JP2002240675A - Air bag device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device for vehicle whose air bag body can be inflated downward in a curtain form properly even if a pillar falls down to the cabin side to make deformation. SOLUTION: At a lateral collision of a vehicle, there is a tendency that its center pillar 13 falls down to the cabin side to make deformation and in the part, the air bag body 1 is pinched by the bottom of a roof trim 16 to be folded into two segments in the initial period of inflation, but owing to the seam part 21, inflation and spread is made so that the generated gas from an inflator 6 is introduced in priority to a specific chamber 3A in the neighbourhood of the center pillar 13, so that a hitch of the air bag body 1 can be avoided, and when the internal pressure of the chamber 3A attains the specified inflating pressure value, the seam part 21 ruptures to cause the gas to be introduced to the other chambers 3 quickly, and it is possible for the air bag body 1 to be inflated and spread downward in curtain form as a whole.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an airbag in which the airbag body is inflated and deployed downward from the side of the roof side rail on the passenger compartment side in the event of a vehicle collision. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some automobiles include, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-2000.
As shown in JP-A-159048, an airbag device is provided along the front-rear direction on the side of the roof side rail on the passenger compartment side, and the airbag body is inflated and deployed downward in a curtain shape at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. Thus, there is known an apparatus in which the head or the like of an occupant is prevented from coming into direct contact with the side wall of the vehicle compartment and the impact energy is absorbed.

[0003] Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, the airbag body 1 is provided with a plurality of mounting pieces 2 integrally on an upper edge thereof. Are mounted along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body with bolts and nuts 10 or the like.

The airbag body 1 includes a plurality of chambers 3 separated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, one duct section 4 for sending generated gas of an inflator 6 described later to each chamber 3 along an upper edge, and each chamber 3 The airbag body 1 is folded and the side surface of the roof side rail 11 on the passenger compartment side, and the roof panel 15 and the passenger compartment of the full side rail 11 are provided. It is housed between a roof trim (trim) 16 that covers the side surface.

[0005] One of the front pillars 12 or the rear pillars 114 connected to the roof side rail 11, for example, the rear pillars 14, via a bracket 7, an inflator 6, which generates a gas by igniting by a detection operation of a collision sensor (not shown). The gas discharge part of the inflator 6 and the duct part 4 of the airbag body 1 are connected by a tube 8.

[0006] When the inflator 6 operates to generate gas at the time of a side collision of a vehicle or the like, the airbag body 1 causes the generated gas to pass through the tube 8, the duct 4, and the gas inlet 5 to each chamber. The roof side rails 11 are inflated by being introduced into the airbag 3, and the lower end of the roof trim 16 is flipped up by the inflation pressure so as to expand downwardly into a curtain shape. A plurality of deployment guides 9 are fixedly fastened together with the mounting pieces 2 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body so as to appropriately perform downward inflation and deployment of the main body 1, and the deployment guides 9 are also provided at connection portions with the center pillar 13. Thus, the airbag body 1 is prevented from being caught on the upper end of the garnish 17 that covers the side surface of the center pillar 13 on the passenger compartment side.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 18 denotes a shoulder anchor for a seat belt 19 disposed above the center pillar 13.

[0008]

At the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the airbag body 1 is inflated and deployed downward in a curtain shape by the firing operation of the inflator 6 as described above. 7
When the airbag body 1 is deformed from the dashed line position to the solid line position as shown in the figure, the upper end of the roof trim 16 at the portion corresponding to the center pillar 13 at the initial stage of the inflation and deployment of the airbag body 1 has a large amount of jump-up deformation. The deformation reaction force f of the roof trim 16 increases and the deformation input F of the center pillar 13 increases.
As a result, the airbag body 1 is sandwiched between the lower end of the roof trim 16 and the lower end of the deployment guide 9 or the upper end of the garnish 17, and the lower end of the airbag body 1 is pulled toward the lower end of the deployment guide 9 or the upper end of the garnish 17. Hanging, the airbag body 1 is folded in two (solid line in FIG. 1)
There is a possibility that.

Therefore, the present invention is a vehicle capable of preventing a folded state of the airbag main body even when the pillar falls down and deforms toward the passenger compartment due to a side collision of the vehicle, even in a portion corresponding to the pillar. The present invention provides an airbag device for a vehicle.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an airbag body having a plurality of chambers which are separated in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body and into which gas generated by an inflator is introduced is provided. The airbag body is folded and stored between the side surface on the vehicle cabin side and the trim covering the side surface and disposed along the roof side rail in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In a vehicle airbag apparatus in which the lower end of the trim is flipped up by the inflation pressure to expand the airbag body downward, gas generated by an inflator is introduced into each chamber of the airbag body. The generated gas is preferentially supplied to a specific chamber that expands near a pillar connected to the roof side rail by partially closing the path. ON Toe, the particular chamber pressure is characterized in that a seam portion breakable upon reaching a predetermined inflation and deployment pressure.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a path for introducing the gas generated by the inflator to each chamber of the airbag body according to the first aspect is provided by one duct portion common to each chamber, A gas introduction port communicating with the duct section, and the seam section is provided by closing the duct section at a downstream edge of the gas introduction port of the specific chamber in the gas flow direction. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the seam portion according to the second aspect is provided in a shape perpendicular to a gas flow direction line in the duct portion.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the seam portion according to the second aspect is provided in a curved shape with respect to a gas flow direction line in the duct portion.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the seam portion according to the second aspect is provided so as to be inclined with respect to a gas flow direction line in the duct portion.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a path for introducing the gas generated by the inflator to each chamber of the airbag body according to the first aspect is provided by one duct portion common to each chamber, and And a gas introduction port communicating with the duct portion, wherein a seam portion is provided by closing a gas introduction port of another chamber except for the gas introduction port of the specific chamber.

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the pillar falls down and deforms toward the passenger compartment due to a side collision of the vehicle, the airbag body is initially inflated and deployed at a portion corresponding to the pillar. Tends to break between the lower end of the trim and the roof side rail or the upper part of the pillar, but the gas generated by the inflator is preferentially introduced into a specific chamber near the pillar, The specific chamber in the vicinity of the pillar is properly inflated and deployed, and the airbag body is not caught in the pillar portion, and the deployment is not defective.When the specific chamber internal pressure reaches the predetermined inflation and deployment internal pressure, the seam portion is broken. As a result, the generated gas is introduced into the other chamber, so that the airbag body can be prevented from being broken in two.

According to the invention described in claim 2, according to claim 1
In addition to the effects of the invention, the gas introduction path of the airbag body is constituted by one duct portion common to each chamber, and a gas introduction port communicating each chamber with the duct portion. By closing the duct at the gas flow direction downstream edge of the gas inlet of the specific chamber and providing the seam, it is easy to set the seam for preferentially introducing the generated gas to the specific chamber. Can be done.

According to the invention described in claim 3, according to claim 2,
In addition to the effects of the invention, the seam portion is provided in a line perpendicular to the gas flow direction line of the duct portion, so that the internal pressure at break of the seam portion can be reduced, so that the specific chamber can be normally operated. This is effective when the internal pressure for expansion and deployment is relatively low.

According to the invention described in claim 4, according to claim 2,
In addition to the effect of the invention, the seam portion is provided in a curved shape with respect to the gas flow direction line of the duct portion, so that the internal stress can be dispersed by the curved shape of the seam portion, and the seam portion length can be increased. The seam portion can withstand high pressure, and thus is effective when the internal pressure at which a specific chamber normally expands and deploys is relatively high.

According to the invention set forth in claim 5, according to claim 2,
In addition to the effect of the invention, the seam portion is provided in an inclined line with respect to the gas flow direction line of the duct portion, so that the seam portion can withstand high pressure by increasing the seam portion length, and This is effective when the internal pressure at which the chamber normally expands and deploys is relatively high, and the break pressure of the seam can be easily adjusted by changing the angle of the inclination line of the seam. .

According to the invention described in claim 6, according to claim 2,
In addition to the effects of the invention described above, by providing the seam portion at the gas inlet of a chamber other than the gas inlet of the specific chamber, preferential gas introduction into only the specific chamber can be easily configured.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Is mounted on the side of the roof side rail 11 on the passenger compartment side with bolts and nuts 10 or the like in the vehicle longitudinal direction via a plurality of mounting pieces 2 on the upper edge thereof. Chambers 3 divided into
And one duct 4 common to each chamber 3 along the upper edge as a gas introduction path, and each duct 3 and the duct 4
The airbag body 1 is folded and housed between the side of the roof side rail 11 on the passenger compartment side and the roof trim 16, and a rear pillar 14 is provided. The gas discharge section of the inflator 6 and the duct section 4 are connected by a tube 8, and the airbag body 1 generates gas by operating the inflator 6 at the time of a side collision of a vehicle. Then, the generated gas is expanded by being introduced into each of the chambers 3 via the tube 8, the duct portion 4, and the gas inlet 5, and the expanded pressure causes the lower end of the roof trim 16 to jump upward and downward. The basic configuration, such as the fact that it is developed in a curtain shape, is as described in the above-mentioned prior art.

Here, in the present invention, the paths 4 and 5 for partially introducing the gas generated by the inflator 6 into the respective chambers 3 of the airbag body 1 are partially closed. The generated gas is preferentially introduced into a specific chamber 3A that expands and deploys near a center pillar 13 as a pillar connected to the roof side rail 11, and the internal pressure of the specific chamber 3A reaches a predetermined expansion and expansion internal pressure. A seam portion 21 is provided which can be broken when it is broken.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the seam portion 21 is located at the downstream edge of the gas inlet 5 of the specific chamber 3A in the gas flow direction (arrow a) and the duct portion 4 is formed. Is provided in a line perpendicular to the gas flow direction line a.

The seam portion 21 may be sewn with a sewing thread after the airbag body 1 is knitted or formed, or may be formed simultaneously with the knitting of the airbag body 1.

According to the structure of this embodiment, when the center pillar 13 falls and deforms toward the passenger compartment due to a side collision of the vehicle, the portion corresponding to the center pillar 13 at the initial stage of inflation and deployment of the airbag body 1 as described above. Although the airbag body 1 is sandwiched between the lower end of the roof trim 16 and the deployment guide 9 or the garnish 17, the airbag body 1 tends to be broken, but the gas flowing through the duct portion 4 has a specific shape corresponding to the center pillar 13. The edge of the gas inlet 5 of the chamber 3A on the downstream side in the gas flow direction is dammed by the seam portion 21 and is preferentially introduced into the specific chamber 3A with respect to the chamber 3 downstream of the specific chamber 3A. Thus, the specific chamber 3A can be inflated and deployed as shown by a chain line in FIG. It is possible to avoid the two broken Te.

When the internal pressure of the specific chamber 3A reaches a predetermined internal pressure, the seam portion 21 breaks, and the generated gas is quickly introduced into each of the chambers 3 downstream of the specific chamber 3A. The airbag body 1 can be inflated and deployed in a curtain shape.

Here, since the seam portion 21 is provided in a line perpendicular to the gas flow direction line of the duct portion 4, the internal breaking pressure of the seam portion 21 can be reduced.
This is effective when the internal pressure at which the specific chamber 3A expands and deploys is relatively low.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a duct 4 is formed at the downstream edge of the gas inlet 5 of the specific chamber 3A in the gas flow direction.
Is provided in a curved shape with respect to the gas flow direction line a at a required radius R centered on the upstream edge of the gas introduction port 5 in the gas flow direction.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the internal stress can be dispersed by the curved shape of the seam portion 21 and the seam portion 21 can withstand a high pressure by extending the seam portion length. This is effective when the internal pressure at which 3A expands and deploys is relatively high.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a duct 4 is provided at the downstream edge of the gas inlet 5 of the specific chamber 3A in the gas flow direction.
Are provided in a slanted line with respect to the gas flow direction line a of the duct portion 4.

Therefore, according to the third embodiment, the length of the seam portion can be increased by the inclination of the seam portion 21.
The seam portion 21 can withstand high pressure, which is effective when the internal pressure at which the specific chamber 3A expands and deploys is relatively high, and the seam portion 21 can be changed by changing the inclination line angle of the seam portion 21. The corresponding adjustment of the breaking pressure of 21 can be easily performed.

In the above-described embodiment, the gas is preferentially introduced into the chamber 3A by providing the seam portion 21 for the gas inlet of the specific chamber 3A. The gas is preferentially introduced into the chamber 3 on both sides of the
May be expanded to prevent the chamber 3A from being broken in two.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the gas inlet 5 of the other chamber 3 except for the gas inlet 5 of the specific chamber 3A is closed. The aforementioned seam portion 21 is provided.

Therefore, according to the fourth embodiment, preferential gas introduction into only the specific chamber 3A can be easily configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an arrangement state of an airbag device to which the present invention is applied when viewed from a passenger compartment side.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing a main part of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view showing a main part of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a center pillar portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a deployed state of an airbag body having a conventional structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Airbag main body 2 Mounting piece 3 Chamber 3A Specific chamber 4 Duct part (path) 5 Gas inlet (path) 6 Inflator 11 Roof side rail 13 Center pillar (pillar) 21 Seam part

Claims (6)

[Claims] An airbag body having a plurality of chambers separated in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body and into which generated gas of an inflator is introduced is formed by a side surface of a roof side rail on a vehicle interior side and a trim covering the side surface. The airbag body is inflated by the gas generated by the inflator at the time of collision of the vehicle, and the lower end of the trim is inflated by the inflation pressure. In a vehicle airbag device in which the airbag body is flipped up to deploy the airbag body downward, a path for introducing gas generated by an inflator to each chamber of the airbag body is partially closed, The generated gas is preferentially introduced into a specific chamber that expands near a pillar connected to the roof side rail, and the internal pressure of the specific chamber is increased by a predetermined amount. An airbag device for a vehicle, comprising: a seam portion that can be broken when the internal pressure of the deployment is reached. 2. A path for introducing a gas generated by an inflator to each chamber of an airbag body includes one duct common to each chamber, and a gas introduction port communicating each chamber with the duct. 2. The airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a seam portion is provided by closing the duct portion at a downstream edge of a gas inlet of the specific chamber in a gas flow direction. 3. The airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the seam portion is provided in a shape perpendicular to a gas flow direction line in the duct portion. 4. The airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the seam portion is provided in a curved shape with respect to a gas flow direction line in the duct portion. 5. The airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the seam portion is provided in an inclined line shape with respect to a gas flow direction line in the duct portion. 6. A path for introducing gas generated by an inflator to each chamber of the airbag body includes one duct portion common to each chamber, and a gas introduction port communicating each chamber with the duct portion. 2. The airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a seam portion is provided by closing a gas introduction port of another chamber except a gas introduction port of the specific chamber.