JP2007161107A - Airbag device for protecting knee - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device for protecting a knee capable of restraining the knee of an occupant early. <P>SOLUTION: In the airbag device 10 for protecting the knee, at the time of front surface collision of a vehicle, an inflator 28 jets gas to supply the gas into an inner bag 34 through a communication hole 36 from a base end portion 32A of an outer bag 32 in an airbag 30, and to supply the gas into a main body portion 32B of the outer bag 32 through a vent 38. Therefore, the airbag 30 is expanded/deployed to a vehicle rear side of an instrument panel 16, thereby restraining and protecting the knee 18A of the occupant 18. When the inner bag 34 is expanded/deployed, the inner bag 34 jets the gas into the main body portion 32B of the outer bag 32 toward the instrument panel 16 side through the vent 38. Therefore, the outer bag 32 can contact with the instrument panel 16 early, and restrain the knee 18A of the occupant 18 early. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a knee protection airbag device for protecting a passenger's knee.

  As an airbag device for knee protection, there is an airbag device that restrains and protects an occupant's knee by deploying and inflating the airbag to the outside (rear side of the vehicle) of the vehicle instrument panel (for example, Patent Document 1).

However, in such a knee protection airbag device, when the airbag does not come into contact with the vehicle rear side surface of the instrument panel at the initial stage of deployment, the airbag is pressed against the occupant's knee and the vehicle rear side of the instrument panel. By contacting the side surface, the airbag can restrain the occupant's knee. For this reason, it takes time to restrain the passenger's knee.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-337652

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a knee protection airbag device capable of restraining an occupant's knee at an early stage in consideration of the above facts.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air bag apparatus for protecting a knee, comprising: an outer portion of an air bag that is supplied with gas and is deployed outside an instrument panel of a vehicle to restrain an occupant's knee and protect the air bag. An outer bag comprising an inner portion of the airbag, and an inner bag provided with a supply hole for supplying gas to the outer bag toward the instrument panel in a deployed state. ing.

  The knee protection airbag device according to claim 2 is the knee protection airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the inner bag is deployed and gas is supplied to the outer bag through the supply hole. It is characterized by supplying toward the side of the column cover.

  The knee protection airbag device according to claim 3 is the knee protection airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner bag is integrated with the outer bag, and the inside of the outer bag is formed. It is characterized by partitioning.

  In the knee protection airbag device according to claim 1, the airbag is supplied with gas and deployed outside the instrument panel of the vehicle, so that the airbag can be protected by restraining the occupant's knee. ing. Further, the outer bag constitutes the outer portion of the airbag, and the inner bag constitutes the inner portion of the airbag, and the inner bag is provided with a supply hole.

  Here, in a state where the inner bag is deployed, the inner bag supplies gas to the outer bag through the supply hole toward the instrument panel. For this reason, an airbag can contact an instrument panel at an early stage, and an airbag can restrain an occupant's knee at an early stage.

  In the knee protection airbag device according to the second aspect, the inner bag supplies gas to the outer bag through the supply hole toward the side of the column cover of the vehicle with the inner bag deployed. For this reason, an airbag can contact an instrument panel at the side of a column cover at an early stage.

  Here, when the occupant is a driver, the occupant's knees are generally disposed on the side of the column cover. For this reason, an airbag can restrain a passenger | crew's knee effectively.

  In the knee protecting airbag device according to the third aspect, the outer bag and the inner bag are integrated, and the inner bag partitions the inside of the outer bag. For this reason, it is not necessary to prepare a separate inner bag.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle front structure 12 configured by applying the knee protection airbag device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention when the airbag 30 is inflated and deployed from the left side of the vehicle. Is shown. In the drawings, the front side of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow FR, and the upper side is indicated by an arrow UP.

  In the vehicle front structure 12 in the present embodiment, an instrument panel 16 is provided at the vehicle front side end of the passenger compartment 14. A cylindrical column cover (not shown) is provided on the vehicle right side portion or the vehicle left side portion of the instrument panel 16, and the column cover protrudes obliquely rearward on the vehicle from the instrument panel 16. . The column cover covers a steering column (not shown), and a steering shaft (not shown) is accommodated in the steering column.

  The airbag apparatus 10 for knee protection according to the present embodiment is for a driver's seat (not shown) as a seat, and is provided below the column cover of the instrument panel 16, and the vehicle width of the column cover On both sides in the direction, knees 18A of occupants 18 (drivers) seated in the driver's seat are arranged.

  The instrument panel 16 is formed with a tier 20 having an H-shape in front view as a fractured portion below the column cover. The instrument panel 16 can be broken at the tier 20, and rectangular opening doors 22 are formed on the inner side of the tier 20 upper portion and the inner side of the lower portion of the tier 20, respectively.

  A support plate 24 made of a metal and a substantially rectangular plate as a support member is fixed to the instrument panel 16 on the vehicle front side of the tier 20 (inside the instrument panel 16), and the support plate 24 and the instrument panel 16 are fixed. A storage chamber 26 is formed between the two.

  A substantially cylindrical inflator 28 is accommodated in the accommodation chamber 26, and the inflator 28 is fixed to the support plate 24. Further, the inflator 28 can eject (supply) gas at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle.

  A substantially cylindrical airbag 30 is accommodated in the storage chamber 26 in a folded state. The airbag 30 includes an outer bag 32 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped bag shape on the outside, and an inner bag having an inner spherical bag shape. 34 (diffuser).

  The outer bag 32 is fixed to the support plate 24 at a base end portion 32A provided at the middle in the up-down direction and the vehicle width direction of the front portion of the vehicle, and an inflator 28 is attached to the base end portion 32A of the outer bag 32. Contained (communication). Further, a portion other than the base end portion 32A of the outer bag 32 is a main body portion 32B.

  As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the inner bag 34 is formed with a communication hole 36 having a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, in the middle in the vertical direction of the front portion of the vehicle and in the center in the vehicle width direction. The inner bag 34 is joined to the entire circumference of the base end portion 32A of the outer bag 32, for example, by sewing, around the entire circumference of the communication hole 36, so that the outer bag 32 and the inner bag 34 are integrally formed. Thus, the inner bag 34 partitions the outer bag 32, and the base end portion 32 </ b> A of the outer bag 32 and the inner bag 34 communicate with each other through the communication hole 36. The inner bag 34 is formed with a vent 38 having a circular shape as a supply hole on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the upper part and the lower part on the instrument panel 16 side (vehicle front side). In a state where the bag 34 is inflated and deployed, the vents 38 are directed to both the vehicle front side diagonally upper side and the vehicle front side diagonally lower side.

  Here, as the inflator 28 ejects gas as described above, the gas is supplied into the base end portion 32A of the outer bag 32, the gas is supplied into the inner bag 34 through the communication hole 36, and Gas is supplied into the main body 32 </ b> B of the outer bag 32 through the vent 38. Therefore, with the airbag 30 (the outer bag 32 and the inner bag 34) supported by the support plate 24, the upper and lower open doors 22 are opened at the upper and lower ends while the instrument panel 16 is broken at the tier 20 respectively. The airbag 30 can be inflated and deployed to the vehicle rear side of the instrument panel 16 (outside the instrument panel 16). As a result, the airbag 30 can be protected by restraining the knees 18A on the left and right sides of the occupant 18 on both sides of the column cover in the vehicle width direction.

  Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

  In the knee protection airbag device 10 having the above-described configuration, the gas is supplied into the base end portion 32A of the outer bag 32 by the inflator 28 injecting gas at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle. Then, gas is supplied into the inner bag 34, and further, gas is supplied into the main body portion 32 </ b> B of the outer bag 32 through the vent 38. Therefore, with the airbag 30 (the outer bag 32 and the inner bag 34) supported by the support plate 24, the upper and lower open doors 22 are opened at the upper and lower ends while the instrument panel 16 is broken at the tier 20 respectively. , The airbag 30 is inflated and deployed toward the vehicle rear side of the instrument panel 16. As a result, the airbag 30 restrains and protects the knees 18A on the left and right sides of the occupant 18 on both sides of the column cover in the vehicle width direction.

  Here, in a state where the inner bag 34 is inflated and deployed toward the vehicle rear side of the instrument panel 16, the inner bag 34 passes gas through the vent 38 into the main body portion 32 </ b> B of the outer bag 32 on the instrument panel 16 side (vehicle It spouts toward the upper side and lower side of the front side. For this reason, when the gas flows to the instrument panel 16 side of the outer bag 32, the outer bag 32 starts to expand, and the outer bag 32 is deployed from the instrument panel 16 side, so that the outer bag 32 is moved to the instrument panel 16. Contact can be made early (before the outer bag 32 is pressed against the knee 18A of the occupant 18), and the outer bag 32 can restrain the knee 18A of the occupant 18 early.

  Further, when the inner bag 34 is inflated and deployed to the vehicle rear side of the instrument panel 16, the inner bag 34 passes gas into the main body portion 32 </ b> B of the outer bag 32 via the vent 38 on both sides of the column cover in the vehicle width direction. It spouts towards. For this reason, when the gas flows to the vehicle width direction side of the column cover of the outer bag 32, the outer bag 32 starts to expand, and the outer bag 32 is deployed from both sides of the column cover in the vehicle width direction. It is possible to contact the ment panel 16 at both sides of the column cover in the vehicle width direction at an early stage, and the outer bag 32 can effectively restrain the knee 18A of the occupant 18 disposed on both sides of the column cover in the vehicle width direction.

  Further, the outer bag 32 and the inner bag 34 are integrated, and the inner bag 34 partitions the inside of the outer bag 32. For this reason, it is not necessary to prepare a separate dedicated inner bag 34.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 3 is a side view of the vehicle front structure 52 configured by applying the knee protection airbag device 50 according to the second embodiment of the present invention when the airbag 30 is inflated and deployed from the left side of the vehicle. Is shown.

  The vehicle front structure 52 according to the present embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, but differs in the following points.

  In the knee protection airbag device 50 according to the present embodiment, as shown in detail in FIG. 4, the inner bag 34 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical bag shape, and the inner bag 34 is directed from the vehicle front side to the vehicle rear side. Accordingly, the vertical width is gradually increased, the front end of the vehicle is opened to form a rectangular communication hole 36, and the rear end of the vehicle is closed.

  The inner bag 34 is joined to the entire circumference of the base end portion 32A of the outer bag 32, for example, by sewing, around the entire circumference of the communication hole 36, so that the outer bag 32 and the inner bag 34 are integrally formed. Thus, the inner bag 34 partitions the outer bag 32, and the base end portion 32 </ b> A of the outer bag 32 and the inner bag 34 communicate with each other through the communication hole 36. The inner bag 34 is formed with vents 38 on both sides of the upper portion and the lower portion in the vehicle width direction. As a result, when the inner bag 34 is inflated and deployed, the vent 38 is obliquely above the front of the vehicle and the vehicle. Directed to each of the diagonally lower front.

  Here, also in the present embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment is obtained except for the effect that the inner bag 34 ejects gas toward both sides of the column cover in the vehicle width direction through the vent 38. Can play.

  In the present embodiment, the inner bag 34 has a rectangular cylindrical bag shape, and the vertical width of the inner bag 34 is gradually increased from the vehicle front side toward the vehicle rear side. Is formed into a frustoconical bag shape or a polygonal frustum bag shape (the top surface and the bottom surface are polygonal), and the vertical width and the vehicle width direction width of the inner bag 34 are gradually increased from the vehicle front side toward the vehicle rear side. Further, the inner bag 34 may be configured such that the vertical width and the width in the vehicle width are gradually reduced from the central portion toward both sides in the vehicle width direction and both sides in the vertical direction. In this case, the vent 38 is formed in the inner bag 34 on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the upper portion and the lower portion, so that the vent 38 is obliquely upward and forward of the vehicle with the inner bag 34 inflated and deployed. Directed to both sides of the vehicle direction diagonally below the front. As a result, the inner bag 34 can inject gas into the main body portion 32 </ b> B of the outer bag 32 through the vent 38 toward both sides in the vehicle width direction of the column cover obliquely upward and downward in front of the vehicle.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the inflator 28 is accommodated (communication) in the base end portion 32 </ b> A of the outer bag 32, so that the inflator 28 is in the base end portion 32 </ b> A of the outer bag 32. The gas is supplied into the inner bag 34 through the communication hole 36. However, the inflator 28 is accommodated in the inner bag 34 (communication), so that the inflator 28 is placed in the inner bag 34. It is good also as a structure which supplies gas directly. In this case, the inner bag 34 can be configured to close the portion where the communication hole 36 is formed, and the outer bag 32 can be configured not to include the base end portion 32A.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the vent 38 may be a variable vent that opens according to the internal pressure of the inner bag 34. In this case, the vent 38 has a configuration that breaks when the internal pressure of the inner bag 34 exceeds a predetermined internal pressure, a configuration in which the opening degree of the control valve that opens and closes the vent 38 is controlled based on the internal pressure of the inner bag 34, and the like. is there. As a result, when the inner pressure of the inner bag 34 reaches a constant level and the vent 38 is opened, the gas flows into the outer bag 32 at a stretch, so that the outer bag 32 can be quickly deployed from a desired direction.

  Moreover, in the said 1st Embodiment and 2nd Embodiment, although it was set as the structure which made the tier 20 the front view H character shape, the structure which made the tier 20 another shape (for example, front view U shape) It is good.

  Furthermore, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the knee protection airbag devices 10 and 50 are used for the driver's seat, but the knee protection airbag devices 10 and 50 are used. It is good also as composition for other seats (passenger seat etc.).

It is the side view seen from the vehicle left side which shows the time of the airbag expansion | deployment of the vehicle front part structure in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view seen from the vehicle left diagonal front which shows the expansion | deployment deployment state of the inner bag in the airbag apparatus for knee protection which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the side view seen from the vehicle left side which shows the time of the airbag expansion | deployment of the vehicle front part structure in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view seen from the vehicle left diagonal front which shows the expansion | deployment deployment state of the inner bag in the airbag apparatus for knee protection which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Knee Protection Airbag Device 16 Instrument Panel 18 Crew 18A Knee 30 Airbag 32 Outer Bag 34 Inner Bag 38 Vent (Supply Hole)
50 Air bag device for knee protection

Claims (3)

An outer bag that constitutes an outer portion of the airbag that is supplied with gas and deployed outside the instrument panel of the vehicle to restrain the passenger's knees and protect it;
An inner bag provided with a supply hole for configuring the inner portion of the airbag and supplying gas to the outer bag toward the instrument panel in a deployed state;
A knee protection airbag device comprising:   2. The knee protection airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner bag supplies gas to the outer bag toward the side of a column cover of the vehicle through the supply hole in a deployed state. apparatus.   The knee protection airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner bag is integrated with the outer bag and partitions the outer bag.

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