JP2005075141A - Airbag device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device for a vehicle where an airbag cover covering a front surface of an airbag module does not prevent inflation and deployment of the airbag. <P>SOLUTION: In the airbag device for the airbag covered with the airbag cover 3, a tear line 4 is formed on the back surface so as not to expose the airbag module 6 composed of the airbag 10 stored in a case 6c in a folded state and an inflator 7 inflating and deploying the airbag 10. A breaking part 3a of the airbag cover 3 broken at the tear line 4 by an inflating force of the airbag 10 supports the breaking part 3a so as to open it while sliding in the crossing direction with a projecting direction of the airbag 10. Since the breaking part 3a of the airbag 3 with the inflation of the airbag 10 does not prevent the deployment of the airbag 10 in almost full opening state, the airbag 10 is instantaneously deployed in the front of an occupant. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag apparatus having an airbag cover that does not hinder inflation and deployment of an airbag.

  In conventional vehicles such as automobiles, an air bag device is installed in a central portion of a steering wheel, an instrument panel, or the like in order to protect an occupant from an impact when the vehicle collides.

Recently, in order to improve the appearance of the instrument panel, a tear line that breaks when the airbag is inflated is formed on the back side of the instrument panel so that the tear line does not appear on the surface of the instrument panel. An airbag device employing a structured instrument panel has also been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-12116 (paragraphs 0006, 0008, FIG. 1).

  The conventional `` airbag door integrated instrument panel '' includes an airbag bracket comprising an attachment portion for attaching an airbag case and a reinforcing portion for reinforcing the airbag door integrally provided on the instrument panel from the back side, It has a structure joined to the back of the instrument panel by vibration welding.

  The reinforcing part is connected to the attachment part via a hinge part that curves toward the airbag side, and the reinforcement part and the airbag door are provided with a tear line (expected opening part) so as not to appear on the surface of the instrument panel. ) Is formed.

  When the airbag is inflated at the time of the collision of the vehicle, the tear line of the reinforcing portion and the airbag door is broken by the inflation pressure of the airbag, and the reinforcing portion and the airbag door are opened to the outside around the hinge portion. Since the hinge part curved to the bag side does not hinder the deployment of the airbag, the airbag is configured to be smoothly deployed.

  However, in the case where the airbag door that is broken from the tear line is opened while rotating outward about the hinge portion as in the conventional airbag device, the airbag door opens in the vertical direction. It is necessary to install the airbag device in a place where there is a sufficient space above so that the opening is not hindered by the windshield or the like, and there is a problem that the installation place is restricted.

  The present invention has been made to improve the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device in which an airbag cover does not hinder the inflation and deployment of the airbag.

  In the present invention, when a folded airbag and a case storing the airbag are covered with an airbag cover, the airbag cover slides in a direction crossing the protruding direction of the airbag due to inflation of the airbag. A bag protrusion is formed.

  With the above configuration, the airbag cover can be installed in a place where the door portion of the airbag cover is almost fully open and does not hinder the deployment of the airbag, and there is not enough space above the door portion. Therefore, the installation place is less restricted.

  Further, according to the present invention, an annular rupture portion (tear line) is formed on the back surface of the airbag cover, and is broken from the rupture portion by inflation of the airbag to form a door portion of the airbag cover.

  With the above-described configuration, since the broken portion (the tear line) does not appear on the surface of the airbag cover, an instrument panel having a good appearance that does not notice the presence of the airbag module from the passenger compartment side can be easily obtained. Be able to.

  The airbag cover of the present invention comprises an annular break portion (tea line), a door portion defined by the break portion, and an outer peripheral portion located on the outer periphery of the break portion, and the back surface of the airbag cover. The backing member attached to the cover part includes a cover part that faces the door part of the airbag cover, an attachment part that is substantially opposed to and intersects the fracture part, and a cover part and the attachment part. The airbag cover is formed of a hard resin, and the backing member is formed of a softer resin than the airbag cover.

  With the above configuration, when the airbag cover is broken from the broken portion (the tear line), the door portion is not scattered in the vehicle interior, and the airbag cover having the tear line formed on the back surface is reinforced from the back side by the backing member. Therefore, the rigidity of the airbag cover is improved. In addition, the elasticity of the hinge provided on the backing member allows the door to slide more smoothly and reduces the stress applied to the door made of hard resin. No heavy load is applied.

  Further, since the flexibility of the hinge portion is further increased, the sliding operation of the door portion is further smoothed, and the sliding range of the door portion can be easily adjusted by adjusting the length of the hinge portion.

  In the airbag device of the present invention, the door portion of the airbag cover is formed so that the door portion of the airbag cover forms the airbag protruding opening while sliding in the direction intersecting the protruding direction of the airbag. It is fully open and does not hinder the deployment of the airbag. And an airbag apparatus can be installed also in the place where there is not enough space above, and it becomes less likely to be restricted by an installation place by this.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a sectional view of an airbag device installed in an instrument panel, FIG. 2 is a plan view of an airbag cover, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an airbag cover and a backing member, and FIGS. 4 to 7 are airbags. It is an operation explanatory view at the time of expansion and deployment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the instrument panel 1 attached to the front of the passenger compartment of the automobile has a substantially flat upper surface facing the windshield 2, and a driver seat and a passenger seat (both not shown) The opposing surfaces are curved in an arc shape, and the entire surface is integrally formed of, for example, a hard polypropylene resin, and the entire surface is subjected to a matte texture to prevent reflection on the windshield 2. Has been.

  A relatively large opening 1a having a substantially rectangular shape is opened on the passenger seat side upper surface of the instrument panel 1, and the front and rear opening edges 1b of the opening 1a are bent obliquely downward. An airbag cover 3 shown in Fig. 2 is fitted from above.

  The airbag cover 3 is formed of, for example, a polyolefin resin, and the surface thereof is subjected to the same matte texture as the surface of the instrument panel 1 so that the instrument panel 1 does not feel uncomfortable.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a tear line 4 is formed in a substantially Japanese character shape on the back surface of the airbag cover 3 so as to be similar to the airbag cover 3.

  The tear line 4 is formed by cutting the V-groove with a rotary blade such as a milling blade after the airbag cover 3 is formed, and forms a part of the seamless instrument panel 1. 3 is formed so as not to be exposed on the surface of the air bag 3, and a backing member 5 is provided on the back surface of the airbag cover 3 so as to cover the entire tear line 4.

  The backing member 5 reinforces the tear line 4 portion of the airbag cover 3 and is integrally formed of, for example, a thermoplastic olefin elastomer resin that is softer than the instrument panel 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the backing member 5 includes a cover portion 5a that is in close contact with the back surface of the airbag cover 3, and a square frame-shaped attachment portion 5b that projects downward from the back surface of the cover portion 5a. Appropriate rigidity can be obtained by the flange portion 5c formed in the peripheral portion of the portion 5a and the attachment portion 5b connected to the inside of the flange portion 5c at a substantially right angle.

  Further, the attachment portion 5b located on the back side of the front side groove 4a and the rear side groove 4b of the tear line 4 shown in FIG. 2 and the connecting portion 5d of the flange portion 5c are located slightly outside the front side groove 4a and the rear side groove 4b. In addition, a space between the front side and the rear side of the connecting portion 5d and the cover portion 5a is connected to the inside of the mounting portion 5b by a hinge portion 5e that is curved in a substantially arcuate shape.

  The hinge portion 5e is provided with elasticity by making it thinner than the cover portion 5a, and is integrally formed when the backing member 5 is formed.

  In the cover portion 5a, a slit 5f is formed in the lateral direction at a portion that coincides with the intermediate groove 4c formed slightly below (front side groove 4a side) between the front side groove 4a and the rear side groove 4b of the tear line 4. Both ends of the slit 5f are continuous with the slit formed in the cover portion 5a so as to match the both side grooves 4d of the tear line 4, and the entire slit 5f is substantially H-shaped.

  On the back surface of the airbag cover 3 on which the upper surface of the cover portion 5a and the upper surface of the flange portion 5c of the backing member 5 are in contact, unillustrated coupling ribs are formed in a lattice shape. The cover portion 5a and the flange portion 5c of the backing member 5 are bonded and integrated to the back surface of the airbag cover 3 by ultrasonic vibration welding with the upper surface of the portion 5c being in close contact.

  On the other hand, an airbag module 6 is installed in the instrument panel 1 covered with the airbag cover 3.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag module 6 has a reaction can 6a formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by a metal plate, and a vehicle body (not shown) is provided by a bracket 6f protruding from the outer periphery of the reaction can 6a. An inflator 7 that generates a high-pressure gas when the vehicle collides is housed in the reaction can 6a.

  The retainer 6b and the lower part of the airbag case 6c are fixed to the upper opening of the reaction can 6a by a fixing tool.

  At the upper end of the airbag case 6c, hooks 6d are fixed to the front edge and the rear edge, and these hooks 6d are engaged with the attachment holes 5g formed in the attachment part 5b of the backing member 5 from the inside. By stopping, the airbag case 6c is attached to the attachment member 5b.

  The airbag case 6c accommodates an airbag 10 that is folded and wrapped with a wrapping cloth 10a so that the shape of the airbag case 6c does not collapse. The gas inlet of the airbag 10 is connected to the gas outlet of the inflator 7 (both (Not shown).

  Next, the operation of the thus configured airbag apparatus will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  The airbag module 6 installed in the instrument panel 1 is covered with an airbag cover 3 that constitutes a part of the instrument panel 1, and the tear line 4 does not appear on the surface of the airbag cover 3. As a result, the instrument panel 1 having a seamless appearance and a good appearance that does not notice the presence of the tear line 4 can be obtained from the passenger compartment side.

  On the other hand, when the inflator 7 of the airbag module 6 ejects high-pressure gas due to an impact when the vehicle collides, the airbag 10 stored in a folded state in the airbag case 6c starts to expand as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the cover portion 5a of the backing member 5 is pushed up by the expansion pressure.

  As a result, the tear line 4 formed substantially in a letter shape on the back surface of the airbag cover 3 is broken, but the door portion 3a in the tear line 4 is joined and integrated with the cover portion 5a of the backing member 5, There is no scattering in the passenger compartment.

  Thereafter, when the airbag 10 is further inflated, the hinge portion 5e connected between the cover portion 5a pushed up by the airbag 10 and the flange portion 5c extends completely, and thus the door of the airbag cover 3 joined to the cover portion 5a. The part 3a starts sliding in the front-rear direction as shown by the arrows in FIG.

  As a result, when the airbag 10 starts to be deployed, as shown in FIG. 7, the cover portion 5a of the backing member 5 and the door portion 3a of the airbag cover 3 are almost fully opened to prevent the airbag 10 from being deployed. Therefore, the airbag 10 is immediately deployed in front of the occupant.

  Further, since the door portion 3a slides in the front-rear direction together with the front-rear cover portion 5a, the lower cover portion 5a and the door portion 3a do not hinder the downward deployment of the airbag 10 in particular. As shown in FIG. 8, the front side of the rear side of the instrument panel 1 can be covered instantaneously, so that the lower body side of the occupant can be protected and the occupant seated in the passenger seat is low, such as a child Even if there is, it becomes possible to protect it reliably.

In order to open the cover portion 5a of the backing member 5 and the door portion 3a of the airbag cover 3 joined to the cover portion 5a while sliding, the material of the airbag cover 3 is a flexural modulus of 2970 Mpa, tensile strength A polyolefin resin having an Izod impact value of 4.0 KJ / m ² and an elongation of 350% is used.

Further, as the backing member 5, when the airbag 10 is inflated, the cover portion 5 a is opened while sliding in the front-rear direction together with the door portion 3 a of the airbag cover 3. The thermoplastic olefin elastomer of 13.0 Mpa and Izod impact value of 570 KJ / m ² is used, and the hinge part 5 e is set to a length that does not prevent the cover part 5 a and the door part 3 a from being fully opened while sliding. However, the hinge part 5e may be formed of polypropylene resin or rubber having the same length, an airbag base cloth, a canvas cloth, or the like.

  Furthermore, in the said embodiment, although the airbag cover 3 and the backing member 5 were shape | molded separately, both were joined, but of course, you may shape | mold the airbag cover 3 and the backing member 5 integrally. That is, the attachment portion 5b of the backing member 5 and the hinge portion 5e are integrally formed on the back surface side of the airbag cover 3, and in this case, the size of the cover portion 5a of the backing member 5 can be reduced or omitted.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the airbag cover is broken from the annular break portion (the tear line), a door portion is formed in a part of the airbag cover, and this door portion intersects the protruding direction of the airbag. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the entire airbag cover slides in a direction intersecting with the protruding direction of the airbag to form the airbag protruding port. It may be a thing.

  On the other hand, FIG. 9 shows a modified example in which a structure corresponding to the attachment portion 5b of the backing member 5 is integrally formed on the back surface of the airbag cover 3, and this modified example will be described next.

  In addition, the same part as the said embodiment attaches | subjects the same code | symbol, and abbreviate | omits the description.

In the modification shown in FIG. 9, the airbag cover 3 and the backing member 5 are attached using a polyolefin resin having a flexural modulus of 2970 Mpa, a tensile strength of 25.0 Mpa, an Izod impact value of 4.0 KJ / m ² , and an elongation of 350%. A structure corresponding to the portion 5a is integrally formed.

  Further, instead of the cover portion 5a of the backing member 5, the cover portion 5a and the hinge portion 5e are integrally formed of, for example, canvas cloth, and the end on the hinge portion 5e side is used as the attachment portion 5h by the fastening means 12 such as a rivet. The structure is fixed to the inner surface of the mounting portion 3b.

  The cover portion 5a made of canvas fabric is joined to the tear line 4 of the airbag cover 3 by means of adhesion or the like, and matches the intermediate groove 4c and the side grooves 4d of the tear line 4 formed in a substantially Japanese character shape. An H-shaped slit 5f is formed in the portion to be formed.

  Also in the airbag device according to the modified example, when the airbag cover 3 is broken from the tear line 4 by the inflation force of the airbag 10, the cover portion 5a made of a canvas cloth bonded to the back surface of the door portion 3a is the door portion. After being pushed up together with 3a, when the hinge 5e is fully extended, the door 3a is opened while sliding in the front-rear direction, so that the airbag 10 can be instantly deployed in a predetermined shape as in the above embodiment. It becomes like this.

  Further, when both ends of the cover portion 5a made of canvas cloth are fixed to the attachment portion 5h by the fastening device 12, the length of the hinge portion 5e is adjusted to easily adjust the sliding range in the front-rear direction of the door portion 3a. become able to. Further, in order to attach the airbag case 6c, an attachment hole 3c is formed in the attachment portion 3b.

  In the embodiment and the modification, the example implemented in the airbag device installed in the instrument panel 1 has been described. However, the steering device is installed in the central portion of the steering wheel and other portions, for example, in the seat back. The present invention can also be applied to an airbag apparatus, an airbag apparatus for protecting pedestrians provided outside the vehicle, and the like.

  In the vehicle airbag device of the present invention, since the tear line formed on the back surface does not appear on the surface of the airbag cover, a seamless instrument panel having a good appearance can be easily obtained. A vehicle airbag device having an airbag cover that does not obstruct, for example, an airbag device installed in an instrument panel, a central portion of a steering wheel, in a seat back, other airbag devices installed in a vehicle compartment, and Can also be applied to a pedestrian protection airbag device provided outside the vehicle.

It is sectional drawing of the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the airbag cover which covers the airbag module provided in the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the airbag cover and backing member which comprise the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the airbag apparatus which becomes embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument panel 3 Airbag cover 3a Door part 4 Tear line 5 Backing member 5a Cover part 5b Attachment part 5e Hinge part 5f Slit 6 Airbag module 7 Inflator 10 Airbag

Claims (3)

A vehicle airbag device in which a folded airbag and a case storing the airbag are covered with an airbag cover,
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag cover is slid in a direction intersecting with a protruding direction of the airbag due to inflation of the airbag to form an airbag protruding port. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an annular break portion is formed on a back surface of the airbag cover, and is broken from the break portion by expansion of the airbag to form a door portion of the airbag cover. Air bag device. The airbag cover includes the annular fracture portion, the door portion defined by the fracture portion, and an outer peripheral portion located on an outer periphery of the fracture portion, and is attached to the back surface of the airbag cover. The backing member includes a cover portion that faces the door portion of the airbag cover, a mounting portion that is substantially opposed to and intersects the fracture portion, and a hinge that connects the cover portion and the mounting portion. And consists of
The vehicle airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the airbag cover is formed of a hard resin, and the backing member is formed of a softer resin than the airbag cover.

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