CN1865047A

CN1865047A - Airbag device

Info

Publication number: CN1865047A
Application number: CNA2006100782540A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 堀田直纪; 永田笃
Original assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co Ltd
Current assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-05-18
Filing date: 2006-05-18
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2026-05-18
Also published as: JP4466470B2; JP2006321331A; CN100460251C

Abstract

In an airbag device of the invention, by making use of a retainer which is made up of a retaining part which is provided on an outside of an inflator and bolt parts, an airbag and the inflator are fixed to a fixing wall portion of a case by fastening nuts onto the bolt parts which are caused to protrude from the fixing wall portion of the case in such a state the retaining part is housed within the airbag. A support projection is formed on the fixing wall portion in such a manner as to protrude therefrom toward the inflator side. When the nuts are fastened, the retainer moves the retaining part toward the fixing wall portion side, so that the inflator is held between and retained by abutment portions formed on the retaining part and the support projection.

Description

Airbag apparatus

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of airbag apparatus, wherein by fixing, retainer constraint aerator, and make the bolt part of retainer pass air bag to stretch out housing, nut is fastened on the bolt part, thereby utilizes retainer that aerator and air bag are fixed in housing.

Background technology

Routinely, in the airbag apparatus of constructing as mentioned above, form columnar aerator, retrain with forming columnar retainer, clamp by being arranged at, so aerator is contained in the inside of retainer, thereafter around a plurality of holding divisions of a plurality of positions of retainer periphery, include retainer in air bag, make bolt part from air bag, stretch out.In addition, air bag is received in the housing, makes bolt part stretch out the housing fixing wall portion, nut is fastened on the bolt part, thereby aerator and air bag are fixed in housing (for example, referring to JP-2003-205814).

Yet, in the airbag apparatus of routine, in order to retrain aerator, be essential to the fixing work of retainer, increase this man-hour that causes being used to assembling airbag apparatus.

Usually; because comprising, aerator lights the firing unit that is filled in its gas inside propellant; must handle being beneficial to satisfy under the prerequisite prevent the standard of lighting a fire; so; structure for such airbag apparatus for protecting knee; there is such requirement; wherein; be contained in wherein airbag fold with only having retainer; be contained in advance in the housing, afterwards, again aerator be installed on the housing; rather than will have airbag fold at the retainer of aerator (being contained in the air bag) outer setting, be contained in the housing with aerator.

In addition, in the conventional airbag apparatus for protecting knee of another kind, housing forms the case shape of bottom, in its rear openings, nut is fastened on the bolt part of stretching out from shell bottom wall portion, so that aerator is fixed in housing.This aerator is fixed in housing, makes its adaptor union side end stretch out from the perforation that the housing surrounding wall portion, forms.In addition, in a plurality of positions that circumferentially distribute along retainer a plurality of holding divisions are set, by fixing a plurality of holding divisions, thereby keep so that aerator is retrained along circumference by retainer, make aerator be received into retainer inside (for example, referring to JP-2004-50932) from its end that exhausr port is set.

Yet; in this conventional airbag apparatus for protecting knee; because it kept and use restraint at the outer peripheral face of aerator by retainer; and the end face of the other end that aerator is connected with adaptor union does not suffer restraints; so; when the exhausr port that is provided with from aerator one end is discharged expanding gas; wanting to increase under the situation of output; the risk that causes is: aerator moves along its axis by this way; make the part that is positioned at the end that is connected with adaptor union in the aerator, reach the outside of housing too much from perforation, therefore; with regard to suppressing the moving of aerator, still there is room for improvement.

Summary of the invention

Propose the present invention in order addressing the above problem, and purpose of the present invention to aim to provide a kind of airbag apparatus, to make retainer can retrain aerator, exempt the requirement that fixes operation simultaneously, during with the minimizing assembler.

The present invention also aims to provide a kind of airbag apparatus for protecting knee, even when discharging expanding gas, also can firmly retrain aerator.

The present invention also aims to provide a kind of airbag apparatus for protecting knee, wherein, can after the air bag that folds be contained in the housing aerator be installed on housing, and can provide good operability when aerator is installed.

Consider and realize above-mentioned target,, provide a kind of airbag apparatus, comprising according to the present invention:

Folding air bag;

The aerator of general cylindrical shape is used for to the air bag supply gas;

The housing that metal sheet is made holds air bag and aerator therein; And

The retainer that metal sheet is made is included in the maintaining part of the general cylindrical shape that aerator wherein is set, and with the axial vertical bolt part of stretching out of maintaining part;

Wherein, aerator and retainer are contained in the air bag, make bolt part stretch out air bag, and pass the perforation on the housing fixing wall portion,

Nut is fastened on the bolt part, thereby air bag and aerator is fixed in fixing wall portion,

In aerator axially on depart from perforation the position, on fixing wall portion, form the support of protruding and protrude to aerator, and

Wherein, when making maintaining part when fixing wall portion moves by fastening nut,

To aerator in the adjacency section of maintaining part and when supporting part between protruding and fix, make aerator be fixed in fixing wall portion.

In airbag apparatus of the present invention, along with fastening nut air bag and retainer are fixed in the fixing wall portion of housing, simultaneously, can retrain aerator by retainer, take this, can save the fixing work that clamps aerator with retainer, and this is essential in conventional example.As a result, can reduce the man-hour that is used to assemble airbag apparatus.

Therefore, in airbag apparatus of the present invention, number in the time of reducing the assembler.

In addition, in airbag apparatus of the present invention, because along with retainer is fixed in housing, also retraining aerator simultaneously by retainer, so, can be contained in the housing by air bag (only accommodating retainer in its inside) is folded up, thereafter, perforation by forming in air bag in advance again is inserted into aerator in the retainer, constitutes airbag apparatus.That is to say, according to airbag apparatus of the present invention, because can adopt a kind of like this configuration, wherein, at the final step assembling aerator of fitting process, so, also can be at first assemble up and become assembly parts wherein combining the air bag of retainer and housing, afterwards, again in different places, only aerator is assembled among this assembly parts.

In addition, in airbag apparatus of the present invention, in the cross-sectional plane axial perpendicular to maintaining part, form under the situation of a pair of adjacency section along the maintaining part periphery, make this adjacency section relative with bolt part, by in point distributes along its Wednesday adjacency section with support and protrude, can aerator be supported, can preferablyly more stably retrain aerator.

In addition, in being configured to aforesaid airbag apparatus, if the pair of bolts portion that axially is provided with along maintaining part, and support to protrude between a pair of perforation that is set to be located on the fixing wall portion, at airbag apparatus between erecting stage, when the airbag fold that only accommodates retainer when portion within it gets up to be contained in the housing, because by passing two bolt part of air bag, make the position stability of retainer with respect to air bag, so, can bolt part be stretched out easily from fixing wall portion.

According to the present invention, a kind of airbag apparatus is provided, comprising:

Folding air bag;

The aerator of general cylindrical shape has: be arranged on the exhausr port of its first end, be used for to the air bag supply gas; And the part that is positioned at second end, it is connected with adaptor union (being connected with the trigger circuit of air bag by lead-in wire), wherein, aerator is contained in the housing, makes the bolt part that on retainer, is provided with pass the fixing wall portion of housing, and, second end of aerator stretches out from the perforation that forms housing, then, when being fastened to nut on the bolt part, aerator is fixed in housing by retainer;

The housing that metal sheet is made holds air bag and aerator therein; And

Be arranged on the block piece of deviating from the hull outside, be used for second end that the fastening aerator stretches out perforation, deviate from from housing, deviate from block piece and comprise to stop aerator:

Buckle portion perpendicular to extending axially of aerator, be used for second end of fastening aerator, and buckle portion comprises opening, by this opening adaptor union is connected with aerator, and

Fixed part begins along axially continuously the extending of aerator from buckle portion, when nut is fastened to bolt part, fixed part is tightened and is fixed in housing; And

Latch hook is arranged in the buckle portion, is used to be locked in housing, with restriction buckle portion moving on aerator is axial.

In the airbag apparatus that is suitable for airbag apparatus for protecting knee of the present invention; even when discharging expanding gas; aerator tends to move vertically; thereby make the end of adaptor union side stretch out perforation; but; because by being arranged to roughly the adaptor union side end with the axial rectangular buckle of aerator portion fastening aerator, so, aerator move axially the restriction that is subjected to buckle portion.Thus,, when discharging expanding gas, also can retrain aerator, avoid it to move vertically and stretch out housing even on the aerator outer peripheral face, keep and the structure of constraint aerator by retainer.

Therefore, according to airbag apparatus for protecting knee of the present invention, even when discharging expanding gas, also can firmly retrain aerator.

In addition; in airbag apparatus for protecting knee according to the present invention; by latch hook and fixed part, be fastened to when nut on the bolt part of retainer, tightened together and be fixed in housing; thereby will deviate from block piece and be fixed in housing; so the operation of tightening along with carrying out nut also can make block piece to be fixed in housing simultaneously; thereby, make and can reduce used man-hour when the assembling airbag apparatus.

In addition; in airbag apparatus for protecting knee of the present invention; deviating from block piece is preferably formed by metal sheet; and; latch hook preferably is inserted in such perforation; it is arranged on the perforation periphery, so that it is locked in the periphery of this perforation, makes latch hook be in press contacts with the wall portion that is positioned at the perforation periphery on shell inner surface.

In the airbag apparatus for protecting knee of structure as mentioned above, latch hook is in press contacts with the housing wall portion that is positioned at the perforation periphery, can reduce the generation of abnormal noise, otherwise when vehicle operating, the bump vibration by latch hook and housing can cause this abnormal noise.

Folding air bag;

The aerator of general cylindrical shape is used for to the air bag supply gas;

The housing that metal sheet is made holds air bag and aerator therein; And

Wherein, accommodating folded airbag under the state of retainer, this retainer is by inserting in perforation on the housing and the patchhole on air bag, and

Wherein, when being contained in air bag in the housing, make the lock claw that protrudes in the axial end of maintaining part be locked in the periphery of the patchhole of air bag, thereby make the aerator of maintaining part insert the center shaft of mouth and the center shaft basically identical of patchhole.

Be suitable in the airbag apparatus of airbag apparatus for protecting knee in the present invention, can aerator be inserted into the inside of maintaining part with smooth mode.

Therefore, according to airbag apparatus for protecting knee of the present invention, can after the air bag that folds be contained in the housing, aerator be installed on housing, and be provided at the good operability when aerator is installed.

In addition, in the present invention, if when the mode of stretching out from air bag with bolt part is contained in retainer in the air bag, project under the state of patchhole plane of the opening at the lock claw, with respect to patchhole open centre as the point symmetry center, the lock claw is arranged on the position roughly symmetrical with bolt part, then by lock claw and bolt part, two positions that are being mutually symmetrical with respect to open centre as the point symmetry center, patchhole is retrained, therefore, when inserting aerator, even the periphery of aerator bump patchhole, also be difficult to make the periphery skew of patchhole, thereby, can make the open centre of patchhole consistent each other with the center that the aerator of maintaining part inserts mouth, therefore, aerator can be inserted into more smoothly the inside of maintaining part.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a kind of assembly method of airbag apparatus, and airbag apparatus comprises: folding air bag; The aerator of general cylindrical shape is used for to the air bag supply gas; And the housing that metal sheet is made holds air bag and aerator therein; And the retainer that metal sheet is made is included in the maintaining part of the general cylindrical shape that aerator wherein is set, with the axial vertical bolt part of stretching out of maintaining part, this assembly method may further comprise the steps:

Retainer is contained in the air bag, makes bolt part stretch out air bag;

Air bag is received in the housing;

Bolt part is passed in the perforation that forms on the housing fixing wall portion; And

Nut is fastened on the bolt part, wherein simultaneously basic so that retainer is fixed in fixing wall portion along with retainer is fixed in fixing wall portion, by retainer aerator is retrained.

According to above-mentioned airbag apparatus assembly method, can reduce used man-hour when the assembling airbag apparatus.

In addition, in said method, preferably, the position of departing from perforation on aerator is axial forms to support on fixing wall portion and protrudes, protrude to the aerator side from fixing wall portion so that support protrusion, and

By fastening nut,, aerator is fixed in fixing wall portion in the adjacency section of maintaining part and when supporting aerator between protruding and partly fix.

In addition, in said method, preferably, the exhausr port that therefrom can discharge gas is set at the first end place of aerator, and, at the second end place of aerator, the adaptor union that is connected with the trigger circuit of air bag by lead-in wire is installed,

Arranged outside at housing is deviate from block piece, and this deviates from second end of block piece fastening aerator, deviate from from housing to stop aerator,

Aerator is inserted in the described housing, makes second end of aerator stretch out from the perforation that housing, forms,

When being fastened to nut on the bolt part, pass retainer, second end of aerator is fixed in housing, and

By being inserted in perforation on the retainer side at the latch hook that forms in the buckle portion, and by nut is fastened on the bolt part, the fixed part from the continuity of buckle portion will be fastened on housing in the block piece by means of deviating from, and will deviate from the second end place of the buckle portion fastening of block piece at aerator, suppressing buckle portion along axial the moving of aerator, and, make adaptor union be connected with aerator, thereby, make lead-in wire pass opening.

In addition, preferably, on air bag, form patchhole, allowing to insert therein aerator,

Under the maintaining part of retainer was contained in wherein state, folded airbag by the perforation in housing, was inserted into aerator the folding like this air bag from this patchhole, and

When being contained in air bag in the housing, making the lock claw that protrudes at maintaining part axial end place be locked in the periphery of patchhole, thereby make the aerator of maintaining part insert the center shaft of mouth and the center shaft basically identical of patchhole.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is schematically vertical vertical sectional view, and how diagram uses the airbag apparatus for protecting knee according to embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the schematic cross sectional views according to vertical amplification of the airbag apparatus for protecting knee of present embodiment;

Fig. 3 is the schematic cross sectional views that the III-III line is got in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is the front schematic view that obtains when observing from the rear portion, and how diagram uses the airbag apparatus for protecting knee of present embodiment;

Fig. 5 is the decomposition shaft side figure that obtains when observing from the front, housing, airbag cover, lap board, aerator, retainer, the fasteners that diagram is used in the present embodiment and deviate from block piece;

Fig. 6 is the shaft side figure of the retainer of use in the present embodiment that obtains when the front is watched;

Fig. 7 is the retainer rear side that uses the in the present embodiment shaft side figure up the time;

Fig. 8 A is the lateral plan that amplifies from the part of the observable housing in the right, the air bag that diagram is folding, and retainer is contained in wherein, and it is contained in the state in the housing;

Fig. 8 B is the cutaway view that amplify the part of diagram horizontal profile, is shown near the position the lock claw, Zhe Die air bag, and retainer is contained in wherein, and it is contained in the state in the housing;

Fig. 9 is the shaft side figure that decomposes, and illustrates the enclosure body portion that uses in the present embodiment and deviates from block piece;

Figure 10 is a front elevation of deviating from block piece;

Figure 11 is a right side view of deviating from block piece;

Figure 12 is the cutaway view that get the position shown in the XII-XII line in Figure 10;

Figure 13 is the lateral plan that amplify the part of the housing that obtains when observing from the right side, and the diagram aerator is contained in the air bag (being contained in housing) and deviates from the state that block piece is installed on housing;

Figure 14 is the cutaway view that amplify the part of the airbag apparatus for protecting knee of present embodiment, diagram deviate from block piece near, the horizontal cross of this cutaway view construction system;

Figure 15 is the cutaway view that amplify the part of the airbag apparatus for protecting knee of present embodiment, the vertical sectional view of this cutaway view construction system;

Figure 16 is the back view of the air bag that uses in the present embodiment;

Figure 17 is the schematic cutaway view of getting along the position that XVII-XVII line among Figure 16 is represented that amplifies of air bag;

Figure 18 A to Figure 18 D illustrates the scheme drawing of the folding process of the air bag that uses in the present embodiment;

Figure 19 A, 19B are the schematic local cutaway views that amplifies of the airbag apparatus for protecting knee of present embodiment, and diagram is fastened to nut in the retainer step on the bolt part of stretching out from housing.

The specific embodiment

Hereinafter, describe embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.Should be noted that in the present embodiment,, can use airbag apparatus of the present invention and be not limited thereto, therefore, can apply the present invention to the airbag apparatus such as the side air bag device of other types although be that example is described with airbag apparatus for protecting knee S.

As Fig. 1, shown in Figure 4, Steering gear 9 belows as chaufeur MD (towards vehicle front) the place ahead of occupant are provided with the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S according to present embodiment, with the knee (KL, KR) of protection chaufeur MD.It should be noted that; at this specification sheets; when on vehicle, airbag apparatus for protecting knee S being installed; used word such as; on/upwards; down/downwards; and vertical/vertically; a left side/left; right/to the right; and horizontal/laterally; and preceding/forward; the back/backward; and longitudinally/end wise; expression and the corresponding direction of the defined direction indication word of vehicle respectively; as; on/upwards; down/downwards; and vertical/vertically, a left side/left; right/to the right; and horizontal/laterally, and preceding/forward; the back/backward; and longitudinally/end wise.

As shown in Figure 1, Steering gear 9 is made up of post body 10 and post cover 13.Post body 10 is made up of the column jecket 12 around main shaft 11 and the covering main shaft 11.

Airbag apparatus for protecting knee S comprises: folding air bag 85; Aerator 64 is supplied with expanding gas to air bag 85; Retainer 69 is arranged on the outside of aerator 64, to retrain aerator 64 by fixing; Housing 17 wherein holds folding air bag 85 and aerator 64, and in its rear openings; Deviate from block piece 79, be set to fasten aerator 64 from end 64e that housing 17 stretches out; Lap board 43 is fixedly mounted in housing 17 via lap board 43 vehicle body 1 side of vehicle; And airbag cover 54 covers the rear side of opening 18a in housing 17.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, housing 17 is made by metal sheet, and is arranged on the downside of Steering gear 9.Housing 17 is made up of box-like body 18 and fabricated section 32, and fabricated section 32 is arranged on the periphery of opening 18a of body 18, and, through fabricated section 32 airbag cover 54 is installed on the housing 17.

Body 18 is made up of surrounding wall portion 19 and bottom wall portion 29, and surrounding wall portion 19 forms roughly quadrangular barrel shape, and bottom wall portion 29 then act as the fixing wall portion of sealing surrounding wall portion 19 front sides, and, body 18 comprises opening 18a, and opening 18a forms essentially rectangular, and is arranged on the rear side of body 18.

Surrounding wall portion 19 comprises: vertical towards upper wall portions 20 and lower wall portion 21, and laterally towards left wall portion 22 and right wall portion 23.In horizontal cross, right side wall portion 23 has skew wall portion 26, skew wall portion 26 is arranged between the preceding near wall portion 24 and back wall portion 25 far away that roughly longitudinally is provided with, and, by so that skew wall portion 26 bevelled modes form step, open (referring to Fig. 3, Fig. 9, Figure 14) with terminal laterally expansion that is positioned at wall far away portion 25 at it.In nearly wall portion 24, form perforation 24a, can make aerator 64 pass perforation 24a and enter in the body 18.The outside in enclosure body portion 18, be provided with hereinafter will describe deviate from block piece 79, be used to fasten the end 64e that aerator 64 still stretches out from perforation 24a.In addition, in skew wall portion 26, constitute the position of perforation 24a peripheral part, form perforation 27, can pass through, hereinafter describe latch hook 82 again so that deviate from the latch hook 82 of block piece 79.As Fig. 8 A, shown in Figure 9, perforation 27 forms the roughly T shape of upset, make the width widen that is positioned at nearly wall portion 24 1 sides, comprise the wider part 27a that allows latch hook 82 heads 84 to pass through, and the narrower part 27b that only allows latch hook 82 necks 83 to pass through, thereby make latch hook 82 heads 84 be locked in the periphery of narrower part 27b.In addition, when arrange block piece 79, with the terminal 84a of latch hook 82 heads 84 be designed to from wall far away portion 25 inner with its press contacts, therefore, be locked in the head 84 of the latch hook 82 on the narrower part 27b periphery, be designed to the inside face press contacts with wall portion 25 far away at its terminal 84a place.

Bottom wall portion 29 is such, act as the fixing wall portion of fixation balloon 85 and aerator 64, and comprises perforation 29a, and the bolt part 75 that perforation 29a allows to be provided with on retainer 69 is passed through.Perforation 29a being set abreast, with corresponding with bolt part 75 respectively along horizontal two positions of (aerator 64 axially).In addition, in the direction of stretching out along bolt part 75 substantially, in the mode of stretching out towards interior all sides (to aerator 64 sides), laterally departing from the position that forms perforation 29a on (aerator 64 axially), form support protrusion 30 between 29a, the 29a boring a hole on the bottom wall portion 29.This support protrusion 30 is such, forms frustoconical, and the terminal part 30a by making its substantially flat and the large-diameter portion 64a adjacency of aerator 64, and aerator 64 is supported, and hereinafter large-diameter portion 64a is described.Therefore, when on vehicle, installing, utilize smooth terminal part 30a, make retainer 69 can keep aerator 64.

As shown in Figure 5, fabricated section 32 is such, and itself and body 18 are separated, and comprises leakproof fit perforation 33, the circumference of the opening 18a of body 18 surrounding wall portion 19 in tight mode from wherein passing through.In addition, in the mode of protruding forward from here, along bore a hole the roughly whole periphery of 33 peripheries of leakproof fit fastening part 35 is set, thereby with fastening part 35 fastenings near 18 outside faces of the body the opening 18a, take this, by making this fastening part 35 be fastened on surrounding wall portion 19, make fabricated section 32 and body 18 form one.In addition, (perhaps end wise) penetrates the mode of fabricated section 32 with from front to back, being positioned near bore a hole position 33 upsides of leakproof fit, a plurality of (in the present embodiment being 4) through hole 37 is set laterally in fabricated section 32, and each opening becomes essentially rectangular.These through holes 37 are such, allow the assembling sheet portion 58 (hereinafter describing) of airbag cover 54 to pass through, and through hole 37 is separately positioned near lock claw 38 and the position on lengthwise position is positioned at lock claw 38, makes cooresponding assembling

sheet portion

58 and 38 assemblings of lock claw.

Near upper wall portions 20 that is positioned at body 18 on the fastening part 35 and lower wall portion 21 part is provided with lock claw 38 and locking protrusion 40 respectively in the mode of extending.Lock claw 38 is such, is arranged on upper wall portions 20 sides, and puts a plurality of (in the present embodiment being 4) along being horizontally set with.Each is locked claw 38 and protrudes upward from upper wall portions 20, and in its tip forward bending, thereby forms roughly L shapedly on cross-sectional plane, in the 58a of lockhole portion (describing after a while) that it is inserted into assembling sheet portion 58, thereby pins the periphery of the lockhole 58a of portion.It is such that locking protrudes 40, being arranged on lower wall portion 21 sides, and along horizontally set a plurality of (in the present embodiment being 4), respectively protrudes downwards from lower wall portion 21.Each locking protrusion 40 is such, makes the 59a of lockhole portion that forms in its assembled wall portion 59 that is passed in air bag 54 (hereinafter describing), and makes locking protrusion 40 and the 59a of lockhole portion assembling by fasteners 50, and fasteners 50 is the elements that separate with housing 17.Each locking is protruded 40 and is comprised salient 40a and patchhole 40b, salient 40a stretches out downwards from assembled wall portion 59 when assembling, patchhole 40b makes the insertion section 52 of fasteners 50 to insert wherein then to be formed among the salient 40a in the mode that vertically penetrates salient 40a.

Fasteners 50 is formed by metal sheet, and comprises: fixed part 51, be arranged to roughly vertically extend; And broach shape insertion section 52, the mode that extends back with the lower edge side from fixed part 51 vertically is provided with.Under the situation of present embodiment, in the following manner along laterally 4 insertion sections 52 being set abreast, it is corresponding to make itself and locking protrude 40 difference.In fixed part 51, form two perforation 51a, allow the bolt part 75 of retainer 69 to pass through.In addition, protrude 40 salient 40as formation patchhole 40b in each locking of stretching out downwards from assembled wall portion 59, by insertion section 52 is inserted among the patchhole 40b, make each insertion section 52 be arranged to play the effect of latch, thereby respectively, make fasteners 50 prevent that locking from protruding 40 and deviating from from the 59a of lockhole portion.The bolt part 75 of utilizing nut 76 and retainer 69 and housing 17 being fixed makes fasteners 50 be fixed in enclosure body portion 18 with retainer 69.

Left and right sides with the leakproof fit of fabricated section 32 perforation 33 is made for the effect of playing fixed part 41, makes housing 17 be fixed in lap board 43 by fixed part 41.Each fixed part 41 is such, and respectively, toe lateral is down up for its rear portion side, be arranged to the bevelled mode along the plane of the opening of shell nozzle 18a, and each fixed part 41 has two bolt 41a, in the mode of stretching out forward, along the bore a hole vertical direction setting of 33 plane of the openings of leakproof fit.

Under the situation of present embodiment, lap board 43 is made up of with the left board 46 that is arranged on housing 17 left sides the right panel portion 44 that is arranged on housing 17 right sides.Right panel portion 44 forms tabular as general triangular, near the part place that is positioned at its end, lower-left, fixed part 41 is fixed in right panel portion 44, and right panel portion 44 end and right part thereon has the installation portion 45 (45A, 45B) that is installed on vehicle body 1 side.In each installation portion 45, form mounting hole 45a, installation portion 45 bolt modes are fixed in vehicle body 1 side by mounting hole 45a.Left side board 46 forms as the essentially rectangular plate, roughly setting longitudinally, and, near the part that is positioned at its lower end left board 46 being fixed in fixed part 41, left board 46 bottom thereon has the installation portion 47 (47A, 47B) that is installed in vehicle body 1 side.In each installation portion 47, form mounting hole 47a, installation portion 47 bolt modes are fixed in vehicle body 1 side by mounting hole 47a.The same with the situation in fixed part 41, respectively, toe lateral is down up for rear portion side, left board 44 and right panel portion 46 are arranged to the inclination mode along the plane of the opening of shell nozzle 18a separately, and left board 44 and right panel portion 46 have perforation 44a and 46a separately, and the bolt 41a that forms on fixed part 41 can therefrom be passed.Under the situation of present embodiment, the support 4,4 on vehicle body 1 side is connected with instrument carrier panel reinforcing member 2, will go up installation portion 45A, 47A and be installed on the support 4,4.In addition, support 5,6 respectively be positioned at the unshowned middle part of vehicle body 1 side reinforcing strip and be connected with the front truck Shenzhu, will descend installation portion 45B, 47B to be installed on the support 5,6 (referring to Fig. 4).

Airbag cover 54 is formed by for example olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, and makes it cover the rear side of housing 17.In addition, instrument carrier panel 14 is made up of upper plate 14a and lower plate 14b, and airbag cover 54 is arranged on the lower plate 14b side of instrument carrier panel 14, and airbag cover 54 comprises: door leaf portion 55 is arranged near the opening 18a of housing 17; Assembling sheet portion 58 and assembled wall portion 59 make airbag cover 54 assemble mutually with housing 17 by above-mentioned parts; And circumference 60 is arranged to be positioned on the left and right sides and upside of door leaf portion 55 peripheries.

Door leaf portion 55 forms slightly greater than the opening 18a of housing 17, and forms the essentially rectangular plate that covers opening 18a.In addition, in the present embodiment, door leaf portion 55 comprises: the thin expection portion 56 of breaking, see that from behind the expection portion 56 of breaking forms roughly H shape; And, articulated section 57, respectively along the upper limb and the lower edge setting of door leaf portion 55, with box lunch door leaf portion 55 is broken and when opening, constitute center of turn by articulated section 57, thereby door leaf portion 55 is opened to its upper limb and lower edge respectively, and thin expection portion 56 of breaking and articulated section 57 are along the circumference setting of door leaf portion 55.

The left and right sides in door leaf portion 55, with to the recessed mode of vehicle front, make circumference 60 lower, thereby become the plane with lower plate 14b surperficial basically identical backward, support the part (referring to Fig. 3) that lower plate 14b is positioned at door leaf portion 55 left and right sides simultaneously than the plane of door leaf portion 55.

Assembling sheet portion 58 is such, be arranged to stretch out forward, and with the outside adjacency of the upper wall portions 20 of enclosure body portion 18, and with the mode of lock claw 38 coupling, 4 positions along horizontally set, each is assembled sheet portion 58 and comprises that opening becomes the 58a of lockhole portion of essentially rectangular, so that pin lock claw 38 therein.In addition, each assembles the transverse width of sheet portion 58, sets to be of a size of to allow assembling sheet portion 58 to pass through hole 37 in the fabricated section 32.

Assembled wall portion 59 is such, be arranged to stretch out forward, and adjacent with the outside of the lower wall portion 21 of enclosure body portion 18, and comprise 4 separately opening become the 59a of lockhole portion of rectangle protrude 40 so that pin locking therein respectively.

As Fig. 3, shown in Figure 5, aerator 64 forms cylindrical shape, arranges by this way, make it axially roughly transversely extend, and aerator 64 is made up of large-diameter portion 64a and minor diameter 64b, and minor diameter 64b is stretched out from the lateral end of large-diameter portion 64a.In minor diameter 64b, form many exhausr port 64c, discharge expanding gas by exhausr port 64c.Under the situation of present embodiment, minor diameter 64b is arranged in the left end of large-diameter portion 64a.Form interface portion 64d in the right-hand member 64e of large-diameter portion 64a, adaptor union 66 is installed among the interface portion 64d, adaptor union 66 is connected with operation signal input lead 67, input lead 67 is used for being connected with the trigger circuit of air bag.In the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment, aerator 64 is contained in the body 18 by this way, and its right part 64e is stretched out from the right wall portion 23 of enclosure body portion 18.

As Fig. 6, shown in Figure 7, retainer 69 comprises: maintaining part 70 becomes general cylindrical shape by metal plate shape, it is arranged on the outside of aerator 64; And, two

bolt part

75,75, disposed thereon in the mode of protruding forward, thereby roughly with axially the meeting at right angles of maintaining part 70.

Maintaining part 70 forms general cylindrical shape, and it is axially roughly along horizontal expansion.With the mode of the outer peripheral face adjacency of the large-diameter portion 64a of aerator 64, respectively, in maintaining part 70, be positioned on the part of aerator 64 rear sides when on vehicle, installing, with along horizontal bolt part 75 corresponding two positions, formation adjacency section 71.See at longitudinal cross-section (with the axial vertical cross-sectional plane of maintaining part 70), each adjacency section 71 comprises two in abutting connection with the support portion 72, in the position of maintaining part 70 on the rear side of bolt part 75, along circumferentially generally perpendicularly the arranging of maintaining part 70 (referring to Fig. 2, Figure 19 A, Figure 19 B).Each 72 is such in abutting connection with the support portion, make it pass through to form to crooked this maintaining part 70 of aerator 64 sides (inside all sides), and, in the present embodiment, see at the circumferential interface of getting along maintaining part 70,72 form roughly semicircular arc in abutting connection with the support portion, thereby make the outer peripheral face of its terminal surface 72a and large-diameter portion 64a adjacent.In addition, in maintaining part 70, be positioned on the position of aerator 64 front sides, and the position between its bolt part 75,75, formation is as the through hole 70a of opening, 70a is opened into substantially elliptical with through hole, along horizontal expansion, when installing on vehicle, the support protrusion 30 that through hole 70a allows to form on the bottom wall portion 29 of enclosure body portion 18 passes through with its long axis direction.

In addition, with radially to projecting inward mode, salient 73 is formed near the position that is positioned at maintaining part 70 left ends, when inserting aerator 64 therein, makes the end location (referring to Fig. 3) of aerator 64 in direction of insertion.This salient 73 is such, makes the large-diameter portion 64a of itself and aerator 64 be positioned at the terminal surface 64f adjacency of minor diameter 64b side, and 64f is moved to the left with the confinement end face, thereby minor diameter 64b (exhausr port 64c) is positioned in the retainer 69.

In addition, in maintaining part 70, make the part at right-hand member place play the effect of inserting mouthful 70b, insert a mouthful 70b aerator 64 can be inserted in the maintaining part 70.In addition, constitute on the part of inserting mouth 70b periphery at maintaining part 70 right-hand member places, form lock claw 74 in such a way, make when retainer 69 is contained in the air bag 85, lock claw 74 inserts a mouthful otch 88 from the aerator that forms and stretches out air bag 85, so that lock claw 74 is locked in the peripheral region that inserts mouthful otch 88.Lock claw 74 is such, when finishing air bag 85 folding, stretch out from inserting a mouthful otch 88, and be arranged on such position, this position is, when projecting on the cross-sectional plane of being got along maintaining part 70 axial orthogonal directions (inserting the plane of the opening of mouthful otch 88) at lock claw 74, with bolt part 75 with respect to a point symmetry, perhaps, under the situation of present embodiment, when on vehicle, installing, be positioned near position, maintaining part 70 rear ends, as Fig. 3, Fig. 8 A.Under the situation of present embodiment, lock claw 74 forms L shaped, and comprises: proximal portion 74a, stretch out backward from maintaining part 70; And the hook sheet 74b of portion, begin bending from the end of proximal portion 74a, make it become mode (referring to Fig. 7, Fig. 8 A) in the sensing.In the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment; during assembly manipulation; to have the air bag 85 that retainer 69 is contained in wherein folds up; after being contained in air bag 85 in the housing 17; via the perforation 24a that in enclosure body portion 18, forms; from inserting a mouthful otch 88 aerator 64 is inserted into the air bag 85; thereby aerator 64 is injected in the maintaining part 70 of retainer 69; and; in this configuration; lock claw 74 is set, is offset the position of insertion mouthful otch 88 relatively with the maintaining part of avoiding being contained in the retainer 69 in the air bag 85 70.Especially, in the present embodiment, because lock claw 74 is arranged on, when making the lock claw project on the cross-sectional plane that maintaining part 70 axial orthogonal directions are got, lock claw 74 is positioned at the position with bolt part 75 relative point symmetries, when folding air bag 85 is contained in the enclosure body portion 18, front end 88a side and the rear end 88c side of inserting mouthful otch 88 are suffered restraints on lock claw 74 sides and bolt part 75 sides respectively, shown in Fig. 8 A, thereby, can make maintaining part 70 insert the position stability of mouthful otch 88 relatively.

Deviate from block piece 79 and be set in place housing 17 outer fix places, when discharging expanding gas, deviate from block piece 79 and stop aerators 64 to be deviate from from housing 17 in retainer 64 right-hand members.It is such deviating from block piece 79, and when the top was watched, it is roughly L shaped that it is formed, and, and comprise to shown in Figure 12 as Fig. 9: buckle portion 81 is arranged in such a way, with the end 64e of fastening aerator 64; Latch hook 82 is formed on the far-end (rear side end) of buckle portion 81; And fixed part 80, the near-end (front side end) that is arranged in buckle portion 81 is located.

Buckle portion 81 is such, it is arranged to extend longitudinally by this way, position in the nearly wall portion 24 right sides (right side of inflator end 64e) of the right wall portion 23 that is positioned at enclosure body portion 18, with axially roughly meeting at right angles of aerator 64, and it is tabular to form essentially rectangular, and it vertically extends in vertical (direction that bolt part 75 is stretched out) of vehicle.Near the center of buckle portion 81, form opening 81a by this way, so that the interface portion 64d that protrudes from the end face 64g of inflator end 64e can stretch out from here.This opening 81a forms substantially elliptical, and its long axis direction roughly extends longitudinally, and is configured to, and fastening is positioned at the position (referring to Figure 13) on the inflator end 64e end face 64g on the interface portion 64d periphery.Under the situation of present embodiment, the vertical openings width dimensions of opening 81a is set at the outside dimension less than large-diameter portion 64a.In addition, in the vertical margin portion of buckle portion 81, be arranged in such a way flange part 81b, 81b, it is stretched out to enclosure body portion 18 sides.Under the situation of present embodiment, as Figure 10, shown in Figure 15, by this way flange part 81b, 81b are arranged to the bevelled pattern, it is expanded to enclosure body portion 18 sides opens, near the upside and downside that are arranged in the aerator 64 end 64e that stretch out enclosure body portion 18, thereby when discharging expanding gas, suppress the vertical shifting of aerator 64.

Fixed part 80 stretches out from the front end of buckle portion 81 in the horizontal, and is arranged on the outside (front side) of bottom wall portion 29 of enclosure body portion 18.Perforation 80a is set in fixed part 80, along the slotted hole of horizontally set, is used to make the right bolt part 75R of retainer 69 to pass wherein as roughly.When nut 76 being fastened to bolt part 75 (75R) in the retainer 69 and going up, fixed part 80 and retainer 69 are tightened together, thereby be fixed in enclosure body portion 18.In deviating from the block piece 79 of present embodiment, when in enclosure body portion 18, installing, because bolt part 75R is designed to pass perforation 80a again after latch hook 82 has been locked in the right wall portion 23, so, in order to improve the operability when aerator is installed, perforation 80a is formed slotted hole along horizontal expansion.

It is tabular that fastening part 81 forms essentially rectangular, is arranged to roughly the axially perpendicular of vertical (direction that bolt part 75 is stretched out) of extending along longitudinal direction of car and aerator 64.Near the center of fastening part 81, form opening 81a, the interface portion 64d of aerator 64 can therefrom be stretched out.This opening 81a forms ellipse, its long axis direction roughly extends along longitudinal direction of car, and, be outside dimension with the vertical openings width setup of opening 81a, so that can fasten the end face of aerator 64 end 64e by its circumference less than large-diameter portion 64a.In addition, lower edge on fastening part 81 is arranged in such a way flange

part

81b, 81b, and it is stretched out to enclosure body portion 18 sides.Under the situation of present embodiment, as shown in figure 15, by this way flange

part

81b, 81b are arranged to the bevelled pattern, it is expanded to enclosure body portion 18 sides opens, near the upside and downside that are arranged in the aerator 64 end 64e that stretch out enclosure body portion 18, thereby when discharging expanding gas, suppress the vertical shifting of aerator 64.

Form latch hook 82 by this way, it is stretched out near fastening part 81 vertical centres backward, and under the situation of present embodiment, latch hook 82 forms at longitudinal extension, and sees at cross-sectional plane, then curves roughly Z-shaped.Latch hook 82 comprises: neck 83, and with regard to its vertical width size, neck 83 is narrower, and is arranged on the nearside of latch hook 82; And head 84 with regard to the vertical width size, makes head 84 wideer than neck 83, and is arranged on the distal side of neck.Under the situation of present embodiment, latch hook 82 in the zone of neck 83 to the inside of enclosure body portion 18 (left) bending, afterwards, again to the outside of housing (to the right) bending, so that the terminal 84a of head 84 points to the right side, thereby it is roughly Z-shaped that neck 82 is formed on the cross section.In addition, latch hook 82 is inserted from the perforation 27 that forms the right wall portion 23 of enclosure body portion 18, and, shown in long and two-short dash line among Figure 14, at the terminal 84a place of head 84, make the abutment of latch hook 82 and right wall portion 23, make neck 83 be inserted among the narrower part 27b of perforation 27.Perforation 27 in enclosure body portion 18 is such, it is formed on is positioned at the position that makes skew wall portion 26 on the perforation 24a periphery that aerator can pass through, and form the upset T shape of nearly wall portion 24 side broads, perforation 27 comprises that the A/F size that has can be by the wider part 27a of latch hook 82 heads 84, and the A/F size that has can only be by the narrower part 27b of latch hook 82 necks 83, thereby be locked on the periphery of narrower part 27b at head 84 places by this way, so that can not deviate from the adjacent head 84 of the inside face of wall far away portion 25.In addition, in the present embodiment, shown in the two imaginary point lines among Figure 14, before fastening nut 76, latch hook 82 is arranged to such mode, make the abutment of terminal 84a and wall portion 25 far away, in the time of on nut 76 being fastened to bolt part 75R, latch hook 82 is locked in the enclosure body portion 18 by this way, make from assign to the part of head 84 to head 84 sidepieces of the neck 83 of the outside bending (to the right) of housing, Wan Zhe part like this to interior all sides (left) deflection of body 18, makes the terminal 84a of head 84 and the inside face of right wall portion 23 keep press contacts, thereby can reduce the generation of abnormal noise, otherwise when vehicle operating, the vibration that causes by the right wall of head 84 bump portion 23 is with the exception throw noise.

In embodiments of the present invention; air bag 85 is such; form by polyester or the thread flexible Woven fabric of polyamide; and; when finishing its expansion, it is tabular that air bag 85 is launched into essentially rectangular, shown in the long and two-short dash line among Fig. 1, Fig. 4; like this, the transverse width dimension that has of air bag 85 is enough to protect two knee KL, the KR of chaufeur MD.Under the situation of present embodiment, air bag 85 is formed with the vehicle body side wall portion 85b that is positioned at post cover 13 sides that constitute a vehicle body part by finish the occupant's side wall portion 85a that is positioned at occupant MD side when it expands when air bag 85, and, air bag 85 forms flat air bag, and wherein the profile of each 85a of wall portion, 85b is roughly the same each other.Under the situation of present embodiment, as Figure 16, shown in Figure 17, air bag 85 comprises: installation portion 86, and when air bag 85 was finished its expansion, installation portion 86 was arranged in the enclosure body portion 18; And protection bulge 91, when air bag 85 was finished its expansion, protection bulge 91 stretched out backward from the opening 18a of body 18, with knee KL, the KR of protection chaufeur MD.

As shown in figure 16, on vehicle body side wall portion 85b, in installation portion 86 positions, form two perforation 87,87, insert mouthful otch 88 and through hole 89, insert a mouthful otch 88 and form shape of slit, allow to insert aerator.Perforation 87,87 makes the bolt part 75 on the retainer 69 pass through respectively.It is such inserting a mouthful otch 88, when air bag 85 is flattened into individual unit, makes and inserts the straight line (referring to Figure 16) that mouthful otch 88 forms horizontal expansion; And when being installed on the vehicle after air bag 85 is folding, then insert a mouthful otch 88 to form and roughly extend longitudinally, shown in Fig. 8 A.Under the situation of present embodiment, form to insert a mouthful otch 88 by this way, make the outside dimension D1 (referring to Fig. 3) of its length dimension L1 greater than the large-diameter portion 64a of aerator 64.In addition, form by this way and insert a mouthful otch 88, make retainer 69 hold air bag 85 wherein, under the state of folding up, the lock claw 74 on the retainer 69 can stretch out from right-hand member (being front end when being installed on the vehicle) 88a.That is to say, make retainer 69 hold wherein air bag 85 when flattened, the end of maintaining part 70 (inserting a mouthful 70b) is arranged on the left end that inserts mouthful otch 88 (on being installed in vehicle time be the rear end) 88c (referring to Figure 16).In addition, under the situation of present embodiment,, near insertion mouthful otch 88 centers, form the through hole 88b of minor diameter in the mode that is communicated with otch 88.Consider the insertion work that makes aerator 64 to be more prone to and form this through hole 88b.The support protrusion 30 that through hole 89 is used to allow to form on the bottom wall portion 29 of enclosure body portion 18 passes through, and is formed on by this way between the through hole 87,87, makes its opening become substantially elliptical, and long axis direction is roughly along horizontal expansion.

In the air bag 85 of present embodiment, along the mode of horizontal expansion, two

bundle portions

93,94 are set in air bag 85 with roughly.Bundle portion 93 is set air bag 85 is divided into installation portion 86 and protection bulge 91, is divided into the upper and lower with the zone that will protect bulge 91 and bundle portion 94 is set.Form a plurality of

air extractor vent

93a, 94a in

bundle portion

93,94 respectively, it can pass through expanding gas.

Below, the air bag assembly parts SA of the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment is formed in description.At first, the air bag 85 that the maintaining part 70 of retainer 69 has been installed is therein folded.Particularly, at first, shown in Figure 18 A, Figure 18 B, air bag 85 flattens into the mode that occupant's side wall portion 85a and vehicle body side wall portion 85b stack each other, by upper limb being rolls-up onto vehicle body side wall portion 85b side, air bag 85 folding rolling are formed laterally folded, to reduce vertical width dimensions.Afterwards, shown in Figure 18 B, Figure 18 C, by the air bag of so folding rolling, fold in the following manner, make its left side and right side fold into to form on the vehicle body side wall portion 85b side longitudinal folding, to reduce transverse width dimension.Then, shown in Figure 18 C, 18D, when the front side that will constitute retainer 69 partially folded is on occupant's side wall portion 85a side, promptly can finish the folding of air bag.At this moment, be arranged on the lock claw 74 on the maintaining part 70, stretch out, be locked to the periphery (referring to Figure 18 A to 18D) that inserts mouthful otch 88 with remaining lock claw 74 from the front end (right-hand member) that inserts mouthful otch 88.Afterwards, twine folding air bag 85 with the winding material that can rupture, winding material is not shown, is used to avoid the folding of air bag to scatter.At this moment, bolt part 75 is still stretched out from winding material, and still exposes in winding material and insert mouthful otch 88 and through hole 89.

After this, shown in Fig. 8 B, folding air bag 85 is received in the housing 17 by this way, makes bolt part 75 stretch out from perforation 29a.At this moment, the support that is formed in the shell bottom wall portion 29 gives prominence to 30, after the through hole 89 and the through hole 70a in the retainer 69 in passing air bag 85, is arranged to protrude into interior all sides (referring to Fig. 8 B) of retainer 69.Afterwards, making after aerator 64 is passed in the perforation 24a that forms in the right wall of housing 17 portion 23,, aerator 64 is inserted into from exhausr port 64c side (enters in the maintaining part 70 of retainer 69) (referring to Figure 19 A) the air bag 85 by inserting a mouthful otch 88.At this moment, continue to insert aerator 64, till salient 73 adjacency that form on the terminal surface 64f of large-diameter portion 64a and the maintaining part 70 at retainer 69.

Then, assembling airbag cover 54 and housing 17.In this case, at first, the assembling sheet portion 58 of airbag cover 54 is inserted through hole 37 in the housing 17 respectively, make lock claw 38 be inserted in the 58a of lockhole portion that forms in the assembling sheet portion 58 respectively, thereby make on its periphery that is locked in the 58a of lockhole portion.Make locking protrude 40 and be inserted in the 59a of lockhole portion that forms in the assembled wall portion 59 respectively thereafter.Then, will deviate from block piece 79 and be installed to housing 17.In this case, at first, the head 84 of latch hook 82 is inserted in the wider part 27a of the perforation 27 that forms in the right wall of housing 17 portion 23, and, by neck 83 is passed narrower part 27b, make head 84 be locked on the periphery of perforation 27.Then, by around as near the neck 83 of center of turn, rotating manner moves fixed part 80 sides, makes right bolt part 75R be passed in perforation 80a in the fixed part 80, makes block piece 79 to be arranged in the outside of housing 17.At this moment, the head 84 of latch hook 82 forms this mode, makes the abutment of terminal 84a and right wall portion 23 (wall portions 25 far away).In addition, when being fastened to nut 76 on the bolt part 75, for part from head 84 to head 84 sidepieces of the neck 83 of outside bending (to the right) that assign to, Wan Zhe part is to interior all side deflections (left) of body 18 like this, and the head 84 that makes latch hook 82 by this way is in the inside face press contacts of its terminal 84a place and right wall portion 23.

, by this way arrange fasteners 50, make insertion section 52 inject locking respectively from the front side of housing 17 and protrude the patchhole 40b of 40 (protruding) from assembled wall portion 59 thereafter; And make bolt part 75 be passed in the perforation 51a in the fixed part 51 respectively.After this, by this way, arrange right panel portion 44 and the left board 46 of forming lap board 43, make bolt

41a pass perforation

44a, 46a respectively.Afterwards, in the time of on nut 42,76 being fastened to bolt part 75 and bolt part 41a respectively, can be assembled into air bag assembly parts SA.

Fastening on period at nut 76, in the latch hook 82 of deviating from block piece 79, it mainly is the part that comprises from the head 84 side part 83a of neck 83 to head 84, inside face (left side) deflection to body 18, and, the terminal 84a of head 84 is arranged to such mode so that itself and be positioned at the inside face press contacts of the wall far away portion 25 on perforation 27 the periphery.In addition, shown in Figure 19 A, Figure 19 B, when fastening nut 76, retainer 69 makes maintaining part 70 in aerator 64 outer setting to bottom wall portion 29 side shiftings.That is, such state occurs, comparatively speaking, the support that forms on bottom wall portion 29 protrudes 30, to pusher aerator 64, and the outer peripheral face adjacency of its terminal part 30a and aerator 64.So, each that makes aerator 64 and the adjacency section 71 that on maintaining part 70, forms in abutting connection with the support portion 72 terminal surface 72a adjacent, take this, by being provided with on the rear side of aerator 64 four are 72 terminal surface 72a in abutting connection with the support portion, and 30 terminal surface 30a is protruded in the single support that is provided with on the front side of aerator 64, aerator 64 is kept, thereby aerator 64 is held frame 69 constraints.Although should be noted that in Figure 19 A, Figure 19 B to be omitted, the fixed part 51 of fasteners 50 and the fixed part 80 of deviating from block piece 79 all place between shell bottom wall portion 29 and the nut 76.

Then, utilize

support

4,5,6, with the air bag assembly parts SA that assembles as previously mentioned, be fixedly mounted in vehicle body 1 side, simultaneously, will be connected with the interface portion 64d that lead-in wire 67 adaptor union 66 is connected to aerator 64, interface portion 64d is exposed to the opening 81a in block piece 79 fastening parts 81.Thereafter, after instrument carrier panel 14 and lower cover 15 (referring to Fig. 1, Fig. 2) were installed, airbag apparatus S installed on vehicle.

After airbag apparatus S was installed on the vehicle, when being input to operation signal in the aerator 64 via lead-in wire 67, the exhausr port 64c discharge expanding gas from aerator 64 then, allowed expanding gas to flow in the air bag 85.Then, air bag 85 is expanded so that unshowned winding material ruptures, the door leaf portion 55 of compression bladder lid 54 is open door leaf portion 55 at fracture expection portion 56 places.After this, door leaf portion 55 centers on and opens as articulated section 57 vertical modes of center of turn, thereby air bag 85 is launched and expansion, shown in long and two-short dash line among Fig. 1, Fig. 4.

So; in the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment; when aerator 64 and air bag 85 are fixed to housing 17; the bolt part 75 of stretching out from air bag 85 on the retainer 69; from stretching out as the bottom wall portion 29 of housing 17 fixing wall portion; thereafter; when when bolt part 75 tightens nut 76; make maintaining part 70 in aerator 64 outer setting to bottom wall portion 29 side shiftings; thereby, in keeping in abutting connection with support portion 72 and between the support that forms on the bottom wall portion 29 protrudes 30 and constraint aerator 64 of the adjacency section 71 that forms on the maintaining part 70.That is to say, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, along with fastening nut 76 air bag 85 and retainer 69 are fixed in the bottom wall portion 29 of housing 17, also can retrain aerator 64 by retainer 69 simultaneously, take this, can save fixing work necessary in conventional example.As a result, can reduce needed man-hour of assembling airbag apparatus S.

Therefore,, allow to avoid fixing the requirement of operation simultaneously by retainer 69 constraint aerators 64 according to the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, thereby can reduce the assembler time.

In addition, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, along with making retainer 69 be fixed to housing 17, simultaneously also by retainer 69 constraint aerators 64.Particularly, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, as previously discussed, S is designed to airbag apparatus, after the air bag 85 that will wherein only hold retainer 69 and fold up is contained in the housing 17, by the insertion mouth otch 88 in air bag 85, aerator 64 is inserted in the retainer 69, assembling airbag apparatus S, therefore, the air bag 85 that wherein is combined with retainer 69 is assembled up as assembly parts with housing 17, thereby, can finish the operation that only aerator 64 is assembled to air bag 85 and retainer 69 assembly parties in different places.

In addition, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, see at the cross-sectional plane of getting with the direction of the axial orthogonal of maintaining part 70, the adjacency section 71 that on the maintaining part 70 of retainer 69, forms in abutting connection with the support portion 72, be arranged in and bolt part 75 cooresponding two positions.Thus, see at the cross-sectional plane of getting with the direction of the axial orthogonal of maintaining part 70, by circumferentially being provided with in aerator rear side upper edge two protrude 30 in abutting connection with support portion 72,72 and the support that is provided with on aerator 64 front sides, aerator 64 is retrained, take this, because three some place support and inflation devices 64 that can circumferentially distribute on the edge, so, aerator 64 can more stably be retrained by retainer 69.Should be noted that and under the situation of not considering above-mentioned advantage, also can adopt following configuration, wherein, see at the cross-sectional plane of getting with the direction of the axial orthogonal of maintaining part 70, only be provided with in abutting connection with the support portion, thereby locating the support and inflation device along circumferential 2 of maintaining part 70 a position.In addition, different with it, also can adopt the configurations that two supports are protruded upwards are being set in week, thereby protrude and the single aerator that retrains in abutting connection with the support portion by two supports.Even under the situation that adopts this configuration, because at three some place support and inflation devices along circumferential distribution, so, can stably retrain aerator by retainer.

In addition, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, the bolt part 75 of retainer 69 is arranged on two positions along maintaining part 70 axial distribution, is formed in the shell bottom wall portion 29 and support protrusion 30, between perforation 29a, the 29a that bolt part 75 can be passed through.Thus, when assembling air bag assembly parts SA, be contained in wherein air bag 85 and fold up and be contained in the housing 17 only having retainer 69, in the case, retainer 69 has two

bolt part

75,75 of passing air bag 85, make retainer 69 stablize the position of its relative air bag 85, take this, making bolt part 75 stretch out the work of bottom wall portion 29 can be more easy.Certainly, under the situation of not considering this advantage, also can adopt following configuration, wherein, only bolt part is set a position.

In addition, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, through hole 89 is set in air bag 85, the support protrusion 30 that through hole 89 allows to form in shell bottom wall portion 29 passes through.That is to say, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, because make the outer peripheral face that supports protrusion 30 and aerator 64 adjacent, and there is not the base fabric that constitutes air bag 85 therebetween, so, support and protrude the influence that 30 base fabrics that do not constituted air bag 85 wear out, thereby can make the fastening force of nut 76 stable, take this, can stably retrain aerator 64 by retainer 69.Certainly, when not considering this advantage, also can adopt a kind of configuration, wherein, on air bag 85, not form through hole 89, thereby make the base fabric that constitutes air bag 85 still between supporting between protrusion 30 and the aerator 64.

In addition, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, set gap HO, make its gauge t1 more than or equal to the base fabric that constitutes air bag 85, when making fastening nut 76, air bag 85 can be fastened between the maintaining part 70 of shell bottom wall portion 29 and retainer 69.Particularly, under the situation of present embodiment, the gap HO between shell bottom wall portion 29 and the maintaining part 70, be set at gauge t1 greater than base fabric, thereby, when fastening nut 76, between air bag 85 and shell bottom wall portion 29 (perhaps maintaining part 70), form gap H1 (referring to Fig. 3).The preferred this fastening force that is configured to keep nut 76, and do not constituted the aging influence of the base fabric of air bag 85 as far as possible.It should be noted that, although in the present embodiment, when fastening nut 76, between air bag 85 and shell bottom wall portion 29 (perhaps maintaining part 70), form gap H1, but also can adopt a kind of configuration, wherein, the gap HO between shell bottom wall portion 29 and the maintaining part 70 is set at the gauge t1 of the base fabric that equals to constitute air bag 85 substantially, thereby between air bag 85 and shell bottom wall portion 29 (perhaps maintaining part 70), does not form the gap.So, in this configuration, on the maintaining part 70 of retainer 69, constitute the position of bolt part 75 peripheries, by retainer 69 constraint air bags 85, thereby air bag 85 is fixed in enclosure body portion 18.

Then, in the knee air bag device S of present embodiment, even when discharging expanding gas, aerator 64 tends to make its end 64e that inserts adaptor union 66 to move in such a way, promptly make end 64e stretch out perforation 24a, by being arranged to the axially roughly rectangular buckle portion 81 of deviating from block piece 79 with aerator 64, the end 64e of fastening aerator 64.Because by bolt part 75 buckle portion 81 is anchored on shell bottom wall portion 29 with retainer 69 in buckle portion 81 front sides, simultaneously, by head 84 at the latch hook 82 of buckle portion 81 rear sides, buckle portion 81 is locked on the periphery of the right wall of housing portion 23 middle punches 27, not only limit buckle portion 81 and move right, and limit it and be moved to the left.Thus, suppress aerators 64 move right (moving axially to the right) by buckle portion 81.The result, as adopting in the present embodiment, even so construct aerator 64, maintaining part 70 by retainer 69 when keeping on its outer peripheral face retrains aerators 64, but also can retrain fixedly aerator 64, it can not moved along its axis when discharging expanding gas and stretch out housing 17.

Therefore, according to the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment, even also can firmly retrain aerator 64 when discharging gas.

In addition, in the knee air bag device S of present embodiment, because block piece 79 is deviate from configuration like this, by the latch hook 82 and the fixed part 80 that is fixed in housing 17 that are locked on perforation 27 peripheries, make block piece 79 to be fixed in housing 17, wherein, in the time of on the bolt part 75R that nut 76 is fastened to retainer 69, fixed part 80 and retainer 69 are fastened together, so, when the fastening work of finishing nut 76 is fixed in housing 17 with retainer 69, also can be fixed in housing 17, thereby can reduces the man-hour that is used to assemble airbag apparatus deviating from block piece 79.

In addition; in the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment; by latch hook 82 being passed perforation 27, make the latch hook 82 of block piece 79 to be locked on the periphery of perforation 27, make the terminal 84a of head 84 from interior all sides of housing 17 and wall far away portion 25 press contacts that are positioned on perforation 27 peripheries.That is to say, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment,, on housing 17 inside faces, the terminal 84a of latch hook 82 is supported, can stop buckle portion 81 to move axially as much as possible along aerator 64 because be positioned at position on perforation 27 peripheries in wall portion 25 far away.In addition, because the terminal 84a of latch hook 82 heads 84, be in press contacts with wall far away portion 25 on the circumference that is positioned at perforation 27, so, can reduce the generation of abnormal noise, otherwise can the exception throw noise by latch hook 82 and housing 17 bump vibrations when vehicle operating.

It should be noted that; in the present embodiment; although described a kind of airbag apparatus for protecting knee S; wherein; the air bag 85 that its inside is only accommodated retainer 69 fold up be contained in housing 17 inside after; maintaining part 70 constraint aerators 64 by retainer 69 are not limited thereto but can use air bag of the present invention, and the present invention also can be applied to such airbag apparatus for protecting knee; wherein; keep aerator and need not then, retainer and aerator be contained in the air bag by retainer by other supports that fix in the desired location; then; folded airbag thereafter, is contained in the air bag that folds in the housing again.

In addition; in the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment; because when finishing air bag 85 folding; the lock claw 74 that forms on the maintaining part 70 of retainer 69 stretches out from the insertion mouth otch 88 air bag 85; make it be locked in the periphery that inserts mouthful otch 88, so, when air bag 85 is contained in the housing 17; insert mouthful lock claw 74 of otch 88 peripheral regions by being locked in, the position that can avoid maintaining part 70 to insert mouthful otch 88 relatively is offset (referring to Fig. 8 B).In addition; in the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment; shown in Fig. 8 A, Fig. 8 B; because aerator inserts the center and center shaft (through hole 88b) basically identical that inserts mouthful otch 88 of mouthful 70b in maintaining part 70; so, when will folding air bag 85 being contained in the housing 17, make after aerator 64 passes perforation 24a in the housing 17; when when the insertion mouth otch 88 air bag 85 inserts aerator 64, the inside that aerator 64 can be inserted maintaining parts 70.

Therefore, according to the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment, can after the air bag 85 that folds be contained in the housing 17, aerator 64 be installed on housing 17, thereby the good operability when aerator 64 is installed is provided.

In addition; in the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment; to lock claw 74 and be arranged on front end; make when being contained in retainer 69 air bag 85 from wherein stretching out such mode with bolt part 75; project on the plane of the opening that inserts mouthful otch 88 (cross-sectional plane of getting with the direction of the axial orthogonal of maintaining part 70) at lock claw 74; under this state, with respect to the open centre (through hole 88b) as the insertion mouth otch 88 at point symmetry center, lock claw 74 and bolt part 75 be symmetry roughly.That is to say; in the airbag apparatus for protecting knee S of present embodiment; because by lock claw 74 and bolt part 75; insertion mouth otch 88 former and later two positions that are being mutually symmetrical with respect to through hole 88b center respectively as the point symmetry center; insertion mouth otch 88 in the air bag 85 is retrained; even when inserting aerator 64; aerator 64 bumps insert the periphery of mouthful otch 88; also be difficult to make the periphery skew of inserting mouthful otch 88; thereby can make the open centre of inserting mouthful otch 88 consistent each other with the aerator insertion mouthful 70b of maintaining part 70; thereby aerator 64 can insert the inside of maintaining part 70 more swimmingly.Certainly, under the situation of not considering this advantage, also can adopt a kind of like this configuration, wherein, the lock claw is set in place in the position of inserting mouthful cutting shoulder or lower edge.

In addition, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, through hole 89 is set in air bag 85, making the support that forms in shell bottom wall portion 29 protrude 30 can pass through.That is to say, in the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, because make the direct adjacency of periphery that supports protrusion 30 and aerator 64, there is not the base fabric that constitutes air bag 85 therebetween, so, support and protrude the influence that 30 base fabrics that do not constituted air bag 85 wear out, thereby can make the fastening force of nut 76 stable, thereby can stably retrain aerator 64 by retainer 69.It should be noted that, under the situation of the airbag apparatus S of present embodiment, when fastening nut 76, although between the fixed part 70 of shell bottom wall portion 29 and retainer 69, do not carry out fastening to air bag 85, but be positioned at the position of bolt part 75 peripheries in the maintaining part 70 of retainer 69, by retainer 69 constraint air bags 85, thereby make air bag 85 be fixed in enclosure body portion 18.

In addition; in the airbag apparatus for protecting knee of present embodiment, although the insertion mouth otch 88 in the air bag 85 forms shape of slit, the shape of inserting mouth 88 is not limited thereto certainly; therefore, it is circular can insert the hole of aerator also an insertion mouthful otch can be arranged to opening.Form under the situation as the shape of slit of present embodiment inserting mouthful otch 88, can improve the operability when producing, and, the same with the situation of in the present embodiment airbag apparatus S, be arranged at insertion mouthful otch 88 under the situation of the direction of extending along air bag 85 expansion directions, because, when launching, inserting by air bag 85 near the tension force that forms mouthful otch 88, act on to make and insert on mouthful direction of otch 88 closures, strengthened leak tightness, so, in the present embodiment, make an insertion mouthful otch 88 form shape of slit.But insert a mouthful otch 88 and be not limited to slit shape.Preferably, be arranged to make its direction to extend with inserting mouthful otch along deployment balloon.

Claims

1. the assembly method of an airbag apparatus, described airbag apparatus comprises: folding air bag; Be used for aerator to the general cylindrical shape of described air bag supply gas; And the housing that metal sheet is made holds described air bag and described aerator therein; And the retainer that metal sheet is made is included in the maintaining part of the general cylindrical shape that described aerator wherein is set, and with the axial perpendicular bolt part of stretching out of described maintaining part, described assembly method may further comprise the steps:

Described retainer is contained in the described air bag of folded state, makes described bolt part stretch out from described air bag;

Described air bag is received in the described housing;

Described bolt part is passed in the perforation that forms on the fixing wall portion of described housing; And

Nut is fastened on the described bolt part,, wherein,, simultaneously, retrains described aerator basically by described retainer along with described retainer is fixed in described fixing wall portion so that described retainer is fixed in described fixing wall portion.

2. airbag apparatus assembly method according to claim 1 further comprises the steps:

Folding described air bag is contained in the described air bag the described maintaining part of described retainer, locks claw simultaneously and stretches out in the axial end of described maintaining part;

Described air bag is contained in described housing;

Described lock claw is locked in the periphery of patchhole, thereby makes the aerator of described maintaining part insert the center shaft of mouth and the axle basically identical that inserts in the hole of described air bag; And

Pass the perforation in the described housing, described aerator is inserted described air bag from the described patchhole of described air bag.

3. airbag apparatus assembly method according to claim 1 further comprises the steps:

Be provided with block piece, describedly deviate from that block piece has buckle portion, the latch hook that forms in described buckle portion and from the fixed part of described buckle portion continuity;

Described latch hook is inserted in the perforation of described retainer side; And

By described nut is fastened on the described bolt, described fixed part is fastened on described housing, make the end of the described aerator of described buckle portion's fastening.

4. airbag apparatus comprises:

Folding air bag;

Aerator with general cylindrical shape shape is used for providing gas to described air bag;

The housing that metal sheet is made wherein holds described air bag and described aerator; And

The retainer that metal sheet is made is included in the maintaining part of the general cylindrical shape that described aerator wherein is set, and with the axial perpendicular bolt part of stretching out of described maintaining part;

Wherein said retainer is contained in the air bag of folded state, and described bolt part is stretched out from described air bag;

The described air bag that wherein has described retainer is contained in the described housing,

Described bolt part is passed in the perforation that forms on the fixing wall portion of described housing, and

Nut is anchored on described bolt part,,, simultaneously, retrains described aerator basically by described retainer wherein along with described retainer is fixed in described fixing wall portion so that described retainer is fixed in described fixing wall portion; And

Wherein, the position of departing from described perforation on described aerator is axial on described fixing wall portion, forms the support protrusion that stretches out towards described aerator, and

When fastening described nut, make described maintaining part when described fixing wall portion moves by fastening described nut, partly fix by the described aerator between the adjacency section that forms in described maintaining part and described support are protruded, described aerator is fixed in described fixing wall portion.

5. airbag apparatus according to claim 4 wherein, in the cross-sectional plane axial perpendicular to described maintaining part, along the periphery of described maintaining part, forms a pair of described adjacency section, makes described adjacency section relative with described bolt part.

6. airbag apparatus according to claim 4 wherein, axially is provided with a pair of described bolt part along described maintaining part described, and

Described support is protruded and is set between a pair of described perforation on the described fixing wall portion.

7. airbag apparatus comprises:

Folding air bag;

Aerator has the general cylindrical shape shape, is used for providing gas to described air bag;

Nut is anchored on described bolt part,,, simultaneously, retrains described aerator basically by described retainer wherein along with described retainer is fixed in described fixing wall portion so that described retainer is fixed in described fixing wall portion;

Wherein, provide block piece, described deviate from block piece and have buckle portion, be formed in the described buckle portion latch hook and from the fixed part of described buckle portion continuity; And

Wherein said latch hook is inserted in the perforation that is positioned at described retainer side, and

By nut being anchored on described bolt part, described fixed part is fixed in described housing, make the end of the described aerator of described buckle portion's fastening.

8. airbag apparatus according to claim 7 wherein, is describedly deviate from block piece and is formed by metal sheet, and

Wherein, the perforation of inserting described latch hook is positioned near the perforation, make described latch hook on described shell inner surface with wall portion press contacts.

9. airbag apparatus comprises:

Folding air bag;

The described air bag that described retainer wherein is housed is contained in the described housing,

Wherein, folding described air bag is contained in the described air bag the described maintaining part of described retainer, locks claw simultaneously and stretches out in the axial end of described maintaining part;

Described air bag is contained in described housing;

Pass the perforation in the described housing, the described patchhole from described air bag inserts described air bag with described aerator.

10. airbag apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, under described retainer is contained in state in the described air bag, when described lock claw and described bolt part project to perpendicular to the axial common plane of described aerator, described lock claw is arranged on such position, and this position is roughly symmetrical around described patchhole center and the described bolt part as the point symmetry center.

11. an airbag apparatus comprises:

Folding air bag;

The aerator of general cylindrical shape is used for to described air bag supply gas;

The housing that metal sheet is made holds described air bag and described aerator therein; And

Wherein, described aerator and described retainer are contained in the described air bag, make described bolt part stretch out, and pass the perforation on the fixing wall portion of described housing from described air bag,

Nut is fastened on the described bolt part, so that described air bag and described aerator are fixed in described fixing wall portion,

The position of departing from described perforation on described aerator is axial on described fixing wall portion, forms the support of protruding to described aerator and protrudes, and

Wherein, when making described maintaining part when described fixing wall portion moves by fastening described nut,

When the described aerator between the adjacency section of described maintaining part and described support are protruded partly fixes, make described aerator be fixed in described fixing wall portion.

12. airbag apparatus according to claim 11 wherein, in the cross-sectional plane axial perpendicular to described maintaining part, along the periphery of described maintaining part, forms a pair of described adjacency section, makes described adjacency section relative with described bolt part.

13. airbag apparatus according to claim 11 wherein, axially is provided with a pair of described bolt part along described maintaining part described, and

Described support protrusion is arranged between a pair of described perforation on the described fixing wall portion.

14. an airbag apparatus comprises:

Folding air bag;

The aerator of general cylindrical shape has: be arranged on the exhausr port of its first end, be used for to described air bag supply gas; And the adaptor union that is installed in its second end, be connected with the trigger circuit of air bag by lead-in wire, wherein, described aerator is contained in the described housing, makes the bolt part that on retainer, is provided with pass the fixing wall portion of described housing, and, the perforation that described second end of described aerator forms from described housing is stretched out, then, when nut being fastened on the described bolt part, described aerator is fixed in described housing by described retainer;

Be arranged on the block piece of deviating from the described hull outside, be used for described first end that the described aerator of fastening stretches out described perforation, deviate from from described housing, describedly deviate from block piece and comprise to stop described aerator:

Buckle portion perpendicular to extending axially of described aerator, is used for described first end of the described aerator of fastening, and described buckle portion comprises opening, by this opening described adaptor union is connected with described aerator, and

Fixed part begins along axially the extending continuously of described aerator from described buckle portion, and when described nut was fastened to described bolt part, described fixed part was fixed in described housing; And

Latch hook is arranged in the described buckle portion, is used to be locked in described housing, to limit described buckle portion described aerator moving on axially.

15. airbag apparatus according to claim 14 wherein, is describedly deviate from block piece and is made by metal sheet, and

Wherein, the described perforation of inserting described latch hook is positioned near the perforation, make described latch hook on described shell inner surface with wall portion press contacts.

16. an airbag apparatus comprises:

Folding air bag;

Wherein,, insert by the perforation on patchhole on the described air bag and the described housing accommodating folding described air bag under the state of described retainer, and

Wherein, when described air bag is contained in the described housing, make the lock claw that stretches out in the axial end of described maintaining part be locked in the periphery of the described patchhole of described air bag, thereby make the described aerator of described maintaining part insert the center shaft of mouth and the center shaft basically identical of described patchhole.

17. airbag apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, under described retainer is contained in state in the described air bag, when making described lock claw and described bolt part project to perpendicular to the axial common plane of described aerator, described lock claw is arranged on such position, and this position is roughly symmetrical around described patchhole center and the described bolt part as the point symmetry center.