Side airbag device

Abstract

To provide a side airbag device which can secure initial restraint performance with respect to a lumbar part of a crew member.SOLUTION: A side airbag device 30 comprises: a side airbag body 34 including a waist chamber 36 which inflates and deploys at the time of lateral collision of a vehicle to restrain a waist part Pw of a crew member P, and a head chamber 38 which is integrally formed with the waist chamber 36 and inflates and deploys to restrain a head Ph of the crew member P; and a cylindrical member 40 which is arranged extending inside of the side airbag body 34 in a vehicle vertical direction to distribute gas ejected from an inflator 32 into the waist chamber 36 and the head chamber 38. A lower end part of the cylindrical member 40 includes a protrusion part 46 which protrudes in a vehicle front side and has an ejection port 48 at the tip part in a protruding direction. Gas is ejected from the ejection port 48 of the protrusion part 46 so that the waist chamber 36 inflates and deploys passing through a route between a lap belt 22B bridging over a seat in a width direction and a hip part Pb of the crew member P.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a side airbag device mounted on a vehicle seat.

Background Art

[0002] A vehicle side airbag device that is housed on the side support side of a seat back and is configured such that gas ejected from an inflator is distributed to a lumbar chamber and a head chamber via an inner tube during a side collision of the vehicle has been conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above-described side airbag device capable of restraining the occupant's waist and head, the lumbar chamber deploys outside the lap belt. Therefore, there is a space between the lap belt and the occupant's waist, and there is a possibility that the occupant's waist may not be restrained until the side door that applies a reaction force to the lumbar chamber enters (until the space is filled). Thus, there is still room for improvement from the viewpoint of ensuring the initial restraint performance for the occupant's waist.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to obtain a side airbag device capable of ensuring the initial restraint performance for the occupant's waist.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, according to the present invention The 1 aspect The side airbag device has a waist chamber that inflates and expands to restrain the occupant's waist during a side collision of the vehicle, and a head chamber that is integrally formed with the waist chamber and inflates and expands to restrain the occupant's head, and a side airbag main body having the same, and inside the side airbag main body sheet is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction, and a cylindrical member that distributes the gas ejected from the inflator to the waist chamber and the head chamber, and at the lower end of the cylindrical member sheet projects forward, and a protruding portion having a gas ejection port at the tip of the protruding direction is formed, and by ejecting the gas from the ejection port of the protruding portion, the waist chamber passes between the lap belt spanned in the seat width direction and the occupant's buttocks and on the upper side of the sheet and inflates and expands. towards the front side of the sheet Inflates and deploys.

[0007] The 1 aspect According to the invention of, during a side collision of the vehicle, the gas ejected from the inflator is distributed to the waist chamber and the head chamber by a cylindrical member provided so as to extend in the vertical direction inside the side airbag main body, and the waist chamber and the head chamber inflate and expand. sheet Here, at the lower end of the cylindrical member,

[0008] projects forward, and a protruding portion having a gas ejection port at the tip of the protruding direction is formed. And by ejecting the gas from the ejection port of the protruding portion, the waist chamber passes between the lap belt spanned in the seat width direction and the occupant's buttocks sheet forward and on the upper side of the sheet and inflates and expands. That is, the waist chamber is disposed between the lap belt and the occupant's waist (including the buttocks). towards the front side of the sheet Inflates and deploys.

[0009] Therefore, there is no space between the lap belt and the occupant's waist (including the buttocks), and the occupant's waist is restrained even if the side door that applies a reaction force to the waist chamber does not enter. That is, according to the present invention, the initial restraint performance for the occupant's waist is ensured. In addition, the "during a side collision of the vehicle" in the present invention includes not only when a side collision of the vehicle is detected but also when a side collision of the vehicle is predicted.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] As described above, according to the present invention, the initial restraint performance for the occupant's waist can be ensured.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the arrow UP appropriately shown in each figure indicates the upward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat, the arrow FR indicates the forward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat, and the arrow RH indicates the rightward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat. Therefore, in the following description, when the directions of up and down, front and back, left and right are described without special mention, they indicate up and down, front and back, left and right in the vehicle and the vehicle seat. Also, the left-right direction is synonymous with the vehicle width direction and the seat width direction.

[0013] In addition, in the present embodiment, the vehicle seat 10 on the left side of the front seat in the vehicle is taken as an example. Further, the "occupant P" in the present embodiment is, as an example, an occupant corresponding to AM50 (50th percentile of adult males in the United States) of WorldSID (World Side Impact Dummy).

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle seat 10 equipped with the side airbag device 30 according to the present embodiment has a seat cushion 12 on which the occupant P sits (supporting the buttocks Pb and thighs of the occupant P), a seat back 14 supporting the back of the occupant P, and a headrest 16 supporting the head Ph of the occupant P.

[0015] In a side view seen from the vehicle width direction (seat width direction), the seat cushion 12 extends in the front-rear direction, and the seat back 14 is rotatably connected to the rear end portion of the seat cushion 12 and extends in the up-down direction. And the headrest 16 is configured to be vertically movable and provided at the center portion in the seat width direction at the upper end portion of the seat back 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the seat back 14 has a cushion pad 14A and a skin 14B covering the cushion pad 14A, and the seat cushion 12 is the same.

[0016] In addition, in the vehicle seat 10, the occupant P is restrained by the seat belt device 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the seat belt device 20 includes a webbing 22 formed in a long strip shape, a tongue plate 24 through which the webbing 22 is passed, a buckle 26 to which the tongue plate 24 is detachably attached, a retractor (not shown), and a shoulder anchor (not shown).

[0017] One end of the webbing 22 is retractably wound around a retractor provided inside a center pillar (not shown), and the webbing 22 pulled out from the retractor is wound around and supported by a shoulder anchor provided at the upper part on the passenger compartment side of the center pillar. And the other end of the webbing 22 is fixed to a belt anchor (not shown) provided on the upper surface of the floor panel 18 on the left side of the seat cushion 12.

[0018] The webbing 22 is passed through a through hole of the tongue plate 24, and the tongue plate 24 is movable along the webbing 22. The buckle 26 is provided on the right side of the seat cushion 12. When the webbing 22 is pulled out and the tongue plate 24 is attached to the buckle 26, the occupant P is restrained by the webbing 22 to the vehicle seat 10.

[0019] That is, the webbing 22 is obliquely spanned from the left shoulder Ps of the occupant P to the right side of the waist Pw in the state where the tongue plate 24 is attached to the buckle 26, and is spanned in the seat width direction from the right side to the left side of the waist Pw of the occupant P. Hereinafter, a part of the webbing 22 that is obliquely spanned and restrains the chest Pc (upper body) of the occupant P to the seat back 14 is referred to as a shoulder belt 22A, and a part of the webbing 22 that is spanned in the seat width direction and restrains the waist Pw of the occupant P to the seat cushion 12 is referred to as a lap belt 22B.

[0020] In addition, the retractor is provided with a pretensioner mechanism that operates when a collision is detected to forcibly wind up the webbing 22. Therefore, even if the webbing 22 is suddenly pulled forward during a frontal collision of the vehicle, the emergency lock mechanism of the retractor operates to lock the pulling out of the webbing 22.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side airbag device 30 includes an inflator 32 (see FIG. 1) embedded in the left side portion (hereinafter referred to as the "left side portion") of the seat back 14, a side airbag body 34, and a sock 40 provided inside the side airbag body 34 as a cylindrical member. The inflator 32 is a cylinder-type gas generator formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and its axial direction is along the direction (substantially vertical direction) of the side frames 28 (see FIG. 1) that constitute the skeletons of the left and right side portions of the seat back 14.

[0022] In addition, the lower end portion 32A of the inflator 32 is connected to the connection portion 42 (see FIG. 1) of the sock 40. A gas ejection portion (not shown) is provided at the lower end portion 32A of the inflator 32. When a side collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted (hereinafter referred to as "during a side collision"), gas is ejected from the gas ejection portion, and the gas is instantaneously supplied into the sock 40, and the gas is supplied to the side airbag body 34 through the sock 40.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the side airbag body 34 has a waist chamber 36 that expands and deploys between a part of the lap belt 22B (hereinafter referred to as the "inner side surface") and the side surface of the occupant P's waist Pw (including the buttocks Pb), and between the side portion of the passenger compartment (side door not shown) and the side surface of the occupant P's chest Pc, and a head chamber 38 that expands and deploys between a part of the upper shoulder belt 22A (hereinafter referred to as the "upper rear surface") from the occupant P's shoulder Ps and the side surface of the occupant P's head Ph.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the lumbar chamber 36 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the seat back 14 (extending to the seat cushion 12) in a side view, and is formed in a substantially elliptical shape with the substantially central portion in the vertical direction bulging forward. On the other hand, the head chamber 38 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape with the longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction in a side view, and is formed to be large enough to cover the entire side surface of the head Ph of the occupant P.

[0025] Note that the side airbag body 34 is formed in a single bag shape by sewing the outer peripheral edges of two base fabrics together, and the lumbar chamber 36 and the head chamber 38 are integrally formed. And inside the side airbag body 34, a sock 40 extending substantially in the vertical direction is provided by being sewn together with the side airbag body 34.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sock 40 distributes the gas ejected from the inflator 32 to the lumbar chamber 36 and the head chamber 38, and an ejection port 43 for ejecting gas is formed at the upper end thereof. And as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, at the lower end of the sock 40, after the lumbar chamber 36 is inflated and deployed, an extension portion 44 is formed which faces the side surface of the buttocks Pb of the occupant P and the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B in the vehicle width direction (seat width direction) via the lumbar chamber 36.

[0027] In other words, the lower end of the lumbar chamber 36 including this extension portion 44 is disposed between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the side surface of the buttocks Pb of the occupant P, and is adapted to fill the space therebetween. Further, on this extension portion 44, a protruding portion 46 is integrally formed which expands and deploys together with the lumbar chamber 36 when gas is supplied into the sock 40 and protrudes forward of the lap belt 22B. That is, this sock 40 is formed in a substantially "L" shape in a side view seen from the right side of the vehicle (see FIG. 1). And an ejection port 48 for ejecting gas is formed at the tip of the protruding direction of the protruding portion 46.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the connecting portion 42 is provided so as to project rearward and upward from the rear surface of the sock 40. That is, an insertion hole (not shown) into which the lower end portion 32A of the inflator 32 can be inserted is formed in the connecting portion 42 provided on the rear surface of the sock 40. The lower end portion 32A of the inflator 32 is inserted into the insertion hole, and the gas is configured not to leak from between the insertion hole and the outer peripheral surface of the inflator 32.

[0029] Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the side airbag body 34 is stored in a folded state in a storage space Sr (see FIG. 5) formed inside the seat back 14 and extending from the lower end portion to the upper end portion on the left side portion. An upper frame (not shown) that integrally connects the upper end portions of the left and right side frames 28 is provided at the upper end portion inside the seat back 14, and the side airbag body 34 is stored along the left side frame 28 and the left end portion of the upper frame.

[0030] <S More specifically, the waist chamber 36 is stored along the left side frame 28, and the front lower end portion 36A of the waist chamber 36 including the protruding portion 46 of the sock 40 is folded in a bellows shape as shown in FIG. 5. That is, the lower end portion (including the front lower end portion 36A) of the waist chamber 36 in the stored state is in a state where the folded bellows-shaped portion protrudes forward as shown in FIG. 4. Note that the front lower end portion 36A of the waist chamber 36 may be wound in a roll shape with an outer roll as shown in FIG. 6. In that case, the lower end portion (including the front lower end portion 36A) of the waist chamber 36 is in a state where the wound roll-shaped portion protrudes forward.

[0031] Also, although not shown, the head chamber 38 is, for example, folded in a substantially "Z" shape from top to bottom and from bottom to top in a front view, then wound in a roll shape with the vertical direction as the axial direction, and stored along the left end portion of the upper frame. Therefore, when the head chamber 38 is inflated and deployed, first, the portion wound in a roll shape is unwound and deployed forward, and then it is deployed in the vertical direction.

[0032] Also, a part of the skin 14B from the lower end to the upper end at least on the left side of the seat back 14 (hereinafter referred to as "skin 14C": see FIGS. 3, 5, and 6) is configured to be breakable by the side airbag body 34 that expands and deploys. That is, the side airbag body 34 stored in the storage space Sr in the seat back 14 expands and deploys when gas is supplied from the inflator 32 during a side collision from the left side of the vehicle. Due to the inflation pressure of the gas, the skin 14C from the lower end to the upper end on the left side of the seat back 14 is configured to be easily broken.

[0033] Note that a part of the cushion pad 14A is disposed inside the skin 14C. However, since a part of the cushion pad 14A is formed thinner than other parts, it can be broken by the side airbag body 34 that expands and deploys. The side airbag body 34 that breaks through a part of the cushion pad 14A and the skin 14C of the seat back 14 and expands and deploys is arranged outside the seat width direction of the occupant P.

[0034] Specifically, the lumbar chamber 36 that expands and deploys toward the space between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the side surface of the lumbar region Pw (including the hip Pb) of the occupant P and between the side portion of the passenger compartment (side door) and the side surface of the chest Pc of the occupant P is disposed between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the side surface of the lumbar region Pw (including the hip Pb) of the occupant P and between the side portion of the passenger compartment (side door) and the side surface of the chest Pc of the occupant P, and is configured to cover the side surface from the shoulder Ps to the lumbar region Pw (including the hip Pb) of the occupant P (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0035] Then, the head chamber 38 that expands and unfolds toward the space between the upper rear surface of the shoulder belt 22A and the left side surface of the headrest 16 is disposed between the upper rear surface of the shoulder belt 22A and the side surface of the head Ph of the occupant P, and is adapted to cover the side surface of the head Ph of the occupant P (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Note that a vent hole (not shown) for preventing the internal pressure of the side airbag body 34 from becoming excessive is formed at the front end portion of the waist chamber 36. The vent hole is formed, for example, by not sewing a part of the base fabric of the side airbag body 34.

[0036] Next, the operation of the side airbag device 30 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0037] At the time of a side collision from the left side of the vehicle, gas is instantaneously supplied from the inflator 32 into the inside of the sock 40, and the gas is distributed and supplied to the waist chamber 36 and the head chamber 38 of the side airbag body 34 through the sock 40. Then, due to the internal pressure (inflation pressure) of the side airbag body 34 that has started to expand by the supply of the gas, the skin 14C from the lower end portion to the upper end portion at the left side portion of the seat back 14 is broken together with a part of the cushion pad 14A.

[0038] That is, when gas is supplied into the inside of the sock 40, the extension portion 44 at the lower end portion thereof expands and the gas is ejected from the ejection port 48 formed at the tip of the protruding portion 46 in the protruding direction, and the lower front portion 36A of the waist chamber 36 that is folded in a bellows shape (or wound in a roll shape) protrudes forward while being unfolded. Then, since the lower front portion 36A of the waist chamber 36 including the protruding portion 46 was disposed on the left rear side of the buttocks Pb of the occupant P, it expands and unfolds toward the space between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the left side surface of the buttocks Pb of the occupant P.

[0039] That is, the protrusion 46 and the front lower end 36A of the lumbar chamber 36 expand and deploy from the left rear side to the front side of the buttocks Pb of the occupant P, so that the front lower end 36A of the lumbar chamber 36 including the protrusion 46 passes inside the lap belt 22B (see FIG. 3). As a result, the lower end of the lumbar chamber 36 including the protrusion 46 and the extension 44 is disposed between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the left side surface of the lumbar part Pw including the buttocks Pb of the occupant P, filling the space therebetween (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0040] Furthermore, since gas is being ejected from the ejection port 48, the upper side of the lower end of the lumbar chamber 36 (the portion where the lap belt 22B is spanned) expands and deploys toward the space between the side portion of the passenger compartment (side door) and the left side surface of the chest Pc of the occupant P. As a result, the upper side of the lower end of the lumbar chamber 36 (the portion where the lap belt 22B is spanned) is disposed between the side portion of the passenger compartment (side door) and the left side surface of the chest Pc of the occupant P (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0041] As described above, the left side surface from the shoulder Ps to the buttocks Pb of the occupant P via the lumbar part Pw is covered from the left side by the lumbar chamber 36. Therefore, during a side collision from the left side of the vehicle, the chest Pc and the lumbar part Pw (including the buttocks Pb) of the occupant P can be restrained by the lumbar chamber 36.

[0042] Moreover, in the present embodiment, since the lower end of the lumbar chamber 36 is disposed (sandwiched) between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the side surface of the buttocks Pb of the occupant P, compared with the case where the lower end of the lumbar chamber 36 is disposed outside the lap belt 22B, no space is formed (exists) between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the lumbar part Pw (including the buttocks Pb) of the occupant P. Therefore, even if the side door applying a reaction force to the lumbar chamber 36 does not enter inward in the vehicle width direction, the reaction force can be received by the lap belt 22B, and the lower end of the lumbar chamber 36 can effectively restrain the lumbar part Pw (including the buttocks Pb) of the occupant P.

[0043] That is, according to the present embodiment, the initial restraint performance with respect to the waist Pw (including the buttocks Pb) of the occupant P can be ensured. Here, FIG. 7 shows the load-displacement characteristics (F-S characteristics). As shown in FIG. 7, when the lower end of the waist chamber 36 is disposed outside the lap belt 22B, the profile is as indicated by the broken line, but when the lower end of the waist chamber 36 is disposed inside the lap belt 22B, the profile is as indicated by the solid line, and it can be understood that the initial restraint performance with respect to the waist Pw (including the buttocks Pb) of the occupant P is improved.

[0044] In addition, since the lower end of the waist chamber 36 is disposed between the inner surface of the side portion of the lap belt 22B and the side surface of the buttocks Pb of the occupant P, the initial restraint force with respect to the waist Pw (including the buttocks Pb) of the occupant P can be improved by using the tension of the lap belt 22B. Further, the center of gravity of the waist Pw of the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 10 can be restrained with a high load via the inflated and deployed waist chamber 36 by the high-pressure extension portion 44 facing the buttocks Pb of the occupant P in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the waist Pw (including the buttocks Pb) of the occupant P can be efficiently restrained.

[0045] On the other hand, when gas is supplied into the sock 40, the gas jets out from the jet outlet 43 formed at the upper end thereof, and for example, the head chamber 38 folded as described above expands and deploys into the space between the upper rear surface of the shoulder belt 22A and the left side surface of the headrest 16 while unfolding.

[0046] Thereby, the head chamber 38 is disposed between the upper rear surface of the shoulder belt 22A and the left side surface of the head Ph of the occupant P, and the left side surface of the head Ph of the occupant P is covered from the left side by the head chamber 38. Therefore, at the time of a side collision from the left side of the vehicle, the head Ph of the occupant P can be restrained by the head chamber 38.

[0047] As described above, the side airbag device 30 according to the present embodiment has been described with reference to the drawings. However, the side airbag device 30 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the illustrated one, and can be appropriately designed and changed within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the size of the ejection port 43 and the size of the ejection port 48 may be the same, but it is preferable that the size of the ejection port 48 is larger than the size of the ejection port 43 because the waist chamber 36 of the side airbag body 34 can be deployed quickly.

Explanation of Signs

[0048] 22B Lap Belt 30 Side Airbag Device 32 Inflator 34 Side Airbag Body 36 Waist Chamber 38 Head Chamber 40 Sock (Cylindrical Member) 46 Protrusion 48 Ejection Port P Occupant Pb Buttocks Ph Head Pw Waist

Claims

1. A side airbag body having a waist chamber that expands and deploys to restrain the waist of an occupant during a side collision of a vehicle, and a head chamber that is integrally formed with the waist chamber and expands and deploys to restrain the head of the occupant. A cylindrical member provided inside the side airbag body so as to extend in the vertical direction of the seat, and distributing the gas ejected from an inflator to the waist chamber and the head chamber. Comprising: At the lower end of the cylindrical member, a protruding portion is formed on the front side of the seat and protruding upward from the seat, and having an outlet for the gas at the tip of the protruding direction. When the gas is ejected from the outlet of the protruding portion, the waist chamber expands and deploys forward of the seat through between a lap belt spanned in the seat width direction and the buttocks of the occupant. A side airbag device.

2. The side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein in a state where the expansion and deployment of the waist chamber is completed, the outlet of the protruding portion is located on the front side of the seat with respect to a portion of the lap belt spanned by the waist chamber in a plan view.

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