JP2005132292A - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily enhance deployment characteristic of an airbag device for an occupant at front passenger seat. <P>SOLUTION: In the airbag device 1 arranged on an instrument panel part 3 opposed to the front passenger seat, a first folding part 41 and a second folding part 42 having different folding shapes are formed on the airbag 6. The first folding part 41 positioned on a window part W side and folded so as to be bent/superposed is formed and the second folding part 42 positioned on a center O side of a cabin and folded so as to be rolled is formed. The first folding part 41 relatively quickly inflated/developed than the second folding part 42 and the airbag 6 is obliquely developed toward the window part W side. Preferable deployment characteristic that pressing force relative to the occupant positioned on a front side more than a usual seating position is small can be easily realized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag device for a passenger in a passenger seat of an automobile, for example.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an airbag device that is provided in a steering wheel or an instrument panel of an automobile and inflates and deploys an airbag with a gas supplied from an inflator to protect an occupant from an impact such as a collision has been used. And, in the airbag device for the passenger on the passenger seat provided in the instrument panel, it is intended to reduce the pressing force to the occupant when the airbag is inflated and deployed when the occupant is positioned in front of the normal position, that is, In order to protect the occupant in the out-of-position position, wrap the folded airbag with a sheet material, and form a planned rupture portion so that the sheet material breaks from one side edge. A configuration for deploying an airbag is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-187512 A (page 2-3, FIG. 5 to FIG. 7)

  However, as described above, the control of the developing direction by the sheet material has a problem that the setting is complicated and the reduction of the manufacturing cost is not easy. In other words, the normal sheet material, also called wrapping, protects the airbag while maintaining its folded shape and easily breaks during deployment so as not to affect the deployment characteristics of the airbag. It is not intended to control to reliably suppress this. And since the characteristics of material breakage (fracture) are greatly affected by changes in physical properties due to temperature conditions and aging, sheet materials that are difficult to cut to the extent that airbag deployment is controlled can control the deployment characteristics of airbags. Make it difficult.

  In addition, in the configuration in which the airbag in which the seat material is folded incompletely is not easy to protect sufficiently assuming the aging of the lifetime during normal driving of the vehicle, and in the configuration in which the seat material completely covers the airbag The expansion in all directions is suppressed, and the control of the expansion direction is not easy.

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object thereof is to provide an airbag device that can easily realize desired deployment characteristics.

  The airbag device according to claim 1 is an airbag device arranged to face a seat arranged along the side wall, and includes an airbag that is folded and stored and inflated and deployed by supplying gas. The airbag is folded with a first foldable portion and a second foldable portion, and the first foldable portion has a shape that can be deployed prior to the second foldable portion. And is folded so as to be positioned closer to the side wall than the second fold.

  And in this structure, since the 1st folding part located in a side wall part side expand | deploys ahead of a 2nd folding part, an airbag is biased and developed to the side wall part side at the initial stage of expansion | deployment. For this reason, the air bag is deployed obliquely with respect to the occupant seated in the seat, and even when the occupant is positioned away from the normal seating position, a favorable deployment characteristic that suppresses the pressing force on the occupant is easily achieved. Realized. Since the configuration in which the first folding unit is deployed prior to the second folding unit is realized by the folding shape, the characteristics are stable with respect to environmental changes.

  The airbag device according to claim 2 is the airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the first folding portion is folded so as to be folded, and the second folding portion is folded so as to be rolled up. .

  And in this structure, the folding shape which a 1st folding part expand | deploys ahead of a 2nd folding part is implement | achieved easily.

  The airbag device according to claim 3 is the airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first inflator for injecting gas to the first folding portion side and the gas to the second folding portion side are provided. It comprises a second inflator that injects and control means that can activate these inflators independently of each other.

  And in this structure, a preferable expansion | deployment characteristic is easily implement | achieved by starting a several inflator with a time difference, or starting only one inflator.

  The airbag device according to claim 4 is the airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the airbag is housed in an instrument panel portion of the vehicle, and the seat is a passenger seat of the vehicle, A side wall part is a window part of the said vehicle.

  And in this structure, the deployment characteristic suitable for protection of the passenger | crew of a passenger seat that an airbag is biased to the window part side at the initial stage of deployment is easily realized.

  According to the airbag device of the present invention, it is preferable that the pressing force on the occupant can be suppressed even when the airbag is unbiasedly deployed toward the side wall portion in the initial stage of deployment and the occupant is positioned away from the normal seating position. Deployment characteristics can be easily realized. Since the configuration in which the first folding unit is deployed prior to the second folding unit is realized by the folding shape, the characteristics can be stabilized against environmental changes.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an airbag device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an airbag device. The airbag device 1 constitutes an airbag device 1 for a passenger on a passenger seat provided in an instrument panel portion 3 of an automobile as a vehicle as a vehicle. Is. That is, the instrument panel portion 3 is positioned in front of the passenger seat, and is provided in the front portion of the passenger compartment with the vehicle width direction, that is, both side directions as the longitudinal direction. A front window glass is positioned above the instrument panel portion 3 and, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a side wall portion of the passenger compartment is provided on the side of the instrument panel portion 3. The window part W and the door D which comprise are provided. In the following description, the direction along the traveling direction in the straight traveling state of the automobile will be referred to as the front-rear direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction will be described as the both-side directions. In the present embodiment, a configuration in which the passenger seat is located on the right side of the passenger compartment will be described.

  The airbag apparatus 1 includes a retainer 4 constituting a case body, a cover 5 attached to the retainer 4, an airbag 6, a mid retainer 7, a first inflator 11, a second inflator 12, and a bracket 14. Etc. Further, the airbag device 1 includes control means 17 that is electrically connected to the inflators 11 and 12 via the harness 16 and connected to a sensor (not shown).

  The retainer 4 has a substantially box shape with an upper surface opened, and a substrate portion 21 having a longitudinal direction on both sides, and a rectangular tube-shaped side plate portion 22 projecting upward from the outer peripheral portion of the substrate portion 21. It has. In addition, two circular inflator attachment portions 21a are formed on the substrate portion 21 so as to be arranged in both directions. In addition, four attachment holes 21b are formed around each inflator attachment portion 21a. Further, brackets 22a for attaching the cover 5 using fixing tools such as screws (not shown) are fixed to both sides of the side plate portion 22, and warning signs and barcodes are provided on the front and rear surfaces of the side plate portion 22. A label 22b such as is attached.

  Further, the mid retainer 7 includes a rectangular plate-shaped mid retainer substrate portion 25 that is superimposed on the upper surface of the substrate portion 21 of the retainer 4. The rectangular plate-shaped mid-retainer base plate portion 25 is formed with circular holes 25a at two locations aligned with the inflator mounting portions 21a, and aligned with the mounting holes 21b for a total of eight. Fixing bolts 26, which are fixtures to be inserted into the respective mounting holes 21b, are fixed to the places.

  The bracket 14 is formed of a metal plate or the like, and includes a retainer mounting portion 14a that contacts the back surface of the substrate portion 21 of the retainer 4 and a vehicle body side mounting portion 14c that is mounted on the vehicle body side. Further, the retainer mounting portion 14 a is formed with a mounting hole 14 b in alignment with a part of the mounting hole 21 b of the substrate portion 21 of the retainer 4.

  The airbag 6 is formed into a substantially fan-shaped bag by sewing one or more base fabrics, and is aligned with each inflator mounting portion 21a so as to have two circular gas inlets at the base end side. 27a are formed, and attachment holes (not shown) are formed at a total of eight positions in alignment with the respective attachment holes 21b. Further, the air bag 6 has a plurality of circular exhaust ports 27b formed at positions spaced from the gas inlet port 27a. Then, it is folded into a predetermined shape and stored in the retainer 4 as will be described later.

  The cover 5 is also called a lid, and is integrally formed of a synthetic resin. The cover 5 is attached to an opening provided in the instrument panel portion 3, and projects from the back surface of the lid portion 28. And a mounting piece portion (not shown). Further, a tear line 30 that is a portion to be broken is formed on the lid portion 28. The tear line 30 is formed in a substantially plane H shape including a central tear line 30a along both sides and a side tear line 30b connected to both side ends of the central tear line 30a. The shape of the airbag 6 is held by a breakable sheet 31 in a folded state.

  The first and second inflators 11 and 12 are so-called disk-type gas generators having the same shape, and project from a flat columnar inflator body 33 and an outer periphery of the inflator body 33. And a flange portion 34. Further, a plurality of gas injection ports 35 are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the inflator main body 33, located above the flange portion 34, and inject gas radially to the side. The diameter of the inflator main body 33 is slightly smaller than the diameter of each inflator attachment portion 21a, and the flange portion 34 is formed with attachment holes 34b at four locations in alignment with the attachment holes 21b. . Further, a connector (not shown) connected to the harness 16 is provided at the bottom of the inflator body 33.

  As will be described later, the first and second inflators 11 and 12 have different characteristics, that is, different initial time-pressure characteristics and so-called rising characteristics. For example, in contrast to the first time-pressure characteristic of the first inflator 11, the second time-pressure characteristic of the second inflator 12 has a steep time-pressure characteristic in which the pressure rises in a shorter time. doing. In this embodiment, either one of the inflators 11 and 12 is a standard product having a standard characteristic, and the other is a custom product whose characteristics are changed (tuned) from the standard product. The product is used. Then, by simultaneously starting these inflators 11 and 12, a desired combined output is realized.

  Further, the control means 17 is also called an electronic control unit (ECU), and includes a housing 36, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM, etc. as arithmetic means are housed in the housing 36. . A connector 36a to which the harness 16 is connected is provided outside the housing 36, and a plurality of, for example, three cords 36b to be connected to a sensor (not shown) serving as detection means are led out. Yes.

  The harness 16 is a bundle of a plurality of core wires. A connector 16a connected to the connector 36a of the control means 17 is provided at one end, and the other end is branched into two. A connector 16b connected to the connectors of the first and second inflators 11 and 12 is provided.

  Next, the assembly process of this airbag apparatus 1 is demonstrated.

  First, the airbag 6 is folded into a predetermined shape with the mid retainer 7 inserted therein, the circular holes and the circular holes 25a are aligned, and the mounting bolts 26 are pulled out from the mounting holes. The tatami shape is held by a breakable sheet 31. In this folding method, first, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the airbag 6 is spread out in a flat shape, as shown in FIGS. 3 (b) and 3 (c) along the folding line indicated by the broken line B. Are folded into a bellows shape, that is, zigzag shape, or wound into a roll shape, and folded into an elongated strip-like intermediate shape with the longitudinal direction on both sides and the thickness direction on the top and bottom. Next, the intermediate airbag 6 folded in a belt-like shape is folded so that the portion outside the vehicle, that is, the window W side on the door D side (first side portion) is folded in a bellows shape, that is, zigzag. 1 fold part 41 is formed. In addition, the second folded portion 42 is formed by folding the portion folded in the shape of a band into the roll shape so that the portion on the indoor side, that is, the vehicle center O side (second side portion) is wound.

  Then, the folded airbag 6 is stored in the retainer 4, and the mounting bolts 26 protruding from the airbag 6 are inserted into the mounting holes 21 b of the retainer 4. Further, the cover 5 is covered so as to cover the airbag 6, and the cover 5 is fixed to the bracket 22a of the retainer 4 using screws.

  Further, from the back side of the retainer 4, the inflator body 33 of each of the inflators 11 and 12 is inserted into the inside of the airbag 6 via each inflator attachment portion 21a and the gas introduction port 27a, and attached to each attachment hole 34b. Insert bolt 26. Further, the retainer mounting portion 14a of the bracket 14 is applied from the back side of each of the inflators 11 and 12, and the four mounting bolts 26 positioned at the center are inserted into the mounting holes 14b.

  Then, in this state, the nut 39 is screwed from the front end side of each mounting bolt 26, whereby the airbag 6, the mid retainer 7, the first and second inflators 11, 12, and the bracket 14 are attached to the retainer 4. Fixed. Then, the airbag device 1 is attached to the vehicle body by fixing the vehicle body side attachment portion 14c of the bracket 14 to the reinforcement of the vehicle body. The control means 17 is disposed at an appropriate position on the vehicle body, connected to the inflators 11 and 12 by the harness 16, and has an impact as a sensor disposed at a predetermined position on the vehicle body via the cord 36b. Connected to the sensor.

  When a vehicle equipped with the airbag device 1 collides, the control means 17 activates the inflators 11 and 12 based on the impact detected by the impact sensor, and the air is generated based on the gas supplied from the inflators 11 and 12. The bag 6 is inflated, the cover 5 is broken by the pressure of the inflation to form a protruding opening of the airbag 6, the airbag 6 is protruded about a predetermined direction and is inflated and deployed in front of the occupant. Protect the occupant.

  At this time, the airbag 6 is folded so that the first folding part 41 located on the window W side is relatively smaller in ventilation resistance than the second folding part 42 located on the center O side in the room. Therefore, the first fold part 41 relatively expands and deploys faster than the second fold part 42, that is, as shown in FIG. The characteristic developed on the part W side is realized.

  Thus, according to the airbag apparatus 1 of this Embodiment, about the airbag apparatus 1 arrange | positioned at the instrument panel part 3 facing a front passenger seat, it is window part at the time of expansion | deployment in the airbag 6 accommodated by folding. A first side part facing the W side and a second side part facing the indoor side are set, and the first side part and the second side part are different from each other in the first folding. Part 41 and second fold part 42 are formed, and the fold shape allows the first side part to inflate and deploy relatively earlier than the second side part. When the airbag device 1 is activated, the portion on the window W side of the airbag 6 is deployed in advance, that is, the airbag 6 is initially shifted to the window W side when the airbag apparatus 1 is activated. Then, preferable characteristics can be realized. That is, the airbag 6 is deployed obliquely with respect to the occupant seated in the seat, and has a preferable characteristic that the pressing force is small even for the occupant in the so-called out-of-position positioned, for example, in front of the normal seating position. It can be easily realized.

  And since the behavior of this airbag 6 was given as a characteristic of the airbag 6 itself called a folded shape, it can be stabilized against environmental changes such as aging and temperature changes. In addition, since the expansion control characteristics are not required for external additions such as wrapping, for example, wrapping does not need to use wrapping that substantially suppresses expandability, and can be selected by focusing on shape retention. The airbag 6 can be easily and smoothly deployed.

  Further, the folded shape in which the first folding portion 41 expands and deploys relatively earlier than the second folding portion 42 is folded so that the first folding portion 41 is folded, and the second folding portion 42 is folded. Therefore, it can be realized with a simple configuration, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Moreover, since the airbag 6 inclines toward the window part W and is initially deployed, it is possible to realize a preferable characteristic in terms of occupant protection. That is, when an occupant is swung to the window W side due to an oblique collision or the like, it is possible to suppress the situation where the head is brought into contact with the window W, and the occupant can be effectively protected. On the other hand, when the occupant is swung to the indoor side, there is a soft member such as a seat on the indoor side, and a space is also relatively present. It is not relatively large compared to the configuration that is initially deployed on the part W side.

  Also, using a plurality of inflators 11, 12, for example, as a twin inflator specification using a plurality of inflators 11, 12 of different characteristics, that is, from inflators of various initial time-pressure characteristics (commonly called “rising characteristics”) Depending on the purpose, inflators 11 and 12 having different initial time-pressure characteristics may be combined to inflate one airbag 6 to construct a single inflator or a plurality of inflators of the same type. Compared to the configuration to be used, it is possible to easily realize a suitable rise characteristic as a system.

  That is, by using a plurality of inflators in essence, a large gas generation amount can be easily secured. The use of a plurality of inflators that are usually produced in relatively large quantities and are easily available can reduce the cost compared to the case of using one inflator that generates a large amount of gas alone. In addition, for a single inflator, that is, a single-use inflator, it is generally possible to reduce the cost by obtaining a specially-used inflator with a relatively small capacity and at a lower price than when a special specification is procured. Therefore, by combining a small number of special specification products that do not cover some of the inflators with so-called standard specification inflators, the cost can be reduced and the rationality of the system can be improved.

  In addition to simultaneously starting a plurality of inflators to obtain a desired time-pressure characteristic in the entire system, by activating one of the plurality of inflators and the other with a time difference and synthesizing by shifting the time-pressure characteristic curve The desired time-pressure characteristic can be easily obtained in the entire system.

  For example, a first inflator 11 located on the center O side of the passenger compartment of the retainer 4, which is a container part for storing the airbag 6, and a second inflator 12 located on the window W side from the first inflator 11. In general, in other words, when a frontal collision occurs and the occupant is seated at a normal position of the passenger seat, the control means 17 activates the inflators 11 and 12 simultaneously. On the other hand, when the control means 17 detects the occupant's posture by sensor input or the like and determines that the occupant is not positioned at the normal seating position, the control unit 17 selectively applies a delay, or either one of the inflators 11 , 12 can be completely stopped, and a favorable development characteristic with a small pressing force on the occupant can be realized. In the present embodiment, since the disk-shaped inflators 11 and 12 for injecting the gas to the side are used, if the airbag 6 is to be inflated and deployed with a large inclination toward the window W side, As shown in FIG. 4, the first inflator 11 that is located on the center O side of the passenger compartment and injects gas toward the window W side is activated in advance, and thereafter, for example, after 40 milliseconds, the window W The second inflator 12 located on the side can be activated, or only the first inflator 11 located on the center O side of the passenger compartment can be activated.

  In each of the above embodiments, the two inflators 11 and 12 are used. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a plurality of inflators of three or more can also be used. When three or more inflators are used, inflators having different characteristics may be used, or a plurality of inflators having the same characteristics may be used for some of the inflators. When three or more inflators are used, they may be activated at different timings, or a part of the entire inflator may be managed as a group and activated at the same timing. As described above, by using the inflator group in combination, a preferable system characteristic (time-pressure characteristic) can be easily obtained.

  The plurality of inflators are not limited to those having the same shape, and inflators having different shapes can be used. Further, each inflator is not limited to a combustion type (pyro type), and various inflators such as a type in which gas is compressed and stored and a hybrid type can be used. Furthermore, each inflator can be configured by combining a plurality of components in addition to a single component. For example, an inflator that injects gas in a desired direction can be configured by combining an inflator body that generates gas with a guide body that guides the injection direction of gas.

  Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the predetermined direction is the front-rear direction along the traveling direction in the straight traveling state of the automobile, that is, the configuration in which the airbag apparatus 1 is disposed on the front side with respect to the occupant has been described. The predetermined direction can be set to an appropriate direction without being limited to this configuration. For example, with respect to the airbag device disposed on the side of the occupant, it is also possible to configure an airbag device that is inflated and deployed so that both sides are in a predetermined direction and the airbag wraps around the occupant from the side of the occupant. .

  The present invention can be provided in vehicles such as automobiles and vehicles such as ships and airplanes.

It is explanatory drawing which shows one Embodiment of the airbag apparatus of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of an airbag apparatus same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the folding method of the airbag of an airbag apparatus same as the above. (a) is a state where the airbag is unfolded, (b) is a state following (a), (c) is a state when (b) is viewed from the C direction, and (d) is (c) It is the state following. It is explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment of the airbag apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Airbag apparatus 3 Instrument panel part 6 Airbag
11 First inflator
12 Second inflator
17 Control means
41 First folding part
42 2nd folding part W Window part which constitutes side wall part

Claims (4)

An airbag device arranged to face a seat arranged along the side wall,
Folded and stored, equipped with an air bag that is supplied with gas and inflated and deployed,
The airbag includes a first foldable portion and a second foldable portion, and the first foldable portion is folded into a deployable shape prior to the second foldable portion. The airbag device is folded at a position closer to the side wall portion than the second folding portion. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the first folding portion is folded so as to be folded, and the second folding portion is folded so as to be rolled up. A first inflator for injecting gas to the first folding part side;
A second inflator for injecting gas to the second folding part side;
The airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit capable of starting these inflators independently of each other. The airbag is housed in an instrument panel portion of a vehicle, a seat is a passenger seat of the vehicle, and a side wall portion is a window portion of the vehicle. Airbag device.

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