JP2004256017A - Airbag device for side impact - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device for a side impact capable of keeping high gas pressure in a lower chamber for a sufficiently long period. <P>SOLUTION: In this airbag 1, a sheet-like material such as cloth or a resin sheet is formed into a bag shape. The inside is divided into the lower chamber 1a on a lower side and an upper chamber 1b on an upper side by seam 2. A vent hole 5 is provided in the upper chamber 1a. A rear end of the seam 2 is slightly separated from a rear edge of the airbag 1. A check valve 6 is provided in a separating part between the seam 2 and the rear edge of the airbag 1. The check valve 6 has a cylindrical shape and a bar-shaped gas generator 3 is arranged at the inside. The gas generator 3 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction may be a vertical direction. In the check valve 6, two sheets 6a are overlapped with each other and both sides are sewed by seam 6b, to prevent outflow of gas from the lower chamber 1a to the upper chamber 1b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a side collision airbag device for protecting an occupant of an automobile or the like in a side collision or the like, and more particularly to a side collision airbag device having an airbag partitioned into a plurality of chambers.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As is well known, a side collision airbag device is configured such that an airbag is inflated to the side of an occupant by a gas generator, and the occupant's body is received by the inflated airbag.
[0003]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-177527 describes a configuration in which a lower portion of an airbag, which is applied to an occupant's waist, is inflated to a higher internal pressure than an upper portion.
[0004]
FIG. 5 is a side view of a seat provided with the side collision airbag device of the same publication, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion VI in FIG.
[0005]
The airbag 18 is partitioned into an upper chamber 20 and a lower chamber 22 by a seam 24. The rear end of the seam 24 is slightly separated from the rear edge of the airbag 18, and a tubular tubular housing 30 is disposed at a position where the rear end of the seam 24 is separated from the rear edge of the airbag 18. A rod-shaped gas generator 36 is arranged in the tubular housing 30. The upper and lower ends of the tubular housing 30 are pipe clips 32 and 34, and the gas generator 36 is fixed by the pipe clips 32 and 34. The pipe clips 32 and 34 seal the space between the gas generator 36 and the tubular housing 30. The pipe clips 32 and 34 are attached to attachment points 26 of the seat back 14.
[0006]
The tubular housing 30 is provided with an upper chamber outlet 42 for allowing gas from the gas generator 36 to flow into the upper chamber 20 and a lower chamber outlet 44 for allowing gas to flow into the lower chamber 22. The opening area of the lower chamber outlet 44 is larger than the opening area of the upper chamber outlet 42. Thereby, when the gas generator 36 is operated, the airbag 18 is inflated so that the inside of the upper chamber 20 has an internal pressure of about 0.5 bar and the inside of the lower chamber 22 has an internal pressure of about 1.5 bar.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-177527
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the side collision airbag device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-177527, the tubular housing 30 is used, and when the lower chamber 22 of the inflated airbag 18 receives an occupant, the lower chamber 22 is closed. Since gas flows out into the upper chamber 20 through the inside of the tubular housing 30, the gas pressure in the lower chamber cannot be kept high for a long time.
[0009]
An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to provide a side collision airbag device capable of maintaining the gas pressure in the lower chamber at a sufficiently high and high pressure.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The side collision airbag device of the present invention has an occupant surface facing an occupant when inflated and a vehicle body surface opposite to the occupant surface, and has an interior partitioned into a plurality of chambers including at least two chambers, an upper chamber and a lower chamber. In a side collision airbag apparatus including a bag, a gas generator for inflating the airbag, and a communication portion communicating the upper chamber and the lower chamber, a gas from the lower chamber to the upper chamber is provided. A check valve for preventing outflow is provided.
[0011]
In such a side collision airbag device of the present invention, since the outflow of gas from the lower chamber to the upper chamber is prevented by the check valve, the pressure in the lower chamber is kept high for a long time. The side collision airbag device can protect an occupant not only at the time of a side collision but also at the time of a rollover.
[0012]
Note that a vent means for allowing gas to flow out of the airbag from the upper chamber may be provided.
[0013]
According to the present invention, a passenger surface and a vehicle body surface are connected to each other, and a plurality of chambers are partitioned in the airbag by a partitioning connection line extending linearly. The communication portion is formed in the airbag by being separated from one side edge of the airbag, and a part of the check valve is connected to the occupant surface and the vehicle body surface by the partition connection line. It may be. The airbag having this structure has a simple check valve installation configuration and is easy to manufacture.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile seat provided with a side collision airbag device according to an embodiment, FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 2B and 2C. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB and line CC in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the check valve.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag 1 is configured to inflate along a window-side portion of the seat 10. The seat 10 includes a seat cushion 11, a seat back 12, and a headrest 13.
[0016]
A side collision airbag device case (not shown) is installed on a side portion of the seat back 12, and the airbag 1 is folded and stored in the case, and is covered with a module cover (not shown).
[0017]
The airbag 1 is formed in a bag shape by stacking two sheets of cloth material (a cloth in this embodiment) such as a cloth and a resin sheet, and stitching their peripheral edges together. Are divided into a lower lower chamber 1a and an upper upper chamber 1b by a linear connecting portion (seam (seam) in this embodiment) 2. The seam 2 connects the occupant surface 1p of the airbag 1 with the vehicle body surface 1q on the opposite side. The seam 2 has a substantially six-character shape having a loop-shaped portion 2a.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the rear end side of the loop portion 2a of the seam 2 extends upward slightly away from the rear edge of the airbag 1, and the loop portion 2a and the airbag 1 A communication portion that connects the upper chamber 1b and the lower chamber 1a is formed at a portion separated from the rear edge. The front end of the seam 2 is connected to the front edge of the airbag 1.
[0019]
A check valve 6 is disposed in the communicating portion, and a rod-shaped gas generator 3 is disposed therein. The gas generator 3 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is the vertical direction. Although the gas generator 3 includes the gas ejection portions 3b at both upper and lower ends, the gas ejection portions may be provided only on one side.
[0020]
Two stud bolts 3a, 3a protrude from the gas generator 3. The stud bolts 3 a penetrate the check valve 6 and the rear edge of the airbag 1 and protrude rearward of the airbag 1. These stud bolts 3a, 3a are fastened to the case of the side-side collision airbag device by nuts. Thereby, the gas generator 3 and the airbag 1 are connected to the case.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3, the check valve 6 is formed by stacking two sheets 6a, 6a, and sewing both sides of the two sheets 6a with seams 6b. In addition, one sheet may be folded back and one side may be sewn together.
[0022]
The side of the check valve 6 on the front side of the airbag is sewn (co-sewing) to the occupant surface 1p and the vehicle body surface 1q by the loop-shaped portion 2a of the seam 2. The side of the check valve 6 on the rear side of the airbag is sewn to the occupant surface 1p and the vehicle body surface 1q at the peripheral edge of the airbag 1 by a seam for sewing the occupant surface 1p and the vehicle body surface 1q. .
[0023]
Most of the gas generator 3 is disposed in the check valve 6, and only the upper end protrudes upward from the check valve 6 and faces the upper chamber 1 b. When the gas generator 3 is not operating, the seats 6a, 6a of the check valve 6 overlap as shown in FIG.
[0024]
When the gas generator 3 performs the gas ejection operation, the check valve 6 swells in a substantially cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 3B, and the gas inside the check valve 6 is allowed to pass. In this case, the outer peripheral surface of the check valve 6 is in close contact with the occupant surface 1p and the vehicle body surface 1q, and gas does not pass between the outer surface of the check valve 6 and the occupant surface 1p and the vehicle body surface 1q. The outer surface of the check valve 6 may be bonded to the occupant surface 1p and the vehicle body surface 1q by bonding or sewing.
[0025]
A vent hole 5 is provided in the upper chamber 1b.
[0026]
In the side collision airbag device configured as described above, when the vehicle receives a side collision or rolls over, the gas generator 3 performs a gas ejection operation. This gas flows from the gas generator 3 into the lower chamber 1a and the upper chamber 1b, respectively, and expands the respective chambers 1a and 1b. Thereby, the airbag 1 is deployed along the window side of the seat 10 as shown in FIG.
[0027]
In this side collision airbag device, since the upper chamber 1b is provided with the vent hole 5, when an occupant hits the upper chamber 1b, the gas in the upper chamber 1b flows out of the vent hole 5 and hits. The shock of the occupant is absorbed. Even if the occupant's body hits the lower chamber 1a, the interior of the lower chamber 1a and the upper chamber 1b are shut off by the check valve 6, so that the gas pressure in the lower chamber 1a is kept high. Thereby, the lateral movement of the occupant's waist is prevented for a long time.
[0028]
In the above embodiment, the inside of the airbag 1 is divided into two chambers, the upper chamber 1b and the lower chamber 1a, but may be divided into three or more chambers. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an airbag 1A in which a laterally substantially U-shaped seam 2A is provided in the airbag, thereby providing one middle chamber 1c between the upper chamber 1b and the lower chamber 1a.
[0029]
The front edge of the seam 2A is joined to the front edge of the airbag 1A. The seam 2A is provided with an opening 7 for communicating the upper chamber 1b and the middle chamber 1c. Other configurations of the airbag 1A are the same as those of the airbag 1 of FIGS. 1 to 3 described above, and the same reference numerals in FIGS.
[0030]
Also in the embodiment of FIG. 4, since the check valve 6 is provided, the gas pressure in the lower chamber 1b is kept high for a long time.
[0031]
Each of the above embodiments is an example of the present invention, and the present invention may take forms other than those illustrated. For example, in the present invention, four or more chambers may be formed. The number and position of the check valves are not limited to the above embodiment.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a side collision airbag device capable of maintaining the gas pressure in the lower chamber at a sufficiently high pressure.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile seat provided with a side collision airbag device according to an embodiment.
2A is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1A, and FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows CC line.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a check valve used in the airbag according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an airbag according to another embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a side view showing a conventional example.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 1A Airbag 1a Lower chamber 1b Upper chamber 1c Middle chamber 2, 2A Seam 3 Gas generator 5 Vent hole 6 Check valve

Claims (2)

An airbag having an occupant surface facing the occupant during inflation and a vehicle body surface on the opposite side thereof, and having an interior partitioned into a plurality of chambers including at least two upper and lower chambers,
A gas generator for inflating the airbag;
In a side collision airbag device having a communication portion communicating the upper chamber and the lower chamber, a side valve provided with a check valve for preventing gas from flowing from the lower chamber to the upper chamber is provided. Airbag device for collision. 2. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the occupant surface and the vehicle body surface are connected to each other, and the plurality of chambers are partitioned in the airbag by a partitioning connection line extending linearly.
The communication portion is formed in the airbag by separating a part of the connection line for the partition from one side edge of the airbag,
A side collision airbag device, wherein a part of the check valve is connected to the occupant surface and the vehicle body surface by the partition connection line.

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