Airbag device

Abstract

To provide a side airbag device that can be easily manufactured and can protect an occupant safely.SOLUTION: An airbag device comprises: a first panel 130 having a first fixed part 132 and a second fixed part 133 opposing to each other at a site different from an edge part; a second panel 140 forming a bag-like airbag 120 together with the first panel 130; and a regulating member 150, provided inside the airbag 120, which has a first site 151 and a second site 152 fixed to the first fixed part 132 and the second fixed part 133 respectively. A length L11 from the first fixed part 132 to the second fixed part 133 is longer than a length L12 from the first site 151 to the second site 152. The airbag 120 has a main bag 121 and a protection inflating part 122 formed of the first panel 130 and the regulating member 150. When the airbag inflates and expands, gas from an inflator is introduced into the main bag 121, the first panel 130 faces an occupant, and the protection inflating part 122 receives and holds the occupant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an airbag device that inflates and deploys during a side collision of a vehicle such as an automobile to protect an occupant.

Background Art

[0002] As an airbag device that inflates and deploys during a side collision of a vehicle such as an automobile to protect an occupant, there are known a side airbag device that inflates and deploys between the inner side wall of the vehicle (hereinafter simply referred to as the "vehicle side wall") and an occupant seated on a seat, and a curtain airbag device that inflates and deploys from above to below the vehicle side wall.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle side airbag device that restrains the chest with a sub-chamber having a lower pressure than the main chamber provided on the occupant side of the main chamber and relaxes the restraining force of the chest in order to protect a portion vulnerable to the impact of the occupant.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, since the side airbag device described in Patent Document 1 forms a sub-chamber by loosening or tacking the base fabric and sewing it to the main chamber, the manufacturing becomes complicated (see FIGS. 8 and 9).

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a side airbag device that can be easily manufactured and can safely protect an occupant.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] One aspect of the present invention includes an inflator that generates gas, an edge portion, a first fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion, and a second fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion and faces the first fixing portion. A first panel having a first panel, a second panel having an edge portion coupled to the edge portion of the first panel and forming a bag-shaped airbag together with the first panel, and provided inside the airbag, A restricting member having a first portion fixed to the first fixing portion and a second portion fixed to the second fixing portion, wherein a length from the first fixing portion to the second fixing portion of the first panel is longer than a length from the first portion to the second portion of the restricting member, and the airbag includes the first panel excluding between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion, the second panel, and a main bag formed by the restricting member, and the first panel between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion, and a protection expansion portion formed by the restricting member, and when the airbag expands and deploys, gas from the inflator is introduced into the main bag, the first panel faces the occupant, and the protection expansion portion is an airbag device that receives the occupant.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a side airbag device that can be easily manufactured and can safely protect an occupant.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, the airbag device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Descriptions regarding directions in this specification are based on the vehicle unless otherwise specified. For example, "front" indicates the front direction of the vehicle, "rear" indicates the rear direction of the vehicle, "upper" indicates the upper direction of the vehicle, "lower" indicates the lower direction of the vehicle, and "side" indicates the outer direction in the vehicle width direction. Also, the arrow FR appropriately shown in each figure indicates the front direction of the vehicle, the arrow UP indicates the upper direction of the vehicle, and the arrow OUT indicates the outer direction in the vehicle width direction. Note that members disposed inside the vehicle seat are illustrated in a state where the vehicle seat is seen through.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the state before the side airbag expands and deploys for the airbag device according to the first embodiment, where (a) shows the state as viewed from the side and (b) shows the state as viewed from above.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the airbag device 100 is a side airbag device and is attached to the side portion (the side portion on the vehicle side wall 50 side) of the seat back (backrest portion) 31 of the vehicle seat 30.

[0013] As the vehicle seat 30, for example, the driver's seat, the passenger seat, etc. of the vehicle are assumed.

[0014] In this embodiment, an international standard side impact dummy (World-SID: World Side Impact Dummy) 40 is seated on the vehicle seat 30. The seating posture of the international standard side impact dummy 40 is currently defined by the side impact test method (ECE R95) adopted in Japan and Europe, or the side impact test method (FMVSS214) adopted in the United States. The position and size at the time of inflation and deployment of the airbag are set according to the positions of the head 41, chest 42, upper arm 43, shoulder 44, abdomen 45, back 46, and waist 47 of the international standard side impact dummy 40 as shown in FIG. 1(a). Hereinafter, the international standard side impact dummy 40 will be referred to as "occupant 40".

[0015] The vehicle side wall 50 is not particularly limited as long as it is a vehicle body portion located on the side of the occupant 40 seated on the vehicle seat 30, and generically refers to a side door, a pillar, a side window, etc.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1(a), the airbag device 100 has an inflator 110 disposed inside a bag-shaped side airbag 120 that is foldably arranged so as to be inflatable and deployable.

[0017] The side airbag 120 is a bag-shaped body, and before inflation and deployment, it is fixed in a folded state to the side portion of the side frame 33 located on the side portion of the seat back 31, and is covered and stored by the skin 32 of the seat back 31 together with the cushion pad 34.

[0018] The inflator 110 is a cylindrical (circular columnar) gas generator and is arranged along the extending direction (height direction) of the seat back 31. A pair of bolts 111 protrude from the upper and lower portions of the inflator 110, and the pair of bolts 111 penetrate through the side airbag 120. The inflator 110 is attached to the side frame 33 of the seat back 31 by such a pair of bolts 111.

[0019] The inflator 110 operates in the event of an emergency in the vehicle (for example, during a side collision of the vehicle). Specifically, first, when a collision detection sensor mounted on the vehicle detects a side collision of the vehicle, the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) calculates the signal sent from the collision detection sensor, and the level of the collision is determined. Then, when the determined collision level corresponds to the case of inflating the side airbag 120, the inflator 110 is ignited, and gas is generated by a chemical reaction due to combustion. As a result, the gas generated from the inflator 110 is introduced into the inside of the side airbag 120.

[0020] The type of the inflator 110 is not particularly limited, and examples include a pyrotechnic inflator that uses gas generated by burning a gas generating agent, a stored inflator that uses compressed gas, a hybrid inflator that uses a mixed gas of gas generated by burning a gas generating agent and compressed gas, and the like.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the airbag device of Embodiment 1 after the airbag is inflated and deployed, where (a) shows the state viewed from the side and (b) shows the state viewed from above.

[0022] When the vehicle collides with an obstacle 60 (e.g., another vehicle) on the side and the inflator 110 is activated, the gas generated from the inflator 110 is introduced into the inside of the side airbag 120, and the side airbag 120 expands while its folding is released. Then, when the skin 32 of the seat back 31 is broken by the force applied from the inflated side airbag 120, as shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), the side airbag 120 expands and deploys (fully deploys) toward the vehicle side wall 50 side of the occupant 40.

[0023] FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams schematically showing the three-dimensional shape of the side airbag after inflation and deployment in the airbag device of Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 shows the state as viewed from the occupant side, and FIG. 4 shows the state as viewed from the side without showing the second panel on the outside of the vehicle. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion corresponding to the line segment A1 - A2 in FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the state as viewed from above. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion corresponding to the line segment B1 - B2 in FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the state as viewed from above. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion corresponding to the line segment C1 - C2 in FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the state as viewed from the front.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the side airbag 120 has a first panel 130, a second panel 140, a first restricting member 150a, and a second restricting member 150b.

[0025] The first panel 130 has an edge portion 131, first fixing portions 132a and 132b that are different from the edge portion 131, and second fixing portions 133a and 133b that are different from the edge portion 131 and are opposite to the first fixing portions 132a and 132b, respectively. Hereinafter, when the first fixing portions 132a and 132b are not distinguished, they will be described as the first fixing portion 132, and when the second fixing portions 133a and 133b are not distinguished, they will be described as the second fixing portion 133.

[0026] The first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 133 are linear parts along a predetermined direction (hereinafter referred to as the extending direction, which is the vertical direction here), and are located inside the edge part 131. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 133 may be substantially parallel to each other, or may be non-parallel to each other. For example, the distance between the two may gradually change. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 133 may be linear, or at least one of them may be non-linear such as curved (for example, arc-shaped), zigzag-shaped, wavy, etc.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the edge part 131 of the first panel 130 includes a first edge part 131a located outside the first fixing part 132 and a second edge part 131b located outside the second fixing part 133. That is, the first edge part 131a, the first fixing part 132, the second fixing part 133, and the second edge part 131b are arranged in this order.

[0028] The second panel 140 has an edge part 141 coupled to the edge part 131 of the first panel 130, and forms a bag-shaped side airbag 120 together with the first panel 130. The first panel 130 and the second panel 140 are each formed from a single base fabric, and are formed in substantially the same shape, for example, C-shaped, so that the edge part 131 of the first panel 130 coincides with the edge part 141 of the second panel 140.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2(a), when inflated and deployed, the side airbag 120 is arranged corresponding to the position from the shoulder part 44 and chest part 42 of the occupant 40 through the abdomen part 45 to the waist part 47.

[0030] The first restricting member 150a is provided inside the side airbag 120 and has a first part 151a fixed to the first fixing part 132a and a second part 152a fixed to the second fixing part 133a. The second restricting member 150b is also provided inside the side airbag 120 and has a first part 151b fixed to the first fixing part 132b and a second part 152b fixed to the second fixing part 133b. Hereinafter, when the first restricting member 150a and the second restricting member 150b are not distinguished, they will be described as the restricting member 150. When the first parts 151a and 151b are not distinguished, they will be described as the first part 151. When the second parts 152a and 152b are not distinguished, they will be described as the second part 152.

[0031] The restricting member 150 is a member provided to form a protection inflation part 122 described later, and is provided only on one panel (here, the first panel 130), and restricts the complete inflation of the first panel 130 during inflation and deployment. The restricting member 150 is formed from a single strip-shaped base fabric and is coupled to the first panel 130 at the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 133, respectively. The first part 151 of the restricting member 150 and the first fixing part 132 of the first panel 130 are located at the same position on the side airbag 120, and the second part 152 of the restricting member 150 and the second fixing part 133 of the first panel 130 are located at the same position on the side airbag 120. The first restricting member 150a is provided such that, when the side airbag 120 inflates and deploys, a first protection inflation part 122a described later is disposed at a position corresponding to the waist 47 of the occupant 40. The second restricting member 150b is provided such that, when the side airbag 120 inflates and deploys, a second protection inflation part 122b described later is disposed at a position corresponding to the front part of the torso of the occupant 40.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the regulating member 150 is not fixed to the first panel 130 in the lateral direction (the extending direction and the opposite direction, here the vertical direction) with respect to the direction in which the first part 151 and the second part 152 face each other, and the openings 160 are respectively provided. Through these openings 160, the gas from the inflator 110 can flow between the main bag 121 and the protective inflation part 122 described later.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the regulating member 150 may be fixed to the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 133 at the middle part excluding the ends, or one end may be fixed to the first fixing part 132 and the other end may be fixed to the second fixing part 133. In the former case, one end and the other end of the regulating member 150 may extend to the edge 131 of the first panel 130 and the edge 141 of the second panel 140, and may be coupled with the edges 131 and 141.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the length L11 from the first fixing part 132 to the second fixing part 133 of the first panel 130 is longer than the length L12 from the first part 151 to the second part 152 of the regulating member 150. In this specification, the "length from the first fixing part to the second fixing part of the first panel" and the "length from the first part to the second part of the regulating member" mean the lengths measured in the state of seeing the cross section (for example, the cross sections in FIGS. 5 and 6) passing through an arbitrary first point on the first fixing part (which may be a point on each point of the first fixing part) and a second point on the second fixing part that is located at the shortest distance from the first point.

[0035] As a result, when the regulating member 150 is flattened before inflation, the portion from the first fixing part 132 to the second fixing part 133 of the first panel 130 is in a slack state. In other words, before inflation, the regulating member 150 is fixed to the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 133 with the portion from the first fixing part 132 to the second fixing part 133 of the first panel 130 in a slack state.

[0036] The side airbag 120 includes a main bag 121 formed by a first panel 130 excluding the portion between a first fixing portion 132 and a second fixing portion 133, a second panel 140, and a restricting member 150, a first protective inflation portion 122a formed by the first panel 130 between a first fixing portion 132a and a second fixing portion 133a and a first restricting member 150a, and a second protective inflation portion 122b formed by the first panel 130 between a first fixing portion 132b and a second fixing portion 133b and a second restricting member 150b. Hereinafter, when the first protective inflation portion 122a and the second protective inflation portion 122b are not distinguished, they will be described as the protective inflation portion 122.

[0037] The main bag 121 is a chamber that constitutes the main part of the side airbag 120 and mainly undertakes the basic function of the side airbag 120, which is to expand and deploy between the vehicle side wall 50 and the occupant 40 seated on the seat to protect the occupant 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the main bag 121 is arranged corresponding to the position from the shoulder 44 and chest 42 of the occupant 40 through the abdomen 45 to the waist 47, similar to the entire side airbag 120.

[0038] The protective inflation portion 122 is a chamber with a smaller capacity than the main bag 121 provided on the occupant 40 side of the main bag 121. It expands and deploys between the main bag 121 and the occupant 40 seated on the seat to protect the occupant 40 and undertakes the additional function of the side airbag 120, which is to relieve the impact applied to the occupant 40 when the side airbag 120 expands and deploys. As shown in FIG. 2, when the side airbag 120 expands and deploys, the first protective inflation portion 122a is arranged at a position corresponding to the waist 47 of the occupant 40, and the second protective inflation portion 122b is arranged at a position corresponding to the front part of the body of the occupant 40. Here, the body of the occupant 40 refers to the part including the chest 42, abdomen 45, and back 46 of the occupant 40, and the front part of the body refers to the chest 42 and abdomen 45. That is, the second protective inflation portion 122b is arranged at a position corresponding to at least one of the chest 42 and abdomen 45 of the occupant 40.

[0039] When the side airbag 120 expands and deploys, the gas from the inflator 110 is introduced into the main bag 121, the first panel 130 faces the occupant 40, and the protection inflating portion 122 receives the occupant 40.

[0040] More specifically, the inflator 110 is provided inside the main bag 121, and the gas ejected from the inflator 110 flows out into the main bag 121 and then flows into the protection inflating portion 122 through the opening 160 from the main bag 121. In this embodiment, the first protection inflating portion 122a receives the side of the waist 47 of the occupant 40, and the second protection inflating portion 122b receives the side of the front part (chest 42 and / or abdomen 45) of the occupant 40's torso.

[0041] The manufacturing process of the side airbag 120 is not particularly limited. For example, it can be manufactured by the process shown in FIGS. 8 to 11.

[0042] First, as shown in FIG. 8, the first panel 130 and the second panel 140 are respectively cut out from the base fabric. The first panel 130 is formed with a cut 134 for inserting the inflator 110 into the side airbag 120 and a pair of holes 135 for inserting a pair of bolts 111. The second panel 140 is the same as the first panel 130 except that the cut 134 and the pair of holes 135 are not formed.

[0043] Next, the first restricting member 150a and the second restricting member 150b are respectively cut out from the base fabric. As shown in FIG. 9, the second part 152b of the second restricting member 150b is coupled to the second fixing portion 133b of the first panel 130 so that the marks Y1 to Y2 correspond, and the second part 152a of the first restricting member 150a is coupled to the second fixing portion 133a of the first panel 130 so that the mark Y3 corresponds.

[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 10, with the first panel 130 folded and contracted at the center, the first part 151b of the second restricting member 150b is coupled to the first fixing part 132b of the first panel 130 so that the marks Y4 to Y5 correspond, and the first part 151a of the first restricting member 150a is coupled to the first fixing part 132a of the first panel 130 so that the marks Y6 to Y7 correspond. Thereby, the first restricting member 150a and the second restricting member 150b are attached to the first panel 130.

[0045] Then, by overlapping and coupling a pair of edge portions 131 and 141 of the first panel 130 and the second panel 140 so that the marks Y1 to Y9 correspond, a bag-shaped side airbag 120 can be manufactured as shown in FIG. 11. At this time, one end and the other end of the restricting member 150 may be overlapped and coupled to the edge portions 131 and 141.

[0046] Note that examples of the above-described coupling method include sewing, adhesion, welding, etc., and among these, sewing is preferable.

[0047] The base fabrics used for the first panel 130, the second panel 140, and the restricting member 150 can be formed of, for example, yarns such as nylon 66 and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Further, in order to improve heat resistance, airtightness, etc., the base fabric may be one whose surface is coated with silicon or the like.

[0048] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a side airbag before inflation is deployed together with an occupant for the airbag device of Embodiment 1, and shows a state as viewed from the side.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 12, even at the stage before inflation, similar to the inflation deployment, the side airbag 120 corresponds to a position extending from the shoulder 44 and chest 42 of the occupant 40 through the abdomen 45 to the waist 47.

[0050] As described above, in the present embodiment, the length L11 from the first fixing portion 132 to the second fixing portion 133 of the first panel 130 forming the protection expansion portion 122 is longer than the length L12 from the first portion 151 to the second portion 152 of the restricting member. Thus, among the side airbags 120 formed in a bag shape by joining a pair of edge portions 131 and 141 of the first panel 130 and the second panel 140, the main bag 121 and the protection expansion portion 122 separated by the restricting member 150 have the main bag 121 larger than the protection expansion portion 122, and the reaction force of the side airbag 120 generated by the internal pressure is also larger in the main bag 121 than in the protection expansion portion 122. Therefore, the protection expansion portion 122 becomes softer than the main bag 121. In addition, due to the difference in the sizes of the main bag 121 and the protection expansion portion 122, the tension generated on the surface of the second panel 140 forming the main bag 121 when the side airbag 120 expands is also larger than that on the first panel 130.

[0051] When the airbag device 100 is activated and gas is generated from the inflator 110, the gas is introduced from the inflator 110 into the main bag 121, and the main bag 121 expands and deploys. At this time, in the side airbag 120, when the portion provided with the restricting member 150 expands and deploys, the protection expansion portion 122 also deploys, and gas flows in from between the first panel 130 and the restricting member 150 (opening 160) to expand the protection expansion portion 122. At this time, when the main bag 121, which generates a high reaction force due to the tension and internal pressure generated on the second panel 140, comes into contact with the vehicle, the side airbag 120 moves toward the occupant 40 side due to the reaction force. Thereby, the protection expansion portion 122 can quickly contact the occupant 40, and the soft protection expansion portion 122 formed by a part of the first panel 130 can be interposed between the hard main bag 121 and the occupant 40 to gently receive the occupant 40. Preferably, the second protection expansion portion 122b can gently receive the side surface of the front part (chest 42 and / or abdomen 45) of the occupant 40's body.

[0052] Further, as described above, since the main bag 121 with a high reaction force expands and deploys between the vehicle and the occupant 40, and the side airbag 120 moves toward the occupant 40 side, contact with the occupant 40 can be accelerated, and the occupant 40 can be protected by the soft protection expansion part 122. Therefore, the occupant 40 can be safely and early protected without causing harm to the occupant 40.

[0053] Furthermore, when manufacturing the side airbag 120, after attaching the restricting member 150 to the first panel 130, the pair of edge portions 131 and 141 of the first panel 130 and the second panel 140 may be overlapped and joined, so that it can be easily manufactured.

[0054] Also, by providing the second restricting member 150b at the rear part of the side airbag 120 (the position corresponding to the waist 47 of the occupant 40), the front part of the side airbag 120 can be bent and brought closer to the occupant, so that the occupant 40 can be restrained (protected) early.

[0055] Also, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is preferable that a constriction 153 is provided between the main bag 121 and the protection expansion part 122 by the restricting member 150. Thereby, the protection expansion part 122 can tilt (swing) with respect to the main bag 121 starting from the constriction 153. Therefore, even when the main bag 121 moves after the protection expansion part 122 receives the occupant 40, the protection expansion part 122 can continue to receive the occupant 40. Thus, it is preferable that the protection expansion part 122 expands more greatly than the portion from the first part 151 to the second part 152 of the restricting member 150.

[0056] Further, although the protective inflation part 122 attempts to expand roundly depending on the internal pressure of the side airbag 120, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the length L11 from the first fixing part 132 to the second fixing part 133 of the first panel 130 is preferably longer than π / 2 (i.e., L12×π / 2) of the length L12 from the first part 151 to the second part 152 of the restricting member 150. That is, the length L11 is preferably longer than half of the circumference with the length L12 as the diameter. Thereby, since the maximum width of the protective inflation part 122 is larger than the length from the first part 151 to the second part 152 of the restricting member 150, the constriction 153 can be effectively formed.

[0057] Further, the upper limit of the ratio (L11 / L12) of the length L11 to the length L12 is not particularly limited, but the length L12 is preferably a length through which gas can flow from the opening 160 to the protective inflation part 122.

[0058] Also, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the length L12 from the first part 151a to the second part 152a of the first restricting member 150a is preferably shorter than the length L13 from the first fixing part 132a to the first edge part 131a of the first panel 130 and shorter than the length L14 from the second fixing part 133a to the second edge part 131b of the first panel 130. Thereby, the thickness of the main bag 121 can be increased. Therefore, the stroke when the side airbag 120 is crushed by the vehicle can be obtained.

[0059] Here, the "length from the first fixing part of the first panel to the first edge part" and the "length from the second fixing part of the first panel to the second edge part" mean the lengths measured in a state of viewing a cross section (for example, the cross section in FIG. 5) passing through an arbitrary first point on the first fixing part (which may be a point on each point of the first fixing part) and a second point on the second fixing part and located at the shortest distance from the first point.

[0060] The ratio (L12 / L13) of the length L12 to the length L13 and the ratio (L12 / L14) of the length L12 to the length L14 are not particularly limited.

[0061] Also, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable that the length L14 from the second fixing portion 133a to the second edge portion 131b of the first panel 130 is longer than the length L13 from the first fixing portion 132a to the first edge portion 131a of the first panel 130. That is, it is preferable that the position of the protection inflation portion 122a is biased toward the first edge portion 131a rather than the second edge portion 131b. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, the front portion of the side airbag 120 on the second edge portion 131b side bends toward the occupant 40 side. Therefore, a part of the inflation deployment position of the side airbag 120 can be adjusted according to the distance from the occupant 40 and the body shape of the occupant 40.

[0062] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, although the position of the protection inflation portion 122b is biased toward the second edge portion 131b rather than the first edge portion 131a, since the inflator 110 is fixed between the protection inflation portion 122b and the first edge portion 131a, the rear portion of the side airbag 120 on the first edge portion 131a side does not bend toward the occupant 40 side.

[0063] Hereinafter, a modification example of the present embodiment will be described.

[0064] FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional schematic views showing the state after inflation deployment of the side airbag in the portion where the protection inflation portion is provided for the airbag devices of Modification Examples 1 and 2 of Embodiment 1, respectively, and show the state as viewed from above.

[0065] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the length L14 from the second fixing portion 133 to the second edge portion 131b of the first panel 130 may be substantially the same as the length L13 from the first fixing portion 132 to the first edge portion 131a of the first panel 130. That is, the protection inflation portion 122 may be located at the center between the first edge portion 131a and the second edge portion 131b.

[0066] Also, as shown in FIG. 13, the length L12 from the first portion 151 to the second portion 152 of the restricting member 150 may be longer than the length L13 from the first fixing portion 132 to the first edge portion 131a of the first panel 130, and may also be longer than the length L14 from the second fixing portion 133 to the second edge portion 131b of the first panel 130.

[0067] Further, in the present embodiment, at least one (for example, one) gas flow hole through which gas can flow may be provided in at least one of the first restricting member 150a and the second restricting member 150b.

[0068] Also, in the present embodiment, the extending direction along which the first fixing portion 132 and the second fixing portion 133 extend is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, the front - rear direction, or may be an oblique direction intersecting the up - down direction and the front - rear direction.

[0069] Also, in the present embodiment, it is preferable to provide at least one (for example, one) vent hole for discharging gas in at least one of the first panel 130 and the second panel 140. When the inflated and deployed side airbag 120 is crushed, the internal pressure rises, so the reaction force of the side airbag 120 increases. That is, the side airbag 120 becomes hard, but by appropriately discharging gas from the vent hole, the absorption characteristics of the side airbag 120 can be controlled.

[0070] Also, in the present embodiment, the side airbag 120 may be arranged corresponding to the position from the head 41 and chest 42 of the occupant 40 through the abdomen 45 to the waist 47, and the head 41 may be protected by the protection inflating portion 122. Also, the number of protection inflating portions 122 per side airbag 120 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, one or three or more.

[0071] (Embodiment 2) Hereinafter, the airbag device according to Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the side airbag device according to Embodiment 2 is the same as the airbag device according to Embodiment 1 except that the airbag to which the protection inflation part is provided is different, the description of overlapping points will be omitted as appropriate. In the present embodiment, the protection inflation part is provided in the curtain airbag.

[0072] FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing a state before the inflation and deployment of the curtain airbag for the airbag device according to Embodiment 2, and is a view of the vehicle side wall as viewed from the front from the inside of the vehicle.

[0073] The airbag device 200 is a curtain airbag device and is housed above the vehicle side wall 50 of the vehicle and covered with an interior material. The airbag device 200 is housed in a space (the storage part of the vehicle side wall 50) formed between the vehicle side wall 50 and the interior material so as not to be visible to the passengers in the vehicle. However, in FIG. 15, for convenience of explanation, the airbag device 200 is specifically illustrated.

[0074] The vehicle side wall 50 is not particularly limited as long as it is a vehicle body part located on the side of the passenger sitting on the seat, and generically refers to a side door, a pillar, a side window, etc. Examples of the vehicle side wall 50 include a roof side rail 51 above the vehicle, a front pillar (A pillar) 53 in front of the vehicle, a center pillar (B pillar) 52 in the center of the vehicle, and a rear pillar (C pillar) (not shown) behind the vehicle. In addition, in FIG. 15, illustration of the front part, the rear part, and the lower part of the vehicle side wall 50 is omitted.

[0075] The interior material is not particularly limited as long as it is a member that covers the vehicle side wall 50. Examples thereof include a ceiling material 51A that covers the roof side rail 51, a front pillar trim 53A that covers the front pillar, a center pillar trim 52A that covers the center pillar 52, and a rear pillar trim (not shown) that covers the rear pillar.

[0076] The airbag device 200 includes an inflator 210 that generates gas and a curtain airbag 220.

[0077] The inflator 210 is a cylinder-shaped (columnar) gas generator and has a gas ejection hole at one end in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The gas ejection hole is inserted into a gas introduction portion 223 of a curtain airbag 220 formed by being sewn in a tubular shape.

[0078] Similar to the case of Embodiment 1, the inflator 210 operates in an emergency of the vehicle (for example, when the vehicle collides on the side). The gas generated from the inflator 210 is introduced into the interior of the curtain airbag 220 from the gas ejection hole of the inflator 210 through the gas introduction portion 223 of the curtain airbag 220.

[0079] The type of the inflator 210 is not particularly limited, and for example, those exemplified in Embodiment 1 can be mentioned.

[0080] The curtain airbag 220 has a gas introduction portion 223 into which the gas generated from the inflator 210 is introduced. The gas introduction portion 223 is tightened with a band 212 together with the inserted inflator 210 so that the gas generated from the inflator 210 does not leak out. The inflator 210 is attached to the roof side rail 51 above the center pillar 52. On the other hand, the gas introduction portion 223 is disposed at the upper edge (the upper end in the vehicle height direction) of the curtain airbag 220. Since the gas introduction portion 223 is disposed near the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, inside the curtain airbag 220, a gas flow from near the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle toward the front end and a gas flow from near the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle toward the rear end will occur.

[0081] The curtain airbag 220 is a bag-shaped body, and before inflation and deployment, it is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the roof side rail 51 and the front pillar 53. And the curtain airbag 220 is folded in a rod shape and stored in a state of being wound with a wrapping material (not shown) that can be broken when inflated. In the event of an emergency in the vehicle, the gas generated from the inflator 210 is introduced into the curtain airbag 220, so that the curtain airbag 220 expands and its folding is released. Then, when the interior material is pushed open by the force applied from the inflated curtain airbag 220, the curtain airbag 220 descends into the vehicle and further expands, and expands and deploys in a curtain shape from above to below the vehicle side wall 50. As a result, the inflated and deployed curtain airbag 220 covers the vehicle side wall 50 from the inside of the vehicle along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, so that the occupant 40 in the vehicle is protected with the head 41 as the center.

[0082] Next, the deployment state of the airbag device 200 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17.

[0083] FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing the three-dimensional shape of the curtain airbag after inflation and deployment of the airbag device according to Embodiment 2, and shows the state seen from the occupant side. FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion corresponding to the line segment D1-D2 in FIG. 16, and shows the state seen from the front.

[0084] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the curtain airbag 220 has a first panel 230, a second panel 240, and a restricting member 250.

[0085] The first panel 230 is formed of a single base fabric, and has an edge 231, a first fixing portion 232 that is a portion different from the edge 231, and a second fixing portion 233 that is a portion different from the edge 231 and faces the first fixing portion 232.

[0086] The first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233 are linear portions along a predetermined direction (hereinafter referred to as the extending direction. Here, it is the front-rear direction), and are located inside the edge 231.

[0087] The second panel 240 has an edge 241 coupled to the edge 231 of the first panel 230, and together with the first panel 230 forms a bag-shaped curtain airbag 220. The first panel 230 and the second panel 240 are each formed from a single base fabric, and are formed in substantially the same shape, for example, a strip shape, such that the edge 231 of the first panel 230 coincides with the edge 241 of the second panel 240.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 17, the curtain airbag 220 is disposed corresponding to at least the head 41 of the occupant 40 when inflated and deployed.

[0089] The restricting member 250 is provided inside the curtain airbag 220 and has a first portion 251 fixed to the first fixing portion 232 and a second portion 252 fixed to the second fixing portion 233.

[0090] The restricting member 250 is formed from a single rectangular base fabric and is coupled to the first panel 230 at the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233, respectively. The first portion 251 of the restricting member 250 and the first fixing portion 232 of the first panel 230 are located at the same position on the curtain airbag 220, and the second portion 252 of the restricting member 250 and the second fixing portion 233 of the first panel 230 are located at the same position on the curtain airbag 220.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 16, the restricting member 250 is not fixed to the first panel 230 in the lateral direction (the extending direction and the opposite direction, here the front-rear direction) with respect to the direction in which the first portion 251 and the second portion 252 face each other, and openings 260 through which gas can flow are provided respectively.

[0092] The restricting member 250 may be fixed to the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233 at one end and the other end respectively as shown in FIG. 16, or may be fixed to the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233 at the intermediate portion excluding the end portions respectively. In the latter case, one end and the other end of the restricting member 250 extend to the edge portion 231 of the first panel 230 and the edge portion 241 of the second panel 240, and may be joined together with the edge portions 231 and 241.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 17, the length L21 from the first fixing portion 232 to the second fixing portion 233 of the first panel 230 is longer than the length L22 from the first portion 251 to the second portion 252 of the restricting member 250.

[0094] As a result, when the restricting member 250 is flattened before inflation, the portion from the first fixing portion 232 to the second fixing portion 233 of the first panel 230 becomes slack. In other words, before inflation, the restricting member 250 is fixed to the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233 in a state where the portion from the first fixing portion 232 to the second fixing portion 233 of the first panel 230 is slack.

[0095] The curtain airbag 220 has a main bag 221 formed by the first panel 230 excluding the portion between the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233, the second panel 240, and the restricting member 250, and a protection inflation portion 222 formed by the first panel 230 between the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233 and the restricting member 250.

[0096] The main bag 221 is a chamber constituting the main part of the curtain airbag 220, and mainly undertakes the basic function of the curtain airbag 220 to inflate and deploy between the vehicle side wall 50 and the occupant 40 seated on the seat to protect the occupant 40. As shown in FIG. 17, the main bag 221 is arranged corresponding to at least the head 41 of the occupant 40, similar to the whole of the curtain airbag 220.

[0097] In addition, the main bag 221 is provided with a plurality of linear coupling portions 224 where the first panel 230 and the second panel 240 are coupled. According to the coupling portions 224, the thickness of the curtain airbag 220 in the vehicle width direction during inflation can be partially regulated, and the inflation shape of the curtain airbag 220 can be controlled. Thereby, the internal volume and thickness of the curtain airbag 220 during inflation are adjusted, and the protection performance for the occupant 40 (mainly the head 41) can be enhanced.

[0098] Also, a plurality of fixing fabrics (tabs) 225 are coupled to the main bag 221 so as to protrude from the upper edge of the main bag 221. The fixing fabric 225 is fixed to the roof side rail 51 and the front pillar 53 using, for example, bolts, clips, etc.

[0099] The protection inflation portion 222 is a chamber provided on the occupant 40 side of the main bag 221. It inflates and deploys between the main bag 221 and the occupant 40 seated on the seat to protect the occupant 40, and also undertakes an additional function of the curtain airbag 220, which is to mitigate the impact applied to the occupant 40 when the curtain airbag 220 inflates and deploys. As shown in FIG. 17, when the curtain airbag 220 inflates and deploys, the protection inflation portion 222 is disposed at a position corresponding to the head 41 of the occupant 40.

[0100] And when the curtain airbag 220 inflates and deploys, the gas from the inflator 210 is introduced into the main bag 221, the first panel 230 faces the occupant 40, and the protection inflation portion 222 receives the occupant 40.

[0101] More specifically, the gas ejected from the inflator 210 flows out into the main bag 221 via the gas introduction portion 223, and then flows into the protection inflation portion 222 from the main bag 221 through the opening 260. In the present embodiment, the protection inflation portion 222 receives the side surface of the head 41 of the occupant 40.

[0102] The manufacturing process of the curtain airbag 220 is not particularly limited. For example, as in the case of Embodiment 1, first, the first panel 230 and the second panel 240 are respectively cut out from the base fabric. Next, the restricting member 250 is cut out from the base fabric. Next, the second part 252 of the restricting member 250 is coupled to the second fixing part 233 of the first panel 230. Next, with the first panel 230 folded and shrunk at the central part, the first part 251 of the restricting member 250 is coupled to the first fixing part 232 of the first panel 230. Next, a pair of edges 231 and 241 of the first panel 230 and the second panel 240 are overlapped and coupled, and a coupling part 224 is provided by coupling predetermined positions of the first panel 230 and the second panel 240, thereby manufacturing the bag-shaped main bag 221. Thereafter, by coupling the fixing fabric 225 to a predetermined position of the main bag 221, the bag-shaped curtain airbag 220 can be manufactured.

[0103] Note that examples of the above coupling method include sewing, adhesion, welding, etc., and a combination thereof. Among them, sewing is preferable.

[0104] As described above, in this embodiment, since the length L21 from the first fixing part 232 to the second fixing part 233 of the first panel 230 forming the protection expansion part 222 is longer than the length L22 from the first part 251 to the second part 252 of the restricting member, the protection expansion part 222 is softer than the main bag 221 as in the case of Embodiment 1. In addition, the tension generated on the surface of the second panel 240 also becomes larger than that of the first panel 230. Further, the protection expansion part 222 can come into contact with the occupant 40 earlier, and the soft protection expansion part 222 formed by a part of the first panel 230 can be interposed between the hard main bag 221 and the occupant 40 and can receive the occupant 40 softly.

[0105] Also, as in the case of Embodiment 1, the occupant 40 can be protected safely and early, and the curtain airbag 220 can be easily manufactured.

[0106] Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17, it is preferable that a constriction 253 is provided by a restricting member 250 between the main bag 221 and the protection inflation part 222. Thus, as in the case of the first embodiment, even when the main bag 221 moves after the protection inflation part 222 receives the occupant 40, the protection inflation part 222 can continue to receive the occupant 40. In this way, it is preferable that the protection inflation part 222 expands more greatly than the portion from the first part 251 to the second part 252 of the restricting member 250.

[0107] Also, as shown in FIG. 17, it is preferable that the length L21 from the first fixing part 232 to the second fixing part 233 of the first panel 230 is longer than π / 2 (i.e., L22×π / 2) of the length L22 from the first part 251 to the second part 252 of the restricting member 250. That is, it is preferable that the length L21 is longer than half the length of the circumference with the length L22 as the diameter. Thereby, as in the case of the first embodiment, the constriction 253 can be effectively formed.

[0108] Also, the upper limit of the ratio (L21 / L22) of the length L21 to the length L22 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the length L22 is the length through which gas can flow from the opening 260 to the protection inflation part 222.

[0109] Hereinafter, a modification of the present embodiment will be described.

[0110] FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing the three-dimensional shape of the curtain airbag after inflation and deployment of the airbag device according to the first modification of the second embodiment, showing the state as viewed from the occupant side. FIG. 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion corresponding to the line segment E1 - E2 in FIG. 18, showing the state as viewed from above.

[0111] As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the extending direction along which the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233 extend may be the vertical direction. In this case, the first portion 251 and the second portion 252 are also arranged along the vertical direction, and the restricting member 250 is not fixed to the first panel 230 in the lateral direction (the extending direction and the opposite direction thereof, here the vertical direction) with respect to the direction in which the first portion 251 and the second portion 252 face each other, and openings 260 through which gas can flow are respectively provided.

[0112] Further, in the present embodiment, the extending direction along which the first fixing portion 232 and the second fixing portion 233 extend is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an oblique direction intersecting the vertical direction and the front-rear direction.

[0113] Further, in the present embodiment, at least one (for example, one) gas flow hole through which gas can flow may be provided in the restricting member 250.

[0114] Further, in the present embodiment, the number of the protection inflation portions 222 per curtain airbag 220 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, two or more. Also, it may be a number corresponding to the number of rows of seats. For example, the same number of protection inflation portions 222 as the number of rows of seats may be provided.

[0115] The present invention is not limited to the content described in the above embodiment. Each configuration described in the embodiment may be appropriately deleted, added, changed, or combined without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0116] 30: Vehicle seat 31: Seat back (rear backrest portion) 32: Skin 33: Side frame 34: Cushion pad 40: Occupant (International standard side impact dummy) 41: Head 42: Chest 43: Upper arm 44: Shoulder 45:Abdomen 46:Back 47: Lower back 50: Vehicle side wall 60: Obstacle 51: Roof side rail 51A: Ceiling material 52: Center pillar (B pillar) 52A: Center pillar trim 53: Front pillar (A pillar) 53A: Front pillar trim 100, 200: Airbag device 110, 210: Inflator 111: Bolt 120: Side airbag 121, 221: Main bag 122, 222: Protective expansion part 122a: First protective expansion part 122b: Second protective expansion part 130, 230: First panel 131, 231: Edge 131a: First edge 131b: 2nd edge 132, 132a, 132b, 232: 1st fixed part 133, 133a, 133b, 233: Second fixed part 134: Slit 135: Hole 140, 240: Second panel 141, 241: Edge 150, 250: Regulating member 150a: First restricting member 151a, 151b, 151, 251: Part 1 152a, 152b, 152, 252: 2nd part 150b: second restricting member 153: Waist 160, 260: Opening 220: Curtain airbag 223: Gas inlet 224:Joining part 225: Fixing cloth (tab) 212: Band L11, L21: Length from the first fixing part to the second fixing part of the first panel L12, L22: Length from the first part to the second part of the regulating member L13: Length from the first fixing part of the first panel to the first edge L14: Length from the second fixing part of the first panel to the second edge Y1~Y9: Marks

Claims

1. An inflator that generates gas, a first panel having an edge portion, a first fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion, and a second fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion and faces the first fixing portion, a second panel having an edge portion coupled to the edge portion of the first panel and forming a bag-shaped airbag together with the first panel, a restricting member provided inside the airbag and having a first portion fixed to the first fixing portion and a second portion fixed to the second fixing portion, comprising: the length from the first fixing portion to the second fixing portion of the first panel is longer than the length from the first portion to the second portion of the restricting member, the airbag includes a main bag formed by the first panel, the second panel, and the restricting member excluding the portion between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion, and a protection expansion portion formed by the first panel and the restricting member between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion, when the airbag expands and deploys, the gas from the inflator is introduced into the main bag, the first panel faces the occupant, and the protection expansion portion receives the occupant, and a constriction is provided by the restricting member between the main bag and the protection expansion portion. An airbag device characterized by this.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the length from the first fixing portion to the second fixing portion of the first panel is longer than π / 2 of the length from the first portion to the second portion of the restricting member. An airbag device characterized by this.

3. An inflator that generates gas, a first panel having an edge portion, a first fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion, and a second fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion and faces the first fixing portion, a second panel having an edge portion coupled to the edge portion of the first panel and forming a bag-shaped airbag together with the first panel, a restricting member provided inside the airbag and having a first portion fixed to the first fixing portion and a second portion fixed to the second fixing portion, comprising: the length from the first fixing portion to the second fixing portion of the first panel is longer than the length from the first portion to the second portion of the restricting member, the airbag includes a main bag formed by the first panel, the second panel, and the restricting member excluding the portion between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion, a protective inflatable portion formed by the first panel and the restricting member between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion; When the airbag expands and deploys, the gas from the inflator is introduced into the main bag, the first panel faces the occupant, and the protective inflatable portion receives the occupant. The edge portion of the first panel has a first edge portion located outside the first fixing portion and a second edge portion located outside the second fixing portion. An airbag device, wherein the length from the first portion to the second portion of the restricting member is shorter than the length from the first fixing portion to the first edge portion of the first panel and shorter than the length from the second fixing portion to the second edge portion of the first panel.

4. An inflator that generates gas; a first panel having an edge portion, a first fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion, and a second fixing portion that is a portion different from the edge portion and faces the first fixing portion; a second panel having an edge portion coupled to the edge portion of the first panel and forming a bag-shaped airbag together with the first panel; a restricting member provided inside the airbag and having a first portion fixed to the first fixing portion and a second portion fixed to the second fixing portion; comprising the length from the first fixing portion to the second fixing portion of the first panel is longer than the length from the first portion to the second portion of the restricting member; the airbag includes a main bag formed by the first panel, the second panel, and the restricting member excluding between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion; a protective inflatable portion formed by the first panel and the restricting member between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion; When the airbag expands and deploys, the gas from the inflator is introduced into the main bag, the first panel faces the occupant, and the protective inflatable portion receives the occupant. The edge portion of the first panel has a first edge portion located outside the first fixing portion and a second edge portion located outside the second fixing portion. An airbag device, wherein the length from the second fixing portion to the second edge portion of the first panel is longer than the length from the first fixing portion to the first edge portion of the first panel.

5. An inflator that generates gas; A first panel having an edge portion, a first fixing portion which is a portion different from the edge portion, and a second fixing portion which is a portion different from the edge portion and faces the first fixing portion; A second panel having an edge portion coupled to the edge portion of the first panel, and forming a bag-shaped airbag together with the first panel; A restricting member provided inside the airbag and having a first portion fixed to the first fixing portion and a second portion fixed to the second fixing portion; Comprising; The length from the first fixing portion to the second fixing portion of the first panel is longer than the length from the first portion to the second portion of the restricting member; The airbag includes a main bag formed by the first panel, the second panel, and the restricting member excluding the space between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion; A protective inflation portion formed by the first panel and the restricting member between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion; When the airbag expands and deploys, the gas from the inflator is introduced into the main bag, the first panel faces the occupant, and the protective inflation portion receives the occupant; The restricting member is provided such that, when the airbag expands and deploys, the protective inflation portion is disposed at a position corresponding to the front portion of the occupant's torso or the occupant's head. An airbag device characterized by this.

Images