Airbag system

Abstract

To provide an airbag system that can quickly inflate the airbag even if there is an upward-projecting object positioned behind the mounting location, and can quickly and stably protect the occupant with the inflated airbag. [Solution] The system comprises an airbag 20 and a restricting member 70 that can restrict the deployment and inflation of a portion of the airbag. The airbag has a recess on the lower surface side of the intermediate portion between the front and rear of the peripheral wall. The recess is configured to allow a protrusion 5 that protrudes from the instrument panel 1 to be placed inside when the airbag has finished inflating. The restricting member is configured to temporarily hold a portion of the folded part 110 of the folded body, and to release the folded part from the release opening 79 while rotating backward when the airbag deploys and inflates. The folded part that is temporarily held by the temporary holding member is composed of a region located behind the inlet opening in the pre-folded bag.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag device disposed on the upper surface side of an instrument panel in a vehicle, and more particularly to an airbag device configured to dispose a protrusion that partially protrudes upward from the instrument panel behind the mounting position.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an airbag device, there has been a configuration disposed at a position in front of the passenger seat and in front of a monitor that partially protrudes upward from the instrument panel (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, in this conventional airbag device, a folded airbag is stored in a storage portion disposed on the upper surface side of the instrument panel and in front of the monitor. The airbag is inflated by allowing inflation gas to flow into it, causing it to protrude upward from the storage portion, climb over the monitor, and expand rearward. Further, in this conventional airbag device, the airbag has a recess on the lower surface side when inflation is complete for disposing the monitor inside.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In this conventional airbag system, the monitor, which protrudes upward, was positioned close to the rear. Therefore, it was necessary to deploy the inflating airbag while minimizing interference with the monitor, and in order to minimize interference with the monitor, the airbag needed to be quickly deployed backward through the gap between the monitor and the windshield above the instrument panel. As a result, the inflating airbag protruded significantly upward and rearward, and then deployed downward behind the monitor. In this conventional airbag system, the airbag had a recess on its underside when inflation was complete for positioning the monitor. In other words, it was configured to inflate in a way that bypassed the monitor. Therefore, when the airbag deployed and inflated in a way that protruded downward, it bent in the area around (above) this recess and protruded significantly downward. Subsequently, this area that protruded downward would swing upward due to the recoil, resulting in a large vertical swing, which could prevent the occupant from being quickly protected.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an airbag device that can quickly inflate the airbag even when an upwardly protruding object is positioned behind the mounting location, and can quickly and stably protect the occupant with the inflated airbag. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The airbag device according to the present invention comprises an airbag that is folded and stored in a storage area located on the upper side of the instrument panel in a vehicle, and which inflates by allowing inflation gas to flow into the interior, causing it to protrude upward from the storage area and deploy towards the rear. An airbag system having a configuration in which a protrusion is positioned on the rear side of the storage area in the instrument panel, and which partially protrudes upward from the instrument panel, It includes a restricting member that is stored within the storage compartment along with the folded airbag, and is attached to the storage compartment to restrict the deployment and inflation of a portion of the airbag when the airbag deploys and inflates. The airbag It has a occupant side wall portion positioned on the rear side when inflation is complete, capable of protecting occupants seated in the front seats, and a peripheral wall portion extending from the periphery of the occupant side wall portion and converging toward the front end attached to the storage area side, An inlet opening for introducing expansion gas is provided on the lower surface of the front end of the peripheral wall. The airbag has a recess that curves upwards, which is positioned along the entire left and right sides of the airbag, on the lower surface of the intermediate portion between the front and rear of the peripheral wall, so as to create a gap between it and the instrument panel. The spare folding bag, formed by unfolding the crew side wall section to be almost flat and positioning it above the intake opening, is folded by shortening the front, back, left, and right sides, and is then stored in the storage compartment. The recess is formed so that a protrusion can be positioned inside when the airbag has finished inflating. The restricting member is made of a flexible sheet body and comprises a temporary holding portion that temporarily holds a portion of the folded part of the folded body in a releaseable manner, a mounting portion that is attached to the storage area, and a connecting piece that connects the mounting portion and the temporary holding portion. The temporary holding part is A base portion connected to the connecting piece, A retaining recess is formed between the base and the folding part to temporarily hold it in place, and the cover part is positioned below the base when the folding part is temporarily held in place. It is configured to include, The release opening for the folding section when it is released from the retaining recess is positioned facing rearward, so that when the folding section is released during the deployment and inflation of the airbag, it rotates backward and releases from the release opening. The folding portion, which is temporarily held in the temporary holding portion, is characterized by being composed of a region located behind the inflow opening in the spare folding bag.

[0007] In the airbag device of the present invention, a protrusion is positioned behind the mounting position, partially projecting upward from the instrument panel. The airbag has a recess on its lower side when inflation is complete, allowing this protrusion to be housed inside. The airbag's deployment and inflation are partially restricted by a restricting member. Specifically, the region positioned behind the intake opening during pre-folding, i.e., the region that constitutes the rear-lower side of the recess when inflation is complete, is temporarily held in place by a temporary holding portion of the restricting member and stored in the storage area. Therefore, in the airbag device of the present invention, when inflation gas flows into the airbag and it inflates to protrude from the storage area, the region of the airbag that constitutes the rear side of the recess is maintained in a temporarily held state by the temporary holding portion of the restricting member, and the region not restricted by the restricting member (the region positioned directly above the intake opening in the pre-folded bag) inflates as the initial inflation region, and this initial inflation region protrudes rearward, overcoming the protrusion. At this time, since the deployment of a portion of the airbag is restricted by the restricting member, the initial inflation region is also affected by this restriction, preventing it from protruding excessively towards the rear of the vehicle instantaneously. The temporary holding portion of the restricting member that temporarily holds the rear portion of the recess (folding portion) moves backward and rotates backward in accordance with the rearward protrusion of the initial inflation region, and during this rearward rotation, the folding portion is released from the release opening. In other words, in the airbag device of the present invention, with the initial inflation region inflated to a certain extent, the folding portion smoothly detaches from the release opening of the temporarily holding portion that is rotating backward, so that the area of ​​the folding portion can be smoothly deployed downward behind the protruding object, while suppressing excessive rearward protrusion. In other words, in the airbag device of the present invention, the regulating member can temporarily hold the rear region of the recess in the airbag, and the region constituting the upper side of the recess can be deployed rearward to overcome the protrusion while suppressing excessive rearward protrusion, and then the rear region of the recess, in the state where the temporary holding state by the regulating member is released, can be deployed downward while suppressing rearward protrusion.As a result, even if the airbag has a recess on its underside when inflation is complete for positioning protrusions inside, it can suppress large up-and-down and forward-and-backward oscillations during deployment and inflation, allowing inflation to be completed quickly.

[0008] Therefore, with the airbag device of the present invention, even if a protruding object is positioned behind the mounting position and protruding upward, the airbag can be inflated quickly and the inflated airbag can quickly and stably protect the occupant.

[0009] Furthermore, in the airbag device of the present invention, an example of a protruding object is a monitor that displays an image.

[0010] Furthermore, in the airbag device with the above configuration, if the base material constituting the inner circumferential surface of the recess in the airbag is made from a single sheet body spanning the entire left and right sides, then when the airbag is fully inflated, there will be no connecting parts to join the edges of the base material in the area that comes into contact with the protrusion (the area constituting the inner circumferential surface of the recess), and the contact state with the protrusion can be made wider and more stable on both sides. As a result, when the occupant is caught by the airbag when it is fully inflated, the reaction force from the protrusion can be applied stably and widely on both sides.

[0011] Furthermore, in the airbag device with the above configuration, if a flap material is provided to be interposed between the protruding object and the airbag when the airbag is deployed and inflated, it is possible to suppress the airbag from partially getting caught on the protruding object as it deploys, and thus enable the airbag to deploy even more quickly, which is preferable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing the instrument panel of a vehicle equipped with a passenger-side airbag system, which is one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the passenger-side airbag system of the embodiment installed in a vehicle. [Figure 3] It is a schematic enlarged vertical sectional view of the passenger seat airbag device of the embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a schematic perspective view showing the state in which the airbag used in the passenger seat airbag device of the embodiment is inflated alone. [Figure 5] It is a front view of the airbag of FIG. 4 as viewed from the front side of the vehicle. [Figure 6] It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view along the front-rear direction of the airbag of FIG. 4. [Figure 7] It is a schematic cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction of the airbag of FIG. 4, showing the VII-VII part of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] It is a schematic perspective view of the regulating member used in the passenger seat airbag device of the embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a plan view showing the wrapping material and the flap material arranged side by side in the passenger seat airbag device of the embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a plan view showing the base material, the regulating member, the wrapping material, and the flap material that constitute the airbag of FIG. 3 arranged side by side. [Figure 11] It is a bottom view of the preliminary folded bag formed by folding the airbag of FIG. 3. [Figure 12] It is a plan view of the preliminary folded bag of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a schematic view showing the folding process of the airbag of FIG. 3, showing the process after FIG. 12. [Figure 14] It is a schematic view showing the folding process of the airbag of FIG. 3, showing the process after FIG. 13. [Figure 15] It is a schematic view showing the folding process of the airbag of FIG. 3, showing the process after FIG. 14. [Figure 16] It is a schematic view showing the folding process of the airbag of FIG. 3, showing the process after FIG. 15. [Figure 17] It is a schematic view showing the process of winding the wrapping material around the periphery of the folded completed body formed by folding the airbag of FIG. 3. [Figure 18]This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the inflation process of the airbag in the passenger-side airbag device of the embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the airbag inflation process in the passenger-side airbag system of the embodiment, and shows the process after Figure 18. [Figure 20] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the inflation process of the airbag in the passenger-side airbag device of the embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the completed inflation state of the passenger-side airbag device according to the embodiment. [Figure 22] This is a schematic rear view of the passenger-side airbag system according to the embodiment, showing the completed inflation state of the airbag as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a passenger-side airbag device (hereinafter abbreviated as "airbag device") M, which is positioned in front of the passenger seat as a front seat, will be used as an example for explanation. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the airbag device M is a top-mount type positioned on the upper surface 2 side of the instrument panel (hereinafter abbreviated as "instrument panel") 1. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a monitor 5 for displaying an image is provided as a protruding object on the rear side of the rear of the area where the airbag device M is mounted, so as to partially protrude upward from the instrument panel 1 of the vehicle V on which the airbag device M is mounted. Specifically, the monitor 5 is a roughly rectangular plate that is wide from left to right, and in this embodiment, it is formed to be slightly wider from left to right than the airbag device M (more specifically, the airbag cover 10 which will be described later) (see Figure 1), and is positioned directly facing the occupant MP seated in the passenger seat (see Figure 22). In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions correspond to the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions of the vehicle V.

[0014] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the airbag device M comprises a folded airbag 20, an inflator 12 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 20, a case 16 that serves as a storage area for housing the folded airbag 20 and the inflator 12, a retainer 13 for attaching the airbag 20 and the inflator 12 to the case 16, and an airbag cover 10 that covers the folded airbag 20. Furthermore, the airbag device M includes a restricting member 70 that restricts the deployment and inflation of the airbag 20, a wrapping material 85 that covers the folded body 115 formed by folding the airbag 20 to prevent unfolding, and a flap material 90 that is positioned to cover the monitor 5 as a protruding object when the airbag 20 is deployed and inflated.

[0015] In this embodiment, the airbag cover 10 is integrally formed with the instrument panel 1 made of synthetic resin, and is configured such that when the airbag 20 is deployed and inflated, the two front and rear door portions 10a and 10b are pushed open by the airbag 20. In addition, a connecting wall portion 10c is formed around the door portions 10a and 10b of the airbag cover 10, which is connected to the case 16.

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the inflator 12 comprises a substantially cylindrical main body portion 12a having a plurality of gas outlets 12b, and a flange portion 12c for attaching the inflator 12 to the case 16.

[0017] The case 16, which serves as the storage area, is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a rectangular opening at its upper end. As shown in Figure 3, it comprises a substantially rectangular plate-shaped bottom wall portion 16a into which the inflator 12 is inserted and mounted from below, and a peripheral wall portion 16b extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 16a to engage with the connecting wall portion 10c of the airbag cover 10. In this embodiment, the case 16 is made of sheet metal. In this embodiment, the airbag 20 and the inflator 12 are attached to the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16 by using the bolts 13a of the retainer 13 placed inside the airbag 20 as mounting means, passing through the periphery of the intake opening 30 in the airbag 20 (described later), the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16, and the flange portion 12c of the inflator 12, and securing them with nuts 14. In addition, a bracket (not shown) connected to the body side of the vehicle V is provided on the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16.

[0018] In the embodiment, the airbag 20, as shown in Figures 4 to 7, comprises a bag body 21 that inflates by introducing inflation gas into it, and front and rear tethers 45 that are positioned inside the bag body 21 to regulate the completed inflation shape of the bag body 21.

[0019] As shown in Figure 21, the bag body 21 is configured to close the space between the upper surface 2 of the instrument panel 1 and the windshield 7 above the instrument panel 1 when inflation is complete. Specifically, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the bag body 21 has an outer shape when inflation is complete that is roughly a square pyramidal shape with the top facing the front end, and the bottom side is significantly recessed upwards. The bag body 21 includes an occupant side wall portion 40 that is located on the rear side (rear surface side) which becomes the occupant MP side when inflation is complete, and a peripheral wall portion 23 that extends from the periphery of the occupant side wall portion 40 and converges toward the front end that is attached to the case 16 side.

[0020] The peripheral wall portion 23 is positioned to primarily block the space between the upper surface 2 of the instrument panel 1 and the windshield 7 above the instrument panel when the airbag 20 (bag body 21) has finished inflating. It comprises an upper wall portion 24 and a lower wall portion 25 that are positioned to face each other in the vertical direction when inflation is complete, and a left wall portion 26 and a right wall portion 27 that are positioned to face each other in the horizontal direction when inflation is complete. Near the front end 25a of the lower wall portion 25 (the lower surface on the front end side of the peripheral wall portion 23), at a position approximately in the center from left to right, an inlet opening 30 is formed, which is approximately circular in shape to allow inflation gas to flow into it, and whose periphery is attached to the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16. Multiple (four in this embodiment) mounting holes 31 are formed on the periphery of the inlet opening 30 for attaching the periphery of the inlet opening 30 to the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16 by inserting the bolts 13a of the retainer 13. The left wall 26 and the right wall 27 have vent holes 33 formed in a roughly circular shape to exhaust excess expansion gas that has flowed into the bag body 21. Each vent hole 33 is positioned in the left wall 26 and the right wall 27 at a location above and behind the area where the recess 35, described later, is located.

[0021] Furthermore, in the bag body 21 of this embodiment, the lower wall portion 25 is configured to be curved when viewed from the left-right direction so that the intermediate portion between the front and rear is positioned upward, and this curved shape is provided over substantially the entire area on both the left and right sides (i.e., substantially the entire area on both the left and right sides of the bag body 21) (see Figures 4-6). In this embodiment, due to the curved shape of the lower wall portion 25, the bag body 21 is configured to have a recess 35 on the lower surface area that is recessed upward. The recess 35 is located on the lower surface side of the intermediate portion between the front and rear of the peripheral wall portion 23, and more specifically, when the bag body 21 is fully inflated and viewed from the left and right sides, it is formed at a position slightly forward of the center on both the front and rear sides (see Figure 5). The recess 35 is provided over the entire area on both the left and right sides of the bag body 21, and in this embodiment, it is formed continuously so that the recess shape is the same over the entire area on both the left and right sides. In other words, by providing this recess 35, the bag body 21 will have a gap extending across the entire left and right sides between itself and the instrument panel 1 on its underside when inflation is complete. This recess 35 is positioned to correspond to the monitor 5 that protrudes upward on the rear side 3 of the instrument panel 1 when the airbag 20 is complete to inflate. That is, when the airbag 20 is complete to inflate, the monitor 5 will be positioned inside the recess 35 (see Figures 5 and 21). To put it another way, when inflation is complete, the bag body 21 will be positioned so as to bypass the monitor 5 by the recess 35.

[0022] Furthermore, in the bag body 21 of this embodiment, although the lower wall portion 25 of the peripheral wall portion 23 is divided into multiple portions front to back, it is formed from a single sheet material (peripheral wall panels 55, 58, 61, described later) that extends over the entire left and right area. In other words, in the bag body 21 of this embodiment, within the area of ​​the inner circumferential surface 35a of the recess 35 within the area of ​​the lower wall portion 25, the joining portions (sewn portions) formed by joining (sewing) the edges of the peripheral wall panels 58, 61 together are not arranged to divide the lower wall portion 25 left and right (approximately along the front to back direction), and the lower wall portion 25 (inner circumferential surface 35a of the recess 35) is positioned to extend in the left to right direction approximately along the monitor 5 when the airbag 20 has finished inflating (see Figure 7). The lower wall portion 25 is configured such that the width dimension on the left-right side of the recess 35 is smaller than the width dimension on the left-right side of the monitor 5. The monitor 5 is positioned so that it penetrates the recess 35 and both ends on the left-right side protrude outward from the lower wall portion 25 (see Figures 5 and 7).

[0023] The occupant side wall portion 40 is positioned at the rear end of the bag body 21, behind the monitor 5, when the bag body 21 is fully inflated, and is arranged substantially along the vertical direction so as to face the occupant MP seated in the passenger seat (see Figure 21). Specifically, as shown in Figure 22, the occupant side wall portion 40 is configured to have a substantially rectangular shape with a wide vertical dimension when fully inflated, so as to be able to broadly cover the front of the occupant MP's upper body. In this embodiment, the lower end 40b of the occupant side wall portion 40 is positioned below the monitor 5 when fully inflated, and the width dimension in the left-right direction is set to be larger than the width dimension in the left-right direction of the monitor 5, so as to cover the entire rear side of the monitor 5 (see Figures 21 and 22). Also, in this embodiment, when the bag body 21 is fully inflated, the upper side (upper wall portion 24 side) will be in contact with the windshield 7 (see Figure 21).

[0024] The front and rear tethers 45, positioned inside the bag body 21 to regulate the completed inflation shape of the bag body 21, are arranged in the embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, to connect approximately the center of the left and right sides of the occupant side wall portion 40 with the vicinity of the tip 35b of the recess 35 located in the front-to-rear intermediate portion of the bag body 21. These front and rear tethers 45 are positioned to regulate excessive rearward protrusion of the occupant side wall portion 40 during the initial inflation phase, and to regulate the position of the occupant side wall portion 40 (distance from the inlet opening 30 side) when inflation is complete. In the embodiment, the front and rear tethers 45 are configured to connect a front portion 46 extending from the vicinity of the tip 35b of the recess 35 with a rear portion 47 extending from the occupant side wall portion 40 side (see Figure 6). In this embodiment, the front portion 46 is constructed by sewing the front edge 49a side to the edges 58b and 61a of the peripheral wall panels 58 and 61 (described later) and folding the rear edge 49b side in half. The rear portion 47 has an outer shape that is roughly trapezoidal, narrowing towards the front end where it is connected to the rear edge of the front portion 46. This rear portion 47 is sewn to the occupant side wall portion 40 at a position approximately in the center of the left and right sides, with its rear edge aligned in the vertical direction.

[0025] The bag body 21 is constructed in a bag shape by joining the periphery edges of a base material (base fabric) of a predetermined shape. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, it is composed of three peripheral wall panels 55, 58, and 61 and two side wall panels 65L and 65R.

[0026] The peripheral wall panel 55 mainly constitutes the area from the front end side of the lower wall section 25 (the periphery of the inflow opening 30) through the upper wall section 24 and the occupant side wall section 40 to near the rear end of the lower wall section 25 (see Figure 6). As shown in Figure 10, its external shape is a roughly symmetrical, strip-like shape. An attachment side section 56, which constitutes the area around the inflow opening 30, is provided on one end of the peripheral wall panel 55. The peripheral wall panel 58 mainly constitutes the front area of ​​the lower wall section 25, including the front area of ​​the inner circumferential surface 35a of the recess 35 (see Figure 6). As shown in Figure 10, its external shape is a roughly symmetrical, strip-like shape. An attachment side section 59, which constitutes the area around the inflow opening 30, is also provided on one end of this peripheral wall panel 58. The peripheral wall panel 61 mainly constitutes the intermediate area between the front and rear of the lower wall portion 25, including the rear area of ​​the inner peripheral surface 35a of the recess 35 (see Figure 6), and as shown in Figure 10, its external shape is a roughly symmetrical, roughly strip-like shape. The peripheral wall panels 58 and 61 have approximately the same width on both sides. The side wall panels 65L and 65R constitute the left wall portion 26 and the right wall portion 27, respectively, and their external shapes are roughly symmetrical.

[0027] In this embodiment, the peripheral wall panels 55, 58, 61 and side wall panels 65L, 65R that constitute the bag body 21, and the front part material 49 and rear part 47 that constitute the front and rear tethers 45, are each formed from a flexible woven fabric made of polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, or the like.

[0028] Next, the manufacturing of the airbag 20 according to the embodiment will be described. The rear portion 47 constituting the front and rear tethers 45 is sewn to the inner surface side of the area constituting the occupant side wall portion 40 of the peripheral wall panel 55. First, the corresponding edges 58b and 61a of the peripheral wall panels 58 and 61 are sewn together using suture thread. At this time, the front edge 49a of the material 49 for the front portion constituting the front and rear tethers 45 is also sewn together. Next, the mounting sides 56 and 59 formed on the peripheral wall panels 55 and 58 are overlapped, and the edge 55a of the peripheral wall panel 55 is sewn to the peripheral wall panel 58, and similarly, the edge 58a of the peripheral wall panel 58 is sewn to the peripheral wall panel 55. An inlet opening 30 and a mounting hole 31 are opened in the portions of these mounting sides 56 and 59, and the mounting sides 56 and 59 are sewn together at the periphery of the inlet opening 30. Next, the corresponding edges 55b and 61b of the peripheral wall panels 55 and 61 are sewn together using suture thread. Then, the outer edge 65a of the side wall panel 65L is sewn to the edges 55c, 58c, and 61c of the peripheral wall panels 55, 58, and 61, and similarly, the outer edge 65a of the side wall panel 65R is sewn to the edges 55d, 58d, and 61d of the peripheral wall panels 55, 58, and 61 to form a bag-shaped bag body 21. After that, the front portion 46 (material for the front portion 49) and the rear portion 47 are sewn together at their ends to form front and rear tethers 45, and the bag body 21 is inverted using the inlet opening 30 to manufacture the airbag 20.

[0029] The restricting member 70, which restricts the deployment and inflation of the airbag 20, is housed in the case 16 together with the folded airbag 20 (folded body 115) and is formed from a flexible sheet material. More specifically, the restricting member 70, like the airbag 20, is formed from a flexible woven fabric made of polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, etc. As shown in Figure 8, the restricting member 70 includes a temporary holding portion 73 that temporarily holds a portion of the folded airbag 20 (folded body 115) in a releaseable manner, an attachment portion 71 that is attached to the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16 which serves as the storage area, and a connecting piece portion 72 that connects the attachment portion 71 and the temporary holding portion 73.

[0030] The mounting portion 71 has a recess 71a that is recessed in a substantially semicircular shape relative to the inflow opening 30, and is configured to have two mounting holes 71b, 71b on both sides thereof through which the bolts 13a of the retainer 13 are inserted. This mounting portion 71 is attached and fixed to the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16 together with the airbag 20 and the inflator 12.

[0031] The connecting piece 72 is positioned to connect the mounting portion 71 and the temporary holding portion 73, and has a roughly trapezoidal shape, with its width increasing towards the temporary holding portion 73 side. When mounted on a vehicle, this connecting piece 72 is positioned on the rear side of the folded body 115 (see Figure 3).

[0032] The temporary holding portion 73 comprises a rectangular base portion 74 connected to the connecting piece portion 72, and a rectangular cover portion 75 positioned opposite the base portion 74, with an outer shape substantially identical to that of the base portion 74. The area between the base portion 74 and the cover portion 75 constitutes a holding recess 78 capable of storing the folded portion 110 of the airbag 20 (folded body 115) in a temporary holding manner. The holding recess 78 is capable of storing the folded portion 110, and has a release opening 79 for releasing the stored folded portion 110, opening on the rear side of the base portion 74 connected to the connecting piece portion 72. In this embodiment, the base portion 74 and the cover portion 75 are configured to be connected at the front edge when mounted on a vehicle, and their left and right edges are sewn together to form a bag-like structure with the holding recess 78 in between (see Figures 3, 8, 15, B). In other words, the release opening 79 of the temporary holding portion 73 is provided on the inner side of the edge of the outer peripheral edge of the cover portion 75 that is not connected to the base portion 74.

[0033] Furthermore, the regulating member 70 of this embodiment has auxiliary arms 80, 80 extending downward from the left and right edges of the base portion 74 (see Figure 8). Mounting holes 80a are formed at the tips of these left and right auxiliary arms 80, 80 through which the bolts 13a of the retainer 13 are inserted. These auxiliary arms 80 are arranged to further suppress the release of the folding portion 110 during the initial inflation of the airbag 20, that is, to suppress the inversion of the temporary holding portion 73. The tips of the auxiliary arms 80 are attached and fixed to the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16 together with the mounting portion 71. In this embodiment, the regulating member 70 is constructed by folding the regulating member material 82 shown in Figure 10 in half.

[0034] The wrapping material 85, which covers the perimeter of the folded body 115 to prevent it from collapsing, is made of a flexible woven fabric made of polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, etc., similar to the airbag 20 and the regulating member 70. The wrapping material 85 is attached by being wrapped around the perimeter of the folded body 115 when the regulating member 70 is assembled. In this embodiment, it is made of a strip-shaped body whose width is set to be slightly larger than the width of the folded body 115 on the left and right sides (see Figure 17A), and as shown in Figure 9, mounting portions 88, 88 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction, each having a mounting hole 88a into which the bolt 13a of the retainer 13 can be inserted. Near the center of the wrapping material 85 in the longitudinal direction (more specifically, a position slightly forward of the front-to-back center of the folded body 115 when wrapped around it, and in front of the suture portion 93 described later) is formed, which is designed to be ruptured when the airbag 20 inflates. As shown in Figure 9, the slit portion 87 has a main slit 87a consisting of a plurality of cuts provided continuously along the left-right direction, and sub-slits 87b provided adjacent to the front and rear sides near the end of the main slit 87a, so that when the airbag 20 inflates, the wrapping material 85 is separated over the entire left-right area (the entire width direction).

[0035] The flap material 90, which is positioned to cover the monitor 5 when the airbag 20 is deployed and inflated, is made of a flexible woven fabric made of polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, etc., similar to the airbag 20, the regulating member 70, and the wrapping material 85. As shown in Figure 9, the flap material 90 has a roughly rectangular outer shape and comprises a flap body 91 that protrudes from the case 16 and covers the top of the monitor 5 when the airbag 20 is deployed and inflated, and a mounting portion 92 that extends from one end of the flap body 91 and is attached to the bottom wall portion 16a of the case 16. The mounting portion 92 is provided with a mounting hole 92a into which the bolt 13a of the retainer 13 can be inserted, similar to the mounting portion 88 of the wrapping material 85. The width dimension of the flap material 90 is set to be the same as the width dimension of the folded body 115 in the left-right direction (see Figure 17A). The flap material 90 is superimposed on the inner circumferential surface of the wrapping material 85, and the area between the flap body 91 and the attachment portion 92 is sewn to the wrapping material 85 using suture thread. The suture portion 93 that attaches the flap material 90 to the wrapping material 85 is located behind the slit portion 87 provided in the wrapping material 85 and extends over the entire width (see Figure 16B). The length dimension of the flap body 91 (the separation distance from the suture portion 93 to the tip) is set to a dimension that allows the monitor 5 to be covered from the upper end to the rear, excluding the area at the lower end, when the airbag 20 has finished inflating (see Figure 21). When mounted on a vehicle, the flap body 91 of the flap material 90 is positioned between the folded body 115 and the wrapping material 85 at a location in front of the temporary holding portion 73 of the restricting member 70 (in front of the folding portion 110) in the accordion-folded folded overlap portion 95 (see Figure 3).

[0036] Next, the folding process of the airbag 20 will be explained. First, the retainer 13 is positioned inside so that the bolts 13a protrude from each mounting hole 31. Then, after going through a preliminary folding process, the airbag 20 is folded through a left-right reduction folding process that reduces the width dimension in the left-right direction, and a front-rear reduction folding process that reduces the width dimension in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the restricting member 70 is assembled during the front-rear reduction folding process.

[0037] In the pre-folding process, a pre-folded bag 100 is formed as shown in Figures 11 and 12. This pre-folded bag 100 is formed by unfolding the occupant side wall portion 40 to be approximately flat, bringing the occupant side wall portion 40 closer to the inflow opening 30, and folding it by creating valley folds in the area of ​​the peripheral wall portion 23. In this pre-folded bag 100, the occupant side wall portion 40 is positioned above the inflow opening 30 in an approximately flat unfolded state. More specifically, in the pre-folded bag 100 of this embodiment, the area of ​​the upper wall portion 24 of the peripheral wall portion 23 is folded significantly inward (rearward) by valley folds, and the occupant side wall portion 40 is positioned so that its upper end 40a is near the rear edge 30a of the inflow opening 30 (see Figures 11 and 12). In other words, in the pre-fold bag 100 of this embodiment, the occupant side wall portion 40 hardly overlaps the inflow opening 30, and the area on the front end 24a side of the upper wall portion 24 overlaps the inflow opening 30. In this pre-fold bag 100, the lower wall portion 25 that constitutes the recess 35 is laid flat on the rear side of the inflow opening 30, as shown in Figure 11. Furthermore, in the pre-fold bag 100 of this embodiment, the intermediate portion between the front and rear, more specifically the intermediate portion 100a (shaded area in Figures 11 and 12) which is slightly rearward from the fold line 101 that runs in the left-right direction and is formed by folding the upper wall portion 24, constitutes the folded portion 110 that is temporarily held by the temporary holding portion 73 of the regulating member 70 when the folded finished body 115 is formed.

[0038] Next, in the spare folding bag 100, the left and right edges of the inflow opening 30 are folded by a roll fold that wraps them towards the occupant side wall portion 40 (see Figure 12), forming a left and right reduced folding bag 103 with roll fold portions 103a, 103a, as shown in Figure 13 (left and right reduced folding process).

[0039] Subsequently, the left and right retractable folding bags 103 are folded through a front and back retractable folding process. First, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, A, the rear portion 104 of the left and right retractable folding bag 103, which is located behind the inlet opening 30, is folded back at the crease 105 near the rear edge of the inlet opening 30 so that it rests on the inlet opening 30, forming a folded portion 106. Next, the area on the tip 106a side of the folded portion 106 (the rear end of the rear portion 104) is roll-folded so that it is wound towards the peripheral wall portion 23, forming a roll-folded portion 107 (see Figure 14, B). This roll-folded portion 107 is formed by one roll so that the tip 106a of the folded portion 106 (the rear end of the spare folding bag 100) faces forward. Then, while shifting the roll-fold portion 107 toward the inflow opening 30, the folded portion 106 is folded in half so that it rests on the inflow opening 30, forming the folded-over portion 108 as shown in Figure 15A. When forming this folded-over portion 108, the tip 106a (the rear end of the rear portion 104, i.e., the rear end of the spare-fold bag 100) is facing forward. This folded-over portion 108 is folded back near the front edge of the inflow opening 30 so that the folded-side portion 108a faces backward (see Figure 15B). After that, the bolt 13a of the retainer 13 is inserted into the mounting hole 71b of the mounting portion 71 of the regulating member 70 to attach the regulating member 70 to the retainer 13, and the area near the folded-side portion 108a of the folded-over portion 108 is inserted into the holding recess 78 of the temporary holding portion 73 (see Figures 15B and 16A). The area near this folded portion 108a becomes the folded portion 110 that is housed within the retaining recess 78.

[0040] Next, as shown in Figure 16B, the folded portion 108 is folded back again so that the temporary holding portion 73, along with the folded portion 108a (folded portion 110) inserted into the holding recess 78, is placed on the inflow opening 30. At this time, the temporary holding portion 73 is rotated forward so that the release opening 79 of the holding recess 78 faces backward. Then, as shown in Figure 16B, each auxiliary arm portion 80 of the restricting member 70 is folded back and the bolt 13a of the retainer 13 is locked into the mounting hole 80a to form the folded complete body 115 with the restricting member 70 assembled (see Figure 17A). In the completed folded body 115 of the embodiment, the rear end region of the rear portion 104 of the left and right retractable folding bags 103 (the region behind the front-to-back center that constitutes the folding portion 110) is folded in an accordion-like manner and positioned between the folding portion 110 held by the temporary holding portion 73 and the inflow opening 30 (see Figures 3, 16B and 17A). Furthermore, the front end region of the rear portion 104 of the left and right retractable folding bags 103 (the region in front of the front-to-back center that constitutes the folding portion 110) is positioned to cover the accordion-like portion 116 from below, through the front, and above.

[0041] Next, the wrapping material 85 (see Figure 16B), with the flap material 90 sewn to it, is wrapped around the folded body 115, and the bolts 13a of the retainer 13 are locked into the mounting holes 88a and 92 provided in the mounting parts 88 and 92, thereby wrapping the folded body 115 with the wrapping material 85 (see Figure 17B). At this time, the flap body 91 of the flap material 90, in the state of the folded overlapping part 95 that has been folded in an accordion-like manner, is positioned between the folded body 115 and the wrapping material 85 at a position in front of the temporary holding part 73 of the restricting member 70 (in front of the folding part 110).

[0042] Subsequently, the folded body 115 is stored inside the case 16 with the bolts 13a protruding from the bottom wall portion 16a. Then, the main body portion 12a of the inflator 12 is inserted into the case 16 from below the bottom wall portion 16a, and the bolts 13a of the retainer 13 protruding downward from the bottom wall portion 16a are inserted through the flange portion 12c of the inflator 12. Nuts 14 are then fastened to each bolt 13a protruding from the flange portion 12c, thereby attaching the folded airbag 20 and the inflator 12 to the case 16. At this time, the regulating member 70 and the flap material 90 are also attached to the case 16. Subsequently, the peripheral wall portion 16b of the case 16 is locked to the connecting wall portion 10c of the airbag cover 10 on the instrument panel 1 mounted on the vehicle V, a bracket (not shown) provided on the case 16 is fixed to the body side of the vehicle V, and the inflator 12 is electrically connected to a control device (not shown), thereby enabling the airbag device M to be mounted on the vehicle V.

[0043] After the airbag device M is installed in the vehicle V, when inflation gas is discharged from the gas outlet 12b of the inflator 12, the airbag 20 will inflate by allowing the inflation gas to flow into it, pushing open the door portions 10a and 10b of the airbag cover 10. The airbag 20 then expands and inflates, protruding upward from the case 16 and towards the rear of the vehicle, until it completes its inflation, as shown in Figure 21, by sealing the space between the upper surface 2 of the instrument panel 1 and the windshield 7 above the instrument panel 1.

[0044] In the airbag device M of this embodiment, a monitor 5 is positioned behind the mounting position as a protrusion that partially protrudes upward from the instrument panel 1, and the airbag 20 has a recess 35 on its lower side when inflation is complete that allows the monitor 5 to be placed inside. Partial deployment and inflation of the airbag 20 is restricted by a restricting member 70, and specifically, the region positioned behind the inflow opening 30 when pre-folded, that is, the region that constitutes the rear side of the recess 35 when inflation is complete, is temporarily held by a temporary holding portion 73 of the restricting member 70 and stored in the case 16 which serves as the storage portion. Therefore, in the airbag device M of this embodiment, when the inflation gas G flows into the airbag 20 and inflates so as to protrude from the case 16, the area (folded portion 110) that constitutes the rear side of the recess 35 in the airbag 20 is maintained in a temporary holding state by the temporary holding portion 73 of the restricting member 70, and the area not restricted by the restricting member 70 (the area located directly above the inflow opening 30 in the spare folded bag 100) inflates as the initial inflation area 20a, and this initial inflation area 20a protrudes rearward so as to go over the monitor 5 (see Figure 20). At this time, since the deployment of a part of the airbag 20 is restricted by the restricting member 70, the initial inflation area 20a is also affected by the restriction of this restricting member 70, and is prevented from protruding excessively far toward the rear of the vehicle instantaneously. Then, the temporary holding portion 73 of the restricting member 70, which temporarily holds the rear region of the recess 35 (folded portion 110), moves backward and rotates backward in accordance with the rearward protrusion of the initial inflation region (see Figures 18 and 19), and during this backward rotation, the folded portion 110 is released from the release opening 79. In other words, in the airbag device M of this embodiment, with the initial inflation region 20a inflated to a certain extent, the folded portion 110 smoothly detaches from the release opening 79 of the rearward-rotating temporary holding portion 73, so that the region of the folded portion 110 can be smoothly deployed downward behind the monitor 5, while suppressing excessive rearward protrusion.In other words, in the airbag device M of the embodiment, the restricting member 70 can temporarily hold the rear area of ​​the recess 35 in the airbag 20, and after the area constituting the upper side of the recess 35 expands backward over the monitor 5 while suppressing excessive backward protrusion, the rear area of ​​the recess 35, in the state where the temporary holding state by the restricting member 70 is released, can be expanded downward while suppressing backward protrusion. As a result, even if the airbag 20 is configured to have a recess 35 on its lower surface when inflation is complete for positioning the monitor 5 inside, it is possible to suppress large up-and-down and forward-and-backward swinging during deployment and inflation, and inflation can be completed quickly.

[0045] More specifically, in the airbag device M of this embodiment, the occupant side wall portion 40 of the spare foldable bag 100 is positioned behind the intake opening 30, and the area on the front end 24a side of the upper wall portion 24 is positioned directly above the intake opening 30. Furthermore, the foldable portion 110, which is temporarily held by the temporary holding portion 73 of the regulating member 70, is located slightly behind the fold line 101 where the upper wall portion 24 is folded in the spare foldable bag 100, and consists of an intermediate portion 100a that is in the middle of the front and rear (i.e., the area near the upper and lower center of the left wall portion 26, right wall portion 27, and occupant side wall portion 40 behind the recess 35, see the shaded area in Figures 4, 11, 12, 21, and 22). Furthermore, the area of ​​the spare folding bag 100 rearward of the intermediate portion 100a (rear area 100c) is folded in an accordion-like manner (accordion-fold portion 116) and positioned between the folding portion 110 and the inflow opening 30, while the area of ​​the spare folding bag 100 forward of the intermediate portion 100a (front area 100b) covers the periphery of this accordion-fold portion 116 from below through the front to above (see Figure 3). Therefore, in the airbag device M of this embodiment, in the initial stages of inflation of the airbag 20, the inflation gas G flowing into the airbag 20 through the inflow opening 30 pushes upward the area on the front end 24a side of the upper wall portion 24, and while the area of ​​the occupant side wall portion 40 is maintained in a folded state to some extent, the area on the front end 24a side of the upper wall portion 24 (the area on the front end side of the peripheral wall portion 23) inflates first as the initial inflation area 20a. As the initial expansion region 20a expands, the region on the upper end 40a side of the occupant side wall 40, which is connected to the initial expansion region 20a (the front end 24a side of the upper wall 24) (the region covering the area from below to the front and above the bellows folding portion 116 in the completed folding body 115, and the front region 100b in the spare folding bag 100), expands as expansion gas flows into it, unfolding and causing it to protrude backward over the monitor 5 (see Figure 20). As the initial expansion region 20a and the front region 100b expand, the temporary holding portion 73 of the regulating member 70 moves backward and rotates backward, releasing the folding portion 110 as the region on the upper end 40a side of the occupant side wall 40 expands (protrudes backward) (see Figures 18 and 19).In other words, in the airbag device M of the embodiment, the intermediate portion 100a of the pre-folded bag 100, which is midway between the front and rear, or in other words, the area near the upper and lower center of the left wall portion 26, the right wall portion 27, and the occupant side wall portion 40 behind the recess 35 of the airbag 20, is configured such that the regulating member 70 delays its deployment (protrusion to the rear). Therefore, even if the configuration allows it to go over the monitor 5, the deployment of the area near the upper and lower center of the bag body 21 (occupant side wall portion 40) can be restricted, and excessive rearward protrusion during deployment and inflation can be accurately suppressed. Furthermore, the rear area 100c (the area on the lower end 40b side of the occupant side wall portion 40) behind the intermediate portion 100a of the pre-folded bag 100 is folded in an accordion-like manner, so when the fold of the folded portion 110 (intermediate portion 100a) is released, the fold can be released almost simultaneously and quickly, allowing the bag to be deployed. Therefore, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 20, the occupant side wall portion 40 can be rapidly and widely deployed vertically towards the lower end, thus quickly and widely covering the area in front of the occupant MP vertically, and preventing the inflating airbag 20 from swinging excessively up and down. Consequently, even in a configuration that allows the occupant to go over the monitor 5, excessive protrusion of the occupant side wall portion 40 toward the occupant MP side is suppressed, and large vertical swings are also suppressed, allowing the occupant side wall portion 40 to be rapidly deployed vertically, thus enabling the airbag 20 to complete inflation quickly and providing stable protection for the occupant MP.

[0046] Therefore, in the airbag device M of this embodiment, even if a monitor 5 that protrudes upward is positioned behind the mounting position, the airbag 20 can be quickly inflated, and the inflated airbag 20 can quickly and stably protect the occupant MP.

[0047] Furthermore, in the vehicle V equipped with the airbag device M of the embodiment, a monitor 5 for displaying images is provided as a protruding object. In the airbag 20 of the embodiment, the base material (peripheral wall panels 58, 61) constituting the inner circumferential surface 35a (lower wall portion 25) of the recess 35 is made from a single sheet body that extends over the entire left and right area (although it is divided into front and rear, it is not divided into left and right). Therefore, in the airbag 20 when inflation is complete, there are no connecting parts that connect the edges of the base material along the front-rear direction in the area that will come into contact with the rear surface 5a of the monitor 5 (the area constituting the inner circumferential surface 35a side of the recess 35) (there are no parts that partially protrude from the rear surface 5a of the monitor 5), and the contact state with the monitor 5 can be made widely and stably maintained on both the left and right sides (see Figure 7). As a result, when the airbag 20 catches the occupant when inflation is complete, the reaction force from the monitor 5 can be stably applied widely on both the left and right sides. The shape of the base material constituting the inner circumferential surface 35a (lower wall portion 25) of such a recess 35 is particularly suitable when a monitor 5 with a smooth rear surface 5a is provided as a protruding object. If this point is not considered, an airbag can be used in which the base material constituting the lower wall portion (inner circumferential surface side of the recess) is divided in the left-right direction.

[0048] Furthermore, the airbag device M of this embodiment includes a flap material 90 that is interposed between the monitor 5 and the airbag 20 when the airbag 20 is deployed and inflated. Therefore, when the airbag 20 is deployed and inflated, the flap material 90 (flap body 91) covers the top of the monitor 5 (see Figure 19), which prevents the deploying airbag 20 from partially getting caught on the monitor 5, allowing the airbag 20 to be deployed more quickly. In particular, in the airbag device M of this embodiment, although the flap material 90 is separately attached to the case 16 by an attachment part 92, the front end of the flap body 91 is sewn to a wrapping material 85 that covers the periphery of the folded airbag 20 (folded body 115). Therefore, when the airbag 20 is deployed and inflated, the flap material 90 (flap body 91) can be reliably deployed to cover the top of the monitor 5. Furthermore, if the points mentioned above are not taken into consideration, the airbag system may be configured without a flap material, and even if a flap material is provided, it does not have to be sewn to the wrapping material.

[0049] In the embodiments described, a passenger-side airbag system positioned in front of the passenger seat was used as an example, but the present invention is not limited to a passenger-side airbag system. For example, the present invention may be applied to a driver-side airbag system of the type that is mounted in front of the steering wheel, which protrudes partially upward from the instrument panel, and has an airbag that inflates to cover the rear surface of the steering wheel. Even when applied to a driver-side airbag system of this configuration, the rear surface of the steering wheel, which is a protruding object, can be smoothly covered by the fully inflated airbag, and the driver can be accurately protected.

[0050] Furthermore, in the airbag device M of this embodiment, the intermediate portions of the front and rear of the spare folded bag 100 are temporarily held by the temporary holding portion 73 of the regulating member 70. However, the area temporarily held by the temporary holding portion of the regulating member is not limited to this embodiment. Considering the deployment state of the airbag, the area on the rear end side of the spare folded bag may also be temporarily held by the temporary holding portion of the regulating member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1...Instrument panel, 5...Monitor (protrusion), 12...Inflator, 16...Case (storage area), 20...Airbag, 23...Peripheral wall, 30...Inlet opening, 35...Recess, 35a...Inner peripheral surface, 40...Occupant side wall, 70...Regulating member, 71...Mounting part, 72...Connecting piece, 73...Temporary holding part, 74...Base part, 75...Cover part, 78...Holding recess, 79...Release opening, 90...Flap material, 100...Spare folding bag, 110...Folding part, 115...Completely folded body, V...Vehicle, M...Passenger side airbag device (airbag device).

Claims

1. The vehicle is equipped with an airbag that folds up and is stored in a storage compartment located on the upper side of the instrument panel, and when inflation gas is introduced into the interior, it inflates so as to protrude upward from the storage compartment and deploy towards the rear. An airbag device having a configuration in which a protrusion is positioned on the rear side of the storage area in the instrument panel, the protrusion being partially projected upward from the instrument panel, The system includes a restricting member that is stored within the storage area together with the folded airbag, and is attached to the storage area so as to restrict the deployment and inflation of a portion of the airbag when the airbag is deployed and inflated. The aforementioned airbag, It has a occupant side wall portion positioned on the rear side when inflation is complete, capable of protecting occupants seated in the front seats, and a peripheral wall portion extending from the periphery of the occupant side wall portion and converging toward the front end attached to the storage area side, An opening for introducing expansion gas is provided on the lower surface of the front end of the peripheral wall portion. The peripheral wall portion has a recess that curves upward, which is provided on the lower surface of the intermediate portion between the front and rear, extending across the entire left and right sides of the airbag, so as to create a gap between it and the instrument panel. The pre-folding bag, formed by unfolding the occupant side wall portion to be roughly flat and positioning it above the inflow opening, is folded in a completed folded state by shortening the front, back, left, and right sides, and is stored in the storage area. The recess is formed such that the protrusion can be positioned inside when the airbag has finished inflating. The restricting member is made of a flexible sheet body and comprises a temporary holding portion that temporarily holds a portion of the folded body in a releaseable manner, a mounting portion that is attached to the storage area, and a connecting piece that connects the mounting portion and the temporary holding portion. The temporary holding portion, A base portion connected to the aforementioned connecting piece, A retaining recess is formed between the base portion and the folding portion for temporarily holding it, and the cover portion is positioned below the base portion when the folding portion is temporarily held in place. It is configured to include, The release opening for the folding portion when it is released from the retaining recess is positioned facing rearward, so that when the folding portion is released during the deployment and inflation of the airbag, it rotates rearward and releases the folding portion from the release opening. An airbag device characterized in that the folding portion temporarily held in the temporary holding portion is composed of a region located behind the inflow opening in the spare folding bag.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the protruding object is a monitor for displaying an image.

3. The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base material constituting the inner circumferential surface of the recess is made from a single sheet body extending over the entire left and right area.

4. The airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that a flap material is provided to be interposed between the protrusion and the airbag when the airbag is deployed and inflated.

Images