Side airbag device

Abstract

A side airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed on the side of a vehicle seat back and comprises: an inflator that generates gas; a cushion configured to form a first chamber that is expanded by the gas through a sewing portion that sews the edge, a second chamber disposed above the first chamber, and a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber; and a tether provided to penetrate the cushion from the outside of the sewing portion forming the passage and wrap around the perimeter of the passage, and may be configured to selectively apply tension to the tether according to the position of the seat back detected when the cushion is expanded, thereby closing or opening the passage.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a side airbag device, and more specifically, to a side airbag device capable of effectively protecting a occupant in a relax mode. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, airbag systems protect occupants by rapidly inflating the airbag cushion, which is compressed, through the instantaneous release of gas in response to a signal from a collision sensor when a car accident occurs. These include a driver's airbag system mounted on the steering wheel, a passenger airbag system mounted on the upper side of the glove box, a curtain airbag system mounted along the roof rail, and a side airbag system mounted on the side of the seat.

[0003] Among these, the side airbag device is a device in which an airbag cushion inflates and deploys from the side of the seatback toward the front to protect the occupant's side from the car door structure.

[0004] Meanwhile, when autonomous driving situations become commonplace where the vehicle finds its way to a destination on its own without the driver directly operating the steering wheel, accelerator pedal, and brakes, the occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, can select a relax mode to rest comfortably by reclining the seatback without paying attention to driving the vehicle.

[0005] However, when the occupant reclines the seatback to assume a relaxed position, conventional side airbags or curtain airbags have the disadvantage that the deployment range of the airbag cushion is narrow, making it impossible to effectively protect the entire upper body of the occupant, especially the head, from a side collision.

[0006] The matters described above as background technology are intended only to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and should not be construed as an acknowledgment that they constitute prior art already known to those skilled in the art. The problem to be solved

[0007] The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a side airbag device that can effectively protect the occupant in a relaxed mode with the seat back reclined.

[0008] The problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0009] A side airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed on the side of a vehicle seat back and comprises: an inflator that generates gas; a cushion configured to form a first chamber that is expanded by the gas through a sewing portion that sews the edge, a second chamber disposed above the first chamber, and a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber; and a tether provided to penetrate the cushion from the outside of the sewing portion forming the passage and wrap around the perimeter of the passage, and may be configured to selectively apply tension to the tether according to the position of the seat back detected when the cushion is expanded, thereby closing or opening the passage.

[0010] It further includes a tether release unit mounted on the seat back and connected to the tether, wherein the tether release unit may be configured such that the seat back maintains a connection with the tether in a normal seating mode position and releases the connection with the tether in a relax mode position.

[0011] When the seat back is in the normal seating mode position, the tether tightens and closes the passage as tension is applied through connection with the tether release unit, and the cushion can be configured so that the first chamber expands.

[0012] When the seat back is in the relax mode position, the tether is disconnected from the tether release unit and tension is not applied, thereby opening the passage, and the cushion may be configured so that the first chamber and the second chamber expand.

[0013] The cushion is provided with a pair of indented parts that are indented inwardly in a structure facing each other at the edge of the sewing part to form the passage, and a non-expanding area that is not expanded by the gas between the edge and the non-expanding area provided on both the left and right sides with the passage in between, a first through hole and a second through hole that penetrate the cushion may be formed respectively.

[0014] The above tether can be connected to the cushion in a structure that restrains the circumference of the passage in a noose shape by folding one end into a ring shape and sewing it to form a tether hole, and the other end passing through the first through hole from one side of the cushion to the other side and through the second through hole from the other side to the one side, and then inserting the other end into the tether hole and passing it through.

[0015] The other end of the tether may be connected to the tether release unit by extending downward toward the side of the seat back.

[0016] The cushion may include a partition panel disposed inside the first chamber to partition the first chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

[0017] The cushion may include a diffuser pocket that accommodates the inflator inside and supplies the gas to the upper chamber and the lower chamber, respectively.

[0018] The cushion may be provided with a vent hole connected to the upper chamber to discharge the gas to the outside.

[0019] A side airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: an inflator that generates gas and is installed on the side of a seat back of a vehicle; a cushion configured to form a first chamber that is inflated by the gas through a sewing portion that sews the edge, a second chamber disposed above the first chamber, and a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber; a tether provided to wrap around the perimeter of the passage by penetrating the cushion from the outside of the sewing portion forming the passage; and a tether release unit mounted on the seat back and connected to the tether; wherein the tether release unit may be configured to release the connection with the tether when the seat back is in a relax mode position. Effects of the invention

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a side airbag device capable of effectively protecting a occupant in a relaxed mode with the seatback reclined can be provided.

[0021] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a side airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing the AA cross-section in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is inflated in normal seating mode. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is deployed from the seat back in normal seating mode. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is inflated in relax mode. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is deployed from the seat back in relax mode. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0023] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated and described in the drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms. Such terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the invention, a second component may be named a first component, and similarly, a first component may be named a second component. The term "and / or" includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any of a plurality of related described items.

[0024] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments, where one component is described as being formed "on or under" another component, "on or under" includes both cases where the two components are in direct contact with each other and cases where one or more other components are positioned indirectly between the two components. Furthermore, when expressed as "on or under," it may include the meaning of a downward direction as well as an upward direction relative to one component.

[0026] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, shall have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries shall be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, provided that identical or corresponding components are given the same reference number regardless of the drawing symbols, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a side airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section AA in FIG. 1.

[0030] Referring to the drawings, a side airbag device (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an inflator (10), a cushion (20), a tether (30), and a tether release unit (40).

[0031] The inflator (10) is installed on the side of the seat back (SB) and can be configured to generate gas (G) in response to a signal from an airbag controller (ACU) (not shown) in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0032] The inflator (10) may be formed in the shape of a round bar, and may contain a gas generator and an ignition device inside. In an embodiment, the inflator (10) may be provided in a cylindrical shape having a discharge port (11) for discharging gas (G) at one end.

[0033] The cushion (20) expands when gas (G) discharged from the inflator (10) is introduced, and unfolds forward from the side of the seat back (SB) to be positioned between the occupant (P) and the door structure, thereby protecting the side of the occupant (P).

[0034] The cushion (20) can be formed by placing two panels (20a), cut into a predetermined shape, flat against each other and sewing the edges together. The panels (20a) may be made of fabric, but are not limited thereto.

[0035] In an embodiment, the cushion (20) may be configured to form a first chamber (21) that is expanded by gas (G) through a sewing part (S1) that sews the edges, a second chamber (22) positioned above the first chamber (21), and a passage (23) connecting the first chamber (21) and the second chamber (22).

[0036] In the embodiment, the first chamber (21) may be formed to have a relatively larger volume than the second chamber (22), and the second chamber (22) may be positioned above the first chamber (21), so that the cushion (20) may have a structure that is extended in the vertical direction overall.

[0037] When the cushion (20) is deployed, the first chamber (21) can be configured to support and protect the pelvis and chest of the occupant (P), and the second chamber (22) can be configured to support and protect the head of the occupant (P).

[0038] A passage (23) provided between the first chamber (21) and the second chamber (22) can be formed by a pair of indented portions (S2) that are indented inwardly in a structure facing each other at the edge of the sewing portion (S1). That is, a passage (23) can be formed between a pair of indented portions (S2) that are partially indented inwardly and sewn within the sewing portion (S1) that is sewn along the edge.

[0039] The cushion (20) may have a non-expanding region (24) that is not expanded by gas (G) between a pair of indentations (S2) forming such a passage (23) and the rim.

[0040] The non-expanding area (24) is provided on both the left and right sides with the passage (23) in between, and a first through hole (24a) and a second through hole (24b) that penetrate the cushion (20) can be formed therein. The first through hole (24a) and the second through hole (24b) can be arranged in a structure facing each other with the passage (23) in between on the outside of the passage (23).

[0041] The inflator (10) may be placed within the first chamber (21) or connected to the first chamber (21), and gas (G) may be introduced into the first chamber (21) to expand the first chamber (21). Additionally, the second chamber (22), which is connected to the first chamber (21) via a passage (23), may be expanded by gas (G) introduced from the first chamber (21) through the passage (23).

[0042] The cushion (20) may be provided with a partition panel (25) that is placed inside the first chamber (21) and partitions the first chamber (21) into an upper chamber (21a) and a lower chamber (21b).

[0043] The partition panel (25) may be made of a flexible fabric material similar to the cushion (20) and may be sewn and joined to the inner surface of the cushion (20).

[0044] The partition panel (25) can be arranged in a structure that extends in the width direction within the first chamber (21), and the first chamber (21) can be partitioned in the vertical direction into an upper chamber (21a) with a large volume and a lower chamber (21b) with a small volume. When the cushion (20) is deployed, the lower chamber (21b) supports the pelvic area of ​​the occupant (P), and the upper chamber (21a) supports the chest area of ​​the occupant (P).

[0045] The cushion (20) may be connected to the upper chamber (21a) and may have a vent hole (26) for discharging gas (G) to the outside.

[0046] A vent hole (26) can be formed at the front of the cushion (20), and can be formed in such a way that a portion of the front is not sewn when two panels (20a) are butted together and sewn around the perimeter to make the cushion (20).

[0047] The vent hole (26) can prevent the occupant (P) from being injured by excessive internal pressure (extended pressure) of the cushion (20) by releasing gas (G) after the cushion (20) has been extended to an appropriate expansion pressure.

[0048] The unstitched rear end of the cushion (20) corresponds to the part installed on the side of the seat back (SB), and an inflator (10) can be installed thereon.

[0049] The inflator (10) is installed in a structure that extends vertically along the rear end of the cushion (20), and the discharge port (11) of the inflator (10) may be positioned facing downward (toward the lower chamber (21b)). However, the direction of the discharge port (11) of the inflator (10) is not limited to this, and it is also possible to position it facing upward.

[0050] The cushion (20) may be provided with a diffuser pocket (27) that accommodates an inflator (10) inside and supplies gas (G) to the upper chamber (21a) and the lower chamber (21b), respectively.

[0051] The diffuser pocket (27) may be installed at the rear end of the cushion (20) to surround the inflator (10). It may also be arranged in a structure that overlaps with the partition panel (25) extending to the rear end of the cushion (20).

[0052] The diffuser pocket (27) can be made of a flexible fabric material that can be easily inflated by gas (G) generated from the inflator (10), just like the cushion (20), and can be sewn and attached to the inner surface of the cushion (20).

[0053] The diffuser pocket (27) may have a first opening (27a) open toward the upper chamber (21a) and a second opening (27b) open toward the lower chamber (21b). Gas (G) may flow into the upper chamber (21a) through the first opening (27a) and into the lower chamber (21b) through the second opening (27b).

[0054] The tether (30) is positioned on the outside of the cushion (20) and can be provided to penetrate the cushion (20) from the outside of the indentation (S2), which is a sewn part (S1) forming the passage (23), and wrap around the perimeter of the passage (23).

[0055] As shown in the drawing, the tether (30) can be connected to the cushion (20) in a structure that restrains the circumference of the passage (23) in a noose shape by folding one end of the cushion (20) into a ring shape and sewing it to form a tether hole (31), and passing the other end through a first through hole (24a) from one side of the cushion (20) to the other side and through a second through hole (24b) from the other side to one side, and then inserting the other end into the tether hole (31).

[0056] In this way, the tether (30) restrains the cushion (20) in a noose shape around the passage (23) through the first through hole (24a) and the second through hole (24b), and can be configured to selectively apply tension to the tether (30) in conjunction with the tether release unit (40) described later, depending on the position of the seat back (SB) detected when the cushion (20) expands, thereby closing or opening the passage (23).

[0057] In the embodiment, the tether (30) is configured to tighten and close the passage (23) that restrains in a noose shape when tension (F) is applied through connection with the tether release unit (40) when the seat back (SB) is in the normal seating mode position, and accordingly, the cushion (20) is expanded only in the first chamber (21).

[0058] Additionally, the tether (30) is configured to open the passage (23) so that tension (F) is not applied when the seat back (SB) is in the relax mode position and the connection with the tether release unit (40) is released (specifically, so that the open state is maintained), and accordingly, the cushion (20) causes the first chamber (21) and the second chamber (22) to expand.

[0059] Here, the position condition of the seat back (SB), whether it is in a normal sitting mode position or a relax mode position, is determined by detecting the position of the seat back (SB) through a sensor (not shown) installed on the seat back (SB), transmitting data to an airbag controller (ACU) connected to the sensor, and the airbag controller (ACU) determines whether the seat back (SB) is upright in a normal position or tilted backward and lying down through the data, thereby determining the normal sitting mode position or the relax mode position.

[0060] The tether release unit (40) can be mounted on the side of the seat back (SB) and connected to the tether (30). Specifically, the tether release unit (40) can be connected to the other end of the tether (30) which extends downward toward the side of the seat back (SB) through the tether hole (31).

[0061] The tether release unit (40) can be connected to an airbag controller (ACU) to control operation. In an embodiment, the tether release unit (40) may be configured so that the seat back (SB) maintains a connection with the tether (30) in a normal seating mode position and releases the connection with the tether (30) in a relax mode position.

[0062] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is inflated in normal seating mode, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is unfolded from the seat back in normal seating mode.

[0063] As shown in the drawing, when a collision occurs in the normal seating mode of the seat back (SB), an airbag controller (ACU) not shown can control the tether release unit (40) to maintain a connection with the tether (30). Then, as the first chamber (21) expands due to the gas (G) generated from the inflator (10), tension (F) is applied to the tether (30) to tighten and close the passage (23) that restrains in a noose shape, and accordingly, the inflow of gas (G) into the second chamber (22) is blocked, so that the cushion (20) can be deployed with only the first chamber (21) expanded.

[0064] In this way, in normal seating mode, the cushion (20) inflates only the first chamber (21) to protect the pelvis and chest of the occupant (P), and the occupant (P)'s head can be protected by the curtain airbag device (CA). That is, considering the range in which the cushion (C) of the curtain airbag device (CA) deploys, the side airbag device (1) according to this embodiment is configured to prevent interference with the cushion (C) of the curtain airbag device (CA) by ensuring that the cushion (20) inflates only the first chamber (21). If the cushion (20) inflates up to the second chamber (22) in normal seating mode, it will interfere with the cushion (C) of the curtain airbag device (CA), and consequently, the deployment direction of the cushion (20) will be distorted, which may result in a problem where the occupant (P) cannot be fully protected.

[0065] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is inflated in relaxation mode, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cushion is unfolded from the seat back in relaxation mode.

[0066] As shown in the drawing, when a collision occurs in the seat back (SB) in the relax mode, the airbag controller (ACU) can control the tether release unit (40) to disconnect from the tether (30). Then, as the first chamber (21) expands due to the gas (G) generated from the inflator (10), tension (F) is not applied to the tether (30), so the passage (23) is kept open, and accordingly, gas (G) flows into the second chamber (22), so that the cushion (20) can expand and unfold the first chamber (21) and the second chamber (22).

[0067] In this way, in the relaxation mode, the cushion (20) can protect the pelvis and chest of the occupant (P) in a lying position by inflating the first chamber (21) and the second chamber (22), as well as protect the head, which is not touched by the cushion (C) of the curtain airbag device (CA). In this case, since the cushion (20) is deployed while the seat back (SB) is lying down, the problem of interference with the cushion (C) of the curtain airbag device (CA) does not occur even when the second chamber (22) is inflated.

[0068] As described above, the side airbag device (1) according to the embodiment of the present invention controls the seat back (SB) to selectively apply tension (F) to the tether (30) in conjunction with the tether release unit (40) depending on the normal seating mode or the relaxation mode, and as a result, the cushion (20) is able to effectively protect the occupant (P) by inflating only the first chamber (21) in the normal seating mode and inflating both the first chamber (21) and the second chamber (22) in the relaxation mode.

[0069] In addition, a single cushion (20) can be applied to both normal seating mode and relaxation mode, and has the advantage of efficiently providing a protection area corresponding to each mode. Accordingly, it is expected that costs will be reduced and productivity will be improved.

[0070] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims. Furthermore, differences related to such modifications and changes should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0071] 1: Side airbag unit 10: Inflator 11: Dispenser 20: Cushion 20a: Panel 21: First Chamber 21a: Upper chamber 21b: Lower chamber 22: Second Chamber 23: Passage 24: Non-expanding area 24a: First penetration hole 24b: Second through hole 25: Compartment panel 26: Vent hole 27: Diffuser pocket 27a: 1st opening 27b: 2nd opening 30: Tether 31: Tether Hole 40: Tether removal unit

Claims

Claim 1 A side airbag device comprising: an inflator installed on the side of a vehicle seat back and generating gas; a cushion configured to form a first chamber that is expanded by the gas through a seam that sews the rim, a second chamber disposed above the first chamber, and a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber; and a tether provided to penetrate the cushion from the outside of the seam forming the passage and wrap around the perimeter of the passage, wherein tension is selectively applied to the tether according to the position of the seat back detected when the cushion is expanded, thereby closing or opening the passage. Claim 2 A side airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising a tether release unit mounted on the seat back and connected to the tether, wherein the tether release unit is configured such that the seat back maintains a connection with the tether in a normal seating mode position and releases the connection with the tether in a relax mode position. Claim 3 A side airbag device according to paragraph 2, characterized in that when the seat back is in a normal seating mode position, the tether tightens and closes the passage as tension is applied through connection with the tether release unit, and the cushion is configured to inflate the first chamber. Claim 4 A side airbag device according to claim 2, characterized in that when the seatback is in the relax mode position, the tether opens the passage as tension is not applied and the connection with the tether release unit is released, and the cushion is configured so that the first chamber and the second chamber are inflated. Claim 5 A side airbag device according to paragraph 2, wherein the cushion is provided with a pair of indented portions that are indented inwardly in a structure facing each other at the edge of the sewn portion to form the passage, and a non-inflated area that is not expanded by the gas between the edge and the non-inflated areas provided on the left and right sides with the passage in between, wherein a first through hole and a second through hole penetrating the cushion are respectively formed. Claim 6 A side airbag device according to claim 5, characterized in that the tether is connected to the cushion in a structure that restrains the circumference of the passage in a noose shape by inserting the other end into the tether hole and passing it through, while the other end passes through the first through hole from one side of the cushion to the other side and through the second through hole from the other side to the one side. Claim 7 A side airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the tether is characterized in that the other end extends downward toward the side of the seat back and is connected to the tether release unit. Claim 8 A side airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cushion comprises a partition panel disposed inside the first chamber to partition the first chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. Claim 9 A side airbag device according to claim 8, wherein the cushion includes a diffuser pocket that accommodates the inflator inside and supplies the gas to the upper chamber and the lower chamber, respectively. Claim 10 A side airbag device according to claim 8, wherein the cushion is connected to the upper chamber and has a vent hole for discharging the gas to the outside. Claim 11 A side airbag device comprising: an inflator installed on the side of a vehicle seat back and generating gas; a cushion configured to form a first chamber that is expanded by the gas through a seam that sews the rim, a second chamber disposed above the first chamber, and a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber; a tether provided to wrap around the perimeter of the passage by penetrating the cushion from the outside of the seam forming the passage; and a tether release unit mounted on the seat back and connected to the tether; wherein the tether release unit is configured to release the connection with the tether when the seat back is in a relax mode position.

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