Vehicle airbag device

Abstract

To provide an air bag device for a vehicle capable of efficiently adjusting expansion and deployment of an airbag cushion.SOLUTION: An airbag cushion 108 of an air bag device 100 for a vehicle comprises: an inflator insertion part 128; an occupant restraint surface 122 for restraining an occupant 114; an inner wall tether 130 bridged in a vertical direction over a range above an instrument panel 102 and behind the inflator insertion part 128; and a pair of gas passageways 146, 148 formed on both sides in a vehicle width direction of the inner wall tether 130. The inner wall tether 130 comprises: an upper side joint part 138 joined to a part contacting a window shield 112 of the vehicle above the instrument panel 102 in the airbag cushion 108; and a lower side joint part 136 joined to a part contacting the vicinity of a corner part 140 of a storage part 106 in the airbag cushion 108 and an upper surface 132 of the instrument panel 102.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag device for a vehicle, which includes an airbag cushion that expands and deploys between an instrument panel and a front seat.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, vehicles are almost standardly equipped with airbag devices. An airbag device is a safety device that operates in an emergency such as a vehicle collision, and uses an airbag cushion that expands and deploys by gas pressure to receive and protect an occupant. There are various types of airbag devices depending on the installation location and application. For example, at the driver's seat, a front airbag is provided in the center of the steering wheel. At the passenger seat, a passenger airbag is provided on the instrument panel or its peripheral parts.

[0003] Among various airbag devices, particularly the passenger airbag for the passenger seat often expands and deploys from a housing provided on the upper surface of the instrument panel and contacts the windshield from below. At this time, a corresponding force is applied to the windshield. Therefore, for example, in the passenger airbag 102 for the passenger seat described in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, by providing a plurality of tethers 30 inside, the load applied when the airbag body 10 contacts the front windshield 4 is reduced.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] However, in Cited Document 1, since the tether 30 is provided adjacent to the inflator 2 and gas is ejected toward the tether 30, the position of the tether 30 may become unstable or break early, which may affect the adjustment of the expansion and deployment of the airbag body 10.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle airbag device capable of efficiently adjusting the inflation and deployment of an airbag cushion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of a vehicle airbag device according to the present invention includes a housing portion recessed in the upper surface of an instrument panel of a vehicle, an inflater fixed to the bottom of the housing portion, and an airbag cushion inflated and deployed from the housing portion between the instrument panel and the front row seat by the gas of the inflater. In the vehicle airbag device, the airbag cushion has an inflater insertion portion into which a part of the inflater is inserted, an occupant restraint surface provided on the rear side of the vehicle to restrain an occupant of the front row seat, one or a plurality of inner wall tethers extending in the vertical direction in a range above the instrument panel and behind the inflater insertion portion inside the airbag cushion, and a pair of gas passages formed on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the inner wall tethers inside the airbag cushion. Each of the one or a plurality of inner wall tethers has an upper joining portion joined to a portion of the airbag cushion that contacts the vehicle windshield above the instrument panel, and a lower joining portion joined to a portion of the airbag cushion that contacts near a corner between the housing portion and the upper surface of the instrument panel.

[0008] According to the above configuration, by the inner wall tether resisting the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion toward the windshield, the burden imposed on the windshield by the airbag cushion can be suppressed. In particular, the lower joint of the inner wall tether is joined near the corner of the storage part and the upper surface of the instrument panel in the airbag cushion. Near this corner, the pressure of the gas from the inflator is likely to be applied and the position is likely to be stable. Therefore, such an inner wall tether can be stretched vertically at a stable position, and it becomes possible to efficiently adjust the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion.

[0009] Also, according to the above configuration, the gas flow from the inflator toward the occupant restraint surface is bifurcated into gas passages on both sides thereof by the inner wall tether on the way. As a result, after the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed in the vehicle width direction, gas can be sent toward the occupant restraint surface. Therefore, compared with the case of supplying gas toward the occupant restraint surface in one flow from the beginning, the occupant restraint surface can be expanded earlier, and the burden imposed on the occupant when the occupant restraint surface contacts the occupant can also be suppressed. Thus, according to the above configuration, it becomes possible to suppress the injury value of the occupant and efficiently restrain the occupant.

[0010] The above inner wall tether has a breakable breaking part provided so as to extend in the vehicle width direction at the center in the vertical direction, and the breaking part may have an opening provided at the center in the vehicle width direction of the inner wall tether and broken line parts extending from the opening toward both edges of the inner wall tether respectively.

[0011] For an inner wall tether having the above breaking part, at the beginning when the gas supply starts, it resists the gas and bifurcates the gas flow to the left and right, and at the timing when the internal pressure of the airbag cushion has increased to a certain extent, part or all of it breaks from the central opening, and it becomes possible to quickly flow the gas backward to complete the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion.

[0012] The above-mentioned dashed line portion may reach both edges. With this configuration, the inner wall tether breaks at the timing when the internal pressure of the airbag cushion has increased to a certain extent, enabling the gas to flow rapidly backward.

[0013] The above-mentioned inner wall tether has a wide portion formed at the center in the vertical direction and wider than the lower joint portion and the upper joint portion, and the breaking portion may be provided in the wide portion and wider than the lower joint portion and the upper joint portion.

[0014] In the case of the above-mentioned inner wall tether, when the breaking portion provided in the wide portion breaks from the central opening portion, the dimension gradually extends in the vertical direction. Therefore, the timing until the inner wall tether completely breaks can be delayed, and by utilizing this, it becomes possible to adjust the timing when the airbag cushion contacts the windshield, the timing when the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion are completed, and the like.

[0015] A plurality of the above-mentioned one or more inner wall tethers are provided, and among the plurality of inner wall tethers, the upper joint portions of the first inner wall tether and the second inner wall tether may be separated in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the timing when the airbag cushion contacts the windshield is adjusted by a plurality of inner wall tethers, and the airbag cushion can make surface contact with the windshield in the region between the upper joint portions of the plurality of inner wall tethers, making it possible to efficiently suppress the burden on the windshield.

Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle airbag device capable of efficiently adjusting the inflation and deployment of an airbag cushion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in such embodiments are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals to omit redundant description, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vehicle airbag device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(a) is a diagram illustrating a vehicle before the operation of the vehicle airbag device 100. In FIG. 1(a) and other drawings, the vehicle front-rear direction is illustrated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Back), respectively, the left and right in the vehicle width direction are illustrated by arrows L (Left) and R (Right), respectively, and the vehicle up-down direction is illustrated by arrows U (up) and D (down), respectively.

[0021] In this embodiment, the vehicle airbag device 100 is implemented as a passenger airbag for the front passenger seat (seat 104 on the right side of the front row) in a left-hand drive vehicle. Hereinafter, for the purpose of description assuming the seat 104 on the right side of the front row, for example, the outside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction means the right side of the vehicle, and the inside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction means the left side of the vehicle. Also, the upper side means the direction of the head as seen from the occupant 114 (see FIG. 2) sitting normally on the seat 104, and the lower side means the direction of the lower limb portion as seen from the occupant 114.

[0022] The airbag cushion 108 (see FIG. 1(b)) of the vehicle airbag device 100 is housed in a housing portion 106 provided in the instrument panel 102 of the vehicle.

[0023] The housing portion 106 is provided at a location in front of the vehicle of the seat 104 on the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102. In the housing portion 106, in addition to the airbag cushion 108, an inflator 110 (see FIG. 2), which is a gas generator, is also housed.

[0024] FIG. 1(b) is a diagram illustrating the vehicle after the operation of the vehicle airbag device 100 of FIG. 1(a). The airbag cushion 108 is in a bag shape and is formed by, for example, overlapping and sewing or adhering a plurality of panels constituting its surface.

[0025] For example, the airbag cushion 108 includes a central main panel 118 and left and right side panels 120a, 120b. Among the main panel 118, the range on the rear side of the vehicle is a passenger restraint surface 122 that spreads vertically and horizontally to restrain the occupant 114 (see FIG. 2).

[0026] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the airbag cushion 108 of FIG. 1(b). As illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing portion 106 is provided so as to be recessed from the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102. The inflator 110 and the airbag cushion 108 are fixed to the bottom 126 of the housing portion 106.

[0027] The inflator 110 is a gas generator, and a part thereof having a gas ejection hole is inserted inside the airbag cushion 108. The inflator 110 is fixed to the insole 126 of the accommodating portion 106 using a stud bolt (not shown), operates due to a detection signal of an impact sent from a predetermined sensor, and supplies gas inside the airbag cushion 108.

[0028] In this embodiment, the inflator 110 is of a disk type (circular disk type). Currently popular inflators include types filled with a gas generating agent that burns to generate gas, types filled with compressed gas that supply gas without generating heat, or hybrid types that utilize both combustion gas and compressed gas. Any type of inflator can be used as the inflator 110.

[0029] The airbag cushion 108 has an inflator insertion portion 128 for inserting a part of the inflator 110 at a portion fixed to the insole 126 of the accommodating portion 106. The airbag cushion 108 begins to inflate by the gas from the inflator 110, and with the inflation pressure, cleaves the cover 107 (see Fig. 1(a)) of the accommodating portion 106 and inflates and deploys toward the seat 104.

[0030] The airbag cushion 108 inflates and deploys between the instrument panel 102 and the windshield 112 and between the design surface 102b on the vehicle rear side of the instrument panel 102 and the occupant 114 of the seat 104 while being grounded to the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102, and restrains the occupant 114 from the front of the vehicle.

[0031] In this embodiment, an inner wall tether 130 is provided inside the airbag cushion 108. The inner wall tether 130 is a member that adjusts the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 108, and extends in the vertical direction within a range above the instrument panel 102 and behind the inflator insertion portion 128 inside the portion of the airbag cushion 108 that inflates with gas.

[0032] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating each state of the inner wall tether 130 in FIG. 2. FIG. 3(a) is a diagram illustrating the inner wall tether 130 in an initial state during the inflation and deployment process of the airbag cushion 108 in FIG. 2.

[0033] The inner wall tether 130 is stretched vertically across the main panel 118 that forms the upper surface 132 and the lower surface 134 of the airbag cushion 108 inside the airbag cushion 108. For example, the lower edge of the inner wall tether 130 is joined by a lower joint portion 136 to the inside of the lower surface 134 of the airbag cushion 108, and the upper edge of the inner wall tether 130 is joined by an upper joint portion 138 to the inside of the upper surface 132 of the airbag cushion 108. The joining of the inner wall tether 130 to the upper surface 132 and the lower surface 134 can be performed by sewing, heat welding, or the like.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 2 again. In the present embodiment, the lower joint portion 136 is joined to a portion that contacts the vicinity of the corner 140 between the accommodating portion 106 and the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102 in the airbag cushion 108. Further, the upper joint portion 138 is joined to a portion that contacts the windshield 112 above the instrument panel 102 in the airbag cushion 108.

[0035] As illustrated in FIG. 3(a), the side edges 142 and 144 of the inner wall tether 130 are spaced apart from the side panels 120a and 120b that form the left and right side surfaces of the airbag cushion 108. Therefore, a pair of gas passages 146 and 148 are formed on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the inner wall tether 130 inside the airbag cushion 108. At the initial stage of the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 108, the gas from the inflator 110 (see FIG. 2) flows rearward through the gas passages 146 and 148.

[0036] The inner wall tether 130 is provided with a breakable breaking portion 150 on the central side in the vertical direction. The breaking portion 150 includes an opening 152 and broken line portions 154, 156, and is provided so as to extend in the vehicle width direction as a whole.

[0037] The opening 152 is formed by a long cut or slit provided at the center in the vehicle width direction of the inner wall tether 130. The broken line portions 154, 156 are also formed by providing cuts or slits in a broken line shape, and extend from the opening 152 toward the side edges 142, 144 of the inner wall tether 130 respectively.

[0038] FIG. 3(b) is a diagram illustrating the inner wall tether 130 in an intermediate state in the process of inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 in FIG. 3(a). As the supply of gas from the inflator 110 (see FIG. 2) progresses, the internal pressure of the airbag cushion 108 increases, and the airbag cushion 108 attempts to expand vertically and horizontally, so the inner wall tether 130 is also pulled vertically by the upper surface 132 and the lower surface 134. In addition, the inner wall tether 130 directly receives the gas from the inflator 110. Due to these forces, the central opening 152 expands and opens while being pulled vertically.

[0039] The opening 152 can allow gas to pass through. Therefore, the gas flows rearward through the opening 152 in addition to the gas passages 146, 148, and the amount of gas per unit time flowing rearward increases compared to the initial state illustrated in FIG. 3(a).

[0040] Due to the force when gas passes through the opening 152 and the force pulling the upper joint portion 138 and the lower joint portion 136 vertically respectively, the broken line portions 154, 156 gradually tear from the central opening 152 toward both edges. That is, as the internal pressure of the airbag cushion 108 increases, the inner wall tether 130 has the opening 152 gradually become larger and the amount of gas passing through the opening 152 also increases.

[0041] FIG. 3(c) is a diagram illustrating the inner wall tether 130 in a later state during the inflation and deployment process of the airbag cushion 108 in FIG. 3(b).

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 3(b), the broken line portion 154 reaches the side edges 142, 144 of the inner wall tether 130. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 3(c), when the internal pressure of the airbag cushion 108 has increased to a certain extent, all of the breaking portions 150 break, and the inner wall tether 130 separates into an upper portion 130a and a lower portion 130b.

[0043] When the inner wall tether 130 breaks entirely, it no longer resists the flow of gas from the inflator 110 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the gas from the inflator 110 starts to flow rapidly backward.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the inflation and deployment process of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 3. FIG. 4(a) is a diagram illustrating the initial state of the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 3(a).

[0045] Due to the presence of the inner wall tether 130 behind the inflator 110, the gas flow from the inflator 110 toward the occupant restraint surface 122 is bifurcated into the gas passages 146, 148 on both sides thereof by the inner wall tether 130 on the way. Therefore, before the airbag cushion 108 expands such that the occupant restraint surface 122 protrudes backward, it first expands in the vehicle width direction.

[0046] FIG. 4(b) is a diagram illustrating the intermediate state of the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 3(b). When the internal pressure of the airbag cushion 108 increases, the opening 152 of the inner wall tether 130 expands and opens, and gas also flows backward from the opening 152. Therefore, compared to the initial state illustrated in FIG. 4(a), the amount of gas flowing toward the rear occupant restraint surface 122 per unit time increases.

[0047] FIG. 4(c) is a diagram illustrating a later state of the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 in FIG. 4(c). When the inner wall tether 130 (see FIG. 4(b)) breaks, all of the gas in the inflator 110 rapidly flows backward, so that the occupant restraint surface 122 also expands widely, and the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 is completed.

[0048] As described above, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the gas flow from the inflator 110 toward the occupant restraint surface 122 is divided into the gas passages 146 and 148 on both the left and right sides thereof by the inner wall tether 130 in the middle. As a result, after the airbag cushion 108 is inflated and deployed in the vehicle width direction, gas can be sent toward the occupant restraint surface 122. Therefore, compared with the case where gas is supplied in one flow toward the occupant restraint surface 122 from the beginning, the occupant restraint surface 122 can be expanded earlier, and the burden imposed on the occupant 114 (see FIG. 2) when the occupant restraint surface 122 contacts the occupant 114 can also be suppressed. Thus, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the injury value of the occupant 114 and efficiently restrain the occupant.

[0049] In addition, since the inner wall tether 130 of the present embodiment has the breaking portion 150, initially while dividing the gas flow into left and right, at the timing when the internal pressure of the airbag cushion 108 has increased to a certain extent, part or all of it breaks from the central opening 152 and the gas rapidly flows backward, and the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 can be completed.

[0050] FIG. 5 is a diagram further illustrating the process of the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 in FIG. 2. FIG. 5(a) is a diagram illustrating an initial state of the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 4(a).

[0051] The inner wall tether 130 can be set such that the dimension W1 from the upper joint portion 138 to the lower joint portion 136 in a state where no force is applied is smaller than the dimension W2 from the corner portion 140 to the windshield 112 (W1 < W2). As a result, the inner wall tether 130 can resist the expansion and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 toward the windshield 112, and the timing at which the airbag cushion 108 contacts the windshield 112 can be delayed.

[0052] FIG. 5(b) is a diagram illustrating a later state of the expansion and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 4(c). When the inner wall tether 130 breaks, since the resistance by the inner wall tether 130 disappears, the airbag cushion 108 is released and the expansion and deployment proceeds, and it also contacts the windshield 112.

[0053] According to the present embodiment, by the inner wall tether 130 resisting the expansion and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 toward the windshield 112, the burden applied by the airbag cushion 108 to the windshield 112 can be suppressed. In particular, the lower joint portion 136 of the inner wall tether 130 is joined near the corner portion 140 between the housing portion 106 of the airbag cushion 108 and the upper surface 102a of the instrument panel 102. Near this corner portion 140, the pressure of the gas from the inflator 110 is likely to be applied and the position is likely to be stable. Therefore, with the inner wall tether 130, it can be stretched in the vertical direction at a stable position, and the expansion and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 can be efficiently adjusted.

[0054] (Modification example) Hereinafter, modification examples of each of the above-described components will be described. FIG. 6 is a modification example (inner wall tether 160) of the inner wall tether 130 in FIG. 3. From FIG. 6 onward, the same components as those already described are given the same reference numerals, and thus the description of the already-described components is omitted. Also, in the following description, for components having the same name as those already described, even if they are given different reference numerals, they are assumed to have the same function unless otherwise specified.

[0055] FIG. 6(a) is a diagram illustrating the inner wall tether 160 corresponding to FIG. 3(a). The inner wall tether 160 has a wide portion 162 on the central side in the vertical direction. The wide portion 162 is a portion that is wider than the lower joint portion 136 and the upper joint portion 138, and has a shape protruding toward the side panels 120a and 120b.

[0056] The break portion 164 is provided in the wide portion 162 and is formed wider than the lower joint portion 136 and the upper joint portion 138.

[0057] FIG. 6(b) is a diagram illustrating the inner wall tether 160 corresponding to FIG. 3(b). When the internal pressure of the airbag cushion 108 increases, the inner wall tether 160 is pulled in the vertical direction, and the central opening 152 expands and opens.

[0058] FIG. 6(c) is a diagram illustrating the inner wall tether 160 corresponding to FIG. 3(c). Since the break portion 164 provided in the wide portion 162 of the inner wall tether 160 is long, when breaking from the central opening 152, the dimension gradually extends in the vertical direction.

[0059] Since the break portion 164 of the inner wall tether 160 is long, the timing until it is completely broken can be delayed, and also, only a part of the range including the opening 152 of the break portion 164 can be broken to form a configuration in which the dimension extends in the vertical direction. Also by the inner wall tether 160, the timing when the airbag cushion 108 contacts the windshield 112, the timing when the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 is completed, etc. can be adjusted.

[0060] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating modified examples (inner wall tethers 180, 182) of the inner wall tether 160 corresponding to FIG. 5. FIG. 7(a) is a diagram illustrating the initial state of the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 5(a).

[0061] The airbag cushion 108 of this modification is provided with two inner wall tethers 180 and 182. The first inner wall tether 180 and the second inner wall tether 182 have lower joints 184 and 186 joined near the corner 140 of the airbag cushion 108, and upper joints 188 and 190 provided at intervals in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0062] FIG. 7(b) is a diagram illustrating a later state of the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 5(b).

[0063] According to the above configuration, the plurality of inner wall tethers 180 and 182 adjust the timing at which the airbag cushion 108 contacts the windshield 112, and the airbag cushion 108 can make surface contact with the windshield 112 in the region E1 between the upper joints 188 and 190 of the plurality of inner wall tethers 180 and 182, making it possible to efficiently suppress the burden on the windshield 112.

[0064] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the state of the inner wall tethers 180 and 182 during the inflation and deployment process of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 4. FIG. 8(a) illustrates an initial state of the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 3(a).

[0065] Also in the airbag cushion 108, the gas flow from the inflator 110 toward the occupant restraint surface 122 is bifurcated into gas passages 146 and 148 on both sides thereof by the inner wall tethers 180 and 182 on the way. Therefore, prior to the airbag cushion 108 inflating such that the occupant restraint surface 122 protrudes rearward, it first inflates in the vehicle width direction.

[0066] FIG. 8(b) is a diagram illustrating a mid-stage state of the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 4(b). When the internal pressure of the airbag cushion 108 increases, the openings 192 and 194 of the inner wall tethers 180 and 182 expand and open, and gas also flows backward from the openings 192 and 194. Therefore, compared with the initial state illustrated in FIG. 8(a), the amount of gas flowing toward the rear occupant restraint surface 122 per unit time increases.

[0067] FIG. 8(c) is a diagram illustrating a late-stage state of the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 corresponding to FIG. 4(c). The inner wall tethers 180 and 182 are configured not to break completely even when the openings 192 and 194 expand. Due to the inner wall tethers 180 and 182, gas also flows rapidly backward from the expanded openings 192 and 194, so that the occupant restraint surface 122 also expands widely, and the inflation deployment of the airbag cushion 108 is completed.

[0068] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the above-described embodiments are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments can also be implemented or carried out in various ways. In particular, unless there is a description of the gist limited in the present specification, the present invention is not limited to the detailed shapes, sizes, and configurations of the components shown in the accompanying drawings. Also, the expressions and terms used in the present specification are for the purpose of explanation, and unless there is a description of the gist limited thereto, they are not limited thereto.

[0069] Therefore, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modification examples or correction examples within the scope described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that they also belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

[0070] The present invention can be used in a vehicle airbag device including an airbag cushion that inflates and deploys between an instrument panel and a front seat.

Explanation of Signs

[0071] 100…Airbag device for vehicle, 102…Instrument panel, 102a…Upper surface, 102b…Design surface, 104…Seat, 106…Accommodation part, 107…Cover, 108…Airbag cushion, 110…Inflator, 112…Windshield, 114…Occupant, 118…Main panel, 120a, 120b…Side panel, 122…Occupant restraint surface, 126…Insole, 128…Inflator insertion part, 130…Inner wall tether, 130a…Upper part, 130b…Lower part, 132…Upper surface, 134…Lower surface, 136…Lower joint part, 138…Upper joint part, 140…Corner part, 142, 144…Side edge, 146, 148…Gas passage, 150…Breaking part, 152…Opening part, 154, 156…Dashed line part, 160…Inner wall tether, 162…Wide part, 164…Breaking part, 180, 182…Inner wall tether, 184, 186…Lower joint part, 188, 190…Upper joint part, 192, 194…Opening part, E1…Region, W1, W2…Dimensions,

Claims

1. In a vehicle airbag device comprising a storage portion recessed in the upper surface of an instrument panel of a vehicle, an inflator fixed to the bottom of the storage portion, and an airbag cushion that expands and deploys from the storage portion between the instrument panel and the front row seat by gas from the inflator, the airbag cushion has: an inflator insertion portion into which a part of the inflator is inserted; an occupant restraint surface provided on the rear side of the vehicle to restrain the occupant of the front row seat; one or more inner wall tethers extending in the vertical direction in a range above the instrument panel and behind the inflator insertion portion inside the airbag cushion; a pair of gas passages formed on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the inner wall tether inside the airbag cushion; and each of the one or more inner wall tethers has: an upper joining portion joined to a portion of the airbag cushion that contacts the vehicle windshield above the instrument panel; a lower joining portion joined to a portion of the airbag cushion that contacts near the corner between the storage portion and the upper surface of the instrument panel; A vehicle airbag device characterized by the above.

2. The inner wall tether has a breakable break portion provided to extend in the vehicle width direction at the center in the vertical direction, and the break portion has: an opening provided at the center in the vehicle width direction of the inner wall tether; broken line portions extending from the opening toward both edges of the inner wall tether respectively; The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 2, characterized in that the broken line portions reach both edges.

4. The inner wall tether has a wide portion formed at the center in the vertical direction and wider than the lower joining portion and the upper joining portion, and the break portion is provided in the wide portion and is wider than the lower joining portion and the upper joining portion. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by the above.

5. A plurality of the one or more inner wall tethers are provided, and in the plurality of inner wall tethers, the first inner wall tether and the second inner wall tether are characterized in that the upper joining portions are separated in the vehicle front-rear direction. The vehicle airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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