JP2002067863A - Head protecting airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To produce tension at the lower end of an airbag in addition to easily causing no texture slippage at a part where each inflation chamber is formed, when the airbag is inflatedly spread, by setting each inflation chamber of a front seat inflation part and a rear seat inflation part in the direction of a weaving thread. SOLUTION: In this head protecting airbag device, the airbag 11 stored along a roof side rail 21 has a structure provided with a front seat inflation part 11A and a rear seat inflation part 11B formed as separate bodies by double weaving and a combining cloth 11C to connect both of those inflation parts 11A, 11B. The both inflation parts 11A, 11B are individually assembled to the roof side rail 21 at their upper end parts in a mutually non-parallel condition, and the combining cloth 11C is matched to the shape formed between the both inflation parts 11A, 11B with both inflation parts 11A, 11B infiatedly spread.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a head protection airbag device mounted on a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one type of head protection airbag device of this type, an airbag that is stored along a roof side rail and that can be inflated and deployed in a curtain shape along the side wall of a vehicle compartment and a rear inflatable portion are provided. Some include an inflatable portion for a seat, which is disclosed in, for example, British Publication GB2322406A. In the head protection airbag device disclosed in the publication, a front seat inflatable portion and a rear seat inflatable portion and a non-inflated portion between the two inflatable portions are integrally formed by a weave, and the air is inflated. When the bag is inflated and deployed, a tension in the vehicle longitudinal direction acts on the airbag.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional head protection airbag apparatus, in order to prevent misalignment at the time of inflation and deployment in the airbag, an inflation chamber (chamber) formed in each inflation portion is provided. It is desirable to set in the weaving yarn direction, and in the integrally formed front seat expansion section and rear seat expansion section, these expansion chambers are formed substantially in parallel. For this reason, when at least a part of the roof side rail is round, the lower end of the non-expandable portion formed integrally between the two inflated portions is slackened, so that an optimal tension cannot be obtained. In order to cope with such a problem, when the expansion chambers of the front-seat expansion section and the rear-seat expansion section are set in advance in the weft direction in accordance with the round of the roof side rail,
When the airbag is inflated and deployed, misalignment which is a cause of gas leakage is likely to occur at a portion where each inflation chamber is formed, and it is difficult to maintain the internal pressure in each inflation chamber.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable portion for a front seat, which is formed separately from an airbag stored along a roof side rail by a weave. And an inflatable portion for the rear seat, and a connecting cloth connecting the two inflatable portions. The two inflatable portions are non-parallel to each other (the yarn direction of the inflatable portion for the front seat and the yarn of the inflatable portion for the rear seat). (The directions are non-parallel to each other) so that they can be assembled to the roof side rails at the upper ends, respectively, so that the bonding cloth conforms to the shape formed between the two inflatable portions in the inflated and unfolded state of the inflatable portions. That (claim 1
Of the present invention).

In this case, gas supply ports are respectively provided at a rear portion of the front-seat inflatable portion and a front portion of the rear-seat inflatable portion, and each of the gas inflators disposed between the inflatable portions is passed through a gas supply pipe. It is possible to supply gas to the gas supply port (the invention according to claim 2). In these cases, the rear-seat inflatable portion includes an independent rear-seat second-seat inflatable portion and a rear-seat third-seat inflatable portion, and a connecting cloth that connects the two inflatable portions. The head protection airbag device can be a head protection airbag device mounted on a three-row seat vehicle (the invention according to claim 3).

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an airbag housed along a pillar from a roof side rail with an inflatable portion for a front seat having an upper end integrally formed with a bag weave. The vehicle has a rear seat inflatable portion and a connecting cloth for connecting the lower portions of the two inflatable portions. The inflatable portions are non-parallel to each other and are assembled to the roof side rail and the pillar at upper end portions, respectively. So that
The present invention is characterized in that the bonding cloth is adapted to a shape formed between the two inflatable portions in the inflated and deployed state of the two inflatable portions (the invention according to claim 4).

[0007]

In the head protection airbag device according to the present invention (the invention according to claim 1), the inflatable portion for the front seat and the inflatable portion for the rear seat of the airbag are separately formed by weaving. As a result, even in a vehicle in which at least a part of the roof side rail is rounded, each of the expansion chambers (chambers) formed in the front-seat expansion portion and the rear-seat expansion portion remains set in the yarn direction. Thus, the front-seat inflatable portion and the rear-seat inflatable portion can be assembled to the roof side rail at an arbitrary angle (non-parallel).

In addition, since the connecting cloth is matched to the shape formed between the two inflatable portions in the inflated and deployed state of the inflatable portions, an optimal tension can be obtained when the airbag is inflated and deployed. As a result, the inflation chambers of the front seat inflation portion and the rear seat inflation portion are set in the direction of the weaving thread so that misalignment is hardly caused at the formation portion of each inflation chamber when the airbag is inflated and deployed (in each inflation chamber). In such a case, a good internal pressure can be obtained, and a firm optimal tension can be generated at the lower end of the airbag.

Further, in the head protection airbag device according to the present invention (the invention according to claim 1), the shape (the length in the front-rear direction) of the connecting cloth for connecting the front seat inflatable portion and the rear seat inflatable portion in the airbag. By appropriately changing the distance between the two inflatable parts, the inflatable part for the front seat and the inflatable part for the rear seat can be used as they are, and various types of vehicles (from small cars to large cars) can be used. There are various types of vehicles). Therefore, it is possible to reduce the cost of the airbag due to the common use of the front-seat inflatable portion and the rear-seat inflatable portion.

[0010] In the head protection airbag device according to the present invention (the invention according to claim 2), in addition to the operation and effect of the invention according to claim 1, the inflatable portion for the front seat of the airbag and the rear portion are provided. Gas can be supplied from the inflator disposed between the seat inflators to the respective inflators of the airbag through the gas supply pipe substantially simultaneously and quickly, and the inflation and deployment time of each inflator can be shortened.

Further, in the head protection airbag device according to the present invention (the invention according to claim 3), the operation and effect of the invention according to claim 1 or 2 can be similarly obtained in a three-row seat vehicle. Can be.

In the head protection airbag device according to the present invention (the invention according to claim 4), the front-seat inflatable portion and the rear-seat inflatable portion of the airbag are integrally formed at the upper end by a bag weave. Therefore, even in a vehicle in which at least a part of the roof side rail is rounded, each expansion chamber (chamber) formed in the front seat expansion portion and the rear seat expansion portion.
The front inflatable portion and the rear seat inflatable portion can be assembled to the roof side rail at arbitrary angles (non-parallel), respectively, while setting the inflation direction in the yarn direction.

In addition, since the connecting cloth is matched to the shape formed between the two inflatable portions in the inflated and deployed state of the inflatable portions, an optimal tension can be obtained when the airbag is inflated and deployed. As a result, the inflation chambers of the front-seat inflation portion and the rear-seat inflation portion are set in the weaving direction so that misalignment is hardly caused at the formation portion of each inflation chamber during inflation and deployment of the airbag. A secure and optimal tension can be generated at the lower end of the body.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 0 denotes an airbag 11 which inflates and deploys in a curtain shape along the side wall of the vehicle compartment, an inflator 12 serving as a gas supply device for supplying gas to the airbag 11, and a gas supplied from the inflator 12. Is provided with a gas supply pipe 13 for supplying to each of the expansion chambers R1 to R7.

The airbag 11 includes a front seat inflatable portion 11A for protecting the head of an occupant sitting on a front seat (a seat provided corresponding to the B pillar 23), and a rear seat (C pillar 24).
Rear seat inflatable portions 11B for protecting the heads of the occupants sitting on the seats).
1A and 11B, and a coupling cloth 11D that couples the front seat expansion section 11A and the A pillar 22.

The front seat expansion section 11A and the rear seat expansion section 11B.
As shown in FIG. 2, after being woven integrally with the bag weave so that the weave direction (the direction of the warp and the weft) is up, down, left and right in the drawing, it is cut along the cutting line indicated by the imaginary line. After that, the surface is coated with a coating for maintaining airtightness, and each is formed separately.

The front seat inflatable portion 11A has a gas supply port S1 in the upper rear portion, and the gas supply port S1.
A gas introduction passage P1 communicating with the rear end at the rear end and extending laterally;
Four expansion chambers R1, R2, R3, and R4 that communicate with the gas introduction passage P1 at their upper ends and extend in the vertical direction (the direction of the yarn).
have. Further, the front seat inflatable portion 11A is attached to the front part of the roof side rail 21 in a state of being lowered forward by three mounting pieces F1, F2, F3 provided on the upper edge portion.

On the other hand, the rear seat inflatable portion 11B has a gas supply port S2 in the upper front portion, and the gas supply port S2.
A gas introduction passage P2 that communicates with the front end and extends in the lateral direction;
The gas introduction passage P2 has three expansion chambers R5, R6, and R7 that communicate with each other at the upper end and extend in the vertical direction (the direction of the weaving yarn). In addition, the rear seat inflatable portion 11B is lowered rearward at the rear portion of the roof side rail 21 by two mounting pieces F4 and F5 provided on the upper edge portion (not parallel to the front seat inflatable portion 11A, ) Can be assembled.

The central bonding cloth 11C has two expanding portions 11A,
The non-coated woven cloth, which is thinner and cheaper than the constituent cloth of 11B, is formed in accordance with the shape formed between the inflatable portions 11A and 11B in the inflated and deployed state of the inflatable portions 11A and 11B. Further, the center binding cloth 11C is sewn at the front end to the lower rear end (non-expandable portion) of the front inflatable portion 11A, and at the rear end to the lower front end (non-expandable portion) of the rear inflatable portion 11B. Sutured.

The front bonding cloth 11D is connected to the center bonding cloth 11D.
The front seat inflatable portion 11A is made of the same non-coated woven fabric as that of C.
The inflatable portion 11A for the front seat and the A-pillar 22
It is formed according to the shape formed between them. Also,
The front joining cloth 11D is connected to the A-pillar 22 at the front end, and is sewn at the rear end to the lower front end (non-inflated portion) of the front seat inflatable portion 11A.

The airbag 11 having the above-described structure is folded in such a manner that the entire airbag 11 can be deployed by bellows folding, roll folding, or the like (combination of both folding is possible).
2 and the A-pillar garnish stored along the roof side rail 21 and the lower edge portion is elastically deformable (not shown)
, And is covered by a peripheral portion of a roof head lining (not shown) that can be elastically deformed.

The inflator 12 is for injecting and supplying gas toward the airbag 11 in the event of a side collision or rollover of the vehicle, etc. The gas is supplied between the front-seat inflating portion 11A and the rear-seat inflating portion 11B. It is arranged along the roof side rail 21 together with the supply pipe 13 and is assembled to the roof side rail 21 using a bracket and bolts (both not shown). The inflator 12 is hermetically connected at its front end to an intermediate connecting portion 13a of the gas supply pipe 13 so that the inflator 12 and the gas supply pipe 13 are covered by a peripheral portion of the roof head lining.

The gas supply pipe 13 distributes and supplies gas from the inflator 12 to the front seat expansion section 11A and the rear seat expansion section 11B, and supplies gas to the front seat expansion section 11A at the front end 13b. It is airtightly connected to the port S1 and airtightly connected to the gas supply port S2 of the rear inflatable portion 11B at the rear end 13c. Further, the gas supply pipe 13 has a narrowed portion 13d between the intermediate connecting portion 13a and the rear end portion 13c, and has a larger expansion volume than the front seat expansion portion 11A having a larger expansion volume due to the narrowed portion 13d. The gas supply amount to the small rear seat inflatable portion 11B is reduced.

In the head protection airbag device 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the airbag 11 is normally stored along the A-pillar 22 and the roof side rail 21 in a state of being entirely folded. And is covered by the periphery of the A-pillar garnish and the roof head lining.

In the event of a side collision or rollover of the vehicle, gas is blown from the inflator 12 and this gas is folded through the gas supply pipe 13 and stored in the inflation chambers R1 to R7 of the airbag 11 stored therein. When the airbag 11 is supplied to the vehicle, the airbag 11 deforms the corresponding portions of the roof head lining and the A-pillar garnish toward the interior of the vehicle and deploys downward, as shown in FIG. It expands and develops into a curtain shape. At this time, in the airbag 11, the inflatable portions 11A and 11B are inflated and deployed toward the head protection inflatable areas located on the sides of the heads of the front and rear occupants.

In this embodiment, since the front-seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear-seat inflatable portion 11B of the airbag 11 are separately formed by weaving, the roof side rail 21 is not shown in FIG. Also, in a vehicle that is rounding as described above, the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear seat inflatable portion 11B
With the respective expansion chambers R1 to R7 formed in the yarn direction, the front-seat expansion section 11A and the rear-seat expansion section 11B are assembled to the roof side rail 21 at arbitrary angles (non-parallel). Can be attached.

In this embodiment, the two inflatable portions 1 are provided.
In the expanded and deployed state of 1A, 11B, both inflated portions 11A, 11
B, the central bonding cloth 11C is matched to the shape formed between the front bonding cloth 1 and the front bonding cloth 1 when the airbag 11 is inflated and deployed.
Optimal tension is obtained by the cooperation with 1D.
As a result, the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear seat inflatable portion 11B
The inflatable chambers R1 to R7 are set in the direction of the weaving yarn so that misalignment is hardly caused at the portions where the inflatable chambers R1 to R7 are formed when the airbag 11 is inflated and deployed. Is obtained), and a firm and optimal tension can be generated at the lower end of the airbag 11.

Further, in the present embodiment, in the airbag 11, the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear seat inflatable portion 11B are provided.
(The length in the front-back direction) of the central bonding cloth 11C connecting
Is appropriately changed, and the distance between the two inflatable portions 11A and 11B is appropriately changed, so that the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear seat inflatable portion 11B can be used as they are, and a vehicle type (from a small car to a large car) can be used. Airbag 1 for various types of vehicles)
1 can be configured. Therefore, the cost reduction of the airbag 11 accompanying the common use of the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear seat inflatable portion 11B can be achieved.

In the present embodiment, the inflators 11A, 11A, 11A, 11A of the airbag 11 are passed through a gas supply pipe 13 from an inflator 12 disposed between the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear seat inflatable portion 11B. 11B, gas can be supplied almost simultaneously and quickly, and each inflation portion 11A,
The expansion and deployment time of 11B can be shortened. Moreover, since the gas supply pipe 13 is provided with the throttle portion 13d to reduce the gas supply amount to the rear seat expansion portion 11B having a small expansion volume as compared with the front seat expansion portion 11A having a large expansion volume,
The inflation and deployment of both inflation portions 11A and 11B can be completed substantially simultaneously.

In the first embodiment, the inflators 12 are arranged in parallel along the gas supply pipes 13. However, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. It is also possible to carry out the present invention by arranging it orthogonally. In this case, the inflator 12
Can be assembled to the roof part 25 using brackets, bolts, rubber bushes, and the like, so that the inflator 12 can also function effectively as a mass damper, and the roof vibration can be damped.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the inflator 12 and the gas supply pipe 13 are provided between the front-seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear-seat inflatable portion 11B of the airbag 11. As in the third embodiment shown, the inflator 12 is arranged along the D pillar 26, and the gas from the inflator 12 is passed through the gas supply pipe 13 having a long and closed end and the front seat inflation portion 11A. And rear seat inflatable part 11
It is also possible to carry out by distributing and supplying to each of the expansion chambers R1 to R7 of B.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a gas supply port S3 is also formed at the rear upper portion of the rear seat inflatable portion 11B, and a gas supply pipe 13 corresponds to each of the expansion chambers R1 to R7. Gas outlet is formed. Further, in the third embodiment, the rear seat inflatable portion 11B and the D pillar 26 are provided.
Is provided so that the tension generated at the lower end of the airbag 11 when the airbag 11 is inflated and deployed is higher than in the above-described embodiments.

The bonding cloth 11E is made of each of the bonding cloths 11C and 11C.
The rear seat inflatable part 1 is made of the same non-coated woven fabric as 11D.
It is formed in conformity with the shape formed between the rear seat inflatable portion 11B and the D pillar 26 in the inflated and deployed state of 1B. Further, the joining cloth 11E is sewn to the lower rear end (non-expandable portion) of the expanded portion 11B at the front end, and is connected to the D pillar 26 at the rear end. In FIG. 4, the entire gas supply pipe 13 is indicated by a solid line in order to clearly show the gas outlet provided in the gas supply pipe 13.

In each of the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a two-row seat vehicle. However, as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a three-row seat vehicle (if there are at least three rows of seats). It is also possible to implement the present invention in a case where four or more rows are provided. In the fourth embodiment, the rear-seat inflatable portion 11 of each of the above embodiments is used.
B has independent rear seat second seat inflatable portions 11B1 and rear seat third seat inflatable portions 11B2, and a connecting cloth 11B3 connecting these two inflatable portions 11B1 and 11B2.
Is provided.

In the fourth embodiment, an inflator 12A is provided corresponding to the front seat expansion section 11A, and the rear seat second seat expansion section 11B1 and the rear seat third seat expansion section 11B2 are provided. Correspondingly, an inflator 12B and a gas supply pipe 13A are provided. Since the rear-seat second-seat inflatable portion 11B1 and the rear-seat third-seat inflatable portion 11B2 are formed in the same shape (the same shape as the rear-seat inflatable portion 11B in each of the above embodiments), the gas supply pipe is provided. 13A does not have a throttle section.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the airbag 11 is configured to have the front seat inflatable portion and the rear seat inflatable portion formed separately by bag weaving. As in the fifth embodiment shown, the airbag 1
It is also possible to implement 1 as a configuration including a front seat inflatable portion 11A and a rear seat inflatable portion 11B whose upper end portions are integrally formed by bag weaving. In this embodiment, the two inflatable portions 11A and 11B are not parallel to each other (the front seat inflatable portion 1).
The weaving direction of 1A and the weaving direction of the rear seat inflatable portion 11B are non-parallel to each other) and are assembled to the roof side rail 21 and the C-pillar 24 at the upper ends, respectively.

In the fifth embodiment, the gas introduction passage P1 of the front seat expansion section 11A and the rear seat expansion section 11A are connected to each other.
The gas introduction passage P2 of B communicates with the gas introduction passage P3 at the center, and the gas supply pipe 13 having a long and closed end through the gas supply port S3 provided at the rear upper portion of the rear seat inflatable portion 11B is airtight. It is inserted through. In FIG. 6, the entire gas supply pipe 13 is indicated by a solid line in order to clearly show the gas outlet provided in the gas supply pipe 13. Further, the front connecting cloth 11D connecting the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the A-pillar 22 is cut (cut so as to be hardly stretched in the front-rear direction) so that the weave direction becomes front and rear and up and down as shown in the figure. The bonding cloth 11C is cut with the weave direction oblique (bias direction).

In the fifth embodiment, the front-seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear-seat inflatable portion 11B are integrally formed with the upper ends by a weave, so that the front-seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear-seat inflatable portion 11A are formed. Although the airbag 11 cannot be configured according to the vehicle type by using the same inflatable portion 11B, even in a vehicle in which the roof side rail 21 is round, the inflatable portion 11A for the front seat and the inflatable portion for the rear seat can be used. While the expansion chambers R1 to R7 formed in the section 11B are set in the weaving yarn direction, the front side expansion section 11A and the rear seat expansion section 11B are respectively set at arbitrary angles (non-parallel) to the roof side rail 21. Can be assembled.

In the fifth embodiment, since the connecting cloth 11C is matched to the shape formed between the inflatable portions 11A and 11B in the inflated and deployed state, the airbag 11 is optimally inflated and deployed. Tension can be obtained.
As a result, the front seat inflatable portion 11A and the rear seat inflatable portion 11B
The inflatable chambers R1 to R7 are set in the direction of the weaving thread so that misalignment is difficult to occur at the portions where the inflatable chambers R1 to R7 are formed when the airbag 11 is inflated and deployed. Optimal tension can be generated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a head protection airbag device according to the present invention.
It is a side view showing the embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a manufacturing process of a front seat expansion section and a rear seat expansion section shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the head protection airbag device according to the present invention.
It is a side view showing the embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the head protection airbag device according to the present invention.
It is a side view showing the embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the head protection airbag device according to the present invention.
It is a side view showing the embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the head protection airbag device according to the present invention.
It is a side view showing the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Head protection airbag device, 11 ... Airbag, 1
1A: inflatable portion for front seat, 11B: inflatable portion for rear seat, 11C,
11D: binding cloth, R1 to R7: expansion chamber, S1, S2: gas supply port, 12: inflator (gas supply device), 13 ...
Gas supply pipe, 21: roof side rail, 22: A pillar, 23: B pillar, 24: C pillar.

Claims (4)

[Claims] An airbag stored along a roof side rail is provided with a front seat inflatable portion and a rear seat inflatable portion which are separately formed by bag weaving, and these two inflatable portions are connected. The two inflatable portions are non-parallel to each other, and can be attached to the roof side rails at upper ends thereof, and the two inflatable portions are inflated and deployed in the two inflatable portions. A head protection airbag device adapted to the shape formed between the parts. 2. The head protection airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a gas supply port is provided at a rear portion of the front seat inflatable portion and at a front portion of the rear seat inflatable portion, respectively. Wherein the gas can be supplied to each of the gas supply ports through a gas supply pipe from an inflator disposed in the airbag device. 3. The head protection airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the rear seat inflatable portion includes an independent rear seat second seat inflatable portion and a rear third seat inflatable portion. A head protection airbag device mounted on a three-row seat vehicle, characterized in that the headbag airbag device is provided with a connecting cloth connecting the two inflatable portions. 4. An airbag housed along a pillar from a roof side rail is provided with a front seat inflatable portion and a rear seat inflatable portion integrally formed at the upper end by a weave. A connecting cloth for connecting the lower portions of the sections, the two inflatable portions are non-parallel to each other, and can be attached to the roof side rail and the pillar at upper ends, respectively, and the connecting cloth is formed of the two inflatable portions. A head protection airbag device adapted to a shape formed between the two inflatable portions in an inflated and deployed state.