JP2004058903A - Air bag device for side collision of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device for side collision of an automobile capable of developing an air bag first to a lower part space for a waist part. <P>SOLUTION: It is possible to develop the air bag 3 first toward the lower part space for the waist part since the air bag 3 is projected diagonally downward at the time of development in accordance with the manner of folding of the air bag 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a side collision airbag device for an automobile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an airbag device for a side collision of an automobile, for example, as is known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-272393, an airbag is housed in a folded state at an outer end of a seat back, and this is used when a side collision of the vehicle occurs. There is an airbag device for side collision in which an airbag is deployed to the side of an occupant by gas of an inflator, and the occupant is protected by the airbag.
[0003]
This type of airbag has a bag shape with a large vertical dimension, and the airbag is simultaneously deployed to positions corresponding to the occupant's waist and chest, so that both the chest and waist can be protected.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional technique, the airbag is simultaneously deployed to positions corresponding to the lumbar region and the thoracic region of the occupant. Also, since the lower space between the occupant's waist and the side wall of the vehicle body is narrow, it is better to first deploy the airbag to the lower space for the narrow waist, and then deploy it to the upper space for the wide chest. The certainty of airbag deployment increases.
[0005]
The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional technique, and provides an airbag device for a side collision of an automobile in which an airbag can be first deployed to a lower space for a waist. .
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a bag-shaped airbag housed in a folded state in an outer end portion of a seat back is inflated by a gas of an inflator built in a base end portion of the airbag, and the air is inflated. A side collision airbag device for an automobile in which a front end portion of a bag projects toward a side of an occupant, wherein the airbag is folded so as to project obliquely downward.
[0007]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the airbag protrudes obliquely downward when the airbag is deployed depending on how the airbag is folded, the airbag can be deployed first into the lower space for the waist.
[0008]
The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that the airbag is folded in a bellows shape from the distal end toward the proximal end with the upper folding size larger than the lower folding size.
[0009]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the airbag is folded in a bellows shape, the upper folded size is made larger than the lower size. Therefore, when the airbag is deployed, the upper part of the airbag is deployed first. Then, the airbag projects obliquely downward.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the upper or lower part of the airbag is folded or folded back with respect to the central part having the inflator such that the upper side and the lower side of the central part are inclined obliquely downward. And
[0011]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the upper or lower part of the airbag is folded or folded so that the upper side and the lower side are inclined obliquely downward, the airbag is directed obliquely downward when the airbag is deployed. Protrude.
[0012]
The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that a partition wall inclined obliquely downward is formed in the airbag.
[0013]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the partition wall inclined obliquely downward is formed in the airbag, the gas pressure from the inflator acts obliquely downward, and when the airbag is deployed, the airbag moves obliquely downward. Protruding toward.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
1 to 7 are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention. An airbag module 2 is incorporated in a seat back 1 of an automobile seat in an outer end portion of the vehicle. The airbag module 2 houses an airbag 3 and an inflator 4.
[0016]
The inflator 4 is installed in a state housed in a base end portion of the airbag 3, and by injecting gas into the airbag 3 from a gas injection unit 5 provided at a lower portion of the inflator 4 at the time of a vehicle side collision, The airbag 3 is inflated.
[0017]
The inflated airbag 3 is deployed forward from a not-shown cleavage portion of the seat back 1 and is interposed between the occupant M and a side wall (door) of the vehicle body to protect the occupant M. The airbag 3 has a bag shape with a large vertical dimension, so that both the chest and the waist of the occupant M can be protected.
[0018]
Inside the airbag 3, a partition wall 6 that is inclined obliquely downward is formed, and the partition wall 6 partitions the internal space of the airbag 3 into an upper chest protection room A and a lower waist protection room B. . The gas injection unit 5 of the inflator 4 faces the lower waist protection room B side.
[0019]
The way of folding the airbag 3 is designed so as to project obliquely downward when deployed. First, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper part 7 and the lower part 8 of the airbag 3 are folded into the center part 9 having the inflator 4 and the partition wall 6. Then, the upper side 9a and the lower side 9b of the folded center portion 9 are inclined obliquely downward so as to be parallel to the partition wall 6.
[0020]
Next, the central portion 9 in which the upper portion 7 and the lower portion 8 are folded is folded in a bellows shape from the distal end toward the proximal end. At this time, folding is performed in a state where the upper folding dimension D is larger than the lower folding dimension d.
[0021]
When deploying the airbag 3 folded in this manner, the bellows-folded portion is first returned to project in the state of the central portion 9 in which the upper portion 7 and the lower portion 8 are folded. In the folding, the upper folding dimension D is larger than the lower folding dimension, so that the upper side 9a of the central portion 9 is developed before the lower side 9b, and the central portion 9 projects obliquely downward.
[0022]
Also, the fact that the upper side 9a and the lower side 9b themselves of the central portion 9 are inclined obliquely downward from the beginning, the fact that the central portion 9 protrudes obliquely downward, and the partition 6 is inclined obliquely downward, Since the gas pressure from the inflator 4 is directed obliquely downward, it acts to project the central portion 9 obliquely downward. The airbag 3 projecting obliquely downward in the state of the central portion 9 deploys the upper portion 7 and the lower portion 8 up and down almost simultaneously with the projection of the central portion 9.
[0023]
As described above, since the airbag 3 projects obliquely downward, the airbag 3 can be first deployed to the lower waist lower space side, and then deployed to the wider chest upper space. Can be. Therefore, the reliability of the deployment operation of the airbag 3 is increased. That is, the airbag 3 can be reliably deployed even in a situation where the deployment space of the occupant's waist is extremely narrow due to the occupant's posture and the shape of the vehicle body side wall.
[0024]
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the upper portion 7 of the airbag 3 is not folded into the central portion 9 but is folded outside the central portion 9. When it is difficult to fold the upper part 7 due to the shape of the airbag 3, such a simple fold may be employed.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the airbag projects obliquely downward when the airbag is deployed depending on how the airbag is folded, the airbag can be deployed first to the lower space for the waist.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a deployed state of an airbag according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the structure of the airbag of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a side view and a cross-sectional view showing how to fold the airbag of FIG. 1;
4 is a side view showing a state in which the airbag of FIG. 3 is folded in a bellows shape.
FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state after the airbag of FIG. 4 is folded in a bellows shape.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state after the airbag of FIG. 5 is folded in a bellows shape.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing an initial state of deployment of the airbag by imaginary lines.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a method of folding an airbag according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Seat back 2 Airbag module 3 Airbag 4 Inflator 5 Gas ejection part 6 Partition wall 7 Upper part 8 Lower part 9 Central part A Chest protection room B Waist protection room M Occupant D Folding dimension (large)
d Folding dimensions (small)

Claims (4)

The bag-shaped airbag stored in a folded state in the outer end portion of the seat back is inflated by the gas of an inflator built in the base end portion of the airbag, and the leading end side of the airbag is placed on the occupant side. A side airbag device for a vehicle that protrudes into a part,
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is folded so as to project obliquely downward. It is a side collision airbag apparatus of the motor vehicle of Claim 1, Comprising:
An airbag device for a side collision of an automobile, wherein the airbag is folded in a bellows shape in a state where an upper folding size is larger than a lower size from a front end portion toward a base end side. An automobile side collision airbag device according to claim 1 or claim 2,
An upper or lower part of an airbag is folded or folded so that an upper side and a lower side of the center part are inclined obliquely downward with respect to a center part having an inflator. apparatus. An automobile side collision airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A side collision airbag device for an automobile, wherein a partition wall inclined obliquely downward is formed in the airbag.

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