JP2002337645A - Air bag device for protecting head part - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device for protecting a head part capable of improving expansion and development performance of an air bag housed in a folded state in up and down directions along a roof side rail. SOLUTION: This air bag device protects the head part of an occupant by expanding and developing the air bag 11, housed in a state folded in a vertical direction along the roof side rail 21, along a cabin side wall in a curtain shape by gas supplied to a gas supply port 11a of the air bag 11 from an inflator 14 arranged in a center part in a back and forth direction of a vehicle. The gas supply port 11a is provided in an intermediate part of a gas passage 11b for supplying gas to an expansion part for a front seat and the expansion part for a rear seat provided on the air bag 11. A front end 11b1 of the gas passage 11b from an arranged part of the gas supply port 11a and a rear side end 11b2 of the gas passage 11b from an arranged part of the gas supply port 11a are made in an approximately straight line shape in a plan view.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device mounted on a vehicle, and more particularly to a head protection airbag device for protecting a passenger's head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one type of head protection airbag device of this type, a head protection airbag device is folded vertically by a gas supplied from an inflator disposed at the center in the front-rear direction of a vehicle to a gas supply port of the airbag. An airbag stored along a roof side rail in a retracted state is inflated and deployed in a curtain shape along a side wall of a vehicle cabin so as to protect an occupant's head. Has been described.

[0003]

In vehicles such as passenger cars,
The roof side rail is curved in a plan view, and has an external appearance in which a central portion in the vehicle front-rear direction is curved inward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when the folded airbag is stored along the curved outer shape of the roof side rail, the airbag is mounted on the vehicle in a curved state in plan view. In addition, the gas supplied to the gas supply port of the airbag immediately after the operation of the inflator arranged in the center of the vehicle in the front-rear direction travels at an extremely high speed in the front-rear direction while expanding the gas passage of the folded airbag. I do. Therefore, a pressure loss is generated by an amount corresponding to the bending of the folded airbag, which may adversely affect the inflation and deployment performance of the airbag.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to a gas supply system for supplying air to a gas supply port of an airbag from an inflator disposed in the center in the front-rear direction of a vehicle. In the head protection airbag device, the airbag stored along the roof side rail in the folded state is inflated and deployed in a curtain shape along the side wall of the passenger compartment to protect the head of the occupant. The gas supply port is provided at an intermediate portion of a gas passage for supplying gas to the front seat inflation portion and the rear seat inflation portion provided in the airbag, and the gas supply port is provided from the gas supply port arrangement portion. The invention is characterized in that the front end and the rear end of the gas passage from the location of the gas supply port are substantially linear in plan view (the invention according to claim 1).

In this case, the front end of the gas passage from the location of the gas supply port and the rear end of the gas passage from the location of the gas supply port are arranged substantially linearly in a side view. Preferably, the gas supply port is provided with a gas distributor for supplying and distributing gas toward a front end of the gas passage and a rear end of the gas passage. 3) is desirable.
Further, the gas distributor is provided at the tip of a diffuser pipe connected to the inflator, and gas distribution holes provided in the gas distributor are opened toward a front end and a rear end of the gas passage. (The invention according to claim 4) is desirable.

[0006]

In the head protection airbag device according to the present invention (the invention according to claim 1), gas is supplied to the front-seat inflating portion and the rear-seat inflating portion provided in the airbag. A gas supply port is provided at an intermediate portion of the gas passage, and a front end of the gas passage from a portion where the gas supply port is provided and a rear end of the gas passage from a portion where the gas supply port is provided are substantially linear in plan view. Shape. For this reason, the gas supplied to the gas supply port of the airbag immediately after the operation of the inflator arranged in the center of the vehicle in the front-rear direction pushes the gas passage of the folded airbag straight ahead at an ultra-high speed in the front-rear direction. By effectively utilizing the straightness of the gas flow at the time of the gas flow, the gas can flow smoothly from the gas supply port to the front and rear ends of the gas passage, and the inflation and deployment performance of the airbag can be improved. .

In implementing the present invention, the front end of the gas passage from the location of the gas supply port in the airbag and the rear end of the gas passage from the location of the gas supply port in the airbag are substantially linear in side view. In the case where the airbag is arranged in the airbag (the invention according to claim 2), the inflating and deploying performance of the airbag can be improved by effectively utilizing the straightness of the gas flow that travels straight at a very high speed in the front-rear direction in the gas passage of the airbag. It can be further improved.

In practicing the present invention, the gas supply port of the airbag may be provided with a gas distributor for distributing gas to a front end of the gas passage and a rear end of the gas passage. In the third aspect of the invention, the gas distribution efficiency at the gas supply port can be increased, and the inflation and deployment performance of the front seat inflation portion and the rear seat inflation portion of the airbag can be improved.

In practicing the present invention, a gas distributor is provided at the tip of a diffuser pipe connected to an inflator, and front and rear gas distribution holes provided in the gas distributor are provided at front and rear ends of a gas passage. In the case where the airbag is opened toward the airbag (the invention according to claim 4), the directivity of the gas flow from the gas distributor to the front end and the rear end of the gas passage in the airbag is increased, and the airbag is inflated. The deployment performance can be further improved.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a head protection airbag device of a passenger car vehicle.
An airbag 11 that expands and deploys in a curtain shape along the side wall of the vehicle compartment, a tension cloth 12 attached to a front end of the airbag 11, and a gas supply port 11a of the airbag 11
The airbag module 10 includes an inflator 14 that is hermetically assembled via a diffuser pipe 13.

The airbag 11 is formed by bag weaving so that the weave direction is front and rear and up and down, and its surface is coated with an airtight holding coating.
A gas passage 11b extending in a front-rear direction substantially perpendicular to a lower end of the gas passage 11b; a front seat expansion portion 11c and a rear seat expansion portion 11d capable of supplying gas through the gas passage 11b; 11e, front end non-expandable portion 11f
And four attachment pieces 11g. Note that each mounting piece 11g is provided with a mounting hole 11g1 for the roof side rail 21.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the front seat inflatable portion 11c is used to move the head Hf of the occupant Mf who sits on the front seat Sf (seat provided corresponding to the B pillar 23). For protection, four expansion chambers (cells) 11c4, 11c5 are formed inside the center by three T-shaped partitions (non-expansion parts) 11c1, 11c2, and 11c3 provided at the center in the vertical direction.
The expansion chambers 11c4 to 11c7 communicate with each other at upper and lower ends.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear seat inflatable portion 11d is provided with a head Hr of an occupant Mr sitting on the rear seat Sr.
The interior of the center is divided into three expansion chambers (cells) 11d3, 11d4, 11 by two T-shaped partitions (non-expansion portions) 11d1 and 11d2 provided at the center in the vertical direction.
d5, each of these expansion chambers 11d3 to 11d
d5 communicates with each other at both upper and lower ends.

The tension cloth 12 is used for the airbag 11.
Is formed in a triangular shape (the shape can be changed as appropriate) with a non-coated woven fabric which is thinner and cheaper than
2a sewn to the front end non-inflated portion 11f of the airbag 11 and A
It is configured to be assembled to the pillar 22 (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the diffuser pipe 13 is formed in a thin and substantially J-shape, and a flare is formed on a male screw portion 14b provided in a gas injection port 14a of the inflator 14. It is airtightly and integrally connected to the gas supply port 11a of the airbag 11 using the tightening band 15 in a state where it is airtightly and integrally connected and fixed using the nut 13b, and has a smaller diameter than the gas supply port 11a. Gas supply port 1
It is set so that a required gap is formed between the diffuser 1a and the diffuser pipe 13. This gap is a gap that allows radial injection of gas at the tip of the diffuser pipe 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the diffuser pipe 13 is slightly behind the B-pillar 23, and extends along the door glass (side glass) surface 41 as shown in FIG. The gas passage 11b is disposed so as to face diagonally downward (substantially parallel to the door glass surface 41) and extends in the front-rear direction of the airbag 11.
The gas is supplied so as to intersect from above.

The inflator 1 is located at the tip of the diffuser pipe 13 (gas injection port of the diffuser pipe 13), that is, at a portion facing the gas passage 11b of the airbag 11.
The shower head 13a for dispersing the gas supplied from the nozzle 4 in the radial direction is integrally provided, and the length of the distal end of the diffuser pipe 13 is adjusted so that the shower head 13a does not protrude into the gas passage 11b of the airbag 11. Is set.

The shower head 13a includes the inflator 1
4, the gas supplied to the gas supply port 11 a of the airbag 11 through the diffuser pipe 13 is dispersed in the radial direction, and the front end 11 b 1 and the rear end 11 of the gas passage 11 b are dispersed.
A gas distributor for distributing and supplying the gas toward b2, which is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape (see FIG. 6) by a metal material, and has a plurality of injection holes 13a1 extending radially from the center O1 of the spherical surface. It is provided point-symmetrically with respect to the center (axis) of 13a.

The inflator 14 is for injecting and supplying gas toward the airbag 11 at the time of a side collision or rollover of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. Are assembled using bolts 16 and the like. Also, the inflator 14
Are arranged in the front-rear direction along the roof side rail 21 above the airbag 11 at the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and are covered by a roof head lining 31.

The bracket 14c is made of a material (energy absorbing material) which can be easily plastically deformed by an external force (impact force).
The bracket (EA bracket) is formed by the following formula, and is capable of absorbing energy by plastically deforming with a stroke S until it comes into contact with the roof side rail 21. When it is assumed that this energy amount is large, an energy absorbing pad 39 can be attached to the back surface (the portion facing the inflator 14) of the roof head lining 31, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. It is.

In the airbag apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above, normally, the airbag 11 and the tension cloth 12 are folded up and down in the up and down direction so that the bag 17 (FIGS. 4 and 5) can be broken. A) and the A-pillar 22 and the roof side rail 2
1 and is covered by an A-pillar garnish (not shown) and a roof head lining 31.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section at the B-pillar garnish 33, and a projection 33a on the upper back surface of the B-pillar garnish 33 for preventing the inflating and deploying airbag 11 from entering the back of the B-pillar garnish 33. Are formed. Note that the projection 33a can be implemented as a shape shown by a virtual line in FIG. 5 (a shape having an inclined surface in a portion bent upward), and in this case, the inflation and deployment of the airbag 11 is performed on the inclined surface. To prevent the airbag 11 from being caught on the upper end of the B pillar garnish 33.

Further, when a gas is blown out of the inflator 14 at the time of a side collision or rollover of the vehicle and the gas is supplied from the shower head 13a to the gas passage 11b of the airbag 11 through the diffuser pipe 13, the air The bag 11 deforms the corresponding portion of the roof head lining 31 toward the passenger compartment and expands downward, and the tension cloth 12 deforms the corresponding portion of the A pillar garnish toward the passenger compartment and expands downward,
The airbag 11 is inflated and deployed in a curtain shape along the side wall in the vehicle interior as shown in FIG. At this time, the inflatable portions 11c and 11d of the airbag 11 are connected to the occupants Mf and Mr.
Of the head Hf, Hr.

In this embodiment, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a gas supply port 11 is provided at an intermediate portion of a gas passage 11b for supplying gas to a front seat inflatable portion 11c and a rear seat inflatable portion 11d provided in the airbag 11.
a, a front end portion 11b1 of the gas passage 11b and a gas supply port 11a from a portion where the gas supply port 11a is provided.
The airbag 11 is disposed in a vertically folded state so that the rear end 11b2 of the gas passage 11b is substantially linear in plan view from the disposition portion. In FIG.
Roof side rail 2 folded vertically
1, the center line of the airbag 11 stored along the A-pillar is indicated by a dashed line, and the center line of the tension cloth 12 stored along the A pillar 22 in the vertically folded state is indicated by a dashed line. Shown.

For this reason, the gas supplied to the gas supply port 11a of the airbag 11 immediately after the operation of the inflator 14 disposed at the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle pushes and expands the gas passage 11b of the folded airbag 11. The gas can smoothly flow from the gas supply port 11a toward the front and rear ends 11b1 and 11b2 of the gas passage 11b by effectively utilizing the straightness of the gas flow when traveling straight at a very high speed in the front and rear direction. Thus, the inflation and deployment performance of the airbag 11 can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The front end portion 11b1 of the gas passage 11b from the disposition portion and the rear end portion 11b2 of the gas passage 11b from the disposition portion of the gas supply port 11a are folded in a vertical direction so as to be substantially linear in a side view. The airbag 11 in the state is arranged. Therefore, the gas passage 11b of the airbag 11
The airbag 11 can further improve the inflation and deployment performance by making more effective use of the straightness of a gas flow that travels straight at an ultra-high speed in the front-rear direction.

Further, in this embodiment, a shower head (gas supply / distribution) supplies gas to the gas supply port 11a of the airbag 11 toward the front end 11b1 of the gas passage 11b and the rear end 11b2 of the gas passage 11b. Distributor) 1
3a is provided. Therefore, the gas distribution efficiency at the gas supply port 11a can be increased, and the inflation and deployment performance of the front seat inflation portion 11c and the rear seat inflation portion 11d of the airbag 11 can be improved. The inflatable portion 11c and the inflatable portion 11d for the rear seat can be inflated and deployed in a short time at substantially the same timing.

In the above embodiment, the gas passage 11b
Front end 11b1 and rear end 11b of gas passage 11b
The shower head 13a provided at the distal end of the diffuser pipe 13 was employed as a gas distributor for distributing and supplying gas toward the nozzle 2, but the distribution nozzle 113a shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 was used instead. It is also possible to carry out.

The distribution nozzle 113 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8
a is provided so as to protrude a predetermined amount into the gas passage 11 b of the airbag 11, and has a bottom wall 11 at a tip end (lower end).
3a1 and a pair of front and rear gas distribution holes 113a2, 113a3 on the side wall located above the bottom wall 113a1.
have. The front gas distribution hole 113a2 is a rectangular hole that is long in the vertical direction, and is a front end 1 of the gas passage 11b.
It opens toward 1b1. Rear gas distribution hole 113
a3 is a rectangular hole long in the vertical direction,
b is open toward the rear end 11b2.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the front gas distribution holes 11 in the distribution nozzle 113a are provided.
3a2 opens toward the front end 11b1 of the gas passage 11b, and the rear gas distribution hole 113a3 opens toward the rear end 11b2 of the gas passage 11b. 11b
The directivity of the gas flow toward the front end 11b1 and the rear end 11b2 of the airbag 11 can be enhanced, and the inflation and deployment performance of the airbag 11 can be further improved.

In the above embodiment, the inflator 14 is disposed in the front-rear direction along the roof side rail 21 at the center of the vehicle in the front-rear direction as shown in FIG. 1, but as shown in FIG. It is also possible to arrange and implement 14 in the left-right direction along the roof panel 24 at the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a head protection airbag device according to the present invention (an embodiment in which an inflator is arranged in the front-rear direction).
FIG.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state where the airbag of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is deployed.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the airbag module shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal rear view of the airbag shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a state in which the airbag is folded and stored in a rearward direction from an inflator.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal rear view of the airbag shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a state where the airbag is folded and housed, and is longitudinally cut by a B pillar portion.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the shower head shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a relationship between a distribution nozzle that can be used instead of a shower head and a gas passage in an airbag.

8 is a vertical sectional view of the distribution nozzle shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another embodiment (an embodiment in which inflators are arranged in the left-right direction) of the head protection airbag device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... airbag module, 11 ... airbag, 11
a gas supply port, 11b gas passage, 11b1 front end of gas passage, 11b2 rear end of gas passage, 11c
... front seat inflatable portion, 11d ... rear seat inflatable portion, 11e ... middle non-inflatable portion, 11f ... front end non-inflatable portion, 11g ... mounting piece portion,
12 ... tension cross, 13 ... diffuser pipe, 1
3a: shower head (gas distributor), 13a1: injection hole, 14: inflator, 14a: gas injection port, 14b
... male thread part, 14c ... bracket, 21 ... roof side rail, 22 ... A pillar, 23 ... B pillar, 31 ... roof head lining, 33 ... B pillar garnish, 4
1. Door glass surface.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An airbag which is stored along a roof side rail in a vertically folded state by a gas supplied to a gas supply port of an airbag from an inflator disposed at a center portion in a front-rear direction of a vehicle. Is inflated and deployed in a curtain shape along the cabin side wall to protect the occupant's head, wherein a front seat inflatable portion and a rear seat inflatable portion provided in the airbag are provided. The gas supply port is provided at an intermediate portion of a gas passage for supplying gas to the gas passage, and a gas passage is provided from a portion where the gas supply port is provided to a front end of the gas passage and a portion where the gas supply port is provided. A head protection airbag device, characterized in that the rear end of the airbag is substantially linear in plan view. 2. A front end of the gas passage from a portion where the gas supply port is provided and a rear end of the gas passage from a portion where the gas supply port is provided are substantially linear in side view. The head protection airbag device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The gas supply port is provided with a gas distributor for distributing and supplying gas toward a front end of the gas passage and a rear end of the gas passage. The head protection airbag device as described in the above. 4. The gas distributor is provided at a distal end of a diffuser pipe connected to the inflator, and front and rear gas distribution holes provided in the gas distributor are directed toward a front end and a rear end of the gas passage. An opening is provided.
The head protection airbag device as described in the above.