JP2001063513A - Vehicular side air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily manufacture an air bag body by setting a gas passage in the folding-back direction to the gas blowout direction of an inflator from a position separated from the inflator in a part closest to the inflator in the air bag body. SOLUTION: The inside of the air bag body 10 is provided with a main gas passage A extending along a side roof rail 4 through a rear pillar 3 from a gas blowout port 11a of the inflator 11 by a sewing part and branch gas passages C, D, E for suspending the air bag body 10 at inflating/unfolding time by branching off from the main gas passage A. An inlet of the brunch gas passage E closest to the inflator 11 is formed in a position corresponding to a roof side trim separated from the inflator 11, and the branch gas passage E from the inlet is formed in the folding-back direction to the gas blowout direction of the inflator 11. Performance of base cloth for forming the air bag body is not enhanced excessively so that the air bag body can be easily manufactured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a side airbag device for a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Side roof rails are arranged at portions corresponding to the head of an occupant in a vehicle body, and a side airbag device is provided along the side roof rail to protect an occupant in a side collision. (Refer to JP-A-10-181512 as a similar technique). This type of side airbag device has a structure in which a bag-shaped airbag body is disposed in a folded state along a vehicle interior side from a pillar to a side roof rail, and an inflator is connected to an end of the airbag body. Has become. Inside the airbag body, a plurality of gas flow paths are defined by sewing portions or welding portions. Then, at the time of a side collision, gas is blown out of the inflator into the airbag body, and a plurality of gas flow paths defined inside the airbag body are inflated in order from a side closer to the inflator, and finally the airbag is inflated. The main body is inflated and deployed downward to form a curtain, thereby protecting the occupant's head.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional technique, the gas flow path inside the airbag body is inflated so that the airbag body is inflated and deployed downward to form a curtain. Since the gas is inflated in order from the side closer to the inflator, heat and pressure generated by the gas injected from the inflator are excessively applied particularly to the gas flow path portion closest to the inflator, and the damage to that portion increases.
Therefore, in order to enhance the performance of the entire airbag body in accordance with the most severe parts, a coating for increasing the tensile strength is applied to the base fabric of the airbag body, or a fiber for increasing the heat resistance is used. It is necessary to mix the airbag, which makes the manufacture of the airbag body very troublesome.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional technique, and it is possible to suppress excessive application of heat and pressure to a portion of an airbag body closest to an inflator. It is an object to provide an airbag device.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A bag-shaped airbag body having a plurality of gas flow paths formed therein is disposed in a folded state at least along the interior side of the side roof rail, and the airbag body is moved downward by gas ejected from an inflator. A side airbag device for a vehicle that protects an occupant's head by inflating and deploying in a curtain shape toward the inflator. A gas flow path is set in a turn-back direction.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the gas of the inflator is jetted to the airbag body once at a position separated from the inflator, and from there, via the gas flow path in the turning direction, the portion closest to the inflator. Therefore, excessive pressure rise and temperature rise in the nearest part of the inflator can be suppressed. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the performance of the base fabric forming the airbag body more than necessary, and the manufacture of the airbag body is facilitated.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interior material for covering a portion of the folded airbag body located on the side roof rail from the vehicle interior side, and the inside of the airbag body is provided with:
A main gas passage extending from the gas outlet of the inflator along the side roof rail, and a branch gas passage branched from the main gas passage and hanging down the airbag body in a curtain shape during inflation and deployment are provided. The inlet of the closest branch gas flow path is formed at a position separated from the inflator, and the branch gas flow path from the inlet faces the turning direction.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since excessive pressure is not applied to the portion of the airbag body closest to the inflator, the airbag body covers the interior material covering the portion from the vehicle interior side. Large expansion force does not work. Therefore, it is not necessary to firmly fix portions other than the opening in the interior material, and the fixing structure of the interior material can be simplified.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the branch gas flow path facing the turning direction includes a first flow path for guiding gas from the main gas flow path to a lower side, and a gas flow from below the first flow path. A second flow path is provided for guiding in a turning direction.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the branch gas flow path facing in the turning direction, the gas is guided downward in the first flow path, so that the gas drops down in a curtain shape. The second flow path ensures the development in the folding direction.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a third flow path for guiding gas upward from an end of the second flow path, and an upper wall corresponding to the end of the third flow path is provided with a main gas flow. It is abutted or connected to the vicinity of the road entrance from below.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the upper wall of the third gas flow path for guiding the gas upward is in contact with or coupled to the vicinity of the inlet of the main gas flow path, The predetermined position can be maintained even if the part facing the turning direction is pushed by the occupant's head.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the inflator is disposed at a position substantially corresponding to an occupant's head of a pillar extending downward from a rear side of the side roof rail, and a bag-shaped airbag body is moved from the pillar to the side. Arranged along the interior side of the vehicle over the roof rail, the interior material is
When the inflator and the folded airbag main body are covered from the vehicle interior side, and when the airbag main body is inflated and deployed, the branch gas flow path oriented in the folding direction expands in the folding direction to a position close to the inflator. .

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the branch gas flow path facing in the return direction is expanded in the return direction to a position close to the inflator, the occupant is expanded by the branch gas flow path expanded near the inflator. The head will be protected.

In the invention according to claim 6, an easily deformable lid is provided at a portion of the interior material corresponding to the inflator.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the easily deformable lid is provided in the portion of the interior material corresponding to the inflator (the portion corresponding to the opening of the interior material), the inflation force of the airbag main body is provided. However, the fixing structure of the interior material can be further simplified without adding to the interior material.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the inflator,
The airbag is connected to the inflator in a state where the main gas flow path of the airbag body covers at least half of the longitudinal length of the inflator along the pillars with the longitudinal directions substantially aligned.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the portion of the inflator close to the occupant head is covered with the expanded main gas flow path in the initial stage, so that the occupant protection performance is further improved.

[0019]

According to the present invention, the gas of the inflator is once ejected to a position separated from the inflator, and is guided from there to a portion closest to the inflator through a gas flow path in a turning direction. The excessive pressure rise and the temperature rise in the part closest to the above can be suppressed. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the performance of the base fabric forming the airbag body more than necessary, and the manufacture of the airbag body is facilitated.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a view of an upper portion of an automobile as viewed from a vehicle interior R side. Reference numeral 1 denotes a front pillar, 2 denotes a center pillar, and 3 denotes a rear pillar. A side roof rail 4 having a closed cross-sectional structure is formed on the upper portions of the pillars 1, 2, and 3 along the front-rear direction.
The side roof rail 4 is formed of a rail outer panel 5 and a rail inner panel 6, as shown in FIG. An end of a roof panel 7 is joined to an upper end of the side roof rail 4. At the lower end of the side roof rail 4, a weather strip 8 for securing the airtightness with a door (not shown) is attached.

At the upper part of the rail inner panel 6, a substantially U-shaped cover 9 whose lower end is close to the rail inner panel 6 is provided. Inside the cover 9, a bag-shaped airbag body 10 is stored in a folded state. The upper part of the airbag body 10 is fastened together by bolts 19 which are attachment points of the cover 9. A rear end portion 10a of the airbag body 10 protrudes rearward RR from the cover 9. The rear end portion 10a of the airbag body 10 is connected to the inflator 11 in a state that the rear end portion 10a covers at least half of the longitudinal length of the inflator 11. In the side roof rail 4, the cover 9 accommodating the airbag body 10 is, as shown in FIG. 3, a roof side trim 1 as an "interior material".
3 is covered from the vehicle cabin R side. An end of the roof side trim 13 is connected to a head lining 14.

The inflator 11 is a highly rigid metal cylinder, and is fixed to the pillar inner panel 16 at a position corresponding to the occupant head H and in a state in which the longitudinal direction is aligned with the rear pillar 3 as shown in FIG. Have been. The inflator 11 and the airbag body 1 connected to the inflator 11
The rear end portion 10a is covered with a pillar garnish 15 as an "interior material" from the vehicle cabin R side. Further, an easily deformable resin lid 12 is provided on the upper side of the pillar garnish 15 on the side of the door glass, that is, on a portion corresponding to an opening when the airbag body 10 is deployed. Here, the “occupant head H” is a size corresponding to the head of the SAE mannequin in the AF05% to AM95% tile mannequin,
Position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the interior of the airbag body 10 (including the rear end portion 10a) is sewn (in some cases, welded portion) from the gas outlet 11a of the inflator 11 to the rear pillar. 3, a main gas flow path A extending along the side roof rail 4, and four branch gas flow paths B and C branched from the main gas flow path A and hanging the airbag body 10 in a curtain shape during inflation and deployment. , D and E are provided.

The inlet of the branch gas passage E closest to the inflator 11 is formed at a position corresponding to the roof side trim 13 separated from the inflator 11, and the branch gas passage E from the inlet is connected to the inflator 11. 11 gas ejection direction (arrow G direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 = front of vehicle)
In the direction of turning back (vehicle rear).

Further, the branch gas flow path E closest to the inflator 11 has a first flow path e1 for guiding the gas from the main gas flow path A to the lower side, and a gas returning direction from below the first flow path e1. , And two third flow paths e3 that guide the gas upward from the end of the second flow path e2. By guiding the gas downward in the first flow path e1, the effect of first hanging down in a curtain shape is secured,
The expansion in the folding direction is ensured by the flow path e2. The upper wall 17 corresponding to the end of the third flow path e3 is provided at the entrance of the main gas flow path A (that is, at the rear end 10 of the airbag body 10).
With respect to a), it is connected (it is possible to make contact) from below.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, when a sensor (not shown) detects a side collision of the vehicle, combustion gas is blown out of the inflator 11 to first inflate the rear end 10a of the airbag body 10 covering at least half of the inflator 11. . Next, the gas is sent into the main gas flow path A along the injection direction, and expands in the cover 9. Since the cover 9 has a structure in which only the upper end is attached, when the airbag body 10 inflates inside, the upper end is opened with the hinge at the upper end. As the cover 9 opens downward, gas flows from the main gas flow path A to each of the branch gas flow paths B, C,
D and E are entered, and the airbag body 10 expands downward to form a curtain.

When the airbag body 10 is deployed in a curtain shape, the lid 12 of the pillar garnish 15 is pushed open and exits to the vehicle cabin R side. The rearmost branch gas flow path E corresponding to this lid 12 is Before being completely expanded, the branch gas flow paths B, C, and D that are expanded first are in a state of being dragged out. Therefore, the lid 12 is not pushed and opened to the vehicle interior R side more than necessary, and much less the inflation force of the airbag body 10 is applied to the pillar garnish 15, so that the pillar garnish 15 is simplified. Can be fixed.

The gas is supplied to the first passage e of the branch gas passage E.
1. When all of the second flow path e2 and the third flow path e3 are filled, the inflation and deployment of the airbag body 10 is completed. As described above, the upper wall portion 17 of the end portion of the branch gas flow path E has the rear end portion 1 that wraps the inflator 11.
0a (the inlet of the main gas flow path A), and as a result, the branch gas flow path E expands in a folding direction to a position sufficiently close to the inflator 11.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the gas of the inflator 11 is jetted through the main gas flow path A to a position separated from the inflator 11 and then branched from the inflator 11 in the turning direction. Since the air is guided to the portion closest to the inflator 11 through the flow path E, an excessive pressure rise and a temperature rise in the portion of the airbag body 10 closest to the inflator 11 are suppressed. Therefore, in the airbag body 10 according to this embodiment, it is not necessary to enhance the performance of the base fabric forming the airbag body 10 more than necessary, and the manufacture of the airbag body 10 is easier than before.

Further, the airbag body 10 deployed in a curtain shape allows the occupant's head H at the time of a side collision of the automobile.
The branch gas flow path E extends to the position close to the inflator 11 even when the occupant head H hits the position near the inflator 11, and more than half of the inflator 11 The rear end portion 10a of the airbag body 10 covering the airbag is inflated, so that it is reliably protected.

Further, since the upper wall portion 17 of the branch gas passage E closest to the inflator 11 is connected to the rear end portion 10a of the airbag body 10, the inflated branch gas passage E is expanded.
Is pressed by the occupant head H, the position can be maintained.

In the above description, the example in which the inflator 11 is installed on the rear pillar 3 has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to other pillars. The pillars extending downward from the rear side of the side roof rail 4 correspond to pillars other than the front pillars 1 such as the rear pillar 3 and the center pillar 2 described above. Also, like a wagon car,
In a vehicle having a luggage compartment behind the vehicle, the inflator 1
It is also possible to install 1 at a position substantially corresponding to the luggage compartment on the rear side of the side roof rail 4.

On the other hand, as an interior material, the pillar garnish 15 and the roof side trim 13 have been described as being separate from each other. However, they may be integrally formed. The airbag main body may be covered by the side end portion of the provided headlining. That is, the division form of the interior material provided on the pillars and the side roof rails can be appropriately selected depending on the vehicle shape and the like, and is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a vehicle cabin according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing the vicinity of a rear pillar.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line SA-SA shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line SB-SB shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a state where the airbag body is inflated and deployed.
FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 rear pillar 4 side roof rail 9 cover 10 airbag body 11 inflator 12 lid 13 roof side trim (interior material) 15 pillar garnish (interior material) 17 upper wall A main gas flow path B, C, D branch gas flow path E Branch gas flow path near the inflator e1 First flow path e2 Second flow path e3 Third flow path G Gas ejection direction R Vehicle interior H Passenger head

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takehiko Miyahara 2 Takaracho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa F-term in Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. 3D054 AA04 AA07 AA16 AA18 CC10 FF01 FF05 FF11

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A bag-shaped airbag body having a plurality of gas flow paths formed therein is disposed in a folded state at least along a vehicle interior side of a side roof rail, and the airbag body is ejected from an inflator. A side airbag device for a vehicle that protects an occupant's head by inflating and deploying in a curtain shape toward the lower side by gas, wherein a portion of the airbag body closest to the inflator is located at a position separated from the inflator, A side airbag device for a vehicle, wherein a gas flow path that is turned back with respect to a gas ejection direction of an inflator is set. 2. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: an interior material that covers a portion of the folded airbag body located on a side roof rail from a vehicle interior side, wherein the inside of the airbag body is provided. The main gas flow path extending along the side roof rail from the gas outlet of the inflator,
A branch gas flow path that branches off from the main gas flow path and causes the airbag body to hang down in a curtain shape when inflated and deployed; and an inlet of the branch gas flow path closest to the inflator is formed at a position separated from the inflator. A side airbag device for a vehicle, characterized in that a branch gas flow path from the inlet is oriented in a turning direction. 3. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the branch gas flow path facing in the turning direction includes a first flow path for guiding gas downward from the main gas flow path. A side airbag device for a vehicle, comprising: a second passage for guiding gas in a folding direction from below the first passage. 4. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a third flow passage that guides gas upward from an end of the second flow passage,
A side airbag device for a vehicle, wherein an upper wall portion corresponding to an end of the third flow path is abutted or coupled to a vicinity of an inlet of the main gas flow path from below. 5. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the inflator substantially corresponds to an occupant head of a pillar extending downward from a rear side of the side roof rail. Position, and a bag-shaped airbag body is disposed along the vehicle interior side from the pillar to the side roof rail, and the interior material covers the inflator and the folded airbag body from the vehicle interior side. A side airbag device for a vehicle, wherein when the airbag body is inflated and deployed, the branch gas flow path facing the folding direction is deployed in the folding direction to a position close to the inflator. 6. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein an easily deformable lid is provided in a portion of the interior material corresponding to the inflator. . 7. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the inflator is disposed along a pillar so that a longitudinal direction thereof is substantially aligned, and a main gas flow of the airbag body is provided. A side airbag device for a vehicle, wherein a road is connected to an inflator in a state where the road covers at least half of a longitudinal length of the inflator.