Airbag device

Abstract

To provide an air bag device which can mitigate damage when colliding with an obstacle.SOLUTION: An air bag device comprises: a plurality of air bags 30R, 30C, 30L which are developed from a vehicle body front part of a vehicle to a front side, and arrayed in a vehicle width direction; a pre-crash determination part 120 which establishes, when possibility of crash against an obstacle V is a prescribed value or more, a pre-crash determination; an air bag development control part 110 which develops the air bags according to the establishment of the pre-crash determination; a collision form discrimination part 120 which discriminates a collision form with an obstacle; and an air bag width control part 110, 114 which performs an air bag narrow width control which narrows down, when the collision form with an obstacle is the off-set collision, the width of at least a part of air bags arranged at the end part in the vehicle width direction to be a narrower state in comparison with the normal state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag device having an airbag that deploys from the front part of a vehicle body of a vehicle such as an automobile to the outside of the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] In vehicles such as automobiles, As a technology related to an airbag device that deploys to the outside of the vehicle, for example, Patent Document 1 describes using a plurality of airbags arranged in the vehicle width direction that deploy at the front part of the front bumper to prevent a pedestrian or the like who has been bounced up from falling and being injured in the head or face during a collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian or the like. Patent Document 2 describes deploying a plurality of airbags around the vehicle body to suppress damage to the vehicle body during a collision.

[0003] Also, as a technology related to controlling the shape, volume, etc. of the airbag during deployment, for example, Patent Document 3 describes providing an expansion element provided at the front part of a railway vehicle body and providing a connection element that connects between the support surface and the impact surface of the expansion element. Patent Document 4 describes repeatedly deploying an airbag that can be deployed in front of a vehicle and, in order to return to the stored state, pulling a tether provided inside the airbag when returning to the stored state to regulate the folding method so that the next deployment can be performed well.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Generally, in vehicles such as automobiles, in consideration of crushing the front structure of the vehicle body to absorb collision energy during a frontal collision, the vehicle is designed. As described in Patent Document 2, even when the airbag is deployed outside the vehicle, usually the load received by the airbag is transmitted to the vehicle body structure member, and the collision energy that cannot be completely absorbed by the airbag is absorbed by the crushing of the vehicle body structure. Such energy absorption is often assumed when the other vehicle involved in the collision has the same vehicle weight as the own vehicle and collides at a relative speed of, for example, several tens of km / h. However, in reality, there is a possibility of a collision with a vehicle larger than the own vehicle, a collision with a vehicle at a speed higher than the assumed vehicle speed, a multiple collision in which the vehicle collides successively with a plurality of vehicles, etc., and it is also assumed that sufficient energy absorption cannot be achieved only by crushing the vehicle body structure. Therefore, there is a demand to reduce the damage during a collision without overly depending on the vehicle body structure. In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device capable of reducing damage during a collision with an object.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the airbag device of the present invention includes a plurality of airbags arranged in the vehicle width direction that deploy forward from the front part of the vehicle body of the vehicle, a pre-crash determination unit that establishes a pre-crash determination when the possibility of a collision with an object is equal to or more than a predetermined level, an airbag deployment control unit that deploys the airbag in response to the establishment of the pre-crash determination, a collision form determination unit that discriminates the collision form with the object, and when the collision form with the object is , specific an offset collision none in the case of, in the vehicle width direction on the collision side the width of at least a part of the airbag provided at the end as the first lateral width, when the collision form with the object is the specific offset collision, the lateral width is the first lateral width is narrower thansecond lateral width An airbag width control unit that performs airbag narrowing control to a state is provided. , the specific offset collision is an offset collision when the wrap rate between the vehicle and the object is equal to or less than a preset value, and the collision angle between the vehicle and the object is within a predetermined angle range It is characterized by this. According to this, by performing airbag narrowing control that narrows the lateral width of the airbag at the end in the vehicle width direction with respect to the normal state (restricts the deployment in the vehicle width direction), the internal pressure of the airbag is improved, and the front end protrudes toward the front side of the vehicle in a state narrower than the normal state. In addition, since the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the narrowed airbag is restrained from displacing inward in the vehicle width direction by another airbag, deformation of the airbag in which the front end of the narrowed airbag displaces inward in the vehicle width direction is suppressed. For this reason, the front end of the narrowed airbag hits an object, gives a locally large reaction force to the object to generate a yaw moment in the object, and generates a behavior in which the object is relatively displaced in a direction away from (missing) the host vehicle, converts the collision energy into kinetic energy, suppresses the energy input to the vehicle body of the host vehicle, and can reduce the collision damage.

[0007] In the present invention, the airbag width control unit when the collision form with the object is not the specific offset collision is provided inside the airbag 、 in the vehicle width direction on the collision side a tether member that restricts the lateral width of the airbag is invalidated, and when the collision form with the object is the specific offset collision, the tether member is is effective set as by doing 、 it can be configured to control the lateral width of the airbag. According to this, the above-described actions and effects can be appropriately realized with a simple device configuration.

[0008] In the present invention, the airbag provided at the end in the vehicle width direction on the collision side can be configured such that when the airbag narrowing control is performed, the lateral width at the front part is smaller than the lateral width at the rear part. According to this, the side surface portion of the airbag in which the airbag narrowing control is performed becomes a slope that gradually protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle, and the effect of guiding the object outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the host vehicle can be enhanced.

[0009] In the present invention, there is a vent control unit that switches the opening and closing of the vent flow paths provided in the plurality of airbags. When the collision mode with the object is a full wrap collision, the airbag width control unit adjusts the lateral width of the airbag provided at the end in the vehicle width direction to the first lateral width above, and the vent control unit can be configured to keep the vent flow path open. According to this, in the case of a full wrap collision where it is difficult to convert the collision energy into kinetic energy by controlling the airbag, each airbag can effectively absorb the collision energy by contracting while exhausting air.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an airbag device capable of reducing damage during a collision with an object.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of an airbag device to which the present invention is applied will be described. The airbag device according to the embodiment is provided, for example, at the front part of the vehicle body of an automobile such as a passenger car, and is intended to reduce damage when colliding with an object such as another vehicle. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the airbag device according to the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a state of the vehicle having the airbag device according to the embodiment as viewed from above. The vehicle 1 has, for example, a so-called two-box vehicle shape having an engine compartment 20 that projects forward of the passenger compartment 10.

[0013] The passenger compartment 10 is a part having a space for accommodating passengers and the like. The engine compartment 20 is a part having a space for accommodating power train components such as an engine, a transmission, and in the case of an electric vehicle, a motor generator and its control devices. The engine compartment 20 is provided with a front side frame 21, a bumper beam 22, a front bumper 23, and the like.

[0014] The front side frame 21 is a structural member that protrudes forward of the vehicle from a turbo board (not shown) that is a partition provided at the front end of the passenger compartment 10. The front side frame 21 functions as a base to which, for example, a cross member to which a power train and a front suspension are attached, and a strut housing that houses a strut of a MacPherson strut type front suspension are attached. The front side frame 21 is formed, for example, by integrating and welding members formed by press-molding steel plates, and has a closed cross-section with a rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0015] The bumper beam 22 is a structural member provided at the front part of the vehicle body and extending in the vehicle width direction. The bumper beam 22 is formed in a beam shape with a closed cross-section, for example, by integrating and welding members formed by press-molding steel plates, or by using an extruded material of an aluminum-based alloy. The bumper beam 22 is joined at its middle part to the front ends of the left and right front side frames 21. Both ends of the bumper beam 22 in the vehicle width direction project outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the front side frame 21. The bumper beam 22 is a load transmission member that transmits the load received by the central airbag 30C, the right airbag 30R, and the left airbag 30L, which will be described later, from an object in a collision to the rear side of the vehicle body via the front side frame 21.

[0016] The front bumper 23 is an exterior member provided at the front end of the vehicle body, and is configured by attaching a bumper face that forms an outer skin portion made of, for example, a PP-based resin or the like to the vehicle body with brackets (not shown). The front surface portion of the front bumper 23 is curved so that the front side of the vehicle is convex when the vehicle 1 is viewed from above. The bumper beam 22 is formed in an arc shape with the front side of the vehicle being convex so as to follow the curvature of the front surface portion of the front bumper 23 when the vehicle 1 is viewed from above.

[0017] The airbag device of the embodiment includes a central airbag 30C, a right airbag 30R, and a left airbag 30L. Each airbag is formed in a bag shape by joining a panel made of a base fabric such as nylon 66 fabric, and is deployed by blowing in the deployment gas generated by the inflator 111 in response to the establishment of pre-crash determination. The central airbag 30C is provided at the center of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction. The right airbag 30R is provided adjacent to the central airbag 30C on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The left airbag 30L is provided adjacent to the central airbag 30C on the left side in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] The center airbag 30C, the right airbag 30R, and the left airbag 30L are attached to the bumper beam 22 in a folded state and housed inside the front bumper 23 during normal times (before the pre-crash determination is made). At the time of a collision, each airbag breaks through the weakened portion formed in the front bumper 23, extends toward the front side of the vehicle, and deploys forward with respect to the front surface of the front bumper 23.

[0019] In addition, a tether belt 31, which is a tether member that regulates the deployment amount in the vehicle width direction (lateral direction), is provided inside the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L. The tether belt 31 is, for example, a belt-like member made of a base fabric panel and having flexibility. The tether belt 31 can be switched between an effective state in which the base fabric panel serving as the side wall portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction restrains the deployment amount of each airbag and an ineffective state in which at least a part of the connection is released by a tether release actuator 114 described later.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a system for controlling the airbag device according to the embodiment. The system for controlling the airbag device includes an airbag control unit 110, an environment recognition unit 120, a behavior control unit 130, and the like. Each of these units can be configured as a microcomputer having, for example, an information processing unit (processor) such as a CPU, a storage unit such as a RAM and a ROM, an input / output interface, and a bus connecting these. In addition, each unit is connected via an in-vehicle LAN such as a CAN communication system or directly, and can communicate with each other.

[0021] The airbag control unit 110 gives commands to the inflator 111 and the vent control valve 112, and controls these to deploy the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L and control the deployed state. The airbag control unit 110 functions as the airbag deployment control section of the present invention. The inflator 111 is a chemical formula (gunpowder type) gas generator that generates deployment gas for deploying each airbag in response to a command from the airbag control unit 110. The inflator 111 is provided independently for the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L, and it is possible to individually control the presence or absence of deployment of the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L, as well as the timing to start deployment.

[0022] The vent control valve 112 is provided for the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L respectively, and opens and closes a vent flow path (not shown) for discharging gas (for example, releasing to the atmosphere) from within each airbag. The vent control valve 112 has a function of independently opening and closing the vent flow paths of the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L, for example, in response to a command from the airbag control unit 110. The vent control valve 112 can be configured to have, for example, an electromagnetic valve. The airbag control unit 110 and the vent control valve 112 cooperate to function as the vent control section of the present invention.

[0023] A pressure sensor 113 is provided in the airbag control unit 110. The pressure sensor 113 has a function of detecting the internal pressure of the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L respectively. Based on the output of the pressure sensor 113, the airbag control unit 110 can determine the load input state from other vehicles or the like to the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L.

[0024] The airbag control unit 110 has a function of giving a command to the tether release actuator 114 to invalidate the tether belts 31 provided on the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L. The tether release actuator 114 is an actuator such as a chemical (pyrotechnic) type that can release (cut) one end of the tether belt 31, for example. When a command is given from the airbag control unit 110, for example, the tether release actuator 114 operates to release the connection between one end of the tether belt 31 and the airbag skin portion, thereby invalidating the tether belt 31.

[0025] The environment recognition unit 120 recognizes the environment around the host vehicle based on the outputs of various sensors. The environment recognition unit 120 has a function of recognizing various objects such as other vehicles, pedestrians, buildings, trees, terrain, etc. around the vehicle 1 (host vehicle), and road shapes (lane shapes), for example. When a collision with an object such as another vehicle is inevitable (when the possibility of collision is equal to or greater than a predetermined value), the environment recognition unit 120 functions as a pre-crash determination unit that establishes a pre-crash determination. Connected to the environment recognition unit 120 are a stereo camera device 121, a millimeter-wave radar device 122, a laser scanner device 123, etc.

[0026] The stereo camera device 121 has a pair of cameras arranged at a predetermined interval (baseline length), and has a function of recognizing objects such as other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycle riders, and detecting the relative position of the object with respect to the vehicle 1 by known stereo image processing. The stereo camera device 121 has a function of recognizing the attributes of an object by pattern recognition of the captured image, etc. For example, when the object is another vehicle, it has a function of recognizing the size of the other vehicle (such as whether it is a large vehicle that is significantly heavier than the vehicle 1, such as a truck, bus, large SUV, etc.).

[0027] The millimeter-wave radar device 122 is a radar device that uses radio waves in a frequency band of, for example, 30 to 300 GHz, and has a function of detecting the presence or absence of an object and the relative position of the object with respect to the vehicle 1. The laser scanner device (LIDAR) 123 irradiates, for example, near-infrared laser light in a pulsed manner to scan the periphery of the vehicle 1, and based on the presence or absence of reflected light and the time difference until the reflected light returns, has a function of detecting the presence or absence of an object, the relative position of the object with respect to the vehicle 1, the shape of the object, and the like. When it is inevitable to collide with an object such as another vehicle (when a pre-crash determination is established), for example, the environment recognition unit 120 can recognize the collision form with the object (for example, the velocity vector of the object with respect to the vehicle 1, the collision position with respect to the vehicle 1, etc.) and the attributes of the object (for example, when it is a vehicle, the vehicle type, vehicle shape, size, etc.). The environment recognition unit 120 has a function as a collision form determination unit of the present invention.

[0028] The behavior control unit 130 has a function of controlling the braking force of each wheel in a hydraulic service brake device (not shown) to perform vehicle behavior control for suppressing oversteer behavior or understeer behavior of the vehicle, anti-lock brake control, and the like. A vehicle speed sensor 131, an acceleration sensor 132, a yaw rate sensor 133, etc. are connected to the behavior control unit 130.

[0029] The vehicle speed sensor 131 is provided, for example, adjacent to a hub bearing portion that rotatably supports a wheel, and outputs a vehicle speed signal having a frequency proportional to the rotational speed of the wheel. The behavior control unit 130 has a function of calculating the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal. The acceleration sensor 132 detects the longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle body. The yaw rate sensor 133 detects the yaw rate of the vehicle body.

[0030] Next, the operation of the airbag device according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the airbag device according to the embodiment at the time of a collision. Hereinafter, each step will be described in order.

[0031] <Step S01: Determining the establishment of pre-crash determination> The environment recognition unit 120 uses known pre-crash determination logic to estimate the possibility of a collision with another vehicle (an example of an object in the present invention) approaching from the front of the vehicle 1, and determines whether the estimated possibility is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value. If the possibility of a collision is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the pre-crash determination is established assuming that the collision is inevitable, and the process proceeds to Step S02. Otherwise, the series of processes is terminated (returned).

[0032] <Step S02: Recognizing the collision form> The airbag control unit 110 recognizes the collision form of the other vehicle against the vehicle 1. The recognition of the collision form can be performed based on the output of the environment recognition unit 120, for example. For example, based on the result of monitoring the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the vehicle 1 before and after the collision by the stereo camera device 121 or the like, the collision position of the other vehicle against the vehicle 1 (the range where the other vehicle receives the collision in the own vehicle 1) and the speed vector of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle 1 immediately before the collision are recognized. This speed vector includes information on the relative speed of the other vehicle with respect to the vehicle 1 and the collision direction (angle). Thereafter, the process proceeds to Step S03.

[0033] <Step S03: Determining a specific offset collision> The airbag control unit 110 determines whether the collision form recognized in Step S02 is a specific offset collision in which the reduction of the collision damage is possible by the airbag narrowing control described later. For example, when the wrap rate of the other vehicle with respect to the vehicle 1 is equal to or less than a preset predetermined value and the collision occurs within a predetermined angle range, it can be determined that it is a specific offset collision. In addition, in this specification and the claims, the offset collision shall include an oblique offset collision (so-called oblique collision) in which an object such as another vehicle collides along a direction inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the host vehicle. If it is determined that it is a specific offset collision, the process proceeds to step S0 7 Otherwise (for example, a full wrap collision, an offset collision in which the wrap rate or the collision angle is out of a predetermined range, etc.), the process proceeds to step S04.

[0034] <Step S04: Release of left and right airbag tethers> The airbag control unit 110 gives a command to the tether release actuator 114 to release and invalidate the tether belts 31 of the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S05.

[0035] <Step S05: Airbag deployment> The airbag control unit 110 gives an operation command to the inflator 111 to deploy the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L. As a result, each airbag is in a deployed state as shown in FIG. 1. At this time, the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L are in a normal state where the lateral width is not narrowed as a result of the tether belt 31 being invalidated. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S06.

[0036] <Step S06: Opening of vent control valve> The airbag control unit 110 gives a command to the vent control valve 112 to open all the vent flow paths of the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L. As a result, in the case of a full wrap collision or the like, by exhausting and contracting all the airbags in response to the collision, it is possible to achieve the maximum energy absorption achievable by the airbag device. The vent control valve 112 may remain open until after a collision, but after each airbag has contracted in the front-rear direction by a predetermined target stroke, the vent control valve 112 may be closed to suppress the contraction of the airbag and increase the reaction force. Thereafter, a series of processes is terminated.

[0037] <Step S07: Collision-side airbag tether holding> The airbag control unit 110 maintains the tether belt 31 of one of the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L on the side where the other vehicle collides in an active state (connected state), and executes airbag width narrowing control to narrow the lateral width during deployment compared to the normal state. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Step S08.

[0038] <Step S08: Airbag deployment> The airbag control unit 110 gives an operation command to the inflator 111 to deploy the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L. As a result, each airbag is deployed in a state where the lateral width of one of the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L on the collision side is narrower than the normal state, as shown in FIG. 4. At this time, the vent control valve 112 is closed to keep the internal pressure of each airbag high, so that the reaction force (drag force) that each airbag can generate is higher than the normal state. In addition, by increasing the internal pressure of the airbag compared to the normal state, the front end portion of the airbag protrudes forward of the vehicle compared to the normal state. Thereafter, a series of processes is terminated.

[0039] In the embodiment, as described above, in the case of a collision mode other than the specific offset collision (such as in the case of a full lap collision), the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L are deployed with the tether belts 31 of the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L released respectively. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L are deployed without being restricted from deploying in the lateral direction. For example, in the case of a full lap collision, the vehicle collides with another vehicle V in this state, the vent control valves 112 of the airbags are opened, and the airbags are reduced while exhausting in response to the collision with the other vehicle V to absorb energy.

[0040] On the other hand, in the case of a specific offset collision in which damage can be reduced by airbag narrowing control, among the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L, on one side of the collision side, the tether belt 31 is not released, and each airbag is deployed with the tether belt 31 being effective. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a state immediately before a vehicle having the airbag device of the embodiment collides with another vehicle in an offset collision. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a state after a vehicle having the airbag device of the embodiment collides with another vehicle in an offset collision. 4 and 5 show an example of an offset collision in which the other vehicle V collides with the left front portion of the vehicle 1, and airbag narrowing control is performed on the left airbag 30L.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4, the tether belt 31 is disposed, for example, between the vicinity of the inner end in the vehicle width direction and the central portion in the front-rear direction of the side surface portion 33 in the vehicle width direction at the rear surface portion 32 of the left airbag 30L. By deploying the left airbag 30L with the tether belt 31 being effective (the state in which the rear surface portion 32 and the side surface portion 33 are connected and pulled on each other), the left airbag 30L after deployment is in a state where the width in the lateral direction is narrower than the normal state (the state in which the tether belt 31 is invalidated) shown in FIG. 1. In addition, since the deployment in the lateral direction is restricted, the internal pressure of the left airbag 30L is improved compared to the normal state, and as a result, the front end portion of the left airbag 30L protrudes more toward the front side of the vehicle than in the normal state. Furthermore, in this state, the front portion of the left airbag 30L is narrower than the rear portion. As a result, the side surface portion 33 of the left airbag 30L becomes an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to gradually protrude in the vehicle width direction from the front end portion to the rear end portion.

[0042] In this state, when another vehicle V makes an offset collision, the other vehicle V generates a yaw moment toward the side (the left side in the case of FIGS. 4 and 5) in contact with the left airbag 30L mainly due to the reaction force received from the front end portion of the left airbag 30L, and a yaw rate is generated in the vehicle body. Note that since the lateral deployment of the left airbag 30L is restricted by the tether belt 31, the volume is smaller than in the normal state, and the internal pressure of the deployment gas is high, so that a large reaction force can be applied to the other vehicle V compared to the normal state. Also, by closing the vent control valve 112 of the center airbag 30C, the reaction force transmitted from the side surface portion of the center airbag 30C to the left airbag 30L is ensured, and the left airbag 30L is suppressed from falling inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0043] With the generation of the above-described yaw rate, as indicated by the broken-line arrow in FIG. 5, the other vehicle V drifts to the left side in the vehicle width direction (downward in FIG. 5) when viewed from Vehicle 1 while accompanying a spin mode in which the yaw rate is diverged to the left when viewed from the other vehicle V. At this time, when the corner portion on the left side in the vehicle width direction at the front end portion of the vehicle body of the other vehicle V is restrained by the concave portion R formed in the side surface portion 33 of the left airbag 30L, the behavior of the other vehicle V deviating from Vehicle 1 can be promoted. Such a concave portion R is formed by the side surface portion 33 being pulled by the tether belt 31.

[0044] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Among the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L, airbag narrowing control is performed to narrow the lateral width of the side receiving the offset collision with respect to the normal state (restrict the deployment in the vehicle width direction), so that the internal pressure of the airbag is improved, and the front end protrudes toward the front side of the vehicle in a state narrower than the normal state. In addition, the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the narrowed airbag is restrained by the center airbag 30C so as not to fall inward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the deformation of the airbag in which the front end of the narrowed airbag is displaced inward in the vehicle width direction is suppressed. For this reason, the front end of the narrowed airbag hits the other vehicle V, applies a locally large reaction force to generate a yaw moment on the other vehicle V, and causes the other vehicle V to relatively displace in a direction deviating (missing) from the vehicle 1, converts the collision energy into kinetic energy, suppresses the energy input to the vehicle body of the vehicle 1, and can reduce the collision damage. (2) By switching the lateral widths of the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L according to the presence or absence of release of the tether belt 31 provided inside each airbag, the above-described actions and effects can be appropriately realized with a simple device configuration. (3) When airbag narrowing control is performed on the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L, the lateral width at the front part of the airbag becomes smaller than the lateral width at the rear part, so that the side surface 33 of the airbag subjected to the airbag narrowing control becomes a slope that gradually protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle, and the effect of guiding the other vehicle V outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle 1 can be enhanced. (4) During a full lap collision, the right airbag 30R and the left airbag 30L are both deployed in a normal state without being narrowed, and the vent control valve 112 opens the vent flow paths of the right airbag 30R, the center airbag 30C, and the left airbag 30L. In the case of a full lap collision where it is difficult to convert the collision energy into kinetic energy (generate a behavior of missing with the other vehicle V) by controlling the airbag, all the airbags contract while exhausting air, so that the collision energy can be effectively absorbed.

[0045] (Modification example) The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) The configurations of the airbag device and the vehicle are not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the structure, shape, material, manufacturing method, arrangement, number of each member and component constituting these, and the specific content of various controls are not limited to the embodiments and can be changed as appropriate. (2) The method for performing pre-crash determination and the method for discriminating the collision form are not limited to the methods of the embodiments and can be changed as appropriate. (3) In the embodiment, for example, three airbags are arranged in the vehicle width direction, but it is not limited to this, and for example, a configuration in which four or more airbags are arranged may also be used. (4) The arrangement and number of the tether belts (tether members) in the embodiment are examples and can be changed as appropriate. Also, the method of narrowing the lateral width of the airbag with respect to the normal state is not limited to that by the tether member and can be changed as appropriate. For example, instead of the configuration of controlling the lateral width of the airbag using a tether release actuator that releases the end of the tether belt as in the embodiment, a mechanism capable of pulling the tether member is provided at one end of the tether member, and the lateral width of the airbag is regulated by pulling the tether member when performing airbag narrowing control. It may be configured like this.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0046] 1 Vehicle 10 Passenger compartment 20 Engine compartment 21 Front side frame 22 Bumper beam 23 Front bumper 30R Right airbag 30C Center airbag 30L Left airbag 31 Tether belt 32 Rear portion 33 Side portion 110 Airbag control unit 111 Inflator 112 Vent control valve 113 Pressure sensor 114 Tether release actuator 120 Environment recognition unit 121 Stereo camera device 122 Millimeter-wave radar device 123 Laser scanner device 130 Behavior control unit 131 Vehicle speed sensor 132 Acceleration sensor 133 Yaw rate sensor V Other vehicle R Concave part

Claims

1. A plurality of airbags arranged in the vehicle width direction and deployed forward from the front part of the vehicle body; A pre-crash determination unit that makes a pre-crash determination when the possibility of collision with an object is equal to or greater than a predetermined level; An airbag deployment control unit that deploys the airbag in response to the establishment of the pre-crash determination; A collision mode determination unit that determines the collision mode with the object; When the collision mode with the object is not a specific offset collision, the lateral width of at least a part of the airbag provided at the end on the collision side in the vehicle width direction is defined as a first lateral width, and when the collision mode with the object is the specific offset collision, an airbag width control unit that performs airbag narrowing control to make the lateral width a second lateral width narrower than the first lateral width; Comprising; The specific offset collision is an offset collision that occurs when the lap rate between the vehicle and the object is equal to or less than a predetermined value set in advance and the collision angle between the vehicle and the object is within a predetermined angle range. An airbag device characterized by the above.

2. When the collision mode with the object is not the specific offset collision, the airbag width control unit invalidates a tether member provided inside the airbag and regulating the lateral width of the airbag on the collision side in the vehicle width direction, and when the collision mode with the object is the specific offset collision, the airbag width control unit controls the lateral width of the airbag by validating the tether member. The airbag device according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. When the airbag narrowing control is performed on the airbag provided at the end on the collision side in the vehicle width direction, the lateral width at the front part is smaller than the lateral width at the rear part. The airbag device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the above.

4. Having a vent control unit that switches the opening and closing of a vent flow path provided in the plurality of airbags; When the collision mode with the object is a full lap collision, the airbag width control unit defines the lateral width of the airbag provided at the end in the vehicle width direction as the first lateral width, and the vent control unit keeps the vent flow path open. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the above.

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