JP2003312427A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device requiring less abrasion strength necessary for an air bag. <P>SOLUTION: This air bag device 10 has the air bag 12, an inflator 14, a casing 16, a connecting piece 18 for connecting the air bag 12 in the casing 16, and a fastening member 20 for fastening the connecting piece 18 in the casing 16. The connecting piece 18 is sewn on an outside surface of a rear panel 12a of the air bag 12. Since the air bag 12 is connected to the casing 16 via the connecting piece 18, the air bag 12 itself does not directly rub against the corner edge of a presser plate 38. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

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 inflating an airbag along the inside or outside of a vehicle to protect occupants such as vehicles, pedestrians and occupants of two-wheeled vehicles. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a airbag device for protecting occupants of vehicles, pedestrians, occupants of two-wheeled vehicles, etc., a casing,
Some have an airbag that is folded and accommodated in the casing, and an inflator in which at least a portion including a gas ejection port is disposed in the airbag.

In the conventional airbag device, the edge portion of the gas inlet of this airbag is fastened to the casing by fastening hardware such as bolts and rivets.

[0004]

When the airbag is fastened to the casing by the fastening fittings such as bolts and rivets in this way, the heads of the bolts and rivets or washers engaged with the heads. Since the corner edge of the metal fitting rubs against the airbag, it is necessary to construct the airbag with a cloth material having a high scratching strength that does not cause tears or decrease in strength due to this rubbing (rubbing), resulting in high cost. .

An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device in which the abrasion strength required of the airbag is relaxed.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An airbag device of the present invention comprises a casing, an airbag folded and accommodated in the casing, and a portion including at least a gas ejection port is disposed in the airbag. In an airbag device having an inflator and a connecting means for connecting the airbag to the casing, the connecting means is a connecting piece arranged outside the airbag and connected to the airbag, and the connecting piece. And a fastening member that fastens it to the casing.

In the airbag apparatus of the present invention, since the connecting piece connected to the airbag and arranged outside the airbag is fastened to the casing, only this connecting piece has sufficient abrasion strength. As long as it has it, the rubbing strength required for the airbag itself is sufficiently lower than that of the connecting piece.

In the airbag apparatus of the present invention, a holding piece for holding the inflator in the airbag is arranged inside the airbag, and the holding piece is connected to the airbag. preferable. In this case, the inflator preferably has a rod shape.

The holding piece is provided on the airbag,
By holding the inflator in the airbag, it is not necessary to fix the inflator itself to the casing, which facilitates the assembly of the airbag device. In addition, a fitting for attaching the inflator to the casing is not required, so that weight reduction and cost reduction can be achieved. In addition, it is not necessary to provide a fastening hole to the casing in the airbag, and the airtightness of the airbag is further enhanced.

Both the connecting piece and the holding piece may be made of a cloth material and sewn together with the airbag. This simplifies the process of sewing the connecting piece and the holding piece to the airbag.

In the present invention, the connecting piece is connected to the airbag at a plurality of points, and the portion between the connecting points of the connecting piece to the airbag is fastened to the casing by a fastening member. May be

According to this structure, when the airbag is inflated, the stress applied to the airbag and the connecting portion with the connecting piece is widely dispersed.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line II-II, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of this airbag device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag apparatus 10 includes an airbag 12, an inflator (gas generator) 14 for inflating the airbag 12, and a state in which the airbag 12 is folded. A casing 16 having an open upper surface, a connecting piece 18 for connecting the airbag 12 to the casing 16, and a fastening member (metal fitting) 20 for fastening the connecting piece 18 in the casing 16. ing. The inflator 14 is arranged in the airbag 12. A holding piece 22 for holding the inflator 14 in the airbag 12 is provided in the airbag 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag 12 comprises a rear panel 12a connected to the casing 16 by the connecting piece 18 and a front panel 12b opposite to the rear panel 12a. The rear panel 12a and the front panel 12b are each made of a cloth material. The airbag 12 is formed by sewing the peripheral portions of the rear panel 12a and the front panel 12b together to form a bag. The reference numeral 24 in FIG. 2 indicates a sewing thread that joins the peripheral portions of the rear panel 12a and the front panel 12b.

The rear panel 12a is provided with an opening 26 for inserting an inflator.

The inflator 14 has a rod shape and is provided with a plurality of gas ejection ports 28 on its side peripheral surface on the tip end side. The gas ejection ports 28 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the inflator 14. This inflator 14
Contains a gas generating agent inside the pressure resistant casing 14a, and an ignition squib 30 is provided on the rear end side. A connector 30a extends from the squib 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, most of the inflator 14 passes through the opening 26 from the front end side of the inflator 14 and the airbag 12 is mostly inflated.
Has been inserted inside. The rear end side of the inflator 14 projects from the opening 26 to the outside of the airbag 12. A band 32 is fastened to the rear end side of the inflator 14 in a state where the peripheral edge portion of the opening 26 overlaps the side peripheral surface of the rear end side of the inflator 14. A groove 34 is provided around the rear end of the inflator 14. By engaging the band 32 with the groove 34, the opening 2
A peripheral portion of 6 is airtightly fixed to the rear end side of the inflator 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inflator 14 is horizontally arranged so as to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom of the casing 16 along the inner surface of the rear panel 12a. The holding piece 22 is arranged along the side peripheral surface of the pressure resistant casing 14a from the upper side of the inflator 14 so as to press the inflator 14 against the rear panel 12a.

In this embodiment, the holding piece 22 is made of a substantially rectangular cloth material having a size that extends over substantially the entire length of the pressure-resistant casing 14a, and both side portions of the holding piece 22 have sewing threads 36 (see FIG. 2). ) Is sewn to the inner surface of the rear panel 12a.

The connecting piece 18 is superposed on the outer surface of the rear panel 12a so as to extend from the lower side of the inflator 14 along the side peripheral surface of the pressure-resistant casing 14a via the rear panel 12a. This connecting piece 18 is also the pressure resistant casing 14a.
Of a substantially rectangular cloth material having a size extending over substantially the entire length thereof, and both side portions thereof are sewn to the outer surface of the rear panel 12a by a sewing thread 36.

That is, in this embodiment, the connecting piece 18
The holding piece 22 and the holding piece 22 are sewn together on the rear panel 12a. In order to have such a structure, as shown in FIG. 3, the inflator 1 is attached to the inner surface of the rear panel 12a.
4, the holding piece 22 is arranged, and the connecting piece 18 is arranged on the outer surface side of the rear panel 12a.
The three pieces are overlapped and sewn together with the sewing thread 36 so that the side portions of the holding piece 22 and the connecting piece 18 face each other with the holding piece 2a interposed therebetween.

The inflator 14 is attached to the rear panel 12
They may be sewn together while being interposed between a and the holding piece 22, or the inflator 14 may be inserted between the rear panel 12a and the holding piece 22 after they are sewn together.

The fastening member 20 is arranged between the connecting piece 18 and the rear panel 12a. This fastening member 20
Is a presser plate 38 overlapping the connecting piece 18, and a plurality of stud bolts 40 (three in this embodiment as shown in FIG. 1) protruding downward from the lower surface of the presser plate 38. Is equipped with. Each stud bolt 40
The connecting piece 18 and the casing 16 are inserted into through holes 42 and 44 (FIG. 3) provided on the bottom surface of the casing 16, and the nut 4 is attached to the tip of each stud bolt 40 from the outside of the casing 16.
6 is tightened.

The fastening member 20 is thus fixed to the casing 16, and the connecting piece 18 is sandwiched between the holding plate 38 of the fastening member 20 and the bottom surface of the casing 16. It is fastened to the casing 16.

The airbag 12 connected to the casing 16 by the connecting piece 18 is accommodated in the casing 16 in a folded state. In addition, the inflator 14
Also held in the casing 16 while being held in the airbag 12. Squib 3 of the inflator 14
The connector 30a extending from 0 is drawn out of the casing 16 through a hole 16a provided in the wall surface of the casing 16 and connected to an inflator control device (not shown). The hole 16a from which the connector 30a is pulled out is water-tightly closed by a sealing material 16b.

In this embodiment, the airbag 1
A guide cloth 48 (not shown in FIG. 3) is provided so as to surround the two folded bodies. This guide cloth 48
Is disposed near the central portion between the connecting piece 18 and the bottom surface of the casing 16, and is sandwiched together with the connecting piece 18 between the holding plate 38 of the fastening member 20 and the bottom surface of the casing 16. This guide cloth 48 is used for the airbag 12
Are arranged along the upper surface from the side surface of the folded body.
The peripheral end side of the guide cloth 48 other than the central portion is a free end, and is overlapped with the upper surface of the folded body of the airbag 12.

This guide cloth 48 is used for the airbag 12
When the air bag is inflated, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air bag 12 is expanded so as to accompany the air bag 12, and the air bag 12 is prevented from being caught by the surrounding member.

The airbag apparatus 10 is constructed by mounting a lid (not shown) so as to close the upper open portion of the casing 16 in which the folded body of the airbag 12 is housed. When the airbag 12 is inflated, the lid is split and opened by the inflation pressure of the airbag 12, and the upper surface of the casing 16 is opened.

In this airbag device 10, the connecting piece 18 provided outside the airbag 12 is attached to the fastening member 2.
0 is fastened to the casing 16 by means of this connecting piece 1
Since the airbag 12 is connected to the casing 16 via 8, the airbag 12 itself is directly attached to the fastening member 20.
There is no strong rubbing against the corner edge of the holding plate 38.
Therefore, it suffices that only the connecting piece 18 that directly contacts the corner edge of the pressing plate 38 has sufficient rubbing strength, and the rubbing strength required for the airbag 12 itself is sufficiently low.

This makes it possible to manufacture the airbag 12 from a low-priced cloth material having a low abrasion strength, which increases the degree of freedom in selecting the cloth material forming the airbag 12 and reduces the material cost of the airbag 12. Can be reduced.

In this airbag device 10, since the inflator 14 is held in the airbag 10 by the holding piece 22, it is not necessary to fix the inflator 14 to the casing 16, and the airbag device 10 is assembled. Is extremely easy. In addition, this eliminates the need for a fitting for mounting the inflator 14 on the casing 16, thereby significantly reducing the weight and cost of the airbag device.

Further, in the airbag device 10, the connecting piece 18 and the holding piece 22 are both made of a cloth material, and the connecting piece 18 and the holding piece 22 are sewn together with the sewing thread 36 on the rear panel 12a. 18 and holding piece 2
The process of sewing 2 to the rear panel 12a is extremely simple.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an airbag device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the airbag device 10A shown in FIG. 4, the airbag 12 is connected to the casing 16 by two connecting pieces 18A made of a strip-shaped cloth material having a width narrower than that of the connecting piece 18 shown in FIGS. ing. This connecting piece 18A is
Each of the inflators 14 is mounted via the rear panel 12a.
The outer surface of the rear panel 12a is laid on the lower side of the pressure-resistant casing 14a along the side peripheral surfaces near the front end and the rear end of the pressure resistant casing 14a, and both ends thereof are sewn to the rear panel 12a.

Further, in the airbag device 10A, the inflator 14 is constituted by the two holding pieces 22A made of a strip-shaped cloth material having the same width as the connecting piece 18A.
Are held in the airbag 12. This holding piece 22A
Are arranged along the side peripheral surfaces near the front end and the rear end of the pressure-resistant casing 14a from the upper side of the inflator 14, respectively, and both ends of the inflator 14 and the ends of the connecting piece 18A facing each other through the rear panel 12a. It is attached to the rear panel 12a by being sewn together.

Each connecting piece 18A is fastened to the bottom surface of the casing 16 by a fastening member 20A arranged between the rear panel 12a and each connecting piece 18A. Each fastening member 20A has a holding plate 38 that overlaps with each connecting piece 18A.
A and a stud bolt 40A projecting downward from the lower surface of the pressing plate 38A. The stud bolts 40A are inserted through the connecting pieces 18A, the guide cloth 48, and the through holes provided in the casing 16, respectively, and the nut 4 is provided from the outside of the casing 16 to the tip side thereof.
6 is tightened.

As a result, each fastening member 20A is fixed to the casing 16, and the holding plate 3 of each fastening member 20A is fixed.
8A and the connecting piece 18A between the bottom surface of the casing 16
Are pinched.

The other structure of the airbag device 10A is similar to that of the airbag device 10 shown in FIGS. 4, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 3 indicate the same parts.

Even in this airbag device 10A, since the airbag 12 is connected to the casing 16 by the connecting piece 18A, the airbag 12 itself is strongly connected to the corner edge of the holding plate 38A of the fastening member 20A. There is no rubbing. Therefore, only the connecting piece 18A that is in direct contact with the corner edge of the pressing plate 38A needs to have sufficient abrasion strength, and the abrasion strength required for the airbag 12 itself is sufficiently low.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the connecting piece is fastened to the bottom surface of the casing, but the place where the connecting piece is fastened to the casing is not limited to this. For example, in the following airbag device 10B of FIG. 5, the connecting piece 18B is fastened to the wall surface of the casing 16.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an airbag device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

In this airbag device 10B, as shown in FIG. 5, an ear-shaped connecting piece 18B is provided on the outer surface of the rear panel 12a. This connecting piece 18B has a base end side thereof by a sewing thread 36 'of the sewing threads 36', 36 '' which are connected to the rear panel 12a at both sides of the holding piece 22B for holding the inflator 14 in the airbag 12. It is sewn to the rear panel 12a by being sewn together with one side portion of the holding piece 22B. In addition, this connecting piece 1
8B is a material in which a long cloth material is folded back from the middle to form a two-ply shape, and has high strength.

The tip side of the ear-shaped connecting piece 18B is fastened to the wall surface of the casing 16 by a fastening member 20B. The fastening member 20B includes a holding plate 38B that overlaps the tip side of the connecting piece 18B, and the holding plate 38B.
From the back surface (the surface overlapping the connecting piece 18B) of the connecting piece 18
The stud bolt 40B is provided so as to project through B.

The stud bolt 40B is connected to the connecting piece 18
The fastening member 20 </ b> B is fixed to the casing 16 by inserting the nuts 46 from the outside of the casing 16 to the leading end side of the casing 16 and inserting the nuts 46 from the outside of the casing 16 into the insertion holes provided in the distal end side of the casing B and the wall surface of the casing 16. As a result, the tip end side of the connecting piece 18B is sandwiched between the pressing plate 38B and the wall surface of the casing 16.

The other structure of the airbag device 10B is similar to that of the airbag device 10 shown in FIGS. 5, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 3 denote the same parts.

The above embodiments are all examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0048]

As described in detail above, according to the airbag device of the present invention, the abrasion strength required for the airbag is alleviated, whereby the material cost of the airbag can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to fix the inflator itself to the casing, which eliminates the need for mounting the inflator on the casing, and the weight and cost of the airbag device can be greatly reduced. The device can also be configured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the airbag device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an airbag device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an airbag device according to yet another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10,10A, 10B Airbag device 12 airbags 12a rear panel 14 inflator 16 casing 18,18A, 18B Connection piece 20, 20A, 20B Fastening member 22,22A, 22B holding piece

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A casing, an airbag folded and accommodated in the casing, an inflator in which a portion including at least a gas ejection port is disposed in the airbag, and the airbag connected to the casing. In an airbag device having a connecting means, the connecting means comprises a connecting piece arranged outside the airbag and connected to the airbag, and a fastening member fastening the connecting piece to the casing. An airbag device comprising: 2. A holding piece for holding the inflator in the airbag is arranged in the airbag, and the holding piece is connected to the airbag. Airbag device. 3. The airbag device according to claim 2, wherein both the connecting piece and the holding piece are made of a cloth material, and the connecting piece and the holding piece are sewn together with the airbag. 4. The connecting piece according to claim 1, wherein the connecting piece is connected to the airbag at a plurality of points, and a portion between the connecting points of the connecting piece to the airbag is fastened. An airbag device which is fastened to the casing by a member.