JP2001233163A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device capable of efficiently absorbing the shock energy with a simple structure and capable of improving the assembling workability. SOLUTION: A storage member 5 storing an air bag 3 comprises a housing 1 and side plates 12, 13 on both the right and left sides, and an air bag hole 9 is covered with a cover 10 fitted to the housing 11 in this air bag device 2. At least one of the insertion holes 27, 28 of the fastening sections 24, 25 of the side plates 12, 13 among the fastening sections 18, 24, 25 between the housing 11 and the side plates 12, 13 on both the right and left sides is formed into a notched shape opened on the front oblique lower side of a vehicle. A deformable bend section 29 is provided at the front oblique lower side position of the vehicle than the fastening section 18 of the outer peripheral wall of the housing 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device in which an airbag is housed inside an instrument panel of a vehicle, and more particularly to an airbag device for a passenger seat.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an airbag device is also provided on a passenger seat side of an instrument panel of a vehicle. When a relatively large impact force acts on the vehicle body from the front, the airbag device is normally in a contracted state. A configuration is employed in which the bag is inflated and deployed, and the deployed airbag is interposed between the occupant sitting on the seat and the vehicle body to reduce the impact force from the front.

In vehicles equipped with such an airbag device, measures have been proposed to prevent the passenger on the passenger's side from moving to the instrument panel due to an impact force or the like that does not cause the airbag to be deployed (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-157556). Kaihei 10-59
No. 107). In this disclosed structure, an airbag deployment opening extending in the vehicle width direction is formed at a predetermined position on the passenger seat side of the instrument panel, and an airbag door core is provided on the back side of the airbag deployment opening. Lumber is installed. A frame is attached around the airbag deployment opening to reinforce the periphery of the opening and the fixing portion of the core material for the airbag door.

[0004]

However, in the peripheral structure of the conventional airbag device described above, it is necessary to add a frame in addition to the core material for the airbag door, and the shape of the core material for the airbag door is required. Is complicated, it is tightened and fixed using bolts and nuts, and it takes time and effort to adjust the position for assembling the airbag device. Has a defect.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to improve the workability of assembling by efficiently absorbing impact energy with a simple structure. It is an object of the present invention to provide an airbag device capable of performing the above.

[0006]

In order to solve the problems of the prior art, according to the present invention, a storage member for storing an airbag is constituted by a housing and left and right side plates, and an airbag hole is formed. In an airbag device covered by a cover attached to the housing, at least one of the fastening portions of the side plate among the fastening portions of the housing and the left and right side plates is opened at the front oblique lower side of the vehicle. And a deformable portion is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the housing at a position obliquely below and in front of the vehicle with respect to the fastening portion. In the present invention, the deformable portion is
A bent portion obtained by bending the bottom of the outer peripheral wall of the housing slightly downward.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on illustrated embodiments.

FIGS. 1 to 9 show an embodiment of an airbag device according to the present invention. On the passenger seat side of the instrument panel 1 of the vehicle according to the present embodiment, an airbag device 2 that operates when a relatively large impact force is received from the front of the vehicle is provided. This airbag device 2
An airbag (bag body) 3 housed in a contracted state in a normal state and an inflator (gas generating device) 4 which is a cylindrical container which is disposed sideways and has one end tapered and which inflates and deploys the airbag 3. The airbag 3 and the inflator 4 are housed in a housing member 5 whose upper part is slightly inclined toward the rear of the vehicle and is open. The lower portion of the airbag module in which the airbag 3 and the inflator 4 are integrated into one is a flange portion 5a formed downward from the bottom of the storage member 5, and both ends are supported by left and right front pillar portions. The steering support member 6 is fixed using bolts 7 and nuts 8. A substantially rectangular airbag hole 9 is provided on the front passenger seat side of the instrument panel 1 so as to deploy the airbag 3 toward the passenger compartment. It is covered by a substantially rectangular airbag hole cover 10 (see FIGS. 1 and 4).

The housing member 5 is formed by extrusion molding, and has a housing 11 having the same shape in cross section and having open left and right sides, and side plates 1 arranged on both left and right sides.
2 and 13. The housing 11 is
The housing 11 has an airbag storage space 14 that is open in the vehicle width direction and the upper side, and a cylindrical inflator storage space 15 that is open in the vehicle width direction. 11 is closed by screwing side plates 12 and 13 having substantially the same shape as the end face of the end plate 11. The airbag storage space 14 and the inflator storage space 15
A hole or a slit (not shown) is formed in a wall surface of the housing 11 located between the space and the space, and both spaces communicate with each other.

As shown in FIG. 6, the outer peripheral wall of the housing 11 is branched into two parts (assembly) at the end of the upper end of the opening (the end extending in the vehicle width direction). The front and rear sides of the branched groove 16 as viewed in the state
The protrusions 17 of the airbag hole cover 10 are fitted and fixed in the branch grooves 16, and the hole cover 10 is attached to the housing 11. The main body of the hole cover 10
The design on the front side (inside the cabin) is the instrument panel 1
Is formed so as to be continuous with the surface of the instrument panel 1 and has a sense of unity with the instrument panel 1. On the back side of the hole cover 10 and near the end in the vehicle front-rear direction, a projection 17 protruding toward the front of the vehicle is provided on the housing 11.
And is integrally formed corresponding to the branched groove portion 16 of FIG.

A thin portion 10a is provided on the rear surface of the projection 17 of the hole cover 10 near the inner root of the projection 17 located below so as to be detachable from the main body when the airbag 3 is deployed. The hole cover 10 is formed around the inner base of the protrusion 17 located above.
Opens so that the airbag 3 can be deployed.
In addition, a stepped portion 17a having an L-shaped cross section is formed near the tip of the protruding portion 17 and is bent inward of the housing 11.
Correspondingly, the branch groove 16 of the housing 11
In order to enclose the step 17a of the projection 17 (step 1
Each of the two tips is bent toward the inside of the branched groove 16 (to be substantially parallel to the shape of 7a).

Further, at the base of the branched groove 16 of the housing 11, there is formed an arc groove 18 having an arc-shaped cross section with a part of the outside cut off.
Reference numeral 8 is provided as a fastening portion with the side plates 12 and 13. An arc groove 19 is also formed at the base of the flange 5 a of the storage member 5. Note that ribs 20 for clipping to the instrument panel 1 are formed at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the width direction on the end side of the hole cover 10 from the protruding portion 17 (in the present embodiment, The front and rear parts are provided at a total of six places near both ends in the vehicle width direction and a central part).

On the other hand, the left and right side plates 1
A large-diameter hole 21 having substantially the same diameter as the cylindrical shape of the housing 11 is formed in a portion of one of the housings 2 and 13 (the right side plate 12 in the present embodiment) corresponding to the inflator storage space 15 of the housing 11. The inflator 4 is inserted into the inflator storage space 15 of the housing 11 through the large-diameter hole 21. Therefore, at one end of the inflator 4, a flange portion 4 a having a diameter slightly larger than the large-diameter hole 21 of the right side plate 12 is provided, and the flange portion 4 a is fixed by contacting the right side plate 12. Is configured. On the other hand, a small-diameter hole 22 is formed in the left side plate 13. The inflator 4 is fixed to the left and right side plates 12, 13 by nuts 23 with bolts of the inflator inserted through the small-diameter hole 22. (See FIGS. 2 and 3).

The left and right side plates 1 are also provided.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, a plurality of fastening portions 24 and 25 to be screwed are formed at positions corresponding to the arc groove portion 18 of the housing 11. In the right side plate 12 having the large-diameter hole 21, two fastening portions 24 are provided vertically, and in the left side plate 13 having the small-diameter hole 22, three fastening portions 25 are provided vertically and forward. Insertion holes 27 and 28 for inserting screws 26 are formed in the fastening portions 24 and 25, respectively. At least one of the insertion holes 27 and 28 of the tightening portions 24 and 25 (in this embodiment, the lower side insertion hole 27 in the right side plate 12 shown in FIG. 7 and the left side plate 13 shown in FIG. 8). Upper insertion hole 2
8) is formed in a cutout shape in which the lower front side of the vehicle is open. Such a cutout shape extends in the same direction as the direction in which the protrusions 17 and the ribs 20 of the hole cover 10 extend. Therefore, the housing 11 is configured to be detachable from the left and right side plates 12 and 13 to the front diagonally lower side of the vehicle. Here, since the flange portion 4a of the inflator 4 overlaps and is fixed around the large diameter hole 21 of the left side plate 12, screwing at that portion is omitted.

Further, at the bottom of the outer peripheral wall of the housing 11, there is provided a bent portion 29, which is a deformable portion having a substantially V-shaped cross section, which is bent slightly downward in the vehicle. At a position 29, the bottom of the housing 11 can be bent and deformed. Moreover, the bent portion 29 is provided on the right side plate 12 having the insertion hole 27.
Arc groove 18 of the housing 11 to be fitted with the tightening portion 24
It is provided at a position diagonally below and in front of the vehicle with respect to (the root portion of the branch groove 16). However, the storage member 5 including the housing 11 and the side plates 12 and 13 has a structure that can withstand the internal pressure and the impact when the airbag 3 is deployed. Further, the bent portion 29 is also provided at a location of the flange portion 5 a of the storage member 5 corresponding to the arc groove portion 19 and located around the inflator storage space 15 of the housing 11.
Another bent portion 30 having the same structure and function as that described above is provided.

The left and right side plates 1
In FIGS. 2 and 13, one ends of attachment members 31 and 32 extending toward the direction away from the housing 11 are attached to portions of the housing 11 where the airbag storage space 14 is fitted, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the instrument panel 1 and the side plate 1
The storage members 5 including the components 2 and 13 are connected to each other by fixing the other ends of the mounting members 31 and 32 to a mounting seat surface 33 formed by the instrument panel 1 entering the inside.

An airbag device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention
Then, as shown by the arrow F in FIG. 9, when a load is applied to the airbag hole cover 10 from the vehicle interior side, the hole cover 1
0 moves to the inside of the instrument panel 1 (below and forward of the vehicle). At this time, the attachment members 31, 32 of the left and right side plates 12, 13 are slightly bent (deformed), and the airbag device 2 including the side plates 12, 13 is slightly moved to absorb energy.
At this time, the housing 11 and the side plates 12, 1 are formed by the cutout shapes of the side plates 12, 13.
3 and the bent portion 29 are deformed. This results in further energy absorption.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible based on the technical idea of the present invention. is there. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the bent portion 29 is provided as a deformable portion of the housing 11, but the deformable portion is formed in a corrugated shape or another shape as long as energy from the vehicle interior can be effectively absorbed. It may be something.

[0019]

As described above, in the airbag device according to the present invention, the storage member for storing the airbag is constituted by the housing and the left and right side plates, and the airbag hole is covered by the cover attached to the housing. And at least one of the fastening portions of the side plate among the fastening portions between the housing and the left and right side plates is formed in a cutout shape in which a front oblique lower side of the vehicle is opened. Since the deformable portion is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the housing at a position obliquely below and in front of the vehicle with respect to the fastening portion, there is no need for time-consuming alignment for assembly, and a simple structure can be used from the vehicle interior side. Impact energy can be efficiently absorbed, and assembling workability can be improved and cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an instrument panel of a vehicle provided with an airbag device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an airbag device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an airbag device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the instrument panel showing a state where the airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing an airbag device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an airbag device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a left side plate used in the airbag device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a right side plate used in the airbag device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a fitting portion between the housing of the storage member used in the airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention and the airbag hole cover.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 instrument panel 2 airbag device 3 airbag 4 inflator 5 storage member 9 airbag hole 10 airbag hole cover 11 housing 12, 13 side plate 14 airbag storage space 15 inflator storage space 16 branching groove 17 projection 18, 19 Circular groove 21 Large diameter hole 22 Small diameter hole 24, 25 Tightening part 26 Screw 27, 28 Insertion hole 29 Bent part

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasufumi Furuya 300-Takatsuka-cho, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka Suzuki Co., Ltd.F-term (reference)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An airbag device wherein a housing member for housing an airbag is constituted by a housing and left and right side plates, and an airbag hole is covered by a cover attached to the housing. At least one of the fastening portions of the side plate among the fastening portions with the side plate is formed in a cutout shape in which a front oblique lower side of the vehicle is opened, and the fastening portion of the outer peripheral wall of the housing is smaller than the fastening portion. An airbag device, wherein a deformable portion is provided at a position obliquely below the front of the vehicle. 2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the deformable portion is a bent portion obtained by bending a bottom of an outer peripheral wall of the housing slightly downward.