Airbag system

Abstract

To provide an airbag device which can inhibit an occupant from moving forward with an airbag stored in a console box during a collision of a vehicle.SOLUTION: An airbag device mounted on a vehicle includes: an inflator disposed in a console box disposed between a first occupant seat and a second occupant seat located adjacent to the first occupant seat, the inflator configured to jet a gas; and a bag body which is stored in the console box and inflated and deployed by the gas jetted from the inflator. The bag body has a first bag part which is inflated and deployed to an area in front of the first occupant seat and receives a reaction force from a structure located at the front relative to the first occupant seat in the vehicle to spread in a width direction of the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an airbag device.

Background Art

[0002] Various airbag devices mounted on vehicles have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an airbag device provided with an airbag housed in a console box provided between vehicle seats in order to protect an occupant during a collision from the side of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "side collision"). In this airbag device, when the airbag expands and deploys during a side collision, it receives the occupant and suppresses the movement of the occupant in the vehicle width direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, it is difficult for the airbag disclosed in Patent Document 1 to suppress the forward movement of the occupant during a vehicle collision. For this reason, there is a need for a technology that can suppress the forward movement of the occupant during a vehicle collision by means of an airbag housed in a console box.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an airbag device for installation in a vehicle is provided. The airbag device comprises an inflator that injects gas and is located in a console box positioned between a first passenger seat and a second passenger seat adjacent to the first passenger seat, and a bag body housed in the console box and inflated and deployed by the gas injected from the inflator, wherein the bag body has a first bag portion that inflates and deploys in front of the first passenger seat, and when inflated and deployed, the first bag portion expands in the width direction of the vehicle by receiving a reaction force from a structure located in front of the first passenger seat within the vehicle, and the bag body has a second bag portion connected to the end of the first bag portion The bag has two bag sections, and the completed deployed state, which is the state of the bag body when the inflation and deployment are complete, is either a series state in which the longitudinal direction of the first bag section and the longitudinal direction of the second bag section coincide in the width direction, or a folded state in which the bag is folded at the boundary between the first bag section and the second bag section. When the completed deployed state is the series state, the second bag section expands in the width direction due to a reaction force from the structure located in front of the second passenger seat inside the vehicle, and when the completed deployed state is the folded state, it is located between the first passenger seat and the second passenger seat.

[0006] (1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an airbag device for installation in a vehicle is provided. The airbag device comprises an inflator that injects gas and is located in a console box positioned between a first passenger seat and a second passenger seat adjacent to the first passenger seat, and a bag body housed in the console box and inflated and deployed by the gas injected from the inflator, wherein the bag body has a first bag portion that inflates and deploys in front of the first passenger seat, and when inflated and deployed, the first bag portion expands in the width direction of the vehicle by receiving a reaction force from a structure located in front of the first passenger seat within the vehicle. This airbag system includes a bag body stored in the console box. The bag body has a first bag section that expands in the width direction of the vehicle when it inflates and deploys forward of the first occupant seat, receiving a reaction force from structures located in front of the first occupant seat within the vehicle. Therefore, in the event of a collision, the bag body stored in the console box can suppress the occupant's forward movement of the vehicle. Furthermore, since the bag body is stored in the console box, compared to configurations where the bag body is stored in structures such as the instrument panel or steering wheel, the space required for storing the bag body in such structures can be eliminated, allowing for a smaller structure. This allows for a larger space for the occupant in the first occupant seat. (2) In the airbag device of the above form, the bag body has a second bag portion connected to the end of the first bag portion, and the completed deployed state, which is the state of the bag body when inflation and deployment are completed, is either a series state in which the longitudinal direction of the first bag portion and the longitudinal direction of the second bag portion coincide in the width direction, or a folded state in which the bag portion is folded at the boundary between the first bag portion and the second bag portion, and the second bag portion may be located between the first and second passenger seats when the completed deployed state is the series state, receiving a reaction force from the structure located in front of the second passenger seat in the vehicle and expanding in the width direction, and when the completed deployed state is the folded state. In this type of airbag system, when the second airbag is deployed in a series configuration upon completion, it receives a reaction force from a structure located in front of the second passenger seat within the vehicle and expands in the width direction. When the deployed state is folded upon completion, it is located between the first and second passenger seats. Therefore, in the series configuration, it can prevent the occupant of the first passenger seat and the occupant of the second passenger seat from moving forward during a collision. In the folded configuration, it can prevent the occupant of the first passenger seat ST1 and the occupant of the second passenger seat ST2 from moving in the width direction of the vehicle during a collision. (3) In the above-described airbag device, the device further comprises a tether connected to the second bag portion and an actuator for adjusting the tension of the tether, wherein the actuator adjusts the tension according to the detection result by a collision detection device provided in the vehicle, thereby selectively realizing the completed deployment state from the series state and the folded state. This type of airbag system further includes a tether connected to the second bag section and an actuator for adjusting the tension of the tether. The actuator selectively realizes the fully deployed state of the bag body as either a series state or a folded state, depending on the detection result from the collision detection device. Thus, the occupant of the first seat and the occupant of the second seat can be appropriately protected by the bag body in either the series state or the folded state, depending on the detection result. (4) In the above-described airbag device, the actuator may maintain the tension at a predetermined level of tension to make the completed deployment state the folded state, or reduce the tension from the predetermined level of tension to make the completed deployment state the series state. In this type of airbag device, the actuator maintains a predetermined tension level, resulting in a folded state upon completion of deployment. By reducing the tension from a predetermined level, the airbag is returned to a series state upon completion of deployment. Thus, the folded state and the series state can be achieved through simple control of maintaining or reducing tension. (5) In the airbag device of the above form, the actuator may maintain the tension at a predetermined value when the collision detection device detects a collision with the vehicle from the side, and reduce the tension from the predetermined value when the collision detection device detects a collision with the vehicle from the front. In this type of airbag system, the actuator maintains a predetermined tension when a collision from the side of the vehicle is detected by the collision detection device, and reduces the tension from a predetermined level when a collision from the front of the vehicle is detected by the collision detection device. This allows the fully deployed state of the airbag body to be appropriately set to either a folded state or a series state depending on the direction of the collision, thereby providing better protection for the occupant of the first seat and the occupant of the second seat depending on the direction of the collision. In other words, a single airbag body can protect occupants in both frontal and side collisions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This figure shows a schematic configuration of an airbag device in one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This figure shows the schematic configuration of the airbag device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows the schematic configuration of the airbag device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows the schematic configuration of the airbag device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure illustrates a console box in another embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates a console box in another embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows a schematic configuration of an airbag device in another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an airbag device 100 in one embodiment of the present disclosure. In the drawing and the following description, "forward-rear direction" refers to the forward-rear direction when the direction of travel of the vehicle is defined as "forward," "left-right direction" refers to the left-right direction (width direction) of the vehicle, and "up-down direction" refers to the height direction of the vehicle. In Figure 1, the bag body 10 has completed inflation and deployment and is showing the state in which the bag body 10 is supporting the occupant P1.

[0009] The airbag device 100 in this embodiment is installed in a vehicle and protects the occupant P1 of the first occupant seat ST1 from impact in the event of a collision with the vehicle or when a collision is anticipated. The airbag device 100 comprises an inflator (not shown) and a bag body 10. The inflator and bag body 10 are housed in a console box CB before the bag body 10 is inflated and deployed.

[0010] The console box CB is positioned between the first passenger seat ST1 and the second passenger seat (not shown in Figure 1) adjacent to the first passenger seat ST1. The console box CB may normally be used as an armrest for the passenger, or it may be configured to store any small items inside that are separate from the inflator and the bag body 10.

[0011] The inflator is located inside the console box CB and injects gas into the bag body 10 when a collision is detected or predicted by the collision detection device installed in the vehicle. The collision detection device in this embodiment is configured to detect the direction of the collision. The detected collision directions are, for example, forward, to the side, and backward.

[0012] The bag body 10 is made of, for example, a woven fabric made of polyamide or polyethylene terephthalate. The bag body 10 is normally folded and stored in the console box CB, and when gas is injected by an inflator, it expands and deploys outside the console box CB. The bag body 10 includes a conduit 12 and a first bag portion 11.

[0013] The conduit 12 has a tubular outer shape. One end of the conduit 12 is connected to the inflator, and the other end of the conduit 12 is connected to the first bag portion 11. The conduit 12 supplies the gas injected from the inflator to the first bag portion 11.

[0014] The first bag portion 11 has a bag-like outer shape. The first bag portion 11 expands and deploys forward of the first passenger seat ST1 by the gas injected from the inflator. When the first bag portion 11 expands and deploys, it receives a reaction force from a structure located in front of the first passenger seat ST1 in the vehicle and expands in the width direction of the vehicle. The thick arrow in FIG. 1 indicates the direction of such a reaction force. The first bag portion 11 has a sufficient size to contact the structure when it expands and deploys. The structure in the present embodiment is the instrument panel 200. Note that the structure is not limited to the instrument panel 200 and may be any structure located in front of the first passenger seat ST1 such as a steering wheel. In this way, since the expanded first bag portion 11 exists in front of the first passenger seat ST1, the forward movement of the occupant P1 of the first passenger seat ST1 is suppressed.

[0015] According to the airbag device 100 of the first embodiment described above, the bag body 10 stored in the console box CB is provided. When the bag body 10 expands and deploys forward of the first passenger seat ST1, it has a first bag portion 11 that receives a reaction force from the instrument panel 200 located in front of the first passenger seat ST1 in the vehicle and expands in the width direction of the vehicle. Therefore, when a collision occurs or is detected, the bag body 10 stored in the console box CB can suppress the forward movement of the occupant P1 in the vehicle.

[0016] Further, since the bag body 10 is stored in the console box CB, for example, compared with a configuration in which the bag body 10 is stored in the instrument panel 200 or the steering wheel, the space for storing the bag body 10 in the instrument panel 200 or the steering wheel can be omitted, and the instrument panel 200 and the steering wheel can be made smaller. As a result, the space for the occupant P1 in the first row seat ST1 can be made larger.

[0017] B. Second Embodiment: FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams showing a schematic configuration of the airbag device 101 according to the second embodiment. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the airbag device 101 as viewed from above the vehicle. FIG. 3 shows the airbag device 101 as viewed from the first row seat ST1. The airbag device 101 according to the second embodiment further includes a tether 30 and an actuator 60, and is different from the airbag device 100 according to the first embodiment in that the bag body 10 further has a second bag portion 20. The bag body 10 in FIGS. 2 and 3 is in a "folded state" to be described later, and the bag body 10 in FIG. 4 is in a "series state" to be described later. Note that the inflater 40 and the actuator 60 are omitted in FIGS. 2 and 4. Other configurations of the airbag device 101 according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the airbag device 100 according to the first embodiment, and thus the same reference numerals are given and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the second bag portion 20 is continuous with the end portion of the first bag portion 11 on the console box CB side. The second bag portion 20 has a bag-like outer shape similar to that of the first bag portion 11, and expands and deploys together with the first bag portion 11 by the gas supplied from the inflater 40.

[0019] The tether 30 restrains the position of the second bag section 20 as it inflates and unfolds. The tether 30 has a strip-like external shape. Like the bag body 10, the tether 30 is made of polyamide or polyethylene terephthalate woven fabric. As shown in Figure 3, one end of the tether 30 is connected to the first bag section 11. The other end of the tether 30 is connected to the actuator 60. More specifically, a through hole 31 is provided at the other end of the tether 30, and a projection 61 of the actuator 60 is inserted into this through hole 31. The tether 30 is also passed through a belt loop 22 provided on the second bag section 20. Therefore, it can be said that the tether 30 is indirectly connected to the second bag section 20. The tether 30 is normally stored inside the console box CB and is exposed to the outside of the console box CB when the bag body 10 inflates and unfolds.

[0020] The actuator 60 adjusts the tension of the tether 30. Specifically, the actuator 60 adjusts the tension of the tether 30 according to the detection result from a collision detection device installed in the vehicle. Details of this tension adjustment will be described later. The actuator 60 is fixed together with the inflator 40 inside the console box CB by a fixing member 50. The fixing member 50 is, for example, a sheet metal or bolt made of a metal material.

[0021] In this embodiment, the bag body 10, in the fully expanded state after inflation and unfolding, is in either a "folded state" or a "series state".

[0022] The "folded state" refers to the state in which the bag body 10 is folded at its boundary B (dashed line in Figures 2 and 4), as shown in Figures 2 and 3, between the first bag section 11 and the second bag section 20. In the folded state, the second bag section 20 is located between the first passenger seat ST1 and the second passenger seat ST2.

[0023] "Series configuration" refers to the state of the bag body 10 where the longitudinal direction of the first bag section 11 and the longitudinal direction of the second bag section 20 coincide in the width direction of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 4. In the series configuration, the second bag section 20 is located in front of the second passenger seat ST2 and expands in the width direction due to a reaction force from a structure located in front of the second passenger seat ST2. The structure in this embodiment is the instrument panel 200, similar to the structure in the first embodiment. Therefore, when the first bag section 11 and the second bag section 20 are in the series configuration, they expand in the width direction due to a reaction force from the instrument panel 200. The arrows shown in Figure 4 indicate the direction of this reaction force.

[0024] The "folded state" and the "series state" are selectively achieved by adjusting the tension of the actuator 60. More specifically, when a collision detection device installed in the vehicle detects a collision from the side of the vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as a "side collision"), the actuator 60 maintains the tension of the tether 30 at a predetermined tension, thereby achieving the "folded state" as the fully deployed state of the bag body 10. This maintenance of the tension of the tether 30 is achieved, for example, by maintaining the state in which the projection 61 of the actuator 60 is inserted into the through hole 31 provided at the other end of the tether 30. The "predetermined tension" is a tension of sufficient magnitude to position the second bag section 20 between the first occupant seat ST1 and the second occupant seat ST2.

[0025] When a side impact is detected, the "folding state" is achieved, positioning the second bag section 20 between the first occupant seat ST1 and the second occupant seat ST2. This prevents occupant P1 seated in the first occupant seat ST1 and occupant P2 seated in the second occupant seat ST2 from moving in the vehicle width direction due to the impact of a side impact and directly colliding with each other.

[0026] Furthermore, when a collision detection device installed in the vehicle detects a collision from the front of the vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as a "front collision"), the actuator 60 reduces the tension of the tether 30 from a predetermined tension, thereby achieving a "series state" as the fully deployed state of the bag body 10. This reduction in the tension of the tether 30 is achieved, for example, by disengaging the projection 61 of the actuator 60 from the through hole 31 provided at the other end of the tether 30.

[0027] When a frontal collision is detected, a "series configuration" is achieved, resulting in the first bag section 11 being positioned in front of the first occupant seat ST1 and the second bag section 20 being positioned in front of the second occupant seat ST2. This prevents occupant P1 seated in the first occupant seat ST1 and occupant P2 seated in the second occupant seat ST2 from moving forward due to the impact of a frontal collision.

[0028] According to the airbag device 101 of the second embodiment described above, when the deployed state at completion is in a "series state", the second bag portion 20 receives a reaction force from the instrument panel 200 located in front of the second passenger seat ST2 inside the vehicle and expands in the width direction, and when the deployed state at completion is in a "folded state", it is located between the first passenger seat ST1 and the second passenger seat ST2. Therefore, in the "series state", it can suppress the movement of the passenger P1 of the first passenger seat ST1 and the passenger P2 of the second passenger seat ST2 forward when a collision occurs, and in the "folded state", it can suppress the movement of the passenger P1 of the first passenger seat ST1 and the passenger P2 of the second passenger seat ST2 in the vehicle width direction when a collision occurs.

[0029] Furthermore, the airbag device 101 of the second embodiment includes a tether 30 connected to the second bag section 20 and an actuator 60 that adjusts the tension of the tether 30. The actuator 60 selectively realizes the fully deployed state of the bag body 10 between a "series state" and a "folded state" according to the detection result from the collision detection device, so that the occupant P1 of the first occupant seat ST1 and the occupant P2 of the second occupant seat ST2 can be appropriately protected according to the detection result.

[0030] Furthermore, the actuator 60 maintains the tension of the tether 30 at a predetermined level, resulting in a "folded state" upon completion of deployment. By reducing the tension of the tether 30 from a predetermined level, the actuator 60 also results in a "series state" upon completion of deployment. Thus, the "folded state" and the "series state" can be achieved through simple control by maintaining or reducing tension.

[0031] Furthermore, the actuator 60 maintains the tension of the tether 30 at a predetermined level when a collision from the side of the vehicle is detected by the collision detection device, and reduces the tension of the tether 30 from the predetermined level when a collision from the front of the vehicle is detected by the collision detection device. This allows the fully deployed state of the bag body 10 to be appropriately set to either a "folded state" or a "series state" depending on the direction of the collision, thereby appropriately protecting the occupant P1 of the first occupant seat ST1 and the occupant P2 of the second occupant seat ST2 depending on the direction of the collision. In other words, a single bag body 10 can protect occupants in both frontal and side collisions.

[0032] C. Other embodiments: (C1) Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the console box CB1 in another embodiment. Figure 5 shows the console box CB1 as viewed from the left side of the vehicle. In each of the above embodiments, the console box CB1 may be configured to deform during a collision. As shown on the left side of Figure 5, the console box CB1 consists of a first upper part 310 and a first lower part 320. The first upper part 310 and the first lower part 320 each have a trapezoidal external shape in a side view, and under normal conditions they are integrated as a rectangular parallelepiped console box CB1. When a collision is detected by the collision detection device, the first upper part 310 on the left side of Figure 5 moves in the direction indicated by the thick arrow, and the console box CB1 extends in the height direction as shown on the right side of Figure 5. This deformation is performed by the first upper part 310 moving along a rail provided, for example, on the interface surface 330 between the first upper part 310 and the first lower part 320. This movement is performed by a drive device provided inside the console box CB1. Furthermore, such movement may be configured such that the first upper part 310 moves using the energy of the collision. This movement of the first upper part 310 ensures that its height is at the position of the occupant's head while seated in the occupant seat ST, thereby allowing the occupant to be caught by the first upper part 310 as they move in the vehicle width direction during a collision. The first upper part 310 may be made of an elastic material to better absorb the impact on the occupant.

[0033] (C2) Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the console box CB2 in another embodiment. Figure 6 shows the console box CB2 as viewed from the left side of the vehicle. In the first and second embodiments described above, the console box CB2 may be configured to deform in the event of a collision. Specifically, the console box CB2 consists of a second upper part 340, a second lower part 350, and an extension part 360. The extension part 360 is housed within the second lower part 350. The extension part 360 is configured to extend in the height direction when an impact occurs to the vehicle. Specifically, the extension part 360 is configured as a link mechanism and includes a link part 370. The extension part 360 extends from the normal state shown on the left side of Figure 6 to the state shown on the right side of Figure 6 as the link part 370 is pushed in by the impact of the collision. This extension causes the second upper part 340 to move upward. In this way, the height position of the second upper part 340 moves to the position of the head of an occupant seated in the occupant seat ST. Therefore, the second upper section 340 can receive the heads of occupants as they move in the vehicle width direction during a collision.

[0034] (C3) Figure 7 shows a schematic configuration of the airbag device 102 in another embodiment. In each of the above embodiments, the structure that provides reaction force to the first bag portion 11 and the second bag portion 20 was the instrument panel 200, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The structure that provides reaction force may be the third passenger seat ST3 located in front of the first passenger seat ST1 and the fourth passenger seat ST4 located in front of the second passenger seat ST2. With the airbag device 102 configured in this way, the bag body 10 stored in the console box CB can protect the occupant of the first passenger seat ST1 and the occupant of the second passenger seat ST2 in the event of a collision, not only in the front seats of the vehicle but also in the rear seats of the vehicle.

[0035] (C4) In each of the above embodiments, the tether 30 was indirectly connected to the second bag portion 20 via the belt loop 22, and one end of the tether 30 was connected to the first bag portion 11, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. One end of the tether 30 may be directly connected to the second bag portion 20 and not connected to the first bag portion 11. With such a configuration, the bag body 10 can be switched between a "folded state" and a "series state" by adjusting the tension of the tether 30.

[0036] (C5) In each of the above embodiments, the conduit 12 may be connected to the first bag section 11 or to the second bag section 20. Alternatively, the conduit 12 may be connected to both the first bag section 11 and the second bag section 20.

[0037] (C6) In each of the above embodiments, the tension of the tether 30 was reduced by disengaging the projection 61 of the actuator 60 from the through hole 31 provided at the other end of the tether 30, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The tension of the tether 30 may also be reduced by the actuator 60 cutting the tether 30.

[0038] (C7) In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle on which the airbag devices 100, 101, and 102 are installed may be an autonomous vehicle that does not have a steering device such as a steering wheel.

[0039] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be deleted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 10...Bag body, 11...First bag section, 12...Conduit, 20...Second bag section, 22...Belt loop, 30...Tether, 31...Through hole, 40...Inflator, 50...Fixing member, 60...Actuator, 61...Protrusion, 100,101,102...Airbag device, 200...Instrument panel, 310...First upper section, 320...First lower section, 330...Interface, 340...Second upper section, 350...Second lower section, 360...Extension section, 370...Link section, B...Boundary, CB,CB1,CB2...Console box, P1,P2...Occupant, ST...Occupant seat, ST1...First occupant seat, ST2...Second occupant seat, ST3...Third occupant seat, ST4...Fourth occupant seat

Claims

1. An airbag system installed in a vehicle, A gas inflator is located in a console box positioned between the first passenger seat and the second passenger seat adjacent to the first passenger seat, The bag body is stored inside the console box and is inflated and deployed by the gas sprayed from the inflator, Equipped with, The bag body is a first bag portion that expands in front of the first passenger seat, and when expanded, the first bag portion expands in the width direction of the vehicle by receiving a reaction force from a structure located in front of the first passenger seat within the vehicle. The bag body has a second bag portion connected to the end of the first bag portion, The completed unfolded state, which is the state of the bag body when the aforementioned expansion and unfolding is complete, is either a series state in which the longitudinal direction of the first bag portion and the longitudinal direction of the second bag portion coincide in the width direction, or a folded state in which the bag is folded at the boundary between the first bag portion and the second bag portion. The second bag section is, When the completed deployed state becomes the series state, the structure located in front of the second passenger seat inside the vehicle receives a reaction force and expands in the width direction, When the completed unfolded state becomes the folded state, the position located between the first passenger seat and the second passenger seat is Airbag system.

2. In the airbag device according to claim 1, The tether connected to the second bag section, An actuator for adjusting the tension of the tether, Furthermore, The actuator selectively achieves the completed unfolded state from the series state and the folded state by adjusting the tension according to the detection result from the collision detection device provided on the vehicle. Airbag system.

3. In the airbag device according to claim 2, The actuator is By maintaining the tension at a predetermined level, the completed unfolded state becomes the folded state. By reducing the tension from the predetermined tension, the completed deployment state is made into the series state. Airbag system.

4. In the airbag device according to claim 3, The actuator is When the collision detection device detects a collision with the vehicle from the side, the tension is maintained at the predetermined tension. When the collision detection device detects a collision from the front of the vehicle, the tension is reduced from the predetermined tension. Airbag system.

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