Curtain airbag device

Abstract

To provide a curtain airbag device which achieves space saving an upper part of a cabin side wall.SOLUTION: A curtain airbag device 100 has an airbag cushion 120 which is mounted on a roof side rail 114 in a long storage form, an inflator 122, and a roof trim 116. The airbag cushion 120 has an inflator insertion part 128 to which the inflator 122 is inserted, and an expansion part 130 which is expanded and developed downward from the inflator insertion part 128. When the airbag cushion 120 is in the storage form, the expansion part 130 is formed into such a cylindrical shape as to be wound toward the inflator insertion part 128 from the lower end side. At least a part of the cylindrical expansion part 130 is provided in a location above the lower end of the inflator 122 in the roof side rail 114.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a curtain airbag device for protecting an occupant in the event of a side collision or rollover of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A curtain airbag device is equipped with an airbag cushion that covers the side door of the vehicle interior side wall in an emergency, and receives and restrains the occupant from the side. The airbag cushion of the curtain airbag device needs to adequately cover the opening for the side window to prevent the occupant from being thrown out of the vehicle even if the vehicle transitions from a side collision to a rollover.

[0003] The airbag cushion of the curtain airbag device is stored in the roof side rail at the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In order to store the airbag cushion of the curtain airbag device in a limited space, the airbag cushion is stored in a long storage form, for example, by being wound up in a roll shape from the lower end side or folded in an accordion shape. For example, FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1 discloses a state in which a cylindrically rolled curtain airbag 40 is stored in a roof side portion 20. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-31249 A Summary of the Invention

[0005] There is a demand for further miniaturization and weight reduction of devices mounted on current vehicles in order to improve fuel efficiency, etc. There is also a demand for the curtain airbag device to have a configuration that allows it to be mounted in a smaller space. [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a curtain airbag device that can reduce the space required in the upper part of a side wall of a vehicle compartment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the curtain airbag device of the present invention is a curtain airbag device comprising an airbag cushion that is in a long storage form in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is attached to a roof side rail at an upper part of a side wall of the passenger compartment, an inflator that is attached to the roof side rail with a portion of it inserted into the airbag cushion, and a roof trim that covers the airbag cushion and the inflator, wherein the airbag cushion has an inflator insertion portion into which the inflator is inserted, and an expansion portion that inflates and deploys downward from the inflator insertion portion, and when the airbag cushion is in the stored form, the expansion portion is cylindrical and wound from a lower end side toward the inflator insertion portion, and at least a portion of the cylindrical expansion portion is provided at a location on the roof side rail above the lower end of the inflator.

[0008] The airbag cushion in the above-mentioned stored form is accommodated in the space along the roof side rail so that a portion of the cushion is located above the lower end of the inflator. That is, in the above-mentioned configuration, the cylindrical airbag cushion in the stored form is accommodated as high as possible above the roof side rail. With this configuration, the installation space for the airbag cushion can be reduced, and it is possible to save space in the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle interior, for example, by locating the roof trim closer to the roof side rail.

[0009] The cylindrical inflatable portion may be provided on the roof side rail at a location above a lower end of the inflator.

[0010] In the above configuration, the cylindrical airbag cushion may be installed so that the entirety thereof is positioned above the lower end of the inflator, or so that about half of the cushion is positioned above the lower end of the inflator. These configurations also reduce the installation space for the airbag cushion, making it possible to conserve space in the upper part of the side walls of the vehicle interior.

[0011] The cylindrical expansion portion may have an elliptical cross section in the short direction, and the major axis of the elliptical cross section of the cylindrical expansion portion may extend from the outer side in the vehicle width direction toward the upper inside in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] According to the above configuration, the cylindrical inflatable portion of the airbag cushion in the above storage form has an elliptical cross section and a narrow width in the minor axis direction, so that it can be installed in a narrower space. Therefore, the cylindrical inflatable portion can be installed in the narrower space along the roof side rail, which is closer to the roof. The above configuration also reduces the installation space of the airbag cushion, and it is possible to save space in the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle compartment, for example, by locating the roof trim closer to the roof side rail.

[0013] The inflator may be attached to a portion of the roof side rail above the B-pillar.

[0014] According to the above configuration, it is possible to save space above the B-pillar.

[0015] The above-mentioned curtain airbag device may further include a bracket that is attached to a predetermined location of the roof side rail to cover the upper part of the cylindrical inflatable portion and the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

[0016] According to the above configuration, when the cylindrical expansion portion expands and deploys, the bracket interferes with the upper side and the inner side of the expansion portion in the vehicle width direction, allowing the expansion portion to push the roof trim downward and expand smoothly. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a curtain airbag device that can save space in the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle compartment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an outline of a curtain airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the airbag cushion of FIG. 1(b) in a flat, unfolded state. [Diagram 3] 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating a process of putting the airbag cushion of FIG. 2 into a stored configuration. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the curtain airbag device taken along line AA in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first modified example of the curtain airbag device of FIG. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating second and third modified examples of the curtain airbag device in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific values ​​shown in the embodiment are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are given the same reference numerals to avoid repeated explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an outline of a curtain airbag device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1(a) is a diagram illustrating a state before the curtain airbag device 100 is activated. The curtain airbag device 100 illustrated in the figure is for the right side of a vehicle, but the curtain airbag device 100 for the left side (not shown) also has a similar symmetrical structure.

[0021] 1(a) and other drawings, the front-rear direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Back), the left and right directions in the vehicle width direction are indicated by arrows L (Left) and R (Right), and the up-down direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows U (up) and D (down). In particular, "up" refers to the direction of the head of an occupant normally seated in a seat, and "down" refers to the direction of the lower legs of the occupant.

[0022] Vehicle 102 is assumed to be a two-row seat vehicle with front row seats 104 and rear row seats 106 arranged from the front of the vehicle. Side windows 105, 107 are provided on the passenger compartment side walls of vehicle 102 from the front of the vehicle. A plurality of pillars supporting the roof are provided in the front-to-rear direction of each side window. The plurality of pillars include, from the front of the vehicle, A pillar 108, B pillar 110, and C pillar 112. The interior side of each pillar is covered by a pillar garnish (see pillar garnish 111 in FIG. 4(a)).

[0023] The roof side rail 114 is a member that forms the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle compartment. The roof side rail 114 is covered with a roof trim 116 (see FIG. 4(a)).

[0024] Before activation, the airbag cushion 120 of the curtain airbag device 100 is rolled or folded into a long storage form in the vehicle front-rear direction. The airbag cushion 120 is attached from the A-pillar 108 along the roof side rail 114. Before activation, the airbag cushion 120 is covered and hidden by the roof trim 116 (see FIG. 4(a)), and therefore cannot be seen by the occupants.

[0025] The curtain airbag device 100 includes an inflator 122, which is a gas generating device. The inflator 122 is a cylindrical inflator, and is fixed to the roof side rail 114 with a portion of it inserted into the airbag cushion 120.

[0026] Currently popular inflators include a type filled with a gas generating agent that generates gas by burning it, a type filled with compressed gas that supplies gas without generating heat, and a hybrid type that uses both combustion gas and compressed gas. Any of these types can be used as the inflator 122.

[0027] Fig. 1(b) is a diagram illustrating a state after activation of the curtain airbag device 100. In the event of an emergency such as a side collision, the curtain airbag device 100 causes the airbag cushion 120 to push aside the roof trim 116 (see Fig. 4(a)) and inflate and deploy due to the pressure of gas supplied from the inflator 122, thereby restraining the occupant.

[0028] The airbag cushion 120 inflates and deploys widely in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle on the outer side of the front row seats 104 and the rear row seats 106. Each part of the inflatable portion of the airbag cushion 120 is divided into small rooms called chambers according to the flow of gas and the structure of the occupant and the seat, etc.

[0029] The airbag cushion 120 is provided with straps 124, 126 on the front and rear sides. The straps 124, 126 are string-like members, with the strap 124 connected to the A-pillar 108 and the strap 126 connected to the C-pillar 112. The straps 124, 126 act to suppress the swinging of the airbag cushion 120 when it is inflated and deployed, thereby enabling the airbag cushion 120 to quickly cover a desired range.

[0030] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the airbag cushion 120 of Fig. 1(b) in a state where it is spread out on a flat surface. In addition, when the airbag cushion 120 is placed on a flat surface, the side where the inflator 122 is installed is referred to as the "upper" side, and the opposite side is referred to as the "lower" side. This up-down direction corresponds to the up-down direction of the vehicle body when the airbag cushion 120 is attached to the vehicle.

[0031] The airbag cushion 120 is formed into a bag shape, for example, by sewing the front and back of a base fabric constituting the surface thereof, or by weaving using OPW (One-Piece Woven). The airbag cushion 120 is fixed to the roof side rail 114 (see FIG. 1(b)) via a number of tabs 127 provided on the upper edge. The upper edge is also provided with an inflator insertion portion 128 into which the inflator 122 is inserted.

[0032] The inflation section 130 of the airbag cushion 120 is a section that receives gas from the inflator insertion section 128 and inflates and deploys downward. The inflation section 130 is roughly divided into a duct section 132 and a plurality of protective chambers (protective chambers 134a to 134d). The duct section 132 is a gas communication passage that extends from the inflator insertion section 128 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and forms the upper part of the inflation section 130.

[0033] The protection chambers are divided into protection chambers 134a and 134b that mainly restrain passengers in the front row seats 104 (see FIG. 1(b)), and protection chambers 134c and 134d that mainly restrain passengers in the rear row seats 106. Gas is supplied to each protection chamber from a duct portion 132 above.

[0034] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a process of rolling the airbag cushion 120 of Fig. 2 into a storage form. Fig. 3(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the airbag cushion 120 of Fig. 2 is rolled up halfway. When the airbag cushion 120 is rolled up into a storage form, the inflatable portion 130 is rolled up from the lower end side toward the inflator insertion portion 128 at the upper part.

[0035] Fig. 3(b) is a diagram showing a state in which the rolling of the airbag cushion 120 of Fig. 3(a) is completed. In the airbag cushion 120 in the stored form, the rolled inflatable portion 130 is in a cylindrical shape that is long in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0036] Fig. 3(c) is an AA cross-sectional view of the airbag cushion 120 in Fig. 3(b). The cylindrical inflatable portion 130 is formed so that its cross section in the short side direction is elliptical. This elliptical cross section can be formed by rolling the inflatable portion 130 (see Fig. 3(a)) with a certain amount of slack, and then pressing it in the short side direction. This pressing can also be performed by a heat press in which pressing is performed while heating. By using a heat press, the minor axis of the elliptical shape can be made shorter.

[0037] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the curtain airbag device 100 in Fig. 1(a). Fig. 4(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the curtain airbag device 100 above the B-pillar 110 in Fig. 1(a).

[0038] The roof trim 116 is an interior member that forms the ceiling of the vehicle compartment, and is attached to the interior side of the vehicle in an area extending from the roof panel 138 to the roof side rail 114 , covering the airbag cushion 120 and the inflator 122 .

[0039] In this embodiment, the inflator 122 is attached to the roof side rail 114 using an inflator bracket 140 .

[0040] The cylindrical inflation portion 130 is attached using tabs 127 (see FIG. 2) or other brackets, etc., so that at least a portion of the cylindrical inflation portion 130 is located above the lower end E1 (see FIG. 4(b)) of the inflator 122 on the roof side rail 114. For example, the cylindrical inflation portion 130 is located above the inflator 122 and on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and is stored in the space between the roof panel 138 and the roof trim 116. In this manner, in this embodiment, the airbag cushion 120 in a cylindrical stored form is stored as high up as possible on the roof side rail 114.

[0041] Fig. 4(b) is an enlarged view of the airbag cushion 120 in Fig. 4(a). The cylindrical inflatable portion 130 is installed so that the major axis L1 of the elliptical cross section extends from the outer side in the vehicle width direction toward the upper inside in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the cylindrical inflatable portion 130 is installed in a state where the minor axis L2 faces the direction connecting the roof panel 138 and the roof trim 116.

[0042] As described above, the cylindrical inflatable portion 130 in the airbag cushion 120 in the stored form of this embodiment has an elliptical cross section and a narrow width in the short axis direction, so that it can be installed in a narrower space. Therefore, the inflatable portion 130 can be installed in a narrower space closer to the roof panel 138 among the spaces along the roof side rail 114. In other words, with the above configuration, the installation space of the airbag cushion 120 can be reduced, and it is possible to save space in the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle compartment, for example, by arranging the roof trim 116 closer to the roof side rail 114.

[0043] As described above, in this embodiment, the inflator 122 is attached to the roof side rail 114 at a location above the B-pillar 110. The cylindrical inflation portion 130 is also stored above the B-pillar 110, and on the inside in the vehicle width direction, above the inflator 122. This configuration makes it possible to save space above the B-pillar 110.

[0044] (Modification) Modifications of each of the above-mentioned components will be described below. In Fig. 5, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those already described, and the description of the components will be omitted. In the following description, components with the same names as those already described will have the same functions unless otherwise specified, even if they are given different reference numerals.

[0045] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first modified example (curtain airbag device 160) of the curtain airbag device 100 in Fig. 4. Fig. 5(a) is a diagram illustrating the curtain airbag device 160 corresponding to Fig. 4(a). The curtain airbag device 160 is different in configuration from the curtain airbag device 160 in that it is provided with a bracket 162.

[0046] The bracket 162 can be attached to the roof side rail 114 at a location such as above the B-pillar 110. The bracket 162 serves to guide the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 120 in a predetermined direction. In addition, the bracket 162 can hold the cylindrical inflation portion 130 by using, for example, a breakable tape.

[0047] An upper portion 164 of the bracket 162 extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the roof side rail 114 above the cylindrical expansion portion 130. The inner portion 166 is bent downward from the inner end of the upper portion 164 in the vehicle width direction.

[0048] The bracket 162 is configured such that the upper portion 164 and the inner portion 166 cover the upper side and the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the cylindrical inflatable portion 130. In particular, the inner portion 166 is configured to close the space between the roof panel 138 and the roof trim 116 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the cylindrical inflatable portion 130.

[0049] Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing the airbag cushion 120 of Fig. 5(a) when it is inflated and deployed. In this modified example, when the cylindrical inflatable portion 130 inflates and deploys, the bracket 162 interferes with the upper side of the inflatable portion 130 and the inner side in the vehicle width direction. This action allows the inflatable portion 130 to inflate downward and push aside the roof trim 116 without entering the space between the roof panel 138 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and the roof trim 116, enabling it to smoothly inflate and deploy to cover the passenger compartment side walls such as the B-pillar 110.

[0050] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating second and third modified examples of the curtain airbag device 100 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6(a) is a diagram illustrating a curtain airbag device 170 of the second modified example. The curtain airbag device 170 is also housed in the space along the roof side rail 114 such that a part of the cylindrical inflation portion 174 is located above the lower end E1 of the inflator 122.

[0051] The cylindrical inflation section 174 does not need to be located entirely above the lower end E1 of the inflator 122 in the longitudinal direction, and does not need to be located entirely above the lower end E1 of the inflator 122 in the lateral direction. The inflation section 174 can be accommodated as high as possible on the roof side rail 114, so that a portion of the upper side in the lateral direction is located above the lower end E1 of the inflator 122. Even with this configuration, the installation space of the airbag cushion 172 can be reduced, and similar to the inflation section 130 in FIG. 4(b), it is possible to save space in the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle interior, for example, by arranging the roof trim 116 closer to the roof side rail 114.

[0052] 6(b) is a diagram illustrating a curtain airbag device 180 of a third modified example. The airbag cushion 182 of the curtain airbag device 180 is housed in a location where at least the upper half in the short direction of the cylindrical inflatable portion 184 is located above the lower end E1 of the inflator 122.

[0053] In this manner, each curtain airbag device may be installed so that the entire cylindrical inflatable portion 130 is located above the inflator 122 as shown in Fig. 4(b), or so that a part of the cylindrical inflatable portion 174 is located above the lower end E1 of the inflator 122 as shown in Fig. 6(a), or so that about half of the cylindrical inflatable portion 184 is located above the lower end E1 of the inflator 122 as shown in Fig. 6(b). Either configuration allows the device to be installed in a narrower space closer to the roof panel 138 among the spaces along the roof side rail 114, and it is possible to reduce the installation space for each airbag cushion and thereby save space in the upper part of the side wall of the vehicle compartment.

[0054] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above-described embodiment is a preferred example of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or performed in various ways. Unless otherwise specified in the present specification, the present invention is not limited to the shape, size, and configuration of the detailed parts shown in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the expressions and terms used in the present specification are for the purpose of explanation, and are not limited thereto unless otherwise specified.

[0055] Therefore, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and it will be understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0056] The present invention can be used in a curtain airbag device for protecting an occupant during a side collision or rollover of a vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 100...curtain airbag device, 102...vehicle, 104...front row seat, 105, 107...side window, 106...rear row seat, 108...A-pillar, 110...B-pillar, 111...pillar garnish, 112...C-pillar, 114...roof side rail, 116...roof trim, 120...airbag cushion, 122...inflator, 124, 126...strap, 127...tab, 128...inflator insertion portion, 130...inflation portion , 132...duct portion, 134a to 134d...protective chamber, 138...roof panel, 140...inflator bracket, 160...curtain airbag device, 162...bracket, 164...upper portion, 166...inner portion, 170...curtain airbag device, 172...airbag cushion, 174...inflating portion, 180...curtain airbag device, 182...airbag cushion, 184...inflating portion, E1...lower end, L1...long axis, L2...short axis

Claims

1. A curtain airbag device includes an airbag cushion that is stored in a long length in the front-rear direction of a vehicle and is attached to a roof side rail at an upper portion of a side wall of a vehicle compartment, an inflator that is attached to the roof side rail with a portion of the inflator inserted in the airbag cushion, and a roof trim that covers the airbag cushion and the inflator, The airbag cushion comprises: an inflator insertion portion into which the inflator is inserted; an inflatable portion that inflates and deploys downward from the inflator insertion portion; having When the airbag cushion is in the stored form, the inflatable portion has a cylindrical shape wound from a lower end side toward the inflator insertion portion, At least a portion of the cylindrical inflation portion is provided in a location of the roof side rail above a lower end of the inflator, The cylindrical inflation portion is provided at a location on the roof side rail above a lower end of the inflator, The cylindrical expansion portion has a cross section in a short direction that is elliptical, a major axis of the elliptical cross section of the cylindrical expansion portion extends from an outer side in a vehicle width direction toward an inner side in an upward direction in the vehicle width direction, The curtain airbag device further comprises: a bracket attached to a predetermined location of the roof side rail to cover an upper portion of the cylindrical expansion portion and an inner side in a vehicle width direction; an inflator bracket for attaching the inflator to the roof side rail; A curtain airbag device comprising:

2. 2. The curtain airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the inflator is attached to a portion of the roof side rail above a B-pillar.

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