Vehicular side airbag device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vehicular side airbag device with which it is possible to avoid the interference of an airbag cushion with a side frame with a simple configuration. [Solution] A side frame 110 of a side airbag device 100 includes: an airbag installation region 130 to which an airbag module 116 is attached; and a frame front end part 132 that extends outward in the width direction of a seat 102. An airbag cushion 118 includes: a sub-chamber 122 that expands and deploys in contact with the airbag installation region 130; and a main chamber 120 that receives gas from the sub-chamber 122 and expands and deploys forward. When the airbag cushion 118 is expanded and deployed, a first virtual line L1, which is a line segment parallel to the front-rear direction of the seat 102 and is in contact with an end part 136 of the sub-chamber 122, is positioned on the outer side in the width direction of the seat 102 with respect to a second virtual line L2 in contact with an end part 138 of the frame front end part 132.

Description

Vehicle Side Airbag Device

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

[0002] In recent years, airbag devices have been almost standard equipment in vehicles. The airbag device is a safety device that operates in an emergency such as a vehicle collision, and inflates and deploys a bag-shaped airbag cushion with gas pressure to receive and protect the occupant.

[0003] There are various types of airbag devices depending on the installation location and usage. For example, the side airbag device is installed in the side frame inside the seat back which is the backrest of the seat, and has a function of suppressing the movement of the occupant in the vehicle width direction due to a side collision or the like.

[0004] FIG. 7 of Patent Document 1 discloses an airbag module 202 attached to a seat frame 102. As described in paragraph 0036, the seat frame 102 is a member that forms a skeleton built into the seat back 130.

[0005] FIG. 3 of Patent Document 2 discloses a back panel 31 that serves as the skeleton of the seat back. The back panel 31 has a main portion 31a that supports the back of the occupant and left and right side standing wall portions 31b.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-7694, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-100617

[0007] In recent years, vehicle seats are becoming thinner than before. Along with this, in recent years, seat frames such as the seat frame 102 in FIG. 7 of Patent Document 1 and the side standing wall portion 31b in FIG. 3 of Patent Document 2, in which the left and right side frames spread in a V shape toward the front of the seat, are increasing in number.

[0008] If the side frame has the shape described above, the airbag cushion will also inflate and deploy while interfering with the side frame, causing it to extend outward in the width direction of the seat, potentially creating a distance between it and the occupant. In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the deployment of the airbag cushion is controlled using a reinforcing fabric 10 or the like. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the number of parts, it is desirable to achieve smooth inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion with a simple configuration without using additional members.

[0009] In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle side airbag device that can avoid interference between the airbag cushion and the side frame with a simple configuration.

[0010] To solve the above problems, a typical configuration of a vehicle side airbag device according to the present invention is a vehicle side airbag device comprising a pair of side frames along the left and right sides of the seat back of a seat, which are part of a seat frame provided inside the seat of a vehicle, and an airbag module attached to the outside of the seat in the width direction of at least one of the pair of side frames, wherein the side frame has an airbag installation area to which the airbag module is attached, and a front end of the frame provided in front of the airbag installation area and extending outward in the width direction of the seat beyond the airbag installation area, and the airbag module is bag-shaped and in a predetermined storage form that is rolled up or folded. The airbag cushion comprises an airbag cushion and an inflator inserted into the airbag cushion, wherein the airbag cushion includes a sub-chamber that encloses the inflator and inflates and deploys in contact with the outside of the seat in the width direction of the airbag installation area, and a main chamber provided on the outside of the sub-chamber in the width direction of the seat and receives gas from the sub-chamber and inflates and deploys toward the front, and when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, a first imaginary line parallel to the front-rear direction of the seat and tangent to the outermost end of the sub-chamber in the width direction of the seat is located further outward in the width direction of the seat than a second imaginary line parallel to the front-rear direction of the seat and tangent to the outermost end of the front end of the frame in the width direction.

[0011] The airbag cushion described above is capable of multi-stage deployment, in which the sub-chamber begins to inflate and deploy first, followed by the main chamber. In this configuration, the outer end of the sub-chamber in the width direction of the seat, when inflated and deployed, is set to extend further outward in the width direction of the seat than the front end of the side frame. This configuration allows the main chamber, located on the width direction outside the sub-chamber, to avoid interference with the front end of the frame when inflating and deploying forward. Therefore, with this configuration, the airbag cushion can inflate and deploy without interfering with surrounding structures, and the occupant can be restrained efficiently.

[0012] The above-mentioned side frame may be formed such that the front end of the frame is bent outward in the width direction of the seat from the airbag installation area.

[0013] Even with the side frame configuration described above, the aforementioned airbag cushion can inflate and deploy smoothly while avoiding interference with the front end of the frame.

[0014] The above-mentioned side frame may be formed to gradually incline outward in the width direction of the seat from the airbag installation area to the front end of the frame.

[0015] Even with the side frame configuration described above, the aforementioned airbag cushion can inflate and deploy smoothly while avoiding interference with the front end of the frame.

[0016] The above airbag module may be mounted on the side frame of the pair of side frames that is located closer to the center of the vehicle.

[0017] When an airbag module is installed on the side frame on the door side of a vehicle, the airbag cushion can deploy along the door trim because it is nearby. On the other hand, the side frame closer to the center of the vehicle does not have any structures such as door trim nearby. However, the airbag cushion with the above configuration can inflate and deploy smoothly forward while avoiding interference with the side frame, without relying on structures such as door trim. Therefore, the above airbag module can function fully even when installed on the side frame closer to the center of the vehicle.

[0018] The airbag module described above may be mounted on the side frame of the pair of side frames that is located closer to the vehicle door.

[0019] The above-mentioned airbag module can function fully even when mounted on the side frame of the door.

[0020] The above-mentioned sub-chamber may be positioned so that, when viewed through the width of the seat while the inflated and deployed airbag cushion is inflated, at least a portion of it overlaps with one of the side frames.

[0021] The sub-chamber described above allows for smooth expansion and deployment while avoiding interference with the front end of the frame.

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle side airbag device that can avoid interference between the airbag cushion and the side frame with a simple configuration.

[0023] This figure illustrates an overview of a vehicle side airbag device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This figure illustrates the side airbag device of Figure 1 as viewed from the inside in the width direction of the seat. This is a perspective view illustrating the airbag cushion of Figure 1(b). These are cross-sectional views of each part of the side airbag device of Figure 1. This figure illustrates the process of the airbag cushion of Figure 4(a) inflating and deploying. This figure illustrates an overview of a vehicle side airbag device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values ​​shown in these embodiments are merely illustrative to facilitate understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from the illustrations.

[0025] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vehicle side airbag device (hereinafter referred to as the side airbag device 100) according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) is a diagram illustrating the side airbag device 100 before it is activated.

[0026] Generally, vehicle seats can be rotated in any direction. Therefore, the direction relative to seat 102 may differ from the direction relative to the vehicle. In this embodiment, with reference to when the occupant is seated in seat 102 in a normal posture, the direction in which the occupant faces forward is referred to as "forward," and the direction in which their back is referred to as "backward," and when their coordinate axes are represented, they are referred to as the "front-to-back direction of the seat." Also, the direction of the occupant's right hand is referred to as the right direction, and the direction of the occupant's left hand is referred to as the left direction, and when their coordinate axes are represented, they are referred to as the "width direction of the seat." In this case, in the "width direction of the seat," the "outside of the width direction of the seat" refers to the side that is relatively far from the center of the occupant's body, and the "inside of the width direction of the seat" refers to the side that is relatively close to the center of the occupant's body.

[0027] Furthermore, the direction of the crew member's head is referred to as upward, and the direction of the crew member's waist is referred to as downward. In each diagram, the forward, backward, left, right, up, and down directions relative to the crew member are illustrated with arrows F (Forward), B (Back), L (Left), R (Right), U (Up), and D (Down), respectively, as needed.

[0028] Furthermore, the side airbag device 100 can be installed in any seat in the front row, rear row, or on either the left or right side of the vehicle.

[0029] The seat 102 has a seat back 104 that supports the occupant's back and a seat cushion 106 that supports the occupant's buttocks. In Figure 1(a), the seat back 104 is shown as being transparent to the internal seat frame 108.

[0030] The seat frame 108 is a structural component built into the seat back 104. The area around the seat frame 108 is filled with a seat pad made of urethane or similar material.

[0031] The side frames 110 and 112 are the parts of the seat frame 108 that run along the left and right sides of the seat back 104. A pair of side frames 110 and 112 are provided on the left and right sides of the seat back 104.

[0032] The airbag module 116 is a unit comprising an airbag cushion 118 and an inflator 124. In this embodiment, the airbag module 116 is assembled to the right side frame 110 of the seat frame 108 and is operated while built into the seat back 104.

[0033] Before deployment, the airbag cushion 118 is in a stored state, such as being rolled up or folded. The stored state of the airbag cushion 118 is maintained by bundling it with tearable tape or covering it with an openable cover.

[0034] Furthermore, the airbag module 116 can also be mounted on the side frame 112 on the left side in the width direction of the seat back 104. In other words, the airbag module 116 can be installed on either the far side of the seat 102, which is furthest from the point of impact, or the near side, which is closer to the point of impact.

[0035] The inflator 124 is a gas generator that operates in response to an operating signal transmitted from the vehicle when an impact occurs, and supplies gas to the inside of the airbag cushion 118. In this embodiment, a cylindrical type inflator 124 is used.

[0036] The inflator 124 has multiple stud bolts 126a and 126b. The airbag module 116 is fixed to the seat 102 by fastening the stud bolts 126a and 126b to the side frame 110 (see Figure 1(b)).

[0037] Inflators currently in use include types that are filled with a gas generating agent and burned to produce gas, types that are filled with compressed gas and supply gas without generating heat, and hybrid types that utilize both combustion gas and compressed gas. Any of these types can be used for the inflator 124.

[0038] Figure 1(b) is an example showing the side airbag device 100 in Figure 1(a) after it has been deployed.

[0039] The side airbag system 100 uses the airbag cushion 118 to restrain the occupant seated in the seat 102 from the side in the event of an emergency such as an impact to the vehicle.

[0040] The airbag cushion 118 of this embodiment is configured to include a main chamber 120 that inflates and unfolds into a relatively wide shape, and a sub-chamber 122 provided on the rear side of the main chamber 120.

[0041] Figure 2 is an example of the side airbag device 100 of Figure 1, viewed from the inside in the width direction of the seat 102. Figure 2(a) is an example of the side airbag device 100 of Figure 1(a), viewed from the width direction of the seat 102.

[0042] Figure 2(a) illustrates the airbag module 116 through the side frame 110. Before deployment, the airbag module 116 is encased in a cover member or the like and assembled to the outside of the seat 102 in the width direction on the side frame 110.

[0043] Figure 2(b) is a view illustrating the side airbag device 100 of Figure 1(b) as seen from the inner side in the width direction of the seat 102. When the airbag cushion 118 receives gas from the inflator 124, it cleaves the cover member and the like with its inflation pressure and expands and deploys forward from the side frame 110.

[0044] Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the airbag cushion 118 of Figure 2(b). Figure 3(a) is a view illustrating the airbag cushion 118 as seen from the side in the width direction of the seat 102.

[0045] The airbag cushion 118 is a bag-shaped member for receiving an occupant, and is formed by overlapping and sewing or adhering a plurality of base fabrics constituting its surface, or by textile using OPW (One-Piece Woven).

[0046] The main chamber 120 is an inflation chamber constituting the main range of the airbag cushion 118. The main chamber 120 widely restrains an occupant seated on the seat 102 (see Figure 1(b)) from the side.

[0047] The sub-chamber 122 is an inflation chamber having a smaller capacity than the main chamber 120. The sub-chamber 122 is provided on the rear side of the main chamber 120 and in a range contacting the side frame 110 (see Figure 2(b)).

[0048] Figure 3(b) is a view illustrating the airbag cushion 118 of Figure 3(a) as seen from the front. The sub-chamber 122 expands and deploys in a state protruding toward the side frame 110 (see Figure 1(b)) with respect to the main chamber 120.

[0049] Vent holes 128a and 128b for discharging gas are provided in the main chamber 120. The vent holes 128a and 128b are provided, for example, near the front end of the main chamber 120 and on the opposite side with respect to the seat 102 (see Figure 1(b)) so that gas does not hit the occupant.

[0050] As illustrated in Figure 4(b), which will be described later, the inflator 124 is located inside the sub-chamber 122. The gas ejected from the inflator 124 is first supplied to the sub-chamber 122, then sent to the main chamber 120, and discharged to the outside through the vent holes 128a and 128b.

[0051] Figure 4 shows various cross-sectional views of the side airbag device 100 in Figure 1. Figure 4(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the side airbag device 100 in Figure 1(a). In Figure 4, the upper part of the figure corresponds to the front of the seat back 104.

[0052] The side frame 110 has an airbag installation area 130 and a front end portion 132 of the frame. The airbag installation area 130 is the area to which the airbag module 116 is attached. The airbag installation area 130 is formed to extend flat along the front-rear direction of the seat 102.

[0053] The front end portion 132 of the frame is positioned in front of the airbag installation area 130 and extends inclined outward in the width direction of the seat 102 compared to the airbag installation area 130.

[0054] The side frame 110 is formed such that the front end portion 132 of the frame is bent outward in the width direction of the seat 102 from the front of the airbag installation area 130. As a result, the cross-section of the side frame 110 has a shape in which the airbag installation area 130 is recessed towards the center of the seat 102. The airbag module 116 is installed in this recessed area.

[0055] The airbag module 116 consists of an airbag cushion 118 that has been folded or otherwise stored, with an inflator 124 inserted inside. The airbag module 116 is attached to the side frame 110, on the outside of the seat 102 in the width direction.

[0056] Figure 4(b) is a cross-sectional view of the side airbag device 100 shown in Figure 1(b) along line B-B.

[0057] The sub-chamber 122 contains the inflator 124 and is installed in contact with the outer width of the seat 102 relative to the airbag installation area 130. The sub-chamber 122 inflates and deploys while remaining in contact with the outer width of the seat 102 in the airbag installation area 130.

[0058] The main chamber 120 is located on the outside in the width direction of the sheet 102 in the sub-chamber 122. The main chamber 120 receives gas from the sub-chamber 122 and expands and unfolds to extend forward of the sub-chamber 122.

[0059] An internal vent 134 is provided in the panel separating the sub-chamber 122 and the main chamber 120. The internal vent 134 is a hole through which gas can pass, supplying gas from the sub-chamber 122 to the main chamber 120.

[0060] When the airbag cushion 118 is inflated and deployed, the outermost end 136 in the width direction of the seat 102 in the sub-chamber 122 is located further outward in the width direction of the seat 102 than the outermost end 138 in the width direction of the seat 102 in the front end 132 of the frame, relative to the center of the seat 102 in the width direction.

[0061] For example, the center line C1 illustrated in Figure 4(b) is a hypothetical line illustrating the center of the seat 102 in the width direction. The center line C1 is a line segment that passes through the center of the body of an occupant seated in the seat 102 in a normal posture and extends in the front-to-back direction of the seat 102.

[0062] The first imaginary line L1 is a line segment parallel to the center line C1 extending in the front-rear direction of the sheet 102, and is an imaginary line segment tangent to the outermost end 136 in the width direction of the sheet 102 in the sub-chamber 122.

[0063] The second imaginary line L2 is a line segment parallel to the center line C1 extending in the front-rear direction of the sheet 102, and is an imaginary line segment tangent to the outermost end 138 in the width direction of the sheet 102 at the front end 132 of the frame.

[0064] The side airbag device 100 is configured such that the first virtual line L1 is located further outward in the width direction of the seat 102 compared to the second virtual line L2. Therefore, the distance D1 from the center line C1 to the first virtual line L1 is set to be longer than the distance D2 from the center line C1 to the second virtual line L2 (D1 > D2).

[0065] With the above configuration, the first virtual line L1 is located a distance D3 further outward in the width direction of the sheet 102 than the second virtual line L2. Distance D3 is also the distance between the end 138 of the front end 132 of the frame and the main chamber 120 in the width direction of the sheet 102. The fact that distance D3 is secured means that the main chamber 120 is spaced apart from the front end 132 of the frame in the width direction of the sheet 102. With this configuration, the main chamber 120 can smoothly expand and unfold forward while avoiding interference with the front end 132 of the frame.

[0066] As illustrated in Figure 2(b), the sub-chamber 122 is positioned so as to overlap the side frame 110 when the inflated and deployed airbag cushion 118 is viewed through the seat 102 in the width direction. In particular, the sub-chamber 122 is provided only in the position of the airbag cushion 118 that overlaps the side frame 110. In other words, in this side airbag device 100, the sub-chamber 122 is configured to fit within the range of the side frame 110 when viewed from the width direction of the seat 102.

[0067] The sub-chamber 122 is configured to fit within the range of the side frame 110, so as not to interfere with the end 138 of the front end 132 of the frame (see Figure 4(b)). Therefore, in Figure 4(b), the airbag cushion 118 avoids interference with the front end 132 of the frame in both the sub-chamber 122 and the main chamber 120, allowing for smooth inflation and deployment.

[0068] As another example, in Figure 2(b), the sub-chamber 122 can be configured so that a portion of it overlaps with the side frame 110. For example, in Figure 2(b), a portion of the upper or lower end of the sub-chamber 122 may extend beyond the range of the side frame 110. Even if a portion of the sub-chamber 122 interferes with the front end 132 of the frame, by avoiding a configuration in which, for example, the entire sub-chamber 122 in the vertical direction interferes with the front end 132 of the frame, interference with the front end 132 of the frame of the main chamber 120 shown in Figure 4(b) can be prevented.

[0069] Figure 5 illustrates the process of inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 118 shown in Figure 4(a). Figure 5(a) illustrates the initial state of inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 118 shown in Figure 4(a).

[0070] When a vehicle collision is detected or predicted by sensors, cameras, etc., a signal is sent to the inflator 110, and gas is supplied from the inflator 110 to the airbag cushion 118.

[0071] The inflator 124 is inserted inside the sub-chamber 122. Therefore, when the airbag cushion 118 receives gas, it begins to inflate from the sub-chamber 122 first.

[0072] Figure 5(b) is an example illustrating the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 118, following Figure 5(a).

[0073] The sub-chamber 122 is installed in contact with the outside of the airbag installation area 130 and expands and deploys toward the outside in the width direction of the seat 102 while receiving a reaction force from the airbag installation area 130. The force of this expansion also pushes aside the seat pad 102 that is filled in the seat 102.

[0074] Figure 5(c) is an example illustrating the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 118, following Figure 5(b).

[0075] The sub-chamber 122 receives gas from the inflator 110 earlier and completes its inflation and deployment before the main chamber 120. As illustrated in Figure 4(b), the widthwise outer end 136 of the sheet 102 in the sub-chamber 122 reaches further outward than the end 138 of the front end 132 of the frame. Therefore, the main chamber 120, which is located widthwise outward of the sheet 102 relative to the sub-chamber 122, inflates and deploys forward without interfering with the front end 132 of the frame.

[0076] Figure 5(d) is an example illustrating the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 118, following Figure 5(c).

[0077] The main chamber 120 expands and unfolds widely forward, tearing open the surface of the seat 102, and restrains the occupant seated on the seat 102 from the sides.

[0078] As described above, the airbag cushion 118 is capable of a multi-stage deployment behavior in which the sub-chamber 122 begins to inflate and deploy first, followed by the main chamber 120.

[0079] As illustrated in Figure 4(b), the sub-chamber 122 is configured such that when expanded and deployed, the outer end 136 in the width direction of the sheet 102 reaches further outward in the width direction of the sheet 102 than the end 138 of the front end 132 of the side frame 110, relative to the center line C1 of the sheet 102. This configuration allows the main chamber 120, which is located on the outer side of the sub-chamber 122 in the width direction, to avoid interference with the front end 132 of the frame when it expands and deploys forward.

[0080] Therefore, according to the configuration of this embodiment, it is possible to inflate and deploy the airbag cushion 118 without interfering with surrounding structures, with a simple configuration that does not rely on additional members such as tethers or covers, and to efficiently restrain the occupant of the seat 102.

[0081] The side frame 110 is formed such that the front end portion 132 of the frame is bent outward in the width direction from the airbag installation area 130 to the seat 102. Even with this shape of side frame 110, the airbag cushion 118 can be used to utilize the sub-chamber 122, allowing the main chamber 120 to inflate and deploy smoothly while avoiding interference with the front end portion 132 of the frame.

[0082] The seat 102 in Figure 1(b) can be assumed to be, for example, the seat located on the left side in the vehicle width direction, among a pair of seats provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle interior. The airbag module 116 is attached to the side frame 110 located on the right side in the vehicle width direction, that is, closer to the center of the vehicle, relative to this left-side seat 102.

[0083] When the airbag module 116 is installed on the side frame 112 on the door side of the vehicle (see Figure 1(a)), the airbag cushion 118 can deploy along the door trim because the door trim is nearby. On the other hand, the side frame 110 closer to the center of the vehicle does not have any structures such as door trim nearby. However, with the airbag cushion 118 of this embodiment, it can inflate and deploy smoothly forward while avoiding interference with the side frame 110, without relying on structures such as door trim. Therefore, the airbag module 116 can function fully even when installed on the side frame 110 closer to the center of the vehicle.

[0084] As another example, the airbag module 116 can also be attached to the side frame 112 on the door side of the vehicle (see Figure 1(a)). In this case, the airbag cushion 118 can deploy along the door trim to restrain the occupant. The airbag module 116 can function fully even when attached to the side frame 112 on the door side of the vehicle.

[0085] (Second Embodiment) Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vehicle side airbag device (hereinafter referred to as the side airbag device 200) according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 illustrates the side airbag device 200 in correspondence with Figure 4.

[0086] In the following description, components that have already been explained will be denoted by the same reference numeral, and their explanation will be omitted. Furthermore, components with the same name as those already explained will be considered to have the same configuration and function, even if they are denoted by different reference numerals.

[0087] Figure 6(a) is an example diagram showing the side airbag device 200 before it is deployed. The side frame 204 is the part of the left and right side frames of the seat 202 that is located on the right side in the width direction of the seat 202.

[0088] The side frame 204 is formed to extend continuously toward the front of the seat 202 and gradually inclined toward the outside in the width direction of the seat 202, from the airbag installation area 206 to the front end of the frame 208.

[0089] Figure 6(b) illustrates the state of the side airbag device after it has been deployed. In the side airbag device 200 as well, when the airbag cushion 118 is inflated and deployed, the outermost end 136 in the width direction of the seat 202 in the sub-chamber 122 reaches further outward in the width direction than the end 210 of the front end 208 of the frame, relative to the center of the seat 202 in the width direction.

[0090] The first virtual line L4 is a line segment parallel to the center line C1 extending in the front-rear direction of the sheet 202, and is a virtual line segment tangent to the outermost end 136 in the width direction of the sheet 202 in the sub-chamber 122.

[0091] The second imaginary line L5 is a line segment parallel to the center line C1 extending in the front-rear direction of the sheet 202, and is an imaginary line segment tangent to the outermost end 210 in the width direction of the sheet 202 at the front end 208 of the frame.

[0092] The side airbag device 200 is configured such that the first virtual line L4 described above is located further outward in the width direction of the seat 202 compared to the second virtual line L5. Therefore, the distance D4 from the center line C1 to the end 136 of the seat 202 in the sub-chamber 122 is set to be longer than the distance D5 from the center line C1 to the end 210 of the front end 208 of the frame (D4 > D5).

[0093] With the above configuration, the first virtual line L4 is located about a distance D6 further outward in the width direction of the sheet 202 than the second virtual line L5. Distance D6 is also the distance between the end 210 of the front end 208 of the frame and the main chamber 120 in the width direction of the sheet 202. The fact that distance D6 is secured means that the main chamber 120 is spaced apart from the front end 208 of the frame in the width direction of the sheet 202. With this configuration, the main chamber 120 can smoothly expand and unfold forward while avoiding interference with the front end 208 of the frame.

[0094] Therefore, in the side airbag device 200 of this embodiment, the airbag cushion 118 inflates and deploys without interfering with surrounding structures, making it possible to efficiently restrain the occupant of the seat 202.

[0095] With the above-described airbag cushion 118, even with a side frame 204 that extends in a continuously sloping shape from the airbag installation area 206 to the front end 208 of the frame, the main chamber 120 can inflate and deploy smoothly while avoiding interference with the front end 208 of the frame by utilizing the sub-chamber 122.

[0096] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments described above are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or carried out in various ways. Unless otherwise stated in this specification, the present invention is not limited to the detailed shapes, sizes, and configurations of the parts shown in the attached drawings. Furthermore, the expressions and terms used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only and are not limited thereto unless otherwise stated.

[0097] Therefore, it is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0098] This invention can be used in vehicle side airbag systems installed in vehicles.

[0099] 100...Side airbag device, 102...Seat, 104...Seat back, 106...Seat cushion, 108...Seat frame, 110, 112...Side frame, 116...Airbag module, 118...Airbag cushion, 120...Main chamber, 122...Sub-chamber, 124...Inflator, 126a, 126b...Stud bolt, 128a, 128b...Vent hole, 130...Airbag installation area, 132...Front end of frame, 134...Internal vent, 136...End, 138...End, 202...Seat, 204...Side frame, 206...Airbag installation area, 208...Front end of frame, 210...End, C1...Center line, D1-D6...Distance, L1...First virtual line, L2...Second virtual line, L4...First virtual line, L5...Second virtual line

Claims

1. A vehicle side airbag device comprising a seat frame provided inside the seat of a vehicle, a pair of side frames along the left and right sides of the seat back of the seat, and an airbag module attached to the widthwise outer side of at least one of the pair of side frames of the seat, wherein the side frame has an airbag installation area to which the airbag module is attached, and a front end of the frame provided in front of the airbag installation area and extending widthwise outward from the airbag installation area, the airbag module has an airbag cushion that is bag-shaped and in a predetermined storage form that is wound or folded, and an inflator inserted into the airbag cushion, the airbag cushion has a sub-chamber that encloses the inflator and inflates and deploys in contact with the widthwise outer side of the seat of the airbag installation area, and a main chamber provided on the widthwise outer side of the sub-chamber of the seat and inflates and deploys forward by receiving gas from the sub-chamber, A vehicle side airbag device characterized in that, when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, a first imaginary line, which is a line segment parallel to the front-rear direction of the seat and tangent to the outermost end of the sub-chamber in the width direction of the seat, is located further outward in the width direction of the seat than a second imaginary line, which is a line segment parallel to the front-rear direction of the seat and tangent to the outermost end of the front end of the frame in the width direction of the seat.

2. The vehicle side airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the side frame is formed such that the front end of the frame is bent outward in the width direction of the seat from the airbag installation area.

3. The vehicle side airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the side frame is formed to extend in a manner that gradually slopes outward in the width direction of the seat from the airbag installation area to the front end of the frame.

4. The vehicle side airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the airbag module is attached to the side frame of the pair of side frames that is located closer to the center of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle side airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the airbag module is attached to the side frame of the pair of side frames that is located closer to the door of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle side airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sub-chamber is provided in a position where at least a portion overlaps with one of the side frames when the inflated and deployed airbag cushion is viewed through in the width direction of the seat.

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