JP2007131238A - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively prevent excessive restriction force from being applied to an occupant in emergency such as collision and to reduce attacking nature to the occupant. <P>SOLUTION: The airbag device provided with an inflator and an airbag 1 is constituted. In this case, the airbag 1 has two or more of airbag bags 2, 3 arranged in series in a direction that the occupant M intrudes to the airbag 1 in deployment. Further, the airbag bags 2, 3 are bonded through an intermediate retaining body 5. Even further, the airbag bags 2, 3 are constituted such that wrinkles 2a, 3a are formed at a bonding part 4. Thus, they are formed so as to also suppress tension of airbag fabric in addition to control of a gas internal pressure in the airbag. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag device that is installed in, for example, an automobile and protects an occupant by restraining it in a seat in the event of a collision, and in particular, optimizes the drag that the occupant receives from the airbag to improve energy absorption. It is a thing.

Several safety devices are installed in automobiles for the purpose of ensuring the safety of passengers.
One of such airbag devices is normally housed in, for example, a steering wheel. In an emergency such as a collision, the airbag is instantly deployed between the steering wheel and the occupant by the inflation gas generated by the inflator.

  In such an airbag apparatus, the impact when the occupant directly collides with the steering wheel or the like is absorbed by releasing the gas in the airbag while receiving the occupant.

  However, since the energy of the occupant changes depending on the physique of the occupant, the speed at the time of the collision, and the restraint position of the occupant, the energy absorption performance required for the airbag module is not uniform.

Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes an airbag device to which a technology having energy absorption performance according to the occupant's physique, the speed at the time of collision, and the occupant restraint position is applied.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-227549

  The airbag device disclosed in Patent Document 1 sews an exhaust restriction cloth that is more stretchable than the main body cloth on the back surface of the exhaust hole provided in the bag-shaped main body cloth, and is positioned opposite to the exhaust hole of the exhaust restriction cloth. An auxiliary exhaust hole is provided in the main body cloth, and an expanded stitching portion is formed on one side around the exhaust hole of the main body cloth.

  In the airbag device having such a configuration, when an occupant enters the deployed main body cloth, the exhaust restriction cloth is stretched simultaneously with the deployment of the spread stitching portion, and the relative positions of the exhaust hole and the auxiliary exhaust hole are shifted, which is effective. The exhaust hole area is changing and trying to optimize the drag of the airbag.

  The technology employed in the airbag device of Patent Document 1 will provide energy absorption performance according to the occupant's physique, speed at the time of collision, and the restraint position of the occupant only by controlling the gas internal pressure in the airbag. It is said.

  That is, in the airbag device of Patent Document 1, no consideration is given to the increase in the collision speed of the vehicle and the increase in the collision acceleration caused by the difference in the object to be collided (compatibility).

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the conventional airbag apparatus does not take into account the increase in the collision speed of the vehicle and the increase in the collision acceleration caused by the difference in the object to be collided.

  When optimizing the restraint system, what is particularly required for an airbag is optimization of the drag that can be disassembled into the following (a) to (c) that the occupant receives from the airbag when the occupant enters the airbag. Yes, if this drag becomes too large, naturally the possibility of occupant injury increases.

(a) Drag generated by the internal pressure of the airbag (= the area of the airbag contacted by the occupant when the occupant entered the airbag × internal pressure)
(b) Tension generated in airbag fabric by internal pressure
(c) Increase in airbag fabric tension vector, proportional to the amount of occupants entering the airbag

  However, it is very difficult to control the tension of the airbag fabric (b) and the increase in the tension vector of the airbag fabric (c). a) only did.

  In view of this, in order to optimize the drag of the airbag, the inventors reduced the tension (c) of the airbag fabric, which was conventionally difficult to control, in addition to the control of the gas internal pressure of the airbag. Was also taken into account.

The airbag apparatus of the present invention is
An airbag device including an inflator and an airbag,
The airbag is
Having two or more airbag bags arranged in series in a direction in which an occupant enters the airbag when deployed;
(1) These airbag bags are connected via an intermediate holding body,
(2) These airbag bags are designed so that wrinkles are formed at the joints;
(3) A connecting member for connecting the interior of the airbag bag to the direction in which the occupant enters the airbag is provided across at least one of these airbag bags or two or more airbag bags. Being done,
The main feature is to have at least one of the following.

  In the airbag device of the present invention, since two or more airbag bags are arranged in series in the direction in which the occupant enters the airbag, the tension generated in the airbag fabric is effectively dispersed when the occupant enters the airbag. can do. In addition, it is possible to adjust the exit width in the occupant intrusion direction.

  However, if two or more airbag bags are arranged in series in the direction in which the passenger invades the airbag and the airbag bags are simply connected to each other, the shape as designed may not be formed if the internal pressure is applied. Moreover, durability may be insufficient in the connection only by sewing the airbag bags together. Furthermore, in an airbag bag having no wrinkles formed by stitching a plurality of cloths, the tension generated in the airbag fabric cannot be reduced.

  Accordingly, the airbag device of the present invention employs not only two or more airbag bags arranged in series in the direction in which the occupant enters the airbag, but also employs at least one of the configurations (1) to (3). is doing.

  That is, by connecting the airbag bag via the intermediate holding body of (1), a shape as designed can be formed even if internal pressure is applied. Moreover, it becomes a reinforcement of a coupling | bond part and durability improves.

  Further, by forming a crease in the airbag bag at the coupling portion (2), it is possible to suppress the tension of the airbag fabric (c) which is difficult to control.

  Also, the height of the airbag deployment can be adjusted by providing a connecting member for connecting the interior of the airbag bag in the direction in which the occupant enters the airbag in the interior of at least one airbag bag of (3). Can be easily performed.

  In the airbag device of the present invention, when the at least one airbag bag is constituted by a single cloth or an integrated flat cloth sewn together, the joint portion between the airbag bags is wrinkled. The configuration of 2) can be obtained easily.

  Since the present invention is configured to suppress the tension of the airbag fabric in addition to controlling the gas internal pressure in the airbag, an excessive restraining force is applied to the occupant in an emergency such as a collision. This can be effectively prevented and the damage to passengers can be reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments and best modes for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1A is a side view of an airbag constituting a first example of the airbag apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 1A, and FIG. It is AA sectional drawing.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an airbag. In the present invention, for example, two airbag bags 2 and 3 are connected in series in the direction in which the occupant M enters the airbag 1 during deployment, as shown in FIG. It is arranged. These airbag bags 2 and 3 are formed in a bag shape by using, for example, a single cloth as shown in FIG.

  Thus, if the airbag bags 2 and 3 are formed with one cloth and the diameter of the connecting portion 4 between the airbag bags 2 and 3 is made smaller than the outer shape of the airbag bags 2 and 3, for example, FIG. As shown in c) and FIG. 4, ridges 2 a and 3 a are formed in the coupling portion 4. The flanges 2a and 3a serve to suppress the tension of the airbag fabric that is generated when an occupant enters the airbag 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the airbag 3 on the steering wheel side is provided with an attachment hole 3b for an inflator (not shown) accommodated in the steering wheel 6. The inflator ejects high-pressure gas in response to a signal from the sensor when the sensor detects a high load exceeding a predetermined value such as a collision.

  Further, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the airbag bags 2 and 3 are coupled with an intermediate holding body 5 interposed. Thus, if the airbag bags 2 and 3 are combined with the intermediate holding body 5 interposed therebetween, the airbag bags 2 and 3 formed of one sheet of cloth can obtain the shape as designed when deployed. Further, the strength of the coupling portion 4 is also improved.

  In FIG. 3, the intermediate holding body 5 uses a panel 5 a of a sewing portion 5 ab having a shorter circumference than the sewing portions 2 b and 3 c of the airbag bags 2 and 3, but is shown in FIG. 5. Thus, you may use the rope 5b with short circumference.

  When the panel 5a is used, the sewing peripheral length portions of the airbag bags 2 and 3 are folded and sewn as shown in FIG. However, when the rope 5b is used, the loop 5b may be inserted into the sewing portions 2b and 3c of the airbag bags 2 and 3 as shown in FIG.

  In addition, when using the panel 5a, it cannot be overemphasized that the through-hole 5aa is provided in the connection part 4 of the airbag bags 2 and 3 like FIG. One through hole 5aa may be provided as shown in FIG. 3A, or a plurality of through holes 5aa may be provided as shown in FIG.

  Next, the drag acting on the occupant M when energy is absorbed by the conventional airbag 1 consisting of only one airbag bag 2 and the airbag 1 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. .

  The drag forces F1a and F1b generated in the airbag 1 are the combined vectors F3a and F3b of the two-way tensions F2a and F2b generated in the airbag fabric by internal pressure when the occupant M enters the airbag 1, and the airbag 1 The total force of drag F4a and F4b due to internal pressure is the same.

  However, in the airbag 1 of the present invention, as described above, since the tension F2b of the airbag fabric when the occupant M enters the airbag 1 is suppressed by the flanges 2a and 3a, the mass and size of the occupant M are reduced. In the same case, the drag F1b acting on the occupant M becomes small.

  Therefore, in the airbag apparatus of the present invention, by configuring the airbag 1 as described above, it is possible to more effectively prevent an excessive restraining force from being applied to the occupant M at the time of a collision, for example. Can be reduced.

  By the way, when forming the airbag bags 2 and 3 with one sheet of cloth, it is difficult to adjust the deployment height of the airbag 1. Therefore, in order to adjust the deployment height of the airbag 1, it is desirable to provide the connection member 7 inside the airbag bags 2 and 3, as shown in FIG.

  The connecting member 7 is provided in a direction in which the occupant M enters the airbag 1, and is provided so as to connect the interior of the airbag bag 2 or 3 in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). Moreover, in FIG.7 (c), it is provided ranging over the two airbag bags 2 and 3. FIG. As the connection member 7, a tether or a string may be used.

  The present invention is not limited to the above example, and it goes without saying that the embodiment may be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea described in each claim.

  In the above example, the airbags 2 and 3 are formed with a single cloth, and the peripheries of the joint portions are shortened to form the collars 2a and 3a. Not only one cloth but also a plurality of cloths may be sewn together. Further, a gather may be formed separately.

  The airbag device of the present invention is used by being installed in an automobile, but it can also be installed on a vehicle such as an aircraft or a ship other than a vehicle, and the same effect is exhibited.

(A) is the figure which looked at the airbag which comprises the 1st example of the airbag apparatus of this invention from the side, (b) is BB sectional drawing of (a), (c) is A of (a). It is -A sectional drawing. It is the schematic which shows the state which the airbag of the airbag apparatus of this invention installed in the driver's seat expand | swelled and expand | deployed when a vehicle collides. (A) is the figure which expanded and showed the components which comprise the airbag of FIG. 1, (b) is the figure which showed the other example of the intermediate | middle holding body. It is a perspective view at the time of airbag bag deployment. It is the figure which showed the further another example of the intermediate holding body. It is a figure explaining the drag | pulling force which acts on the passenger | crew at the time of absorbing energy with an airbag, (a) is the case of the conventional airbag, (b) is the case of the airbag of this invention. (A)-(c) is a figure explaining an example of the connection member provided in the inside of the airbag which comprises the airbag of the airbag apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air bag 2, 3 Air bag 2a, 3a 皺 4 Connection part 5 Intermediate support body 5a Panel 5b Rope 7 Connection member M Crew

Claims (10)

An airbag device including an inflator and an airbag,
The airbag is
Having two or more airbag bags arranged in series in a direction in which an occupant enters the airbag when deployed;
The airbag apparatus is characterized in that these airbag bags are coupled via an intermediate holding body.   The airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate holding body is a panel or a rope. An airbag device including an inflator and an airbag,
The airbag is
Having two or more airbag bags arranged in series in a direction in which an occupant enters the airbag when deployed;
The airbag device is characterized in that the airbag is formed with a ridge at the coupling portion.   The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one airbag bag is made of one piece of cloth or a single piece of cloth that is sewn together. An airbag device including an inflator and an airbag,
The airbag is
Having two or more airbag bags arranged in series in a direction in which an occupant enters the airbag when deployed;
At least one of these airbag bags is provided with a connecting member for connecting the interior of the airbag bag in a direction in which an occupant enters the airbag.   The airbag device according to claim 5, wherein the connecting member is provided across two or more airbag bags.   The airbag device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the connecting member is a tether or a string.   The airbag device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the two or more airbag bags are coupled via an intermediate holding body.   The airbag device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the two or more airbag bags are configured such that a ridge is formed at a joint portion. The air according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the two or more airbag bags are coupled via an intermediate holding body, and a ridge is formed at the coupling portion. Bag device.

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