JP2005262975A - Airbag device for snowmobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device for a snowmobile capable of mitigating an impact on an occupant in a collision, and preventing the occupant from being thrown forward. <P>SOLUTION: The airbag device for the snowmobile comprises a saddle-type driving seat 10 provided on the rear part of a vehicle body, a steering wheel 13 to operate a steering skid 2 provided forward of the driving seat 10, a meter panel 14 provided forward of the steering wheel 13, a windshield 15 to cover the steering wheel 13 and the meter panel 14, and a headlight 16 provided at the front end of the windshield 15. The airbag device 20 having an airbag body 21 formed in a bag shape is arranged in a space forward of the steering wheel 13 and inside the windshield 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an air bag device for a snow vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has become common to provide an airbag device in a four-wheeled passenger car as a means for mitigating the impact on an occupant during a collision.

  An airbag device for a four-wheeled passenger car is premised on the combined use with a seat belt, and the airbag device reduces the impact on the occupant when the vehicle collides, while the occupant is thrown forward at the time of the collision. The force to be absorbed was absorbed by the seat belt.

An airbag device for a motorcycle has also been developed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-328087 (paragraph numbers [0012] to [0016] and FIG. 7)

  However, in the case of a snow vehicle, it is common not to equip a seat belt because the movement of the occupant's weight on the saddle riding type driving seat may be used as the steering method. Therefore, an airbag device for a four-wheeled passenger car, which is premised on the combined use with a seat belt, is not suitable for a snow vehicle.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an air bag device for a snow vehicle that can reduce an impact on an occupant at the time of a collision and can prevent the occupant from being thrown forward. To do.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a snow vehicle airbag apparatus according to the present invention includes a straddle-type driving seat provided at the rear of the vehicle body and a front side of the driving seat. A steering handle for operating the steering skid provided, a meter panel provided in front of the steering handle, a windshield covering these steering handle and meter panel, and a headlight provided at the front end of the windshield And an airbag device having an airbag body formed in a bag shape is disposed in a space in front of the steering handle and inside the windshield.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, as described in claim 2, the airbag device is disposed in a space between the meter panel and the headlight.

  Furthermore, in order to solve the above-described problem, as described in claim 3, the airbag device rises along the inside of the windshield when the airbag body is inflated and deployed, and the shape of the airbag body and Means for maintaining the position in a stable state are provided.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, as described in claim 4, the steering skid is supported by the front suspension mechanism so as to be buffered, and acceleration due to a vehicle collision is detected to detect the airbag body. Means for determining the operation of the means for inflating and deploying is disposed in front of the front suspension mechanism.

  Furthermore, in order to solve the above-described problem, as described in claim 5, the airbag body is colored in a conspicuous color other than white.

  Furthermore, in order to solve the above-described problem, as described in claim 6, after the airbag device is inflated and deployed by operating the airbag device, the airbag is deployed for a predetermined time or more. Is set to be held in

  And in order to solve the subject mentioned above, as described in Claim 7, the said airbag apparatus is attached so that it can attach or detach easily from a vehicle body.

  According to the air bag device for a snow vehicle according to the present invention, an occupant can be reliably protected at the time of a vehicle collision. Further, depending on the degree of acceleration, the occupant is prevented from being thrown forward. Furthermore, the visibility from a distance of the airbag body is improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a left side view of a snow vehicle to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the snow vehicle.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the snow vehicle 1 is provided with a pair of left and right steering skids 2 at the front lower portion of a vehicle body extending in the front-rear direction so as to be steerable left and right. The steering skid 2 is supported by the front suspension mechanism 3 so as to be able to be buffered. On the other hand, a crawler mechanism 4 is provided at the lower rear of the vehicle body. The crawler mechanism 4 includes, for example, a driving wheel 5 disposed on the front side, a driven wheel 6 disposed on the rear side, a plurality of intermediate wheels 7 disposed between the driving wheels 5 and 6, and an intermediate between them. The rear suspension mechanism 8 supports the wheel 7 so that it can be buffered, and an endless track 9 wound around the wheels 5 to 7.

  A straddle-type driving seat 10 extending in the front-rear direction is provided at the rear of the vehicle body above the crawler mechanism 4, and steps 11 that are one step lower are provided on the left and right sides of the driving seat 10. Further, a steering handle 13 for operating the steering skid 2 via a steering shaft 12 is provided in front of the driving seat 10. A meter panel 14 and a windshield 15 covering the steering handle 13 and the meter panel 14 are provided in front of the steering handle 13, and a headlight 16 is provided at the front lower end of the windshield 15 in front of the meter panel 14.

  FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the front half of the vehicle body. As shown in FIG. 3, the front upper half of the vehicle body is covered with an openable and closable engine hood 17, and an engine room 18 is formed therein to mount an engine 19. Further, the engine hood 17 has a front-lowering shape that descends toward the front with the lower front part of the headlight 16 as the highest point so as not to block the optical axis of the headlight 16.

  An airbag device 20 is disposed in a space above the engine 19 in front of the steering handle 13 and inside the windshield 15, more specifically, a space between the meter panel 14 and the headlight 16. The airbag device 20 is an airbag main body 21 mainly formed in a bag shape, a storage housing 22 for storing the airbag main body 21 in a folded state, and for inflating and deploying the airbag main body 21 in the event of a vehicle collision. For example, an inflator 23 that generates high-pressure gas, a G sensor 24 that determines the operation of the inflator 23 by detecting acceleration (G) due to a vehicle collision, and the shape of the airbag body 21 when the airbag body 21 is inflated and deployed. And a support frame device 25 that is a means for maintaining the position in a stable state, and the airbag device 20 is easily detachably attached to the vehicle body.

  The airbag body 21 is colored in a relatively conspicuous color other than white, for example, yellow or orange. On the other hand, the G sensor 24 is disposed in the engine room 18 in front of the front suspension mechanism 3 and detects an acceleration in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and issues an operation signal to the inflator 23 when it is determined that the acceleration exceeds an allowable value. The airbag main body 21 is inflated and deployed.

  The support frame device 25 includes a support frame main body 26 that is bent in a U shape in plan view along the shape inside the windshield 15, and a rotation shaft 27 that connects the left and right free ends of the support frame main body 26. The support frame body 26 is, for example, disposed in the width direction of the vehicle behind the steering shaft 12 and is pivotally mounted in a swingable manner in the front-rear direction around a pivot shaft 27 that is pivotally supported. . The support frame body 26 is housed inside the windshield 15 when the airbag body 21 is housed in the housing 22.

  FIG. 4 is a left side view of the snow vehicle 1 showing a state in which the airbag device 20 is activated and the airbag body 21 is inflated and deployed. As shown in FIG. 4, when the airbag main body 21 is inflated and deployed, the support frame main body 26 rises rearward and upward along the inside of the windshield 15 around the rotation shaft 27, and the airbag main body 21 is lifted from the front. Support and maintain its shape and position in a stable inflated and deployed state.

  FIG. 5 is an enlarged left side view of the connecting portion between the support frame main body 26 and the rotating shaft 27. FIG. 6A is a view taken along arrow VI of FIG. Further, FIGS. 6B and 6C are cross-sectional views taken along the line bb of FIG. 6A. As shown in FIGS. 5, 6 (a) and 6 (b), the support frame main body 26 is provided at a joint portion with the rotating shaft 27 in a state where the airbag main body 21 is stored in the storage housing 22. The torsion spring 28 urges the windshield 15 to be stored in a predetermined position (two-dot chain line in FIG. 5), and the support frame body 26 is prevented from fluttering due to vibration during vehicle travel.

  On the other hand, when the airbag device 20 is activated and the support frame body 26 rises and reaches a predetermined position, the rotation shaft 27 also rotates and the notch pin 30 engages with the engagement hole 29 formed on the surface thereof. (See FIG. 6C.) The support frame body 26 is held in a predetermined position, thereby supporting the airbag body 21 from the front and maintaining the shape and position in a stable inflated and deployed state.

  By the way, since the airbag device used for a four-wheeled passenger car is premised on the combined use with a seat belt, the airbag body is set so that the gas immediately escapes and deflates when the airbag device is activated. Since the snow vehicle 1 is not equipped with a seat belt, the airbag body 21 does not release gas immediately after the airbag device 20 is activated and inflated and deployed. It is set so as to be held in a state of being developed for a predetermined time or more.

  If the snow vehicle 1 collides with rocks or stumps hidden in the snow while running, or the unevenness of the ground, etc., the G sensor 24 detects the acceleration in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and if it determines that the acceleration exceeds the allowable value, the inflator 23 An operation signal is generated and the airbag body 21 is inflated and deployed. At the same time that the airbag body 21 is inflated and deployed, the support frame body 26 rises rearward and upward along the inner side of the windshield 15 about the rotation shaft 27, and the notch pin 30 engages with the rotation shaft 27, thereby The bag body 21 is supported from the front to maintain its shape and position in a stable inflated and deployed state, preventing the occupant R from hitting the steering handle 13, the meter panel 14, and the windshield 15, and depending on the degree of acceleration, the occupant R To prevent being thrown forward.

  The airbag main body 21 is set so that gas does not escape immediately after the airbag device 20 is activated and inflated and deployed, and is maintained in a state of being deployed for a predetermined time after deployment. The occupant R can be reliably protected at the time of a collision of a vehicle not equipped with a seat belt.

  Since the occupant R of the snow vehicle 1 normally wears the helmet H and rides, even if the gas does not escape immediately like the airbag body of the airbag device used in a four-wheeled passenger car, breathing is possible. There is no risk of difficulties.

  In addition, the snow vehicle 1 may travel in forests other than roads that are maintained like public roads. If a collision accident occurs in such a place, the snow vehicle 1 may become difficult to travel, Alternatively, even if the occupant R becomes uncontrollable, if the airbag body 21 is colored in a relatively conspicuous color other than, for example, yellow or orange white, the airbag body 21 can be viewed from a distance. Therefore, it is easy for a third party to find the accident vehicle and rescue the occupant R.

  Furthermore, even if the snow vehicle 1 causes a collision accident and the vehicle is in a travelable state even if the airbag device 20 is activated, the airbag device 20 can be easily attached to and detached from the vehicle body. By simply processing (removing) 20, it is possible to easily return to self-running.

  By the way, the snow vehicle 1 is a vehicle used in winter, and is generally left for a long period of time including summer. Further, even in winter, it may be left for a long time in a bad environment such as outdoors. Therefore, if the airbag device 20 is easily detachably attached to the vehicle body, the airbag device 20 can be stored separately from the vehicle body when the snow vehicle 1 is not in use, and the function of the airbag device 20 can be constantly maintained.

  In the embodiment described above, an example in which high-pressure gas is used as a means for inflating and deploying the airbag main body 21 has been shown, but other means using explosives or means for electrically inflating and deploying may be used. .

The left view of the snow vehicle which shows one Embodiment of the airbag apparatus for snow vehicles concerning this invention. The top view of the snow vehicle shown in FIG. The fragmentary sectional view of the vehicle body front half. The left view of the snow vehicle which shows the state which the airbag apparatus act | operated and the airbag main body expanded and expanded. The enlarged left view of the connection part of a support frame main body and a rotating shaft. (A) is a VI arrow view of FIG. 5, (b) and (c) are sectional drawings which follow the bb line of FIG. 6 (a).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Snow vehicle 2 Steering skid 3 Front suspension mechanism 10 Driving seat 13 Steering handle 14 Meter panel 15 Windshield 16 Headlight 20 Airbag device 21 Airbag body 23 Inflator (Means for inflating and deploying the air bag body)
24 G sensor (means for determining the operation of the inflator)
25 Support frame device (means for maintaining the shape and position of the airbag body in a stable state)
26 Support frame body

Claims (7)

A straddle-type driving seat provided at the rear of the vehicle body, a steering handle for operating a steering skid provided in front of the driving seat, a meter panel provided in front of the steering handle, and these steering handles And a windshield covering the meter panel, and a headlight provided at the front end of the windshield, and having an airbag body formed in a bag shape in a space in front of the steering handle and inside the windshield An air bag apparatus for a snow vehicle characterized by comprising: The air bag device for a snow vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air bag device is disposed in a space between the meter panel and the headlight. The snow bag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag device includes means for rising along the inner side of the windshield when the airbag body is inflated and deployed to maintain the shape and position of the airbag body in a stable state. Car airbag device. The steering skid is supported by the front suspension mechanism so as to be able to be buffered, and means for detecting the acceleration caused by the collision of the vehicle and determining the operation of the means for inflating and deploying the airbag body is disposed in front of the front suspension mechanism. The air bag apparatus for snow vehicles according to claim 1. The airbag apparatus for snow vehicles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the airbag body is colored in a conspicuous color other than white. The air bag for a snow vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air bag body is set so as to be held in a state where the air bag device is inflated and deployed for a predetermined time or more after the air bag device is activated and inflated and deployed. apparatus. The air bag apparatus for snow vehicles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air bag apparatus is attached so as to be easily detachable from a vehicle body.

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