JP2001278002A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device capable of ensuring appropriate occupant protective performance conforming to a size of a physical constitution of the occupant and length of separation distance by controlling expanding pressure of the air bag so as to conform to both the distance detected by a distance detecting means for detecting the separation distance between the occupant and the air bag and the physical constitution detected by a physical constitution detecting means for detecting the physical build of the occupant directly or indirectly. SOLUTION: This air bag device is provided with a expanding pressure control means 7 for controlling the expanding pressure of the air bag 8, the distance detecting means 12 for detecting the separation distance between the occupant and the air bag 8, the physical constitution detecting means 13 for detecting the physical constitution of the occupant directly or indirectly, and a control means 10 for controlling the expanding pressure control means 7 conforming to the separation distance detected by the distance detecting means 12 and the physical constitution of the occupant detected by the above physical constitution detecting means 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device provided on a steering wheel in front of a driver's seat or an instrument panel in front of a passenger seat for the purpose of protecting an occupant in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vehicle airbag apparatus, if the airbag deployment pressure, the capacity of the airbag, and the displacement after deployment of the bag from a vent hole provided in the airbag are set uniformly, the occupant (driver or The occupant protection performance of the airbag varies depending on the size of the passenger).

In order to solve such a problem, an airbag device described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-216343 has already been invented. That is, in an airbag device in which the bag body expands when the vehicle collides and restrains the upper body of the occupant, the internal pressure of the bag body when the occupant collides with the bag body and the bag body while the occupant is restrained by the bag body Pressure adjusting means for adjusting the internal pressure of the
Weight detection means for directly or indirectly detecting the weight of the occupant's upper body, collision speed detection means for detecting the collision speed of the occupant with the bag body, and output values of the weight detection means and the collision speed detection means. This is an airbag device including a calculation and control means for calculating and controlling the operating pressure of the pressure adjusting means.

According to this conventional airbag device, the internal pressure of the airbag can be controlled in accordance with the weight (physique) of the occupant and the collision speed when the occupant collides with the bag body. Although there is an advantage that the protection performance can be ensured, there is the following problem because the separation distance between the occupant and the airbag is not considered at all.

That is, when the vehicle collides with the seat belt, when the force for restraining the occupant by the seat belt (the force for pulling the occupant by the belt) and the deployment force of the airbag overlap, the load on the occupant's chest is increased. The input increases. Such a phenomenon occurs at a third position intermediate the first position and the long second position where the separation distance between the occupant and the airbag is short, particularly when the occupant's physique is standard or small in size below standard. Therefore, simply by controlling the airbag internal pressure based on the weight of the occupant and the collision speed, it is not possible to reduce the load input to the occupant's chest.

In the case where the occupant has a large physical size larger than the standard and the separation distance between the occupant and the airbag is short, the collision when the occupant collides with the airbag body is longer than when the separation distance is long. Although the speed is reduced, a large occupant cannot be sufficiently supported if the gas pressure of the airbag is low.

As described above, in the airbag apparatus having the conventional structure described above, since the separation distance between the occupant and the airbag is not taken into consideration, appropriate occupant protection corresponding to the size of the occupant and the length of the separation distance is considered. There was a problem that performance could not be ensured.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a distance detecting means for detecting a separation distance between an occupant and an airbag, and a physique detecting means for directly or indirectly detecting the physique of the occupant. The airbag device can control the deployment pressure of the airbag in accordance with both the physiques detected in the above, and secure appropriate occupant protection performance corresponding to the size of the occupant and the length of the separation distance The purpose is to provide.

According to the present invention, when the occupant has a large physique at a position where the separation distance is short and at a long position, the airbag can be deployed at the first deployment pressure to sufficiently support a large occupant, and the separation distance can be reduced. The occupant's physique is the prescribed value at the intermediate position
(Standard physique) or less than that, the airbag device can deploy the airbag at a second deployment pressure smaller than the first deployment pressure to reduce the load input to the chest of a standard or small passenger. The purpose is to provide.

[0010] The present invention further controls the airbag by controlling the amount of gas (see nitrogen gas) exhausted from inside the airbag to be smaller when the occupant has a large physique than when the occupant has a small physique. It is an object of the present invention to provide an airbag device capable of sufficiently supporting an occupant with a large physique while maintaining an internal pressure.

The present invention further reduces the amount of gas exhausted from the interior of the airbag as the collision speed (kinetic energy) of the occupant with respect to the airbag increases. An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device capable of sufficiently supporting an occupant while maintaining the airbag internal pressure.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An airbag device according to the present invention comprises: a deployment pressure control means for controlling a deployment pressure of an airbag; a distance detection means for detecting a separation distance between an occupant and the airbag; Physique detecting means for directly or indirectly detecting the physique of the occupant; and controlling the deployment pressure control means in accordance with the separation distance detected by the distance detecting means and the occupant physique detected by the physique detecting means. Control means.

With the above arrangement, the deployment pressure control means controls the deployment pressure of the airbag, the distance detection means detects the separation distance between the occupant and the airbag, and the physique detection means directly or indirectly measures the occupant's physique. The control means controls the deployment pressure control means according to the separation distance and the occupant's physique. As a result, it is possible to secure appropriate occupant protection performance corresponding to both the parameters of the size of the occupant's physique and the length of the separation distance.

In one embodiment of the present invention, when the occupant is at a first position where the separation distance is short and a second position where the separation distance is long and the occupant's physique is larger than a predetermined value, the first deployment of the airbag is performed. Deployed with pressure, the separation distance is the first
When the occupant is at a third position intermediate the position and the second position and the occupant's physique is smaller than a predetermined value, the airbag is deployed at a second deployment pressure that is smaller than the first deployment pressure. It is configured in such a way.

According to the above configuration, an occupant with a large physique generally slides the seat backward and sits down, thereby increasing the distance (separation distance) between the airbag and the occupant. The collision speed increases. In this case, if the deployment pressure of the airbag is low, the occupant cannot be sufficiently supported. However, as described above, when the occupant's physique is larger than a predetermined value at the second position where the separation distance is long and the occupant is larger than a predetermined value, the airbag is released. Since the deployment is performed at the deployment pressure of 1 (however, the first deployment pressure> the second deployment pressure), a large passenger can be sufficiently supported.

Further, if the occupant's physique is large even in the first position where the separation distance is short, a sufficient airbag internal pressure is required. However, as described above, when the separation distance is short and the occupant's physique is large, Press the airbag at the first deployment pressure (but not at the first
Deployment pressure> second deployment pressure), it is possible to sufficiently support a large passenger.

Further, when the separation distance is at the third position intermediate the first position and the second position and the occupant's physique is a predetermined value or less, the occupant restraining force by the seat belt (the occupant pulls by the seat belt). The airbag deployment force is superimposed on the airbag deployment force. In this case, the airbag is deployed at the second deployment pressure (however, the second deployment pressure <the first deployment pressure). Load input to the occupant's chest can be reduced.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an exhaust amount control means for controlling an exhaust amount of gas from the inside of the airbag is provided, and when the physique of the occupant is large based on the detection result of the physique detecting means, the physique is reduced. The exhaust amount control means is controlled so as to reduce the exhaust amount as compared with when the amount is small.

With the above configuration, when the occupant's physique is large, the amount of gas exhausted from the inside of the airbag is reduced through the exhaust amount control means, so that the occupant with a large physique is sufficiently supported by maintaining the internal pressure of the airbag. be able to. In other words, when the physique of the occupant is small, the displacement is larger than when the physique is large, so the internal pressure of the airbag is reduced relatively quickly to reduce the reaction force received by the occupant from the airbag, A small occupant can be supported flexibly.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a collision speed detecting means for detecting or estimating a collision speed of the occupant with respect to the airbag is provided, and as the collision speed increases based on the detection result of the collision speed detecting means, the airbag increases. It controls to reduce the amount of gas exhausted from the inside.

With the above structure, when the occupant has a high collision speed with the airbag, the kinetic energy of the occupant is also large. Therefore, the displacement is reduced, the restraining force of the airbag is maintained, and sufficient occupant protection is achieved. On the contrary, when the occupant's collision speed with the airbag is low,
Since the kinetic energy of the occupant is also small, the amount of exhaust is increased, and the exhaust reduces the internal pressure of the airbag, so that the occupant can be supported flexibly.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings illustrate an air bag system, a collision sensor 1 for detecting the collision velocity V _B of the vehicle 1, a seat slide position detection sensor 2 for detecting the slide position of the front and rear direction of the seat occupant is seated on the seat, the passenger And a physique detecting means 3 for directly or indirectly detecting the physique of the physique.

The CPU10 as a control means, a collision speed V _B from the collision sensor 1, the slide position P from the seat slide position detection sensor 2, based on each signal input to the physique M from physique detecting means 3 , A low-pressure inflator driver 5 according to a program stored in the ROM 4,
The deployment control of the airbag 8 is performed through deployment pressure control means 7 comprising a high-pressure inflator driver 6, and the amount of gas (nitrogen gas) exhausted from the inside of the airbag 8 is controlled through the exhaust amount control means 9. The RAM 11 (storage means) stores the map M1 shown in FIG. 8 and other necessary data.

Here, the CPU 10 described above has a sheet
Based on the slide position P from the id position detection sensor 2
Distance for estimating the separation distance L between the occupant and the airbag 8
The estimating unit 12, the obtained separation distance L and the collision sensor 1
Collision speed V_BBased on the occupant, the airbag 8
Between the airbag 8 and the occupant at the timing of contact
Intrusion velocity as a relative velocity of the
8 collision speed) V _OSpeed calculation unit 1 that calculates
3 are constituted.

In addition, the above-mentioned CPU 10 is the distance estimating unit 1
2 in accordance with the distance L estimated in step 2 and the physique M of the occupant detected by the physique detecting means 3.
And also serves as control means for controlling the displacement control means 9.

FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration of the seat slide position detecting sensor 2, wherein a bracket 1 is mounted on a floor panel 14.
When a variable resistor 21 is provided between each of the rails 17 and 18 in the seat 20 mounted via a seat slide mechanism 19 including a fixed rail 17 and a movable rail 18, the variable Since the resistance value of the resistor 21 changes, the sheet slide position detection sensor 2 that takes out the slide position P of the sheet 20 as a voltage or current change amount (electric amount change signal) can be configured.

In FIG. 2, 22 is a seat cushion,
Reference numeral 23 denotes a seat bag, reference numeral 24 denotes a headrest, and reference numeral 25 denotes a steering wheel. However, the airbag device of this embodiment is not limited to the driver's side and the first row side.

In FIG. 2, x indicates a first position where the separation distance L between the occupant and the airbag is short, y indicates a second position where the separation distance L between the occupant and the airbag is long, and z indicates The separation distance L indicates a third position intermediate between the first position x and the second position y.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a specific configuration of the physique detecting means 3. FIG. The physique detecting means 3 shown in FIG. 3 is configured by disposing a pressure-sensitive film sensor 26 on the seating surface of the seat cushion 22.

A large number of pressure-sensitive sensors 27 are embedded in the above-mentioned pressure-sensitive film sensor 26, and the resistance value of the resistor constituting the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 changes according to the weight (load) of the occupant. The configuration is such that the value change can be extracted as a change in the output voltage, and since the output voltage pattern differs depending on the physique of the occupant, the physique of the occupant can be determined.

The physique detecting means 3 shown in FIG. 4 has a total of four load cells between the seat mounting member 28 and the lower surface of the seat cushion 22 so as to correspond to the four lower corners of the seat cushion 22. , FIG. 4 shows only two of them) 29. An intervening, for example, a strain gauge type load cell is used to detect a strain caused by a load with a strain gauge to obtain an output electric signal. The occupant's physique can be estimated based on the output of the load cell 29.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the inflator 30 operated by the deployment pressure control means 7 of FIG. 1 and its characteristics. The inflator 30 for deploying the airbag 8 has a central partition 31 as shown in FIG. For example, evenly arranged, and only the 30a is actuated by the low-pressure inflator driver 5 (see FIG. 1) (ignition of chemical substances and generation of gas)
6, a low-pressure characteristic a shown in FIG. 6 is obtained, and both the high-pressure inflator driver 6 (see FIG. 1)
Are operated simultaneously, a high-pressure characteristic b shown in FIG. 6 is obtained,
When low-pressure deployment is performed by the low-pressure inflator driver 5 and then high-pressure deployment is performed by operating the high-pressure inflator driver 6, a two-stage deployment characteristic c shown by a dotted line in FIG. 6 is obtained.

FIG. 7 shows a specific configuration of the displacement control means 9. The base end of the airbag 8 is fixed to the retainer 32 using a retainer ring 33 and a plurality of attachment members 34.
The vent pipe 3 communicates with the inside of the deployed airbag 8 and discharges gas such as nitrogen gas in the airbag 8.
5 are attached.

A throttle-type exhaust control valve 37 is disposed in a vent hole 36 in the vent pipe 35 so as to be openable and closable. To reduce the amount of exhaust, the exhaust control valve 37 is fully closed as shown by a solid line to reduce the amount of exhaust. When the number is increased, the exhaust control valve 37 is fully opened as shown by a dotted line to control the amount of gas discharged from the airbag 8.

The vent pipe 35 has a fixed stopper 38 for regulating the exhaust control valve 37 and a movable stopper 3.
The movable stopper 39 is constituted by a plunger of an electromagnetic solenoid valve 40. A normally open structure 2 is provided near the base end of the airbag 8 described above.
Two exhaust holes 41 are formed. Here, the exhaust control valve 3 is larger than the total opening area of the two exhaust holes 41, 41.
7 The opening area of the vent hole 36 when fully opened is set to be larger.

FIG. 8 shows a map M1 stored in the RAM 11.
And the physique M of the occupant in the column is "Large"
It is divided into three levels of "medium", "small", by dividing the penetration velocity V _O obtained from the collision velocity V _B of the distance L and the vehicle in rows in three steps of "large", "medium", "small" , Airbag 8
And the amount of gas exhausted from the airbag 8 are set in a matrix. Here, the occupant's physique M
“Large” means a large pattern larger than a predetermined value, “medium” means a standard physique as a predetermined value, and “small” means a small pattern smaller than a predetermined value.

The "large" deployment pressure of the airbag 8 indicates, for example, the high-pressure characteristic b shown in FIG. 6, and the "small" deployment stress indicates, for example, the low-pressure characteristic a shown in FIG. Further, "large" in the displacement indicates that the exhaust control valve 37 of FIG. 7 is fully opened by the displacement control means 9, and "small" in the displacement indicates that the exhaust control valve 37 is fully closed. This shows that exhaust is performed only from the two exhaust holes 41, 41.

The map M1 is set so that the displacement is smaller when the occupant has a large physique than when the occupant has a small physique. Also, the map M1 is larger the penetration velocity V _O, it is obtained by setting so that the exhaust amount of gas from the interior of the airbag 8 is reduced.

The higher the penetration velocity V _O of the aforementioned large clearance L, become large, also the larger impact velocity V _B of the vehicle,
growing. Therefore, when the impact velocity V _B Consider the case of a constant 8, the penetration velocity V _O "large", "medium", "small"
Can be replaced with “large”, “medium”, and “small” of the separation distance L.

That is, in the map M1 shown in FIG. 8, the separation distance L is at the "small" first position x (see FIG. 2) and the separation distance L is at the "large" second position y (see FIG. 2). When the occupant's physique is "large", the airbag 8 is deployed at the first deployment pressure "large" (see data m1 and m2), and the separation distance L is equal to the first position x and the second position y. Is in the third position z (see FIG. 2) and the physique of the occupant is "medium" or "small", the airbag 8 is moved to the second position which is smaller than the first deployment pressure "large". Set to deploy with a deployment pressure of "small" (data m
3, m4).

The operation of the airbag device thus configured will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In the first step S1, CPU 10 by input from the collision sensor 1 configured by the G sensor detects the collision velocity _{V B} of the vehicle.

Next, in a second step S2, the CPU 10 detects the occupant's physique M by dividing it into "large", "medium" and "small" based on the input from the physique detecting means 3. As the physique detecting means 3, the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 or the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 is selected and used in advance.

Next, in a third step S3, the CPU 10 detects the slide position P of the sheet 20 based on the input from the sheet slide position detection sensor 2. Next, in a fourth step S4, the CPU 10 drives the distance estimating unit 12 provided therein to estimate the separation distance L between the occupant and the airbag 8 from the slide position P.

Next in the fifth step S5, CPU 10 drives the intrusion speed calculator 13 provided therein, the passenger from the distance L and the impact velocity V _B of the vehicle comes into contact with the airbag 8 Timing The relative speed between the airbag 8 and the occupant, ie, the intrusion speed _VO, is determined, and the determined intrusion speed V
_O is classified into “large”, “medium”, and “small”.

Next in the sixth step S6, CPU 10 is based on both the occupant's physique M detected by the second step S2 the previous, and penetration velocity _{V O} calculated in the fifth step S5, shown in FIG. 8 The deployment pressure of the airbag 8 is read and determined from the map M1, and the amount of gas exhausted from the airbag 8 after deployment is read and determined.

Next, in a seventh step S 7, the CPU 10 deploys the airbag 8 via the deployment pressure control means 7 and controls the amount of gas exhausted from inside the airbag 8 via the exhaust amount control means 9. I do.

In short, the airbag device of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 detects the deployment pressure control means 7 for controlling the deployment pressure of the airbag 8 and the separation distance L between the occupant and the airbag 8. Detecting means (see distance estimating unit 12)
A physique detecting means 3 for directly or indirectly detecting the physique M of the occupant; a separation distance L detected by the distance detecting means (see the distance estimating unit 12); A control means (see CPU 10) for controlling the deployment pressure control means 7 corresponding to the physique M is provided.

With this configuration, the deployment pressure control means 7 controls the deployment pressure of the airbag 8, and the distance detection means (see the distance estimation unit 12) detects the separation distance L between the occupant and the airbag 8, The physique detecting means 3 directly or indirectly detects the occupant's physique M, but the control means (see CPU 10) controls the deployment pressure control means 7 according to the separation distance L and the occupant's physique M. As a result, it is possible to secure appropriate occupant protection performance corresponding to both parameters of the physique M of the occupant and the length of the separation distance L.

When the occupant is at a first position x where the distance L is short and a second position y where the distance L is long and the occupant's physique M is larger than a predetermined value, the airbag 8 is set to the first deployment pressure. (See the data m1 and m2 of the map M1 in FIG. 8), the distance L is at the third position z between the first position x and the second position y, and the physique M of the occupant is a predetermined value. Alternatively, when the airbag 8 is smaller than the predetermined value, the airbag 8 is moved to a second deployment pressure (map M in FIG. 8) which is smaller than the first deployment pressure.
1 (see data m3, m4).

With this configuration, an occupant having a large physique M generally slides the seat 20 rearward and sits down, thereby increasing the distance (separation distance L) between the airbag 8 and the occupant, and increasing the separation distance L. The speed at which the occupant collides with the airbag 8 increases. In this case, if the deployment pressure of the airbag 8 is low, the occupant cannot be sufficiently supported. However, when the occupant's physique M is larger than a predetermined value at the second position y where the separation distance L is long as described above, Airbag 8
Is developed at the first deployment pressure “large” (see data m2 in map M1 in FIG. 8), so that a large passenger can be sufficiently supported.

Also, if the occupant's physique M is large even at the first position x where the separation distance L is short, a sufficient airbag internal pressure is required. However, as described above, the separation distance L is short and the occupant physique M When the airbag 8 is large, the airbag 8 is deployed at the first deployment pressure “large” (see data m2 in the map M1 in FIG. 8), so that a large passenger can be sufficiently supported.

Further, when the separation distance L is at the third position z between the first position x and the second position y and the physique M of the occupant is a predetermined value or less, the occupant restraining force by the seat belt and the air The bag deployment force is superimposed. In this case, the second deployment pressure “small” is applied to the airbag 8 (map M in FIG. 8).
1 (see data m3 and m4), it is possible to reduce the load input to the chest of a standard or small occupant.

Further, an exhaust amount control means 9 for controlling an exhaust amount of gas from the inside of the airbag 8 is provided. When the physique M of the occupant is large based on the detection result of the physique detecting means 3, the physique M is small. The CPU 10 controls the exhaust amount control means 9 so as to reduce the exhaust amount as compared with the case.

With this configuration, when the physique M of the occupant is large, the amount of gas exhausted from the inside of the airbag 8 is reduced through the exhaust amount control means 9, so that the airbag internal pressure is maintained and the physique M is large. The occupants can be supported sufficiently.
In other words, when the physique M of the occupant is small, the displacement is larger than when the physique M is large, so that the internal pressure of the airbag is reduced relatively quickly, and the reaction force received by the occupant from the airbag 8 is reduced. As a result, a small occupant can be supported flexibly.

[0055] In addition, the impact velocity against the occupant of the airbag 8 (penetration velocity V _O reference) collision speed detecting means for detecting or estimating (see intrusion speed calculating section 13) is provided, the detection result of the collision speed detecting means Collision speed (penetration speed V
_The CPU 10 controls the exhaust amount control means 9 so that the larger the value of _O is, the smaller the exhaust amount of gas from the inside of the airbag is.

[0056] With this arrangement, when the impact velocity against the occupant of the airbag 8 (see penetration velocity V _O) is large, by reducing the exhaust amount since the kinetic energy of the occupant also becomes large, the binding force by the air bag 8 maintained, it is possible to achieve a sufficient occupant protection, when the impact velocity reversed for passenger airbag 8 (see penetration velocity V _O) is small, the kinetic energy of the occupant also becomes small, increasing the exhaust amount do it,
This exhaust reduces the internal pressure of the airbag, and can flexibly support the occupant.

In the above embodiment, the deployment pressure of the airbag 8 is set to "small", which corresponds to the low pressure characteristic a in FIG.
Although the control is performed in two stages, ie, the development pressure “large” corresponding to the high pressure characteristic b in FIG. 6, the control may be performed in multiple stages as shown in FIG.

That is, in FIG. 10, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the airbag deployment pressure.
The characteristic when one 30a and the other 30b are simultaneously ignited is represented by b (similar to the high-pressure characteristic b in FIG. 6), and there is a time lag of 10 ms, 20 ms, 30 ms, and 40 ms after low-pressure deployment (first stage ignition). C1, c2, c3, and c4 indicate the characteristics when high-pressure deployment (second-stage ignition) is performed, and the airbag deployment pressure is represented by the respective characteristics b, c1, c2, c3, and c4. Therefore, a configuration may be adopted in which the timing of operating the inflator drivers 5 and 6 (see FIG. 1) is controlled by a signal from the CUP 10 to control the deployment pressure of the airbag 8 in multiple stages.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show another embodiment of the airbag apparatus. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the CPU 10 receives a signal of the slide position P from the seat slide position detection sensor 2.
In this embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the distance detection sensor 4 is used as a distance detecting means.
2 is provided to detect the separation distance between the occupant and the airbag 8.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the physique detecting means 3 is provided to detect the occupant's physique. However, in this embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the detection processing is simplified, the configuration is simplified,
In order to reduce the cost, a physique input means 43 is provided. As the physique input means 43, an input switch (input unit) which allows the occupant to select and input his / her physique in advance to any of "large", "medium", and "small" is used. Installed in a part where input operation is possible, such as a pillar or roof interior surface.

[0061] Further, penetration speed estimation unit 44 configured in the interior of the CPU10, based on the input signal of the impact velocity V _B of the vehicle from the collision sensor 1, the distance L from the distance detection sensor 42, the passenger Of the collision with the airbag 8 (that is, the invasion speed V _O ) is estimated.

FIG. 12 shows a specific configuration of the distance detection sensor 42. The above-described distance detection sensor 42 is configured by attaching a solid-state image sensor 45 to a roof portion above the seat 20. The solid-state image sensor 45 is a type of an optical sensor that converts optical information into a time-series electric signal in order to obtain a distance L between the occupant and the airbag 8. The above-described distance detection sensor 42 may be constituted by an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor. Since the other configuration is the same as the configuration in FIG. 1 described above, the same reference numerals in FIGS. 11 and 12 denote the same parts as in the previous figures.

The operation of the airbag device thus configured will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In the first step Q1, the CPU 10 reads the physique M of the occupant from the physique input means 43, that is, a signal corresponding to "large", "medium", and "small". The physique input means 4
If there is no input of the physique M from 3, an alarm device such as a buzzer may be activated after the ignition key is inserted, and the engine may not be started.

Next, in the second step Q2, the CPU 10
The input from the constructed collision sensor 1 by the sensor detects the collision velocity V _B of the vehicle. Next, in a third step Q3, the CPU 10 detects a separation distance L between the occupant and the airbag 8 based on an input from the distance detection sensor L.

Next the fourth step Q4, CPU 10 drives the intrusion speed estimating section 44 provided therein, the passenger from the distance L and the impact velocity V _B of the vehicle comes into contact with the airbag 8 Timing The relative speed between the airbag 8 and the occupant, ie, the intrusion speed _VO, is determined, and the determined intrusion speed V
_O is classified into “large”, “medium”, and “small”.

Next in the fifth step Q5, CPU 10 is based on both the occupant's physique M forme previously read in the first step Q1 previous, and penetration velocity _{V O} which had been previously estimated in the fourth step Q4, Fig. In addition to reading and determining the deployment pressure of the airbag 8 from the map M1 shown in FIG. 8, an expected exhaust amount is read from the airbag 8 after deployment and set.

Next, in a sixth step Q 6, the CPU 10 deploys the airbag 8 via the deployment pressure control means 7 and controls the amount of gas exhausted from inside the airbag 8 via the exhaust amount control means 9. I do. Even with such a configuration, the same operation and effect as those of the previous embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 are obtained.

In correspondence between the structure of the present invention and the above-described embodiment, the deployment pressure control means of the present invention is the same as that of the second embodiment.
The distance detecting means corresponds to the distance estimating unit 12 and the distance detecting sensor 42, and similarly, the physique detecting means corresponds to the deployed pressure control means 7 including the inflator drivers 5 and 6 for driving the stepped inflator 30. The control means corresponds to the physique detection means 3 and the physique input means 43.
0, and the first deployment pressure is the deployment pressure “large” (FIG. 8).
The second deployment pressure corresponds to the deployment pressure “small” (see FIG. 8), and the collision speed detection means corresponds to the intrusion speed calculation unit 13 and the intrusion speed estimation unit 44. The invention is not limited only to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, based on the penetration speed _VO and the physique M of the occupant, the storage means (RAM
11) to read and set the deployment pressures “large” and “small” and the displacements “large” and “small” from the data stored as the map M1. The exhaust amount of gas may be obtained by calculation, or the air bag deployment pressure and the exhaust amount from inside the air bag may be controlled in multiple stages.

[0070]

According to the present invention, the occupant and the airbag 8 are provided.
Air corresponding to both the distance L detected by the distance detecting means for detecting the separation distance L between the vehicle and the physique M detected by the physique detecting means for directly or indirectly detecting the physique M of the occupant. Since the deployment pressure of the bag 8 is controlled, the occupant's physique M
Therefore, there is an effect that an appropriate occupant protection performance corresponding to the difference of the distance and the difference of the separation distance L can be secured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control circuit block diagram showing an airbag device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a seat slide position detection sensor.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a physique detecting means.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing another embodiment of the physique detecting means.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an inflator dividing structure.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in an airbag deployment pressure with respect to time.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a displacement control means.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a map stored in a RAM.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing deployment pressure control and displacement control.

FIG. 10 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in an airbag deployment pressure with respect to time.

FIG. 11 is a control circuit block diagram showing another embodiment of the airbag device of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a distance detection sensor.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of deployment pressure control and displacement control.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 ... Body detection means 7 ... Deployment pressure control means 8 ... Airbag 9 ... Displacement amount control means 10 ... CPU (control means) 12 ... Distance estimation part (distance detection means) 13 ... Penetration speed calculation part (collision speed detection means) 42 ... distance detection sensor (distance detection means) 43 ... physique input means (physique detection means) 44 ... intrusion speed estimation unit (collision speed detection means) x ... first position y ... second position z ... third position L ... separation Distance _VO : penetration speed (collision device) M: physique

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A deployment pressure control means for controlling a deployment pressure of an airbag, a distance detection means for detecting a separation distance between an occupant and the airbag, and a physique detection for directly or indirectly detecting the physique of the occupant. An airbag apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the deployment pressure control unit in accordance with the separation distance detected by the distance detection unit and the occupant's physique detected by the physique detection unit. 2. When the occupant is at a first position where the separation distance is short and a second position where the separation distance is long and the occupant's physique is larger than a predetermined value, the airbag is deployed at a first deployment pressure;
When the separation distance is at a third position intermediate the first position and the second position and the physique of the occupant is a predetermined value or smaller than a predetermined value, the airbag is moved to a second position smaller than the first deployment pressure. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag device is configured to be deployed at a deployment pressure of: 3. An exhaust amount control means for controlling an exhaust amount of gas from the inside of the airbag, wherein when the occupant's physique is large based on the detection result of the physique detecting means, the exhaust is controlled as compared with when the physique is small. 3. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust amount control means is controlled so as to reduce the amount. 4. A collision speed detecting means for detecting or estimating a collision speed of an occupant with respect to an airbag is provided, and the larger the collision speed is based on the detection result of the collision speed detecting means, the more the amount of gas exhausted from inside the airbag. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein the airbag device is controlled so as to reduce the number of airbags.