JP2006088843A - Occupant protecting device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an occupant protecting device for a vehicle capable of achieving smooth deployment without being obstructed by a seat belt. <P>SOLUTION: The occupant protecting device for the vehicle includes a curtain airbag 53 structured so that a slit 83 to admit insertion of the seat belt 42 is formed in the seat belt deployment region 106 at the tail 79C, and by the slit, the central part 107 and the tail 79C of the rear part bag portion 74R are divided into the first 111 and the second bag segment 112 and the first 113 and the second tail segment 114. When the curtain airbag is deployed, the seat belt set previously intrudes into the slit. Accordingly a smooth deployment can be made without being obstructed by the seat belt. When the curtain airbag is to be folded up in cylindrical form, the open end of the slit will not be opened by the ruptural part. Handling at folding up will be facilitated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device that is interposed between left and right side windows of an automobile and an occupant to protect the occupant.

In recent years, development has been advanced in order to improve the protection performance of the occupant's head when an impact force is applied to the side of the vehicle.
In this type of vehicle occupant protection device, for example, a roof side airbag is stored from the pillar to the side edge of the roof, and the roof side airbag is curtained along the side glass when subjected to a certain level of impact force. A technique for bulging has been developed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent No. 3510061

  The conventional vehicle shown in Patent Document 1 is a passenger car in which one seat or two front and rear seats are provided in a passenger compartment, and a pillar garnish is provided with a certain pillar space on the passenger compartment side of the front pillar. A fixed roof space portion that is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle compartment is provided on the vehicle compartment side at the side corner of the attachment and roof, and a vehicle occupant protection device is further provided.

This vehicle occupant protection device houses a roof side airbag in the pillar space and the roof space, attaches an inflator to the roof side rail, and attaches the roof side airbag to the roof side rail with bolts at a constant pitch. Further, the roof side airbag is connected to the inflator via a gas supply pipe.
According to such a vehicle occupant protection device, when the sensor detects that an impact force of a certain level or more has been received from the side of the vehicle body, the inflator generates gas, so that the roof side airbag is moved along the side glass. Can be expanded to the passenger compartment side.

  However, in the vehicle occupant protection device of Patent Document 1, since the curtain airbag is an integral bag over the entire length in the vehicle length direction, the curtain airbag is also deployed in the seat belt region extending from the vehicle body to the occupant side. May hinder its development. Specifically, for example, when a three-point seat belt device is arranged on a pillar such as a center pillar, and the seat belt is pulled out and attached from the through ring side arranged above the passenger's shoulder, the curtain arranged above the shoulder When inflated, the airbag is in the same position as the seat belt, and in some cases, the deployment of the curtain airbag may be hindered.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle occupant protection device that can be smoothly deployed without being inhibited by the seat belt.

  In the invention according to claim 1, the vehicle occupant protects the occupant by lowering the curtain airbag inflated by the operation of the inflator from the roof side rail structure attached between the front pillar structure at the front part and the rear pillar structure at the rear part of the vehicle. In the protective device, the curtain airbag is characterized in that a slit for inserting the seat belt is formed in a seat belt deployment region among the front end, the lower end, and the rear end, and the slit is divided into two by the slit.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the slit is formed with a breakage portion that is cut at the opening of the slit at the time of expansion.

  In the invention according to claim 1, the curtain airbag forms a slit for inserting the seat belt in the seat belt deployment region of the front end, the lower end, and the rear end, and is divided into two by the slit. The installed seat belt enters the slit. Therefore, there is an advantage that the seat belt can be smoothly deployed without being inhibited by the seat belt.

  In the invention according to claim 2, since the slit forms a fracture portion that is cut at the opening of the slit at the end of the slit, when the fracture portion presses the seat belt when the slit is deployed, the fracture portion breaks and the seat belt is cut into the slit. Enters. Therefore, even if the slit mouth end of the slit is closed, the seat belt can be smoothly developed without being inhibited from being developed.

  Moreover, since the slit formed the fracture | rupture part which will be cut | disconnected at the slit mouth end at the time of expansion | deployment, when folding a curtain airbag into a cylinder shape, the slit mouth end of a slit is not opened by a fracture | rupture part. As a result, when folded, it can be handled in the same manner as that without a slit, and there is an advantage that handling when folded is easy.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “upper”, and “lower” follow the direction seen from the driver.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle according to the present invention as viewed from the passenger compartment side, and shows that the vehicle 10 includes a vehicle occupant protection device 50 (a state in which the roof side airbag 53 is deployed). In addition, about the vehicle occupant protection device 50, only the structure arrange | positioned on the right side of the vehicle 10 is shown. The vehicle occupant protection device 50 on the left side has the same configuration as that on the right side, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  The vehicle 10 is an automobile generally referred to as a minivan, in which three front and rear seats including a front seat 12, an intermediate seat 13, and a rear seat 14 are provided in a passenger compartment 11. A vehicle body 20 in such a vehicle 10 includes a front front pillar 21, two middle front pillars 22 and a rear middle pillar 23, and a rear rear pillar 24, and each of these pillars 21 to 24. The roof side rail 25 is provided at the upper end of the roof, and the roof 26 is supported by the roof side rail 25. The vehicle 10 further includes a front side glass 31, an intermediate side glass 32, and a rear side glass 33 between the pillars 21 to 24.

  Further, FIG. 1 shows that the occupant Ma sitting on the rightmost side of the rear seat 14 is restrained by the seat belt device 40. The seat belt device 40 is configured such that the seat belt 42 wound around the retractor 41 is pulled out and passed through the through ring 43 and then hooked to the lower anchor 44. The retractor 41 is a belt winder attached to the lower part of the rear pillar 24. The through ring 43 is a member attached to the upper part of the rear pillar 24. The lower anchor 44 is a member attached to the side of the cushion of the rear seat 14. The upper part of the occupant Ma and the waist can be restrained by the seat belt 42.

The vehicle occupant protection device 50 detects that an impact force of a certain level or more is applied to the side portion of the vehicle 10 with an impact detection sensor (not shown), and the inflator 51 generates gas in response to the sensor signal. By supplying this gas to the roof side airbag 53 via the supply pipe 52, the roof side airbag 53 is inflated toward the vehicle compartment 11 along the side glasses 31 to 33.
The roof side airbag 53 inflated and deployed in the passenger compartment 11 covers the side glasses 31 to 33 and can protect particularly the head He of the occupant Ma sitting on the seats 12 to 14.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention as viewed from the passenger compartment side, and shows a state in which the roof side airbag 53 is stored.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supply pipe 52 is a gas pipe that supplies gas from the inflator 51 to the roof side airbag 53. The inflator 51 and the supply pipe 52 extend in the vehicle body front-rear direction (left-right direction on the paper surface) and are arranged in parallel with the roof side airbag 53.

The vehicle body 20 has a fixed roof space portion S1 (space portion S1) elongated in the vehicle longitudinal direction (that is, the vehicle longitudinal direction) on the side of the vehicle compartment 11 at the side corner 26a of the roof 26, and this roof space portion. The inflator 51, the supply pipe 52, and the roof side airbag 53 are accommodated in S1.
In addition, the vehicle body 20 has a pillar space portion S2 and a pillar garnish 54 attached to the front pillar 21 provided at the front portion on the side of the passenger compartment 11, and the front portion of the roof side airbag 53 is attached to the pillar space portion S2. It is what was stored.

Further, the vehicle body 20 is (1) the front end portion 53a of the roof side airbag 53 is attached to the front pillar 21 via the bracket 55 by a fastening member 56 such as a band, and (2) the roof side is attached to the rear pillar 24 via the bracket 57. The rear end portion 53b of the airbag 53 is attached by a fastening member 58 such as a band, and is attached to the roof side rail 25 by various fixing mechanisms 61 to 67.
As shown in FIG. 2, the fixing mechanism 63 includes a first mounting bracket 151 and a second mounting bracket 152.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the vehicle occupant protection device in a state in which the roof side airbag according to the present invention is deployed as viewed from the passenger compartment side.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the roof side airbag 53 is made of a flexible seat such as a cloth having airtightness, and (1) two front and rear pieces arranged substantially at the center in the longitudinal direction of the passenger compartment. (2) two front and rear gas main flow paths 72F and 72R extending in the longitudinal direction of the passenger compartment along the roof space S1 from the gas inlet portions 71F and 71R, and (3) these The front and rear inner tubes 73F and 73R, which are individually passed through the gas main flow paths 72F and 72R and individually communicated at one end with the front and rear two gas inlet portions 71F and 71R, and (4) the front inner tube 73F. The front bag part 74F communicates via the front gas main flow path 72F and expands at a position corresponding to the front seat 12, and (5) the rear inner tube 73R via the rear gas main flow path 72R. Communication with the intermediate seat 13 An intermediate bag portion 74M that expands at a corresponding position, and (6) a rear bag portion 74R that communicates with the rear inner tube 73R via the rear gas main flow path 72R and expands at a position corresponding to the rear seat 14. , In one piece.

When the front bag part 74F expands the front bag part 74F along the front side glass 31 toward the vehicle compartment 11, the gas flowing in from the front gas main flow path 72F moves downward and forwards upward. The three inflatable parts 75a to 75c are configured to flow in the direction of folding.
These inflating portions 75a to 75c have a configuration in which a front inflating portion 75a at the front end, an intermediate inflating portion 75b, and a rear inflating portion 75c at the rear end are arranged in a line. The front expansion part 75a and the intermediate expansion part 75b are in close contact with each other, and the intermediate expansion part 75b and the rear expansion part 75c are in close contact with each other.

  In the front bag portion 74F, the intermediate inflating portion 75c has an upper end opening arranged near the front end of the front gas main flow path 72F and communicated, and a front lower end communicated with an opening at the rear lower end of the front inflating portion 75a. It is. The front inflating part 75a has an opening only at the rear lower end. The rear inflating portion 75c is in communication with the upper end opening disposed near the front end of the front gas main flow path 72F.

  The intermediate bag portion 74M includes three front and rear inflatable portions 76a to 76c arranged below the two front and rear gas inlet portions 71F and 71R. These inflatable portions 76a to 76c have a configuration in which a front inflatable portion 76a at the front end, an intermediate inflatable portion 76b, and a rear inflatable portion 76c at the rear end are arranged in a line. The front expansion part 76a and the intermediate expansion part 76b are in close contact with each other, and the intermediate expansion part 76b and the rear expansion part 76c are in close contact with each other.

  In the intermediate bag portion 74M, the intermediate inflating portion 76b communicates with the rear upper end opening disposed near the rear end in the rear gas main flow path 72R, and the front upper end communicated with the rear upper end opening in the front inflating portion 76a. Is. The front expansion portion 76a has an opening only at the rear upper end. The rear inflating portion 76c is in communication with the upper end opening disposed in the vicinity of the rear end in the rear gas main flow path 72R.

The rear bag portion 74R includes two front and rear inflatable portions 77a and 77b arranged rearward of the rear gas main flow path 72R. These inflating portions 77a and 77b have a configuration in which a front inflating portion 77a at the front end and a rear inflating portion 77b at the rear end are arranged in a line.
The front inflating portion 77a communicates the opening at the front lower end with the rear end of the rear gas main flow path 72R via the upper communication pipe 78A and the opening at the front lower end in the intermediate bag portion 74M via the lower communication pipe 78B. It communicates with the rear opening of the rear expansion portion 76c.
The rear inflating part 77b communicates the opening at the front lower end with the opening at the rear lower end of the front inflating part 77a.

By the way, the roof side airbag 53 is integrally provided with a non-inflatable portion 79 around each bag portion 74F, 74M, 74R. The non-expandable portion 79 includes a front non-expandable portion 79A at the front end, an intermediate non-expandable portion 79B, and a rear non-expandable portion 79C at the rear end.
The front non-inflatable portion 79A includes a string-like or band-like front strap 81. The rear non-inflatable portion 79B includes a string-like or band-like rear strap 82 and a slit 83.
In FIG. 3, 86F and 86R are jet holes opened in the two front and rear inner tubes 73F and 73R, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the vehicle occupant protection device and the seat belt device of the present invention.
The vehicle occupant protection device 50 is inflated by the operation of the inflator 51 (see FIG. 2) from the roof side rail structure 103 attached between the front pillar structure 101 (see FIG. 6) at the front of the vehicle 10 and the rear pillar structure 102 at the rear. The roof side airbag (hereinafter referred to as curtain airbag) 53 is lowered to protect the occupant Ma. The curtain airbag 53 has a front end (front non-inflatable portion) 79A (see FIG. 3). ), Lower end (lower part of the intermediate non-expanding part 79B) 104, slit 83 for inserting the seat belt 42 into the seat belt deployment area 106 of the rear end (rear non-expanding part) 79C of the rear end (rear non-expanding part) 79C. And the central portion 107 of the rear bag portion 74R and the rear end (rear non-inflatable portion 79C) are respectively formed by the slit 83 in the first and second bags. It is to split into two split portions 111, 112 and first and second rear dividing unit 113.

  Further, the curtain airbag 53 has a slit 83 formed at the rear end 79C along the rear pillar structure 102, and the seat belt 42 enters the slit 83 as shown by an arrow b1 when deployed as shown in FIG.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views for explaining a slit used in the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention. FIG. 5A is a state before the curtain airbag 53 is inflated, and FIG. The time when the airbag 53 is inflated is shown.
In (a), the slit 83 is formed by forming a fracture portion 118 that is cut at the slit mouth end 117 when deployed. Reference numeral 119 denotes a stop portion of the slit 83.

The fracture portion 118 forms a notch 122 at the edge 121, forms a first joined fabric portion 123 in continuation with the notch 122, and separates the second joined fabric portion 124 from the first joined fabric portion 123 by a pitch P. Formed.
The length of the 1st joining cloth part 123 and the length of the 2nd joining cloth part 124 are arbitrary.
The pitch P is arbitrary.

In addition, although the edge of the slit 83 was joined at two locations of the first and second joined fabric portions 123 and 124, a third joined fabric portion may be set and joined at three locations. The number of joined fabric portions Is optional.
The first and second joined fabric portions 123 and 124 are made of the fabric of the curtain airbag 53 and are integrally formed on the rear end 79C. However, the fabric of the curtain airbag 53 is not used, and instead of the fabric, an adhesive or a thread is used. It is also possible to form the fracture portion 118 using.

In FIG. 4B, when the slit 83 is unfolded, the rupture portion 118 of the slit 83 hits the seat belt 42 mounted in advance almost simultaneously, so the rupture portion 118 is cut and the seat belt 42 enters the slit 83 as shown in FIG. .
Specifically, when the broken portion 118 of the developed rear end 79C presses the seat belt 42 (in the direction of the arrow b2), the pressing force concentrates on the notch 122, and the notch 122 serves as a starting point for the first joining. The fabric portion 123 is broken, and the second bonded fabric portion 124 is subsequently broken.

  As described above, in the vehicle occupant protection device 50, the curtain airbag 53 forms the slit 83 and is divided into two by the slit 83. Therefore, the deployment is smoothly performed without being inhibited by the seat belt 42. can do.

  Further, since the slit 83 is formed with the break portion 118 that is cut at the slit mouth end 117 when deployed, the slit mouth end 117 of the slit 83 is not opened by the break portion 118 when the curtain airbag 53 is folded into a cylindrical shape. As a result, when it is folded, it can be handled in the same manner as that without the slit 83, and handling when it is folded becomes easy.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a front string fixing bracket employed in the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention.
The front pillar structure 101 includes a front pillar 21 and a front pillar interior material 54 disposed on the side of the passenger compartment 11 of the front pillar 21.
The front strap 81 includes a front string fixing bracket 131 attached to the front pillar 21 and a string body 132 connected to the front string fixing bracket 131. When the curtain airbag 53 is deployed, the front strap 81 moves to the front end 79A of the curtain airbag 53. A deployment tension (in the direction of arrow b3) is applied.

The front string fixing bracket 131 is formed by forming an attachment portion 134 to be attached to the front pillar 21 and opening a round hole 135 so as to be connected to the attachment portion 134.
The round hole 135 is a perfect circular hole having a diameter D1, and the string body 132 can be rotated as indicated by an arrow b5.
When the curtain airbag 53 is stored, the front strap 81 also folds the string body 132 as necessary and holds it with the tape 136.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a rear string fixing bracket employed in the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention. The rear pillar structure 102 includes a rear pillar 24 and a rear pillar interior material 138 disposed on the rear pillar 24 on the vehicle compartment 11 side.
The rear strap 82 includes a rear string fixing bracket 141 attached to the rear pillar 24 and a string body 142 connected to the rear string fixing bracket 141. When the curtain airbag 53 is deployed, the rear strap 82 moves to the rear end 79C of the curtain airbag 53. A deployment tension (in the direction of arrow b8) is applied.

The rear string fixing bracket 141 is arranged by opening a round hole 143 for hanging the string body 142 in a perfect circle and setting a space in which the string body 142 rotates between the vehicle body 20 and the rear string fixing bracket 141. Specifically, a mounting portion 144 to be attached to the rear pillar 24 is formed, and a stepped portion 145 is formed at a distance H1 from the mounting portion 144 (or the rear pillar 24) so as to be connected to the mounting portion 144, and a round hole is formed in the stepped portion 145. 143 is opened.
The distance H1 is a distance that is larger than the thickness t of the string body 142 and obtains a space in which the string body 142 hung on the round hole 143 can rotate as indicated by an arrow b9 without interfering with the rear pillar 24.
The round hole 143 is a perfect circle hole having a diameter D2, and the string body 142 can be rotated as indicated by an arrow b9.

  Note that the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention is applied to a three-row seat (three-seat) four-wheeled vehicle in the embodiment, but can also be applied to a two-row seat or a four-row seat. It can be applied.

  The vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention is suitable for a three-row seat four-wheeled vehicle.

The side view which looked at the vehicle concerning the present invention from the compartment side The perspective view which looked at the passenger protection device for vehicles concerning the present invention from the cabin side The side view which looked at the passenger protection device for vehicles in the state where the roof side airbag concerning the present invention was developed from the passenger compartment side The figure explaining the relationship between the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention and the seat belt device The figure explaining the slit used for the passenger protection device for vehicles of the present invention The perspective view of the front string fixing bracket employ | adopted for the vehicle occupant protection apparatus of this invention The perspective view of the rear string fixing bracket employ | adopted for the vehicle occupant protection apparatus of this invention

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle, 42 ... Seat belt, 50 ... Vehicle occupant protection device, 51 ... Inflator, 53 ... Curtain airbag, 79A ... Front end (front non-inflatable part), 79C ... Rear end (rear non-inflatable part), 83 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Slit, 101 ... Front pillar structure, 102 ... Rear pillar structure, 103 ... Roof side rail structure, 104 ... Lower end, 106 ... Seat belt deployment area, 117 ... Slit mouth end, 118 ... Breaking part, Ma ... Passenger.

Claims (2)

In a vehicle occupant protection device that protects an occupant by lowering a curtain airbag inflated by an inflator operation from a roof side rail structure attached between a front pillar structure at a front part of a vehicle and a rear pillar structure at a rear part,
2. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the curtain airbag is formed with a slit for inserting the seat belt in a seat belt deployment region of a front end, a lower end, and a rear end, and is divided into two by the slit. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the slit is formed with a breaking portion that is cut at a slit mouth end when deployed.

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