Side airbag device

Abstract

[Problem] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a side airbag device that facilitates control of deployment behavior of an airbag cushion during expansive deployment and that is capable of reliably catching and protecting an occupant. [Solution] This side airbag device (100) comprises a bag-like airbag cushion 120 that uses a gas supplied from an inflator 124 to expansively deploy at the side of a vehicular seat 104, wherein the device is characterized in that an inner ground-fabric panel 120a of a lower-end section 126 of the airbag cushion is folded back in a direction (far side) opposite an occupant 122 of the vehicular seat and, when the airbag cushion expansively deploys, comes into frictional contact with an upper surface 128 of a console box 118 disposed between the vehicular seat and a neighboring seat 110.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a side airbag device including a bag-shaped airbag cushion that expands and deploys laterally for an occupant of a vehicle seat, such as during a side impact of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, airbag devices have been almost standard equipment in vehicles. An airbag device is a safety device that operates in an emergency such as a vehicle collision, and inflates and deploys an airbag cushion with gas pressure to receive and protect an occupant. As an example, a side airbag device includes a bag-shaped airbag cushion that expands and deploys laterally for an occupant of a vehicle seat, such as during a side impact of a vehicle.

[0003] Normally, when a lateral impact is applied to a vehicle, an occupant moves in the vehicle width direction. For example, when a side impact occurs in which an object (collision object) such as another vehicle or a utility pole collides with the side door on the passenger seat side, side airbags for protecting the occupant are roughly classified into two types. The first is a so-called near-side airbag, which expands and deploys between the passenger seat and the side door to prevent the occupant of the passenger seat from colliding with the side door on the collision object contact side (near side for that occupant). The second is a so-called far-side airbag, which expands and deploys between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and protects the occupant of the driver's seat from moving to the collision object contact side (far side for that occupant), that is, the center of the vehicle, due to a lateral impact.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an occupant restraint system including an airbag bag body. This airbag bag body is a far-side airbag, and expands and deploys between the vehicle console box and the seat system (vehicle seat) using gas supplied from an inflator. The bottom of the airbag bag body deploys at a position below the upper surface of the console box. Also, the upper part of the airbag bag body deploys at a position above the upper surface of the console box.

[0005] In Patent Document 1, when an occupant applies a load to the airbag bag body, a part of the airbag bag body comes into contact with the console box and receives lateral support, opposing the force applied by the occupant to the airbag bag body. And it is stated that this lateral support can prevent the lateral movement of the airbag bag body and further restrain the occupant.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In the occupant restraint system of Patent Document 1, the bottom of the airbag bag body is deployed at a position below the upper surface of the console box and intervenes in the narrow gap between the vehicle seat and the console box. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to control the deployment behavior of the side airbag during inflation and deployment, and there is room for improvement in sufficiently restraining and protecting the occupant.

[0008] In view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a side airbag device that can easily control the deployment behavior of the airbag cushion during inflation and deployment and can more reliably receive and protect the occupant.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the side airbag device according to the present invention is a side airbag device including a bag-shaped airbag cushion that expands and deploys at the side of a vehicle seat using gas supplied from an inflater. The airbag cushion has an inner base fabric panel provided on the occupant side and an outer base fabric panel provided on the side opposite to the occupant. Near the lower end of the airbag cushion, it is folded upward on the surface opposite to the occupant, and the inner base fabric panel near the lower end is housed in the vehicle seat so as to be located on the side opposite to the occupant. When the airbag cushion expands and deploys, the inner base fabric panel near the above-mentioned lower end comes into frictional contact with the upper surface of a console box disposed between the vehicle seat and the adjacent seat.

[0010] In the above configuration, the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion is folded back to the side opposite to the occupant. Here, the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion means the portion of the airbag cushion that is located below the upper surface of the console box when the side airbag device is assembled to the vehicle seat and inflated and deployed in a state where the console box does not exist. And in the above configuration, the inner base fabric panel near the lower end of the airbag cushion comes into frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box when inflated and deployed. For this reason, the airbag cushion is suppressed from moving in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface of the console box and becomes difficult to slide.

[0011] As a result, the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion can receive sufficient reaction force from the upper surface of the console box when inflated and deployed, and thus can serve as a rear shield of the airbag cushion that restrains the occupant and support the entire airbag cushion. As a result, even when the occupant falls toward the center side of the vehicle, the airbag cushion can be reliably received and protected when inflated and deployed by being supported by the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion.

[0012] In this way, the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion is folded back to the opposite side of the occupant and then makes frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box during inflation and deployment. For this reason, it becomes difficult for the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion to enter the gap between the vehicle seat and the console box, and it is easy to control the deployment behavior.

[0013] When the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion described above makes frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box, the airbag cushion may bend into a convex bow shape toward the vehicle seat. Further, the airbag device is preferably provided on the center side of the vehicle where the console box is provided, that is, on the side portion on the far side (the side portion on the vehicle center side of the seat).

[0014] Here, when there is no console box, the airbag cushion originally inflates and deploys substantially linearly in the vehicle vertical direction. On the other hand, in the above configuration, while the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion makes frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box and receives a reaction force, the airbag cushion bends into a bow shape as a whole. For this reason, a force that tries to return the airbag cushion to its original shape, which is substantially linear in the vehicle vertical direction during inflation and deployment, is generated in the airbag cushion. Thereby, even when the occupant falls toward the vehicle center side, the airbag cushion can support the occupant by the force that tries to return to its original shape.

[0015] Note that the larger the contact area where the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion makes frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box, the greater the reaction force received from the upper surface of the console box. Therefore, when the airbag cushion inflates and deploys, if the vicinity of its lower end is bent into an L-shaped so that the entire vicinity makes frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box, a large reaction force can be received from the upper surface of the console box. However, if the airbag cushion bends into an L-shaped, it becomes difficult for a force that tries to return to its original shape to be generated. For this reason, when the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion makes frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box, the shape of the airbag cushion is preferably a shape that bends into a convex bow shape toward the vehicle seat.

[0016] Near the lower end of the airbag cushion described above, it is preferably provided at a position higher than the upper surface of the console box when being accommodated in the vehicle seat.

[0017] As a result, when the airbag cushion expands and deploys, the vicinity of the lower end does not enter the gap between the vehicle seat and the console box, so it is easy to control the deployment behavior, and furthermore, the vicinity of the lower end can surely come into frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box.

[0018] When the airbag cushion described above is accommodated in the vehicle seat, the folding position where the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion is folded back is preferably at a height position above the upper surface of the console box.

[0019] Also with such a configuration, when the airbag cushion expands and deploys, the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion does not enter the gap between the vehicle seat and the console box, so it is easy to control the deployment behavior, and furthermore, the vicinity of the lower end can surely come into frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box.

[0020] The contact surface that comes into frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box near the lower end of the inner base fabric panel of the airbag cushion described above is preferably provided with a high-friction surface having a larger coefficient of friction than other surfaces of the airbag cushion.

[0021] As a result, near the lower end of the airbag cushion, since the contact surface with a large coefficient of friction comes into frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box, it becomes more difficult to slide on the upper surface of the console box when expanding and deploying.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a side airbag device that can easily control the deployment behavior of the airbag cushion during expansion and deployment, and can surely receive and protect the occupant.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] 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 understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In addition, in this specification and the 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 in the drawings.

[0025] In the present embodiment, when the occupant is seated on the seat in a regular posture, the direction in which the occupant is facing is referred to as the front, and the opposite direction is referred to as the back. Also, when the occupant is seated on the seat in a regular posture, the right side of the occupant is referred to as the right direction, and the left side of the occupant is referred to as the left direction. Further, when the occupant is seated in a regular posture, the head direction of the occupant is referred to as the upper direction, and the waist direction of the occupant is referred to as the lower direction. And in the drawings used in the following description, if necessary, the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions based on the above-described occupant are shown as Front, Back, Left, Right, Up, and Down.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a view showing a part of a vehicle 102 to which a side airbag device 100 in an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown by a dotted line in the figure, the side airbag device 100 is embedded in a side portion on the vehicle center side of a seat back 106 of a vehicle seat 104. The vehicle seat 104 is a right front seat (for example, a driver's seat) in the vehicle 102, and in addition to the seat back 106, has a seat cushion 108 on which the occupant sits.

[0027] In the vehicle 102, an adjacent seat (vehicle seat 110) adjacent to the vehicle seat 104 is arranged. The vehicle seat 110 is a left front seat (for example, the passenger seat), and has a seat back 112 and a seat cushion 114. Further, a side door 116 is located outside the vehicle on the vehicle seat 110. Furthermore, a console box 118 is arranged in the vehicle 102.

[0028] Since the console box 118 is arranged between the vehicle seats 104 and 110, it is located on the opposite side of the vehicle seat 104 from the occupant side, that is, on the vehicle center side which is the far side as seen from the occupant. The side airbag device 100 includes a bag-shaped airbag cushion 120 (see FIG. 2) that expands and deploys at the side portion of the vehicle seat 104 during a side collision of the vehicle or the like. The side airbag device 100 may be embedded in the side surface on the vehicle center side of the seat back 112 of the vehicle seat 110.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the side airbag device 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2(a) illustrates a state in which the side airbag device 100 is assembled to the vehicle seat 104 and the airbag cushion 120 is inflated and deployed with the console box 118 not present as shown by the chain line in the figure. FIG. 2(b) illustrates the state of the side airbag device 100 of FIG. 2(a) as seen from the front of the vehicle, together with the occupant 122 seated on the vehicle seat 104.

[0030] The side airbag device 100 includes, in addition to the airbag cushion 120, an inflater 124 shown by a dotted line in Fig. 2(b). The airbag cushion 120 is formed in a bag shape, for example, by weaving using OPW (One-Piece Woven). The inflater 124 is a gas generator. The airbag cushion 120 expands and deploys using the gas supplied from the inflater 124 in an emergency such as when an impact occurs in the vehicle 102. The airbag cushion 120 expands and deploys between the vehicle seat 104 and the vehicle seat 110 shown in Fig. 1 and functions as a so-called far-side airbag.

[0031] As shown in Figs. 2(a) and 2(b), the airbag cushion 120 has an inner base fabric panel 120a provided on the side of the occupant 122 and an outer base fabric panel 120b provided on the side opposite to the occupant 122. In a state where the console box 118 does not exist, the airbag cushion 120 expands and deploys substantially linearly in the vehicle vertical direction, and the vicinity 126 of its lower end is located below the upper surface 128 of the console box 118. Here, the upper end 130 of the airbag cushion 120 is located above the seat back 106 of the vehicle seat 104.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the deployment behavior of the airbag cushion 120 of the side airbag device 100 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3(a) illustrates the state at the initial stage of the deployment of the airbag cushion 120. Fig. 3(b) illustrates the state when the airbag cushion 120 in Fig. 3(a) expands and deploys.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 3(a), near the lower end portion 126 of the airbag cushion 120, at the folding position 129 that is at a height position above the upper surface 128 of the console box when being housed in the vehicle seat 104, it is folded upward on the surface on the opposite side (the far side, the left side in Fig. 3) of the occupant 122. Therefore, the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 is provided at a position higher than the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 during housing. Also, as illustrated in Fig. 3(a), the inner base fabric panel 120a of the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 is located on the opposite side of the occupant 122.

[0034] Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 2(a) and 2(b), when the console box 118 does not exist, the airbag cushion 120 becomes substantially linear in the vehicle vertical direction during inflation and deployment.

[0035] For this reason, when gas is supplied from the inflator 124, the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 deploys so as to move toward the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 as shown by the arrow A in Fig. 3(a). Further, as shown in Fig. 3(b), the inner base fabric panel 120a of the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 inflates and deploys so as to strike the upper surface 128 of the console box 118. Note that the upper end portion 130 of the airbag cushion 120 is folded back to the opposite side (the far side) of the occupant 122 on the vehicle seat 104, moves upward as shown by the arrow B in Fig. 3(a), and further inflates and deploys as shown in Fig. 3(b).

[0036] And, as shown in Fig. 3(b), the inner base fabric panel 120a near the lower end portion 126 of the airbag cushion 120 is in frictional contact with the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 during inflation and deployment. In this way, since the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 is folded back to the opposite side (the far side) of the occupant 122 of the vehicle seat 104 at a position higher than the upper surface 128 of the console box 118, it is located above the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 and does not enter the gap 134 between the vehicle seat 104 and the console box 118.

[0037] Furthermore, the inner base fabric panel 120a, which is the contact surface that comes into frictional contact with the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 in the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120, is, for example, silicon-coated. In this way, the inner base fabric panel 120a in the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 has a high-friction surface with a larger coefficient of friction than other surfaces of the airbag cushion 120. This coefficient of friction may be a static coefficient of friction or a kinetic coefficient of friction.

[0038] As a result, since the inner base fabric panel 120a in the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120, which has a large coefficient of friction, is in frictional contact with the upper surface 128 of the console box 118, when the airbag cushion 120 expands and deploys, the movement of the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 in the vehicle width direction is suppressed and it becomes difficult to slip. Note that the inner base fabric panel 120a in the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 is not limited to being silicon-coated as long as the coefficient of friction can be set larger than other surfaces. As an example, an appropriate material having a larger coefficient of friction than other surfaces may be attached to the inner base fabric panel 120a in the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 by adhesion, sewing, or the like.

[0039] Further, as shown in FIG. 3(b), when the inner base fabric panel 120a in the vicinity of the lower end portion 126 of the airbag cushion 120 comes into frictional contact with the upper surface 128 of the console box 118, while the lower end portion vicinity 126 receives the reaction force C from the upper surface 128 of the console box 118, the airbag cushion 120 bends into a convex bow shape toward the vehicle seat 104. For this reason, a force that tries to return the airbag cushion 120 to its original shape (see FIG. 2) that is substantially linear in the vehicle vertical direction during inflation and deployment is generated in the airbag cushion 120.

[0040] As a result, the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 receives a sufficient reaction force from the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 during inflation and deployment, so that it can serve as a rear shield of the airbag cushion 120 that restrains the occupant 122 and support the entire airbag cushion 120. As a result, even when, for example, the occupant 122 falls toward the center side of the vehicle during a collision as shown by the arrow D in FIG. 3(b), the airbag cushion 120 can be reliably received and protected by being supported by the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 and pressing the occupant 122 with the force E during inflation and deployment.

[0041] Note that the larger the contact area where the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 comes into frictional contact with the upper surface 128 of the console box 118, the greater the reaction force received from the upper surface 128 of the console box 118. Therefore, if the airbag cushion 120 bends into an L-shaped configuration in which the entire inner base fabric panel 120a in the vicinity 126 of its lower end portion comes into frictional contact with the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 during inflation and deployment, a greater reaction force can be received. However, if the airbag cushion 120 bends into an L-shaped configuration, it becomes difficult for a force to try to return it to its original shape. For this reason, when the vicinity 126 of the lower end portion of the airbag cushion 120 comes into frictional contact with the upper surface 128 of the console box 118, the airbag cushion 120 is shaped to bend into a convex bow shape toward the vehicle seat 104, thereby reliably generating the force E shown in FIG. 3(b) and reliably receiving and protecting the occupant 122.

[0042] Furthermore, the airbag cushion 120 has a behavior such that the vicinity 126 of the lower end is folded back to the opposite side (far side) of the occupant 122 of the vehicle seat 104 and then frictionally contacts the upper surface 128 of the console box 118 during inflation and deployment. Therefore, it is difficult for the vicinity 126 of the lower end to enter the gap 134 between the vehicle seat 104 and the console box 118, and it is easy to control the deployment behavior.

[0043] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to such examples. 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.

[0044] In the above embodiment, an example in which the side airbag device according to the present invention is applied to an automobile has been described. However, it is also possible to apply it to an aircraft, a ship, etc. other than an automobile, and the same operational effects can be obtained.

Industrial Applicability

[0045] The present invention can be used for a side airbag device including a bag-shaped airbag cushion that inflates and deploys laterally to an occupant of a vehicle seat during a side collision of a vehicle.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0046] 100... Side airbag device, 102... Vehicle, 104, 110... Vehicle seat, 106, 112... Seat back, 108, 114... Seat cushion, 116... Side door, 118... Console box, 120... Airbag cushion, 120a... Inner base fabric panel, 120b... Outer base fabric panel, 122... Occupant, 124... Inflator, 126... Vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion, 128... Upper surface of the console box, Folding position... 129, 130... Upper end of the airbag cushion, 134... Gap

Claims

1. In a side airbag device including a bag-shaped airbag cushion that expands and deploys at a side portion of a vehicle seat using gas supplied from an inflater, the airbag cushion has an inner base fabric panel provided on the occupant side and an outer base fabric panel provided on the side opposite to the occupant, near the lower end of the airbag cushion is folded upward on the surface on the side opposite to the occupant, and the inner base fabric panel near the lower end is housed in the vehicle seat so as to be located on the side opposite to the occupant, when the airbag cushion expands and deploys, the inner base fabric panel near the lower end is in frictional contact with the upper surface of a console box disposed between the vehicle seat and an adjacent seat. A side airbag device characterized by this.

2. When the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion is in frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box, the airbag cushion is bent in a convex arc shape toward the vehicle seat. The side airbag device according to Claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion is provided at a position higher than the upper surface of the console box when being housed in the vehicle seat. The side airbag device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

4. When the airbag cushion is housed in the vehicle seat, the folding position where the vicinity of the lower end of the airbag cushion is folded is at a height position above the upper surface of the console box. The side airbag device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

5. The contact surface of the vicinity of the lower end of the inner base fabric panel of the airbag cushion that is in frictional contact with the upper surface of the console box is provided with a high-friction surface having a larger coefficient of friction than the other surfaces of the airbag cushion. The side airbag device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

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