JP2870318B2 - How to fold the airbag - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of folding a bag body prior to assembling an airbag into an airbag device mounted on an instrument panel or the like on a passenger seat of a vehicle. More specifically, a width direction folding step of folding the bag body with the bag case attached thereto in the direction of extension of the bag body to the width of the bag case, and a vertical zigzag folding of the bag body after the width direction folding step. The present invention relates to a method of folding an airbag in which the bag body is stored in a bag case through a directional folding process.

Here, an example will be described in which a bag body 3 having a passenger case airbag, ie, a bag case 1 having a three-dimensional shape (when inflated) as shown in FIG. 1 is mounted, is folded. The present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to an airbag for a rear seat and the like.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, airbags have been folded as follows.

(I) From the three-dimensional shape shown in FIG. 1, an initial shape of a flat tapered shape H1 is folded inward so that a U-shaped space can be formed on both sides in the extension direction of the bag body 3 (FIG. 2). 3).

(Ii) Using a folding bar, the inward folds H2 and H3 are further manually performed in the upper and lower stages, and the bag body 3 is folded to the width of the bag case 1 to perform a widthwise folding process (FIG. 1). See 4.5).

(Iii) A simple jig is used to fold in a zigzag shape, and through a vertical folding process, and housed in the bag case 1 in the order shown in the figure (FIG. 6).

[0007]

However, according to the above-mentioned method, the number of manual operations is increased and the fold size is apt to vary.

[0008] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of folding an airbag, which does not require a large number of work steps and has small variations in folding dimensions.

[0009]

An airbag folding method according to the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by the following constitution.

[0010] A lateral folding step of folding the bag body with the bag case attached thereto in the direction of extension of the bag body to the width of the bag case, and a vertical folding step of zigzag folding the bag body after the lateral folding step. In a method of folding an airbag in which a bag body is housed in a bag case through a process, the widthwise folding step is performed by forming a flat, crimped set shape on both sides in the extension direction of the bag body so that a U-shaped space can be formed. Insert the odd number of outer folding bars into the U-shaped space on both sides
The upper fin of the fold of the bag body
Hang it on the outside of the outer folding bar, and
The lower fin of the fold of the bag body is held down
And further, the lower fin was lifted up by a flip-up plate.
After that, a predetermined number of inner fold bars are moved between the outer fold bars, one by one or a plurality of stages are simultaneously moved so as to be inserted between the step gaps of the outer fold bars through the bag main body, and the processing bag is moved into the outer fold bar and the inner fold bar. The folding is performed by sliding between the folding bar.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on embodiments. The same parts as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and all or part of the description thereof will be omitted.

A. First, an example of an apparatus used for the folding method of the present invention will be described.

(1) Basically, the bag body 3 on which the bag case 1 is mounted is folded in the width direction in which the bag body 3 is folded in the extension direction of the bag body 3 to the width of the bag case 1. This is an apparatus used to store the bag body in the bag case through a vertical folding step of zigzag folding the bag body 3 having undergone the folding step.

(2) As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the folding device shown in FIG. 7 basically comprises (a) a working part, (b) widthwise folding means, and (c) vertical folding means. B.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the folding device with a partial cutout, FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the partial cutout, and FIG.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view taken along line IX-IX of FIG.

(A) Work surface: The work surface A has a base wide portion 6 and a front narrow portion 7 so as to have a width and length large enough to mount the bag body 3 in the initial shape. , And flip-up plates 11, 11 are formed symmetrically on both sides in the vertical direction with the front narrow portion 7 of the work table 8 interposed therebetween. Here, the width of the front narrow portion 7 is substantially the same as the width of the bag body 3 when folded in the width direction. In addition, the original wide part 6
A plurality of (six in the illustrated example) slits 9 for the push-up jig bar are formed in parallel. The flip-up plates 11 have a U-shaped side shape in order to avoid interference with an inner folding bar 23, which will be described later, and an air cylinder (twin rod type) 1
3 driven. A case clamp 15 is provided on the front side of the work surface A.

(B) Width-direction folding means: a plurality of horizontal outer folding bars 21 arranged so as to be able to move forward and backward from the front end side and to be rotatable with respect to the working table 8; A plurality of inner folding bars (flat plates) 23 are provided between the gaps so as to be capable of being advanced and retracted so that they can be inserted through the bag body 3.

The outer folding bar 21 is formed by two pairs of upper, middle and lower outer folding bars 21a, 21b and 21c which are divided into two on both sides in the longitudinal direction. To be rotatable. The cart 27 has a handle 28 and can be manually run on the rail 26. The holding block 29 and the cart 27 are manually operated in the illustrated example, but may be driven by an air cylinder or the like. In the illustrated example, the upper and lower outer folding bars 21a are formed narrower than the middle outer folding bar 21b.

Further, the inner folding bars 23 are respectively formed on the upper and lower inner folding bars 23a, 23 on the left and right with the work table 8 interposed therebetween.
b is held by the guide rails 24 so that it can move forward and backward. In the illustrated example, each of the inner folding bars 23a and 23b is gripped by the grip 17 formed on the upper surface and the lower surface and driven by hand. However, the inner folding bars 23a and 23b can be driven by an air cylinder or the like.

(C) Vertical folding means: at the upper and lower positions corresponding to the bag vertical folding end width of the wide portion 6 of the worktable 8,
It is composed of a holding jig bar 31 and a pushing-up jig bar 33, which are alternately arranged in the vertical direction, and a bag holder 25 having an inverted channel shape in cross section, which is arranged vertically above the worktable 5 so as to be vertically movable. . That is, in the illustrated example, each jig bar includes six jig bars, and the holding jig bar 31 is arranged between the slits 9 in order from the near side of the slit 9 for the jig jig bar. Are arranged corresponding to the respective slits 9.

The bag retainer 25 and the retainer jig bar 31 run on the rail 36 of the gantry B, and the work surface A
And the original position, and is held by a frame wheel 35 which can be manually reciprocated with the handle 34 held therebetween. That is,
The bag retainer 25 is held by a pair of screwed shafts 37, 37 installed on the ceiling upper surface of the frame wheel 35, and the holding jig bar 31 is connected to an air cylinder (twin rod type) installed on the lower surface of the frame wheel 35. ) 39, 39 ...
And is driven independently. Also, a plurality (six in the illustrated example) of air cylinders (twin rod type) 41, 4 are provided so that each bar of the push-up jig bar 33 is independently driven.
1 are driven independently.

The bag holder 25 and the frame wheel 35 are both manually operated, but may be driven by an air cylinder or the like. It is desirable that a notch is provided at the upper end of the final stage of the push-up jig bar as shown in the figure from the viewpoint of the end of the bag body after zigzag folding.

Each of the folding bars in the width direction and the longitudinal direction may not be in the form of a flat fold bar as shown in the figure, but may be in the form of a frame, a bar, or the like. Further, the driving means is not limited to the manual power / cylinder, but may be any link mechanism or the like.

B. Next, a method of folding the airbag using the folding device will be described mainly with reference to FIGS.

(1) The bag body 3 to which the rectangular bag case 1 is assembled is fixed to the case clamp 15 provided at the base of the work table 8 and the bag body 3 is extended. On both sides in the direction, a U-shaped space is formed into a flat, crimped set shape that is folded inward so as to form a space (FIGS. 2 and 3). In the present embodiment, these are performed manually, and this step is substantially the same as the conventional method.

(2) The carriage 27 is advanced toward the distal end of the distal end narrow portion 7 of the worktable 5, and the holding block 29 is rotated downward, so that the lowermost outer side is placed on the bag body 3. With the fold bar 21c approached, the upper fin 3a of the fold H1 of the bag body 3 is lifted by hand in the vertical direction and hangs on the uppermost outer fold bar 21a. Then, on
Hang the side fins 3a outside the uppermost outer folding bar 21a.
It will be in a state where it is exposed.

Then, the lower fin 3b of the fold H1 of the bag body 3 is pressed down by the lowermost outer folding bar 21c (FIGS. 10 and 11).

In this state, the flip-up plate 11 is raised, and the lower fin 3b is lifted so that the inner folding bar 23
Are advanced toward the axis of the bag body 3 simultaneously or over time. Then, the bag body 3 becomes the outer folding bar 2
It slides between 1a, 21b, 21c and inside folding bar 23a, 23b, and becomes a folded shape. The lower inner folding bar 23b passes through the U-shaped gap of the flip-up plate 11 and does not interfere with the flip-up plate 11 (FIGS. 12 and 13).

Subsequently, after the inner folding bars 23a and 23b are retracted to their original positions, the bag holder 25 and the holding jig bar 31 are manually conveyed by the frame wheel 35 to above the worktable. Then, the bag holder 25 is lowered, and the outer folding bar group 21 is retracted and pulled out while holding the bag body 3, and then returned to the original position (FIGS. 14 and 15). Thus,
The width direction folding process is completed.

(3) The first pressing jig bar 31a and the first pushing-up jig are applied to the bag main body 3 in a state where the widthwise folding process is completed and the leading end side is pressed by the bag pressing member 25 from the bag base side. The tool 33a, the second holding jig bar 31b, the second pushing jig 33b,..., The sixth holding jig bar 31f, and the sixth pushing jig 33f are advanced in this order (FIG. 16).

Then, the bag body 3 is attached to the bag holder 25.
It is zigzag folded while being pulled out. Then, leaving only the first holding jig bar 31a and the sixth thrust jig 33f, the holding jig bar 31 and the thrust jig bar 33 are retracted (FIG. 17). Next, in a state where the temporary holding jig 43 is moved forward and the front side of the first holding jig 31a of the bag body 3 is held down, the first holding jig 31a is retracted, and the front end of the bag is zigzag-finally folded. Then, the temporary holding jig 43 is removed in the state where the jig is held. Thus, zigzag folding is completed.

(4) While holding this zigzag state by hand, rotate the case clamp by 60 ° so that the opening of the bag case 1 faces upward. Then, the bag body 3 that has been zigzag folded in the same manner as described above is stored in the bag case 1 (see FIG. 6), and the bag is removed from the case clamp.

[0033]

Since the airbag folding method of the present invention is configured as described above, the following operations and effects can be obtained.

The folding operation in the width folding step of the bag body is performed by mechanically sequentially setting the outer fold bar and the inner fold bar, and by sequentially performing the pulling operation mechanically. There is no danger of the mold breaking.

Accordingly, the number of steps for folding the airbag can be greatly reduced, and the fold dimensions are small.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an airbag to which a folding method according to the present invention is applied, when the airbag is inflated.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a set shape of the bag body.

FIG. 3 is a schematic end view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a widthwise folded shape of a conventional bag body;

FIG. 5 is a schematic end view taken along line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a process diagram showing the order in which the bag body is vertically folded in a zigzag shape and then housed in a bag case.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway schematic plan view of a folding device used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the same partially cutaway.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing the first half of the width folding step of the bag body in the method of the present invention;

11 is a schematic end view taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view showing the latter half of the widthwise folding step of the bag body in the method of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic end view taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a model diagram showing an example immediately before the start of the vertical folding step of the bag body in the method of the present invention;

15 is a view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. 14,

FIG. 16 is a model diagram showing an example of the first half of a vertical folding step of the bag body in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a model diagram showing an example of the latter half of the vertical folding process of the bag body in the method of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 bag case, 3 hag body, 5 workbench, 6 wide base of workbench, 7 narrow end of workbench tip 11 flip-up plate 21 outside fold bar, 23 inside fold bar, 25 bag presser, 31 presser Jig bar 33 Push-up jig bar H1 Inside fold

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B60R 21/16 B60R 21/20

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A width direction folding step of folding the bag body with the bag case attached thereto in the direction of extension of the bag body to the width of the bag case, and zigzag folding the bag body after the width direction folding step. In a method for folding an airbag, in which the bag body is housed in the bag case through a vertical folding step, the width direction folding step is inwardly folded so that a U-shaped space can be formed on both sides in the extending direction of the bag body. Insert the odd number of outer folding bars into the U-shaped spaces on both sides from the initial shape of the flattened ridge, and set the folds of the bag body.
Hang the upper fin of the fold outside the top outer fold bar
While the bag body is folded
After the lower fin is pressed down and the lower fin is lifted by a flip-up plate, a predetermined number of inner fold bars are inserted between the outer fold bars via the bag body. The bag body is moved one by one or a plurality of steps simultaneously so as to be inserted between the step gaps of the folding bar, and the bag body is slid between the outer folding bar and the inner folding bar to perform folding. How to fold a bag.