JP2002019562A - Vehicular side air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular side air bag device capable of reducing number of parts and easy in connecting operation of an inflator and in manufacturing an air bag body. SOLUTION: A cylindrical body B is formed by being extended from an opening 6 of the air bag body 5 and folded to the inside of the air bag body 5 from the opening 6 for having a gas nozzle of the inflator 7 connected with the folded opening 6.

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 in a portion corresponding to the head of an occupant of a vehicle such as an automobile.
Along the side roof rails, there is one provided with a side airbag device for protecting an occupant in the event of a side collision (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-235965 as a similar technique). In this type of side airbag device, a bag-shaped airbag body is provided in a folded state between a side roof rail and a garnish that covers the side roof rail, and an inflator gas is supplied to an opening formed at one end of the airbag body. It has a structure that connects the spouts. Then, at the time of a side collision, gas is jetted from the inflator into the airbag body, and the airbag body is inflated and deployed downward to form a curtain, thereby protecting the occupant's head.

[0003] The inflator has a structure in which the inside of the airbag body is formed separately from the airbag body from the opening of the airbag body so as to withstand the temperature and pressure, since the inflator has a structure in which a chemical is exploded and a combustion gas is ejected inside. A tube is provided. The end of the protective cylinder is clamped in the opening together with the inflator, and the inner surface is coated. Therefore, since the high-temperature and high-pressure gas just ejected from the inflator is once received by the protective cylinder, the airbag body around the opening can be prevented from being damaged by the high-temperature and high-pressure gas.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional technique, a protective cylinder formed separately from the airbag body is required, resulting in an increase in the number of parts. Further, since the end of the protective cylinder is positioned at the opening and then connected together with the inflator, the connection work of the inflator is troublesome. Furthermore, even in the protective cylinder itself,
Since it is necessary to turn the coating once on the front side so that the coating is on the inside,
The manufacturing work of the entire airbag body including the protective tube is troublesome.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional technique, and it is possible to reduce the number of parts, connect an inflator easily, and easily manufacture an airbag body of a vehicle side airbag. An apparatus is provided.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Along the side roof rail of the vehicle, a bag-shaped airbag body is disposed in a folded state, and a gas outlet of an inflator is inserted and connected to an opening formed at one end of the airbag body. A side airbag device for a vehicle that protects an occupant by inflating and deploying an airbag body in a curtain shape along a vehicle interior side,
The tubular body is formed to extend from the opening of the airbag body, and the tubular body is folded from the opening toward the inside of the airbag body, and the folded opening is connected to the gas outlet of the inflator.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the cylindrical body formed integrally with the opening of the airbag body is used by being turned back to the inside, there is no separate object, so that the separately formed protective body as in the prior art is used. Compared to the case of preparing a cylinder, the number of parts can be reduced and the manufacture of the airbag body itself is easier. In addition, since it is not necessary to position another object, it is easy to connect the inflator.

[0010] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the surface of the tubular body that is folded back to the inside is coated with a coating for increasing the strength.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the surface of the cylindrical body that is turned back and coated on the inside is coated with the strength, the strength of the cylindrical body is increased, and the air around the opening by the cylindrical body is increased. The performance of protecting the bag body is improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the opening is formed at a tip end of a clamp allowance which projects cylindrically from one end of the airbag body.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the opening is formed at the tip of the clamp margin projecting cylindrically from the airbag body, it is easy to connect the inflator by the clamp.

In the invention according to claim 4, a plurality of gas outlet holes are formed in the cylindrical body.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since a plurality of gas outlet holes are formed in the cylindrical body, the gas of the inflator can be jetted not only from the tip of the cylindrical body but also from the entire cylindrical body. Therefore, even if the interior of the airbag body is partitioned into a plurality of inflation chambers and some of the partitioned inflation chambers are close to the vicinity of the base of the tubular body, the inflation chambers may be divided into a plurality of inflation chambers. On the other hand, gas can be reliably ejected.

[0014]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 8 are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a view of an upper part of an automobile as a “vehicle” as viewed from a vehicle interior side. Reference numeral 1 denotes a front pillar, reference numeral 2 denotes a center pillar, and reference numeral 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. A bag-shaped airbag body 5 is mounted along the side roof rail 4 in a folded state, and then covered with a garnish (not shown) from the vehicle interior side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the airbag body 5 itself has a short cylindrical clamp allowance A on the rear side (right side in FIG. 3), and an opening 6 is provided at the tip of the clamp allowance A. At the same time, the tubular body B is formed to extend rearward from the opening 6. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the cylindrical body B is folded back from the opening 6 to the inside of the airbag body 5, and as shown in FIG. 1, the gas outlet of the inflator 7 is inserted into the folded opening 6, and clamped. 8, the clamp margin A is connected together. Since the clamp margin A is formed, the work of connecting the inflator 7 with the clamp 8 is easy to perform. The cylindrical body B is provided with a coating that increases the strength on the surface that is folded back to the inside.

Next, a method of folding the tubular body B will be described with reference to FIGS. For the work of turning back the cylindrical body B,
A jig 9 having a tapered tip is used. At the tip of the jig 9, four ribs 10 that open in the radial direction are incorporated.
Therefore, after bending the tip of the tubular body B inward (FIG. 5), the tip of the jig 9 is pressed against the tip of the tubular body B (FIG. 6), and then the rib 10 is opened to expand the tubular shape. The distal end of the body B is pushed open (FIG. 7), and the tubular body B is fed into the tubular body B while being held by the hook 11 (FIG. 8), and the tubular body B is relatively folded back. After the tubular body B is folded, the rib 10 is stored and the jig 9 is pulled out. Then, as described above, the inflator 7 is inserted into the opening 6 of the tubular body B thus folded.
Gas outlets are connected.

Therefore, when a sensor (not shown) detects a side collision of the vehicle, the combustion gas is blown out from the inflator 7 and sent to the airbag body 5 through the tubular body B. At this time, since the high-temperature and high-pressure gas just ejected from the inflator 7 is once received by the cylindrical body B coated on the inside, the airbag body 5 around the opening 6 is heated by the high-temperature and high-pressure gas. Damage can be prevented. Then, when the combustion gas flows into the airbag body 5, the airbag body 5 pushes away a garnish (not shown) and develops along a side window panel or a center pillar, which is a side wall of the vehicle interior, to form a curtain. Therefore, the occupant, particularly the head, can be protected by the airbag body 5 deployed in a curtain shape.

According to this embodiment, the airbag body 5
Since the cylindrical body B formed integrally with the opening 6 is used by being turned back to the inside, there is no separate object, so that the number of parts can be reduced and the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where a separate protective tube is prepared as in the prior art. The manufacture of the airbag body 5 itself is also easy. Further, since there is no need to position another object, the connection work of the inflator 7 is easy.

FIGS. 9 to 12 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, another folding direction of the tubular body B will be described. Four holes 12 are opened at the tip of the cylindrical body B. Then, a jig 14 having four protruding pins 13 built in the tapered tip is prepared.
First, after bending the distal end of the cylindrical body B inward (FIG. 9), a pin 13 projecting from the distal end of the jig 14 is inserted into a hole 12 formed at the distal end of the cylindrical body B (FIG. 10). Thereafter, the tubular body B is fed into the tubular body B while being held by the hook 11 (FIG. 11), and the tubular body B is relatively folded back. After the tubular body B is folded, the pins 13 are housed and the jig 14 is pulled out (FIG. 12 shows an example of a state where the jig 14 is pulled out during the folding). In the case of the second embodiment, a preliminary operation of opening the hole 12 at the distal end of the cylindrical body B is required as compared with the first embodiment, but it is more difficult to catch the distal end of the cylindrical body B with the rib. It is certain.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show a third embodiment of the present invention. The inside of the airbag body 5 of the third embodiment is partitioned into a plurality of inflation chambers 5a. The rear two inflation chambers 5a in the airbag body 5 are located immediately below the folded cylindrical body B, and the gas ejected from the tip of the cylindrical body B directly receives these inflation chambers 5a.
So that it does not flow into Therefore, a plurality of gas outlet holes 15 are previously formed in the cylindrical body B of the third embodiment. Therefore, even if the rear expansion chamber 5a is located near the root of the folded tubular body B, the gas outlet hole 1
The gas can be surely blown out of the expansion chambers 5 into the expansion chambers 5a.

In the above description, the example in which the inflator 7 is installed on the rear pillar 3 has been described. However, the invention can be applied to other pillars.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the airbag is deployed downward.
FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a tubular portion of the airbag body.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing a state in which the tubular body is folded inside the airbag body.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a cylindrical body and a jig.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a state in which the tip of a jig is pressed against the tip of a cylindrical body.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a state in which the tip of the jig is expanded.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a state in which the tubular body is folded back.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a cylindrical body and a jig according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 9, showing a state in which the tip of the jig is pressed against the tip of the cylindrical body.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 9 and showing a state in which the tubular body is folded back.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 9 showing a state in which the jig is pulled out after the tubular body is turned back.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a tubular portion of an airbag body according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 13, showing a state in which the tubular body is folded inside the airbag body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 front pillar (pillar) 2 center pillar (pillar) 3 rear pillar (pillar) 4 side roof rail 5 airbag body 5 a inflation chamber 6 opening 7 inflator 8 clamp 9, 14 jig 10 rib 11 hook 12 hole 13 pin 15 gas ejection port A Clamp allowance B Cylindrical body

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A bag-shaped airbag body is provided along a side roof rail of a vehicle in a folded state, and a gas outlet of an inflator is inserted into an opening formed at one end of the airbag body and connected to the airbag body. A side airbag device for a vehicle that protects an occupant by inflating and deploying an airbag body in a curtain shape along a vehicle interior side wall with gas ejected from a vehicle, wherein a tubular body is formed to extend from an opening of the airbag body. A side airbag device for a vehicle, wherein the tubular body is folded back from the opening to the inside of the airbag body, and the gas opening of the inflator is connected to the folded opening. 2. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the tubular body that is folded back and inside is coated with a coating for increasing strength. apparatus. 3. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed at a distal end of a clamp margin protruding in a cylindrical shape from one end of the airbag body. Vehicle side airbag device. 4. The side airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of gas outflow holes are formed in the tubular body. Bag device.