of the bench seat 10. In the separate seat, the first seat portion 11 and the second seat portion 12 are provided independently. Furthermore, in the seat structure 5, for example, a bench seat constituting the first seat portion 11 and the central seat portion 13 may be combined with a separate seat constituting the second seat portion 12.

[0043] Additional Considerations Regarding Various Implementations

[0044] [Embodiment 1] An airbag device for a vehicle provided in a seat structure having a first seat portion, a second seat portion, and an armrest provided between the first seat portion and the second seat portion and configured to be movable between a stored position and a deployed position, An airbag is provided inside the armrest, When the armrest is in the stored position during a vehicle collision, the airbag is configured to inflate and deploy to the outside of the armrest, and this inflation and deployment moves the armrest from the stored position to the deployed position, The airbag device for a vehicle, wherein the airbag, when inflated and deployed, has a chamber portion above the armrest that has moved to the deployed position.

[0045] [Embodiment 2] A vehicle airbag device as described in embodiment 1, wherein, when the armrest is in the deployed position during a vehicle collision, the airbag is configured to inflate and deploy upward outside the armrest while maintaining the armrest in the deployed position.

[0046] [Embodiment 3] The airbag is stored in the top portion of the interior of the armrest, 3. A vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the top portion faces upward when the armrest is in the deployed position.

[0047] [Embodiment 4] the seat structure has a storage recess for storing the armrest in the storage position, A vehicle airbag device as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein when the airbag inflates and deploys when the armrest is in the storage position, the wall portion defining the storage recess acts as a reaction surface to move the armrest from the storage position to the deployment position.

[0048] [Embodiment 5] An airbag device for a vehicle as described in embodiment 4, wherein the wall portion defining the storage recess is a bottom wall of the storage recess facing forward of the vehicle.

[0049] [Embodiment 6] the airbag has a rear chamber portion that is inserted into the storage recess when inflated and deployed, 6. A vehicle airbag device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the rear chamber portion is configured to be able to contact a side wall that defines the storage recess.

[0050] [Embodiment 7] 7. A vehicle airbag device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6, further comprising an inflator disposed inside the armrest for supplying gas for inflation and deployment to the airbag.

[0051] [Embodiment 8] the seat structure includes a bench seat in which the first seat portion and the second seat portion are integrally connected, 8. A vehicle airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the storage position of the armrest is a position where the armrest is stored in the seat back of the bench seat.

[0052] [Embodiment 9] An airbag device for a vehicle as described in embodiment 8, wherein the bench seat has a central seat portion between the first seat portion and the second seat portion, integrally connected to the first seat portion and the second seat portion, on which an occupant can be seated.

[0053] [Embodiment 10] The vehicle is provided with an occupant detection sensor, The vehicle airbag device includes: an inflator that supplies gas for inflation and deployment to the airbag; a control device electrically connected to the occupant detection sensor and the inflator, The control device When the occupant detection sensor detects that no occupant is seated in the center seat portion, activation of the inflator is permitted, A vehicle airbag device as described in embodiment 9, wherein the inflator is deactivated when the occupant detection sensor detects that an occupant is seated in the center seat portion.

[0054] [Embodiment 11] The occupant detection sensor a pressure sensor provided in the central seat portion; a load sensor provided in the central seat portion; and a camera installed in the interior of the vehicle 11. A vehicle airbag device according to claim 10, comprising at least one of: [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...vehicle airbag device, 2...vehicle interior, 5...seat structure, 10...bench seat, 11...first seat portion, 11A...first seat back, 11B...first seat cushion, 12...second seat portion, 12A...second seat back, 12B...second seat cushion, 13...central seat portion, 13A...central seat back, 13B...central seat cushion, 14...storage recess, 14A...lower wall, 14B...bottom wall, 15...armrest, 15A...rotating shaft, 15B...top portion, 15C...connection portion, 20...airbag, 21...chamber portion, 21A...rear chamber portion, 21B...lower chamber portion, 22...inflator, 700...control device, 710...CPU, 720...memory, 730...input / output interface, 750...collision sensor, 800...occupant detection sensor

Claims

1. 1. A vehicle airbag device provided in a seat structure having a first seat portion, a second seat portion, and an armrest provided between the first seat portion and the second seat portion and configured to be movable between a stored position and a deployed position, An airbag is provided inside the armrest, When the armrest is in the stored position during a vehicle collision, the airbag is configured to inflate and deploy to the outside of the armrest, and this inflation and deployment moves the armrest from the stored position to the deployed position, The airbag device for a vehicle, wherein the airbag, when inflated and deployed, has a chamber portion above the armrest that has moved to the deployed position.

2. 2. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, wherein, when the armrest is in the deployed position during a vehicle collision, the airbag is configured to inflate and deploy upward outside the armrest while maintaining the armrest in the deployed position.

3. The airbag is stored in the top portion of the interior of the armrest, The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the top portion faces upward when the armrest is in the deployed position.

4. the seat structure has a storage recess for storing the armrest in the storage position, 3. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, wherein when the airbag inflates and deploys while the armrest is in the storage position, the airbag inflates and deploys using a wall portion that defines the storage recess as a reaction surface, thereby moving the armrest from the storage position to the deployed position.

5. 5. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the wall portion defining the storage recess is a bottom wall of the storage recess facing forward of the vehicle.

6. the airbag has a rear chamber portion that is inserted into the storage recess when inflated and deployed, The vehicle airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the rear chamber portion is configured to be able to come into contact with a side wall that defines the storage recess.

7. 3. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising an inflator disposed inside the armrest for supplying gas for inflating and deploying the airbag.

8. the seat structure includes a bench seat in which the first seat portion and the second seat portion are integrally connected, 3. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the armrest is in the stored position where the armrest is stored in the seat back of the bench seat.

9. 9. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 8, wherein the bench seat has a central seat portion between the first seat portion and the second seat portion, the central seat portion being integrally connected to the first seat portion and the second seat portion, and on which an occupant can be seated.

10. The vehicle is provided with an occupant detection sensor, The vehicle airbag device includes: an inflator that supplies gas for inflation and deployment to the airbag; a control device electrically connected to the occupant detection sensor and the inflator, The control device When the occupant detection sensor detects that no occupant is seated in the center seat portion, activation of the inflator is permitted, 10. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 9, wherein the inflator is deactivated when the occupant detection sensor detects that an occupant is seated in the center seat portion.

11. The occupant detection sensor a pressure sensor provided in the central seat portion; a load sensor provided in the central seat portion; and a camera installed in the interior of the vehicle The vehicle airbag device according to claim 10, comprising at least one of:

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