JP2002249010A - Method for folding air bag and air bag device for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for folding an air bag capable of reliably developing the air bag toward a space between a passenger and an instrument panel and to provide an air bag device for an automobile. SOLUTION: By notating a bellows-form part 4c into a 360-degree in a direction reverse to a development direction, and the bellows-form part 4c is wrapped in a base end part 4b of the air bag 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag folding method and an automobile airbag apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An instrument panel located below a front window panel is provided with an airbag module (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 8-26 is a similar technique).
No. 8213). This airbag module is
It has a structure in which a folded airbag and an inflator that blows out gas into the airbag are housed in a case having an open top container shape. The airbag is deployed toward the vehicle interior by the gas blown from the inflator at the time of the collision to protect the occupant.

[0003] In the case of this type of airbag device, it is better to deploy the airbag backward and enter between the occupant and the instrument panel than to deploy the airbag to the front window panel side directly above, in terms of occupant protection. Is known to be superior. Therefore, conventionally, the shape of the airbag is devised so that the airbag deploys rearward and enters between the occupant and the instrument panel, or the upward deployment of the airbag is suppressed inside the airbag. A belt is provided to guide the airbag to deploy between the occupant and the instrument panel as much as possible.

[0004]

However, a device for adding a belt to the shape of the airbag or the inside thereof has been sufficiently improved until now, and the airbag must be further connected between the occupant and the instrument panel. The only way to control the airbag to deploy between them is to devise a way to fold the airbag when storing it. That is, since the deployment behavior of the airbag is greatly affected by the folding method of the airbag, a new folding method of the airbag that can reliably deploy the airbag between the occupant and the instrument panel is proposed. Is desired.

[0005] The present invention has been made in response to such a demand, and a method of folding an airbag and an airbag for an automobile capable of reliably deploying the airbag between an occupant and an instrument panel. An apparatus is provided.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A method of folding an airbag housed in an upper open container-shaped case installed on an instrument panel below a front window panel, wherein a first step of overlapping upper and lower surfaces of the airbag to make the airbag flat is performed. A second step in which both ends in the width direction of the airbag are pushed into the inside to make the width substantially the same as the case, and a part other than the base end of the airbag with the airbag facing the occupant at the time of installation. From a third step of making a bellows shape in the longitudinal direction, and a fourth step of making the bellows-shaped part rotate once in a direction opposite to the deployment direction and wrapping the bellows-shaped part with the base end of the airbag. Become.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the airbag whose width is substantially the same as that of the case in the first step and the second step is temporarily turned to the occupant side in the third step. When deployed, the airbag attempts to return to a condition facing the occupant. Moreover, since the bellows-shaped portion of the airbag has been rotated one turn in the direction opposite to the deployment direction, when the airbag was deployed, the airbag was rotated in a direction of rewinding the rotating state, and was completely rotated. At times, the bellows-like portion of the airbag is swung downward due to the inertial force of rotation. The airbag is deployed between the occupant and the instrument panel by the action of going to the occupant side and the action of swinging downward. Furthermore, since the airbag directed between the occupant and the instrument panel has a bellows shape in which the portion other than the base end is pushed into the inside of the airbag, a narrow space between the occupant and the instrument panel is provided. Can be quickly deployed within. That is, in the structure of pushing inward like a bellows, the pushed-in structure is directly pushed out as it is, so that the deployment speed is very high. Therefore, even when the space between the occupant and the instrument panel is small, the airbag can be quickly deployed at the initial stage of the vehicle side collision, and the occupant can be reliably protected.

In the second aspect of the present invention, in the second step, both ends of the airbag in the width direction are formed into bellows in the vertical direction and pushed into the inside.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since both ends in the width direction of the airbag are also formed in a bellows shape, the airbag is quickly and widely deployed between the occupant and the instrument panel in the width direction. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the third step, the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the airbag are each independently formed in a bellows shape in the longitudinal direction.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the bellows state in the longitudinal direction of the airbag is formed independently on the upper surface side and the lower surface side, the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the airbag are mutually separated. The ability to deploy freely without being affected further increases deployment speed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the airbag folded by the method described in the preceding aspect is housed in a case.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the airbag device storing the airbag folded by the method described in each of the above items has improved occupant protection performance.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 15 and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, an instrument panel 2 is located below the front window panel 1 on the passenger seat side of the vehicle. A case 3 closed by a lid (not shown) is provided on an upper portion of the instrument panel 2, and a folded airbag 4 is provided in the case 3.
And an inflator 5 for ejecting gas for inflating the inflator.

The airbag 4 is non-coated (not coated with heat) and has a basis weight of 200.
g / m ² upper fabric 66 made of nylon 66 woven fabric
And the lower fabric 7 are sewn together. The upper base cloth 6 and the lower base cloth 7 are both symmetrical as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

At the front end of the lower base cloth 7, a rectangular gas inlet 8 is formed. Around the gas inlet 8, a wrapping cloth 9 which wraps the airbag 4 when folded in the case 3. Is sewn. Exhaust holes 10 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper base cloth 6, respectively.
This exhaust hole 10 is for discharging extra gas when the airbag 4 is fully inflated.

Next, a method of folding the airbag 4 will be described.

First Step (See FIG. 4) First, the upper surface and the lower surface of the three-dimensional airbag 4 are overlapped to make a flat state. By doing this,
Subsequent folding becomes easier.

Second Step (See FIGS. 5, 6, and 10) Next, both ends 4a in the width direction of the airbag 4 are pushed into the inside to make the width substantially the same as that of the case 3. Specifically, while pressing the center portion in the width direction of the airbag 4 with the jig 11, both ends in the width direction are pushed once by one plate P1 (see FIG. 8), and the airbag 4 is reduced to a certain width. (See FIG. 5). Next, a second press is performed using another plate P2 (see FIG. 9), and both ends of the airbag 4 in the width direction are made bellows in the vertical direction (see FIG. 7). (See FIGS. 6 and 10)
reference).

Third Step (See FIGS. 11 and 12) Next, when the airbag 4 having the same width as the case 3 is mounted on the instrument panel 2 with respect to the case 3, The passenger is bent in a direction toward the occupant M (that is, backward). Then, in this state, a portion other than the base end portion 4b of the airbag 4 is made bellows in the longitudinal direction by using another plate P3. The operation of forming the bellows is performed separately and independently on the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the airbag 4, but not both.

Fourth step (see FIGS. 13 and 14) Finally, the bellows-shaped portion 4c is rotated once in a direction opposite to the developing direction, and the bellows-shaped portion 4c is removed from the airbag 4. It is housed in the case 3 while being wrapped by the base end portion 4b.

Next, the actual deployment behavior of the airbag 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. When a sensor (not shown) detects a sudden acceleration such as a collision of a car,
The gas generated from the inflator 5 is jetted out of the gas inlet 8 into the airbag 4, and the airbag 4 is inflated.
The inflated airbag 4 jumps out of the case 3 and partially hits the front window panel 1, but as a whole, deploys rearward as initial inflation.

This is because the airbag having the same width as that of the case 3 in the first and second steps is once directed to the occupant M in the third step.
When the airbag 4 is deployed, the airbag 4 tends to face the occupant M, and the bellows-like portion 4c of the airbag 4 is rotated once in the direction opposite to the deployment direction. This is because when the airbag 4 is deployed, it rotates in the direction of rewinding its rotating state, and when it is completely rotated, the bellows-like portion 4c of the airbag 4 is swung downward by the inertial force of the rotation. As described above, the airbag 4 is deployed between the occupant M and the instrument panel 2 by the action toward the occupant M and the action swinging downward.

Further, the deployment speed of the airbag 4 is also increased. This is because the structure pushed into the inside like the bellows portion 4c is directly pushed out as it is, so that the deployment speed is much faster than the folded structure. Therefore, even if the space between the occupant M and the instrument panel 2 is narrow, the airbag 4 is quickly deployed in the early stage of a vehicle collision,
The occupant M can be reliably protected. Moreover, since the bellows state in the longitudinal direction of the airbag 4 is independently performed on the upper surface side and the lower surface side, the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the airbag 4 can be freely deployed without being affected by each other. Therefore, the deployment speed is further improved.

In this embodiment, since both ends 4a in the width direction of the airbag 4 are also formed in a bellows shape, the airbag 4 can be quickly and widely deployed between the occupant M and the instrument panel 2 also in the width direction. become.

[0026]

According to the present invention, the airbag whose width is substantially the same as that of the case in the first step and the second step is formed in the third step.
In the process, since the airbag is once turned to the occupant side, the airbag tends to return to the occupant side when deployed. Moreover, since the bellows-shaped part of the airbag is rotated one turn in the opposite direction to the deployment direction,
When the airbag is deployed, the airbag rotates in the rewinding direction, and when the airbag is completely rotated, the bellows-like portion of the airbag is swung downward by the inertial force of the rotation. The airbag is deployed between the occupant and the instrument panel by the action of going to the occupant side and the action of swinging downward. Furthermore, since the airbag directed between the occupant and the instrument panel has a bellows shape in which the portion other than the base end is pushed into the inside of the airbag, a narrow space between the occupant and the instrument panel is provided. Can be quickly deployed within. In other words, in the structure of pushing inward like a bellows, the pushed-in structure is directly pushed out as it is, so that the deployment speed is very high. Therefore, even when the space between the occupant and the instrument panel is small, the airbag can be quickly deployed at the initial stage of the vehicle side collision, and the occupant can be reliably protected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a lower base fabric of the airbag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an upper fabric of the airbag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which an upper surface portion and a lower surface portion of the airbag of FIGS. 2 and 3 are overlapped and flattened;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state where the width of the airbag of FIG. 4 is reduced to some extent.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state in which the width of the airbag of FIG. 5 is substantially the same as that of the case.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line SA-SA shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing an operation for obtaining the state of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing an operation for obtaining the state of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the width of the airbag of FIG. 6 is substantially the same as that of the case.

11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the airbag of FIG. 10 is bent toward the occupant.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state in which the airbag of FIG. 11 is formed into a bellows in a longitudinal direction.

13 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the airbag of FIG. 11 is formed into a bellows in a longitudinal direction.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the bellows portion of the airbag of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the interior of the vehicle, showing an initial state of deployment of the airbag of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the interior of the vehicle, illustrating a state of the airbag in FIG. 15 at a later stage of deployment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 front window panel 2 instrument panel 3 case 4 airbag 4a both ends in width direction 4b base end 4c bellows-shaped portion 5 inflator 6 upper base cloth 7 lower base cloth 8 gas inlet 9 wrapping cloth 10 exhaust hole 11 Jig P1-P3 Plate M Passenger

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method of folding an airbag stored in an upper open container-shaped case installed in an instrument panel below a front window panel, wherein the upper and lower surfaces of the airbag are overlapped to be flat. A first step of pushing the airbag into both ends in the width direction to make the width substantially the same as that of the case; and placing the airbag in a state facing the occupant side at the time of installation. A third step of making a portion other than the base end bellows in the longitudinal direction; and rotating the bellows portion one turn in a direction opposite to the deploying direction so that the bellows-shaped portion becomes a base end of the airbag. And a fourth step of wrapping the airbag in a part. 2. The airbag folding method according to claim 1, wherein in the second step, both ends in the width direction of the airbag are made bellows in a vertical direction and pushed into the airbag. How to fold. 3. The method for folding an airbag according to claim 1, wherein in the third step, the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the airbag are independently bellowed in the longitudinal direction. A method for folding an airbag, characterized in that the airbag is folded. 4. An airbag device for an automobile, wherein the airbag folded by the method according to claim 1 is stored in a case.