JP2007296943A - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device capable of suppressing a roof head lining from being interfered with an occupant when an airbag is inflated and deployed. <P>SOLUTION: The airbag device 26 is equipped with the airbag 27 which is disposed at the inside of the rear end part of a roof panel 16 in a vehicle, and inflated/deployed to the rear side of a rear seat 12 in a cabin by the pressure of the gas supplied from an inflator 28. A case 18 for storing the airbag 27 is provided in the inside of the rear end part of the roof panel 16 so as to be a separated constitution from the roof head lining 17 provided so as to cover the inside of the roof panel 16. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag device provided at a rear end portion of a vehicle roof, for example, in order to absorb an impact from the rear portion of the vehicle.

  Conventionally, as this type of airbag apparatus, an airbag apparatus including an airbag that inflates and deploys behind a rearmost seat in a vehicle interior is known (for example, Patent Document 1). That is, the airbag device of Patent Document 1 is behind the rearmost seat on which an occupant sits when an impact of a predetermined value or more is applied to the rear portion of the vehicle due to a collision (rear collision) from the rear of the vehicle. The back of the occupant or the back of the head is protected by relaxing the impact applied to the occupant.

The airbag device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is disposed between a roof panel and a roof head lining at a rear end portion of a vehicle roof. When the airbag device is inflated and deployed by the operation of the airbag device, the rear end side of the roof head lining is pushed by the airbag and falls down so as to hang downward, and is formed by the depression of the roof head lining. The airbag is deployed from the gap toward the rear obliquely downward of the vehicle interior.
JP 2004-182179 A

  By the way, in the airbag device of Patent Document 1, when the airbag is inflated and deployed, the rear end side of the roof head lining falls down so as to hang downward. Therefore, if an occupant is seated on the rearmost seat at that time, the roof head lining that hangs down on the head of the occupant may interfere.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a viewpoint. An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device capable of suppressing a possibility that a roof head lining interferes with an occupant when the airbag is inflated and deployed.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is arranged inside a rear end portion of a roof panel in a vehicle, and rearward of the rearmost seat in the vehicle interior by the pressure of gas supplied from a gas generation source. What is the roof head lining provided in the airbag device including the airbag that inflates and deploys to the inside of the rear end of the roof panel so as to cover the inner side of the roof panel The gist is that it is provided in a separate configuration.

  According to the above configuration, since the case for accommodating the airbag is provided inside the rear end portion of the roof panel so as to be a separate configuration from the roof head lining, the roof head lining does not move even if the airbag is inflated and deployed. No more falling down as it hangs down. Therefore, when the airbag is inflated and deployed, it is possible to suppress the possibility that the roof head lining interferes with an occupant (particularly the head) seated on the rearmost seat in the vehicle interior.

  Here, most of the “roof panel” is a member that is located on the outermost side of the vehicle at the upper part of the vehicle and is exposed to the outside of the vehicle, and is usually formed of a steel plate. The “roof head lining” is made of a flexible material such as a synthetic resin, and is a member that covers the passenger compartment side (inner side) surface of the roof panel in the upper part of the vehicle.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the case is adjacent to a rear end side of the roof head lining, and a lower surface of the case and a lower surface of the roof head lining are surfaces. The gist is that it is provided to be one.

According to the above configuration, since the lower surface of the case and the lower surface of the roof head lining are flush with each other, the design of the vehicle interior is improved.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the rear end portion of the case is formed from the inside of the case of the airbag when the airbag is inflated and deployed. The gist of the invention is that a deployment allowing portion that is displaced so as to form an opening for allowing expansion and deployment outward is provided.

  According to the above configuration, when the airbag is inflated and deployed, the deployment allowing portion provided at the rear end portion of the case is displaced to form an opening, so that the airbag is smoothly inflated and deployed through the opening. It becomes possible to make it.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the deployment allowance portion is pressed by an inflating force when the airbag is inflated and deployed, and hangs behind the rearmost seat in the vehicle interior. The gist is to form the opening by displacing in this manner.

According to the above configuration, since the opening is formed by displacing the deployment allowing portion using the inflating force when the airbag is inflated and deployed, the configuration of the case can be simplified.
The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 3, wherein the case has a frame that defines the shape of the lower surface of the case, and a flexible skin that is mounted so as to surround the frame. One end of the skin material is connected to the airbag on the upper side of the frame body, and the other end portion is provided on the roof panel side on the lower side of the frame body. The outer skin is attached to the fastening portion so as to constitute the deployment allowance portion, and the skin is moved from the inside of the case toward the outside of the case when the airbag is inflated and deployed. The gist is that the opening is formed by moving the other end portion of the material along the lower surface of the frame body in a direction away from the fastening portion.

  According to the above configuration, since the skin material moves along the lower surface of the frame body when the airbag is inflated and deployed, the skin material interferes with an occupant (especially the head) sitting on the rearmost seat in the vehicle interior. It is possible to reliably suppress the fear.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when an airbag is inflate-deployed, the airbag apparatus which can suppress a possibility that a roof head lining may interfere with a passenger | crew can be provided.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an airbag device mounted on a one-box type vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when referring to the “front-rear direction”, the traveling direction (forward direction) of the vehicle is described as being forward (front of the vehicle). Further, the terms “vertical direction” and “left / right direction” refer to the vertical direction and the left / right direction when the traveling direction of the vehicle is forward unless otherwise specified.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a bench-type rear seat 12 is provided as a rear seat at the rearmost portion of the vehicle 11. The rear seat 12 includes a stool portion 12a and a backrest portion 12b, and a headrest 12c is erected on the upper end portion of the backrest portion 12b. The vehicle 11 is covered with a roof 13 at the top and a rear door 14 that can be opened and closed at the rear. The rear door 14 is positioned in the vicinity of the rear of the rear seat 12 in a closed state, and a rear window 15 is provided at a position facing the headrest 12c in the front-rear direction.

Next, the vehicle roof 13 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle roof 13 includes a roof panel 16 and a roof head lining 17 provided inside the roof panel 16. Further, the roof 13 has a case 18 provided adjacent to the rear end side of the roof head lining 17 so as to be separated from the roof head lining 17, and between the case 18 and the roof panel 16. And an inner panel 19 which is arranged and fixed to the roof panel 16. Most of the roof panel 16 is located outside the vehicle at the upper part of the vehicle and is exposed to the outside of the vehicle, and is usually formed of a steel plate. The roof head lining 17 is made of a flexible material such as a synthetic resin and covers almost the entire surface of the roof panel 16 on the vehicle compartment side (inner side).

  In addition, a bent concave portion 16a formed by bending the roof panel 16 is formed at the rear end portion of the roof panel 16, and the roof panel 16 includes a rear end of the bent concave portion 16a and the bent concave portion 16a. A portion located on the front side is connected via an inner panel 19. The roof panel 16 and the inner panel 19 in a portion forming a space surrounded by the roof panel 16 and the inner panel 19 constitute a hollow rear roof rail 19a.

  The rear roof rail 19 a is a member for ensuring a predetermined rigidity of the body rear portion 20 of the vehicle, and extends in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) at a position facing the upper end of the rear window 15. A weather strip 22 for sealing is attached to the rear end portion of the rear roof rail 19a, and a locking piece 22a as a fastening portion protrudes from the weather strip 22. The rear door 14 is attached to the rear end portion of the roof panel 16 via a hinge mechanism 21 provided in the folding recess 16 a of the roof panel 16.

  The lower surface of the case 18 and the lower surface of the roof head lining 17 are flush with each other, and an interior light 23 as a functional member is formed in the case 18 at the front end portion of the lower wall of the case 18. It is provided so as to be exposed in the passenger compartment from 18a. In this case, the lower surface of the interior lamp 23 and the lower surface of the case 18 are flush with each other.

  In addition, a rear wall of the case 18 that is bent obliquely upward and rearward from the rear end of the lower wall that forms the lower surface of the case 18 at the rear end of the case 18 is a bent portion that serves as a boundary with the lower wall. It is set as the expansion | deployment permission part 24 which can be displaced by using as a fulcrum. In this case, the bent portion that becomes the boundary between the lower wall and the rear wall of the case 18 is a weakened portion 25 that is thinner than the other portions of the lower wall and the rear wall.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the deployment permission portion 24 is secured to a locking piece 22 a protruding from the weather strip 22 at the rear end (upper end in FIG. 3) of the deployment permission portion 24. It functions as a rear wall separating the inside and outside of the case 18. The fastening strength of the deployment permission portion 24 by the locking piece 22a is quickly released by the pressing force (expansion force) applied to the deployment permission portion 24 when an airbag 27 described later is inflated. Is set to a certain level. Note that the weakened portion 25 of the bent portion of the case 18 is located on the rear side of the headrest 12c (or the backrest portion 12b) of the rear seat 12, and an airbag device 26 is disposed in the case 18. Has been.

Next, the airbag device 26 will be described in detail.
The airbag device 26 includes an airbag 27 formed in a bag shape by sewing the peripheral portions of a pair of base fabrics, and an inflator 28 as a gas generation source for supplying gas into the airbag 27. And. The inflator 28 is fixed to the upper wall at the front end in the case 18 via a mounting plate 29, and the airbag 27 is accommodated in the case 18 in a folded state.

  The airbag 27 includes a connecting part 30 connected to the inflator 28, and the connecting part 30 is formed with a gas supply port (not shown) serving as an inlet for the gas supplied from the inflator 28. In addition, a pair of left and right belt-like attachment pieces 31 are integrally formed with the base fabric constituting the airbag 27 in the vicinity of the connecting portion 30 in the airbag 27, and the front ends of the attachment pieces 31 are respectively in front of the case 18. It is fixed on the wall. The airbag device 26 is seated on the rear seat 12 by inflating and deploying the airbag 27 between the rear seat 12 and the rear window 15 by the pressure of gas supplied from the inflator 28 at the time of a collision from the rear of the vehicle. The occupant P is protected.

Next, the operation of the airbag device 26 will be described.
Now, when an impact of a predetermined value or more is applied to the rear part of the vehicle body due to a collision with the rear part of the vehicle body, a control unit (not shown) drives the inflator 28 based on a detection signal from an impact sensor (not shown). Output current. By heating based on the drive current output to the inflator 28, gas is generated from the gas generating agent in the inflator 28, and the gas is injected and supplied into the airbag 27, so that the airbag 27 is expanded. When the deployment allowing portion 24 of the case 18 is pressed by the inflating force of the airbag 27, as shown in FIG. 4, the fixed state of the deployment allowing portion 24 by the locking piece 22a is quickly released, and the deployment is performed. The allowing portion 24 is rotated (displaced) backward using the fragile portion 25 as a hinge. At this time, the deployment allowing portion 24 hangs downward without being cut from the fragile portion 25. As a result, an opening that allows the airbag 27 to be inflated and deployed from the inside of the case 18 to the outside of the case 18 is formed at the rear end of the case 18. As shown in FIG. It is inflated and deployed smoothly toward the rear of the rear seat 12 in the room, that is, between the rear seat 12 and the rear window 15.

  As described above, when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the deployment allowing portion 24 of the case 18 that is configured separately from the roof head lining 17 only rotates behind the rear seat 12 in the vehicle interior. Therefore, the deployment allowing portion 24 does not interfere with the occupant P (particularly the head) seated on the rear seat 12. That is, since the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed independently of the roof head lining 17, the roof head lining 17 does not interfere with the occupant P.

According to the first embodiment described in detail above, the following effects are exhibited.
(1) Since the case 18 for accommodating the airbag 27 is provided inside the rear end portion of the roof panel 16 so as to be separated from the roof head lining 17, the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed. However, the roof head lining 17 does not fall down so as to hang downward. Therefore, when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the possibility that the roof head lining 17 interferes with the occupant P (particularly the head) seated on the rear seat 12 can be suppressed.

(2) Since the lower surface of the case 18 and the lower surface of the roof head lining 17 are flush with each other, the design of the vehicle interior can be improved.
(3) The rear wall at the rear end of the case 18 rotates so as to form an opening that allows the airbag 27 to be inflated and deployed from inside the case 18 to outside the case 18 when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed. It is set as the expansion | deployment permission part 24 to do. For this reason, when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the deployment permission portion 24 constituting the rear wall of the case 18 is rotated by the inflation force of the airbag 27 to form an opening. The rear seat 12 can be smoothly inflated and deployed on the rear side of the headrest 12c (or the backrest 12b).

  (4) The deployment allowing portion 24 of the case 18 is pushed down (rotated) by the inflating force when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, and hangs down toward the vehicle interior (downward) to form an opening. It has become. That is, the rear end (upper end) of the deployment allowing portion 24 is pressed by the inflating force of the airbag 27 to release the fastening state with the locking piece 22a of the weather strip 22, and the front end (lower end) is weak. By rotating (displacement) with the portion 25 as a rotation fulcrum, an opening that allows inflation and deployment of the airbag 27 from the inside of the case 18 to the outside of the case 18 is formed. Therefore, since the opening is formed by displacing the deployment allowing portion 24 provided at the rear end portion of the case 18 by using the inflating force when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the configuration of the case 18 can be simplified. can do.

  (5) The airbag device 26 is housed in a case 18 that is separate from the roof head lining 17, and the case 18 is attached to the inside of the rear end of the roof panel 16 separately from the roof head lining 17. Then, the work of attaching the airbag device 26 to the vehicle is completed. Therefore, if the airbag device 26 is accommodated in the case 18 in advance, the airbag device 26 composed of the airbag 27 and the like folded in a narrow vehicle compartment is attached to the inside of the rear end portion of the roof panel 16 from below. Since it is not necessary to perform the work, the attaching work of the airbag device 26 can be performed easily and quickly.

  (6) Since the indoor lamp 23 is provided in the case 18, if the indoor lamp 23 is assembled in the case 18 in advance, the indoor lamp 23 can be assembled together with the case 18 in the vehicle 11. Further, since the room lamp 23 that is harder than the roof head lining 17 is disposed at the front end portion in the case 18 that is distant from the deployment allowing section 24, the interior lamp 23 is moved to the rear seat when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed. The possibility of interfering with the passenger P (especially the head) seated on the vehicle 12 can be suppressed.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the second embodiment, the case 18 of the first embodiment is changed to a case 40. That is, the case 40 includes a sheet metal guide plate 41 as a frame that defines the shape of the lower surface of the case 40, and a flexible skin material that is attached to the guide plate 41 so as to surround the guide plate 41. 42. The guide plate 41 includes a band-shaped bridge plate 43 extending in the left-right direction, a pair of belt-shaped support plates 44 extending rearward from the lower ends of both ends of the bridge plate 43, and the upper end of the center portion of the bridge plate 43 in the left-right direction. And a mounting plate 45 having a lateral L-shape in side view.

  The guide plate 41 is fixed to the inner surface of the roof panel 16 via a pair of left and right mounting brackets 46 on the upper surface of the attachment plate 45. An inflator 28 is fixed to the inner surface side of the attachment plate 45. Protruding portions 44 a that protrude downward are provided on the lower surfaces of the rear end portions of the support plates 44. A cutout recess 42 a into which the attachment plate 45 is inserted is formed at a position corresponding to the attachment plate 45 of the guide plate 41 in the skin material 42. Further, an insertion hole 42b through which both the protruding portions 44a are inserted is formed at a position corresponding to the protruding portions 44a of the both support plates 44 in the skin material 42.

  When the case 40 is attached to the vehicle 11 (see FIG. 1), one end portion 42 c of the skin material 42 is connected to the airbag 27 on the upper side of the guide plate 41 and the other end portion 42 d of the skin material 42. Is fixed to the locking piece 22a. That is, the entire front surface and the entire lower surface of the guide plate 41 are covered with the skin material 42. In this case, the fastening strength of the other end portion 42d of the skin material 42 by the locking piece 22a is determined by the rearward pulling force applied to the one end portion 42c of the skin material 42 when the airbag 27 described later is inflated. It is set to such an extent that the fastened state is quickly released.

  In addition, the case 40 has a disk shape with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of both insertion holes 42b at the tips of the both protrusions 44a in a state where the protrusions 44a of the guide plate 41 are inserted into both insertion holes 42b of the skin material 42. The clip member 47 is fitted. Then, in the skin material 42, a portion on the rear side of the position corresponding to the rear end of the support plate 44 of the guide plate 41, that is, diagonally forward and downward from the other end portion 42 d fixed to the locking piece 22 a in FIG. 6. A portion extending in a slanting shape is a development allowing portion 48. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the indoor lamp 23 is attached to the roof head lining 17.

Next, the operation of the airbag device 26 will be described.
Now, when an impact of a predetermined value or more is applied to the rear part of the vehicle body due to a collision with the rear part of the vehicle body, a control unit (not shown) drives the inflator 28 based on a detection signal from an impact sensor (not shown). Output current. By heating based on the drive current output to the inflator 28, gas is generated from the gas generating agent in the inflator 28, and the gas is injected and supplied into the airbag 27, so that the airbag 27 is expanded. Then, as the airbag 27 is inflated, one end portion 42c of the skin material 42 is pulled rearward as shown in FIG.

  As a result, the fastened state of the other end portion 42d of the skin material 42 by the locking piece 22a is quickly released, and the lower surface of the two support plates 44 while the skin material 42 (deployment allowable portion 48) is separated from the locking piece 22a. Move forward along At this time, the skin material 42 (deployment allowing portion 48) moves while being torn by the protruding portions 44a of the both support plates 44. As a result, an opening that allows the airbag 27 to inflate and deploy from the inside of the case 40 to the outside of the case 40 is formed at the rear end of the case 40. As shown in FIG. It is smoothly inflated and deployed toward the rear of the rear seat 12 in the passenger compartment, that is, between the rear seat 12 and the rear window 15. At this time, since the other end portion 42d of the skin material 42 is located on the rear side of the projecting portions 44a of the both support plates 44, the skin material 42 torn by the projecting portions 44a is located below (the occupant P seated on the rear seat 12). ) Will not hang down.

  As described above, when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the skin material 42 (deployment allowing portion 48) of the case 40, which is configured separately from the roof head lining 17, moves along the lower surface of the guide plate 41. Therefore, the skin material 42 (deployment allowing portion 48) does not interfere with the occupant P (especially the head) seated on the rear seat 12. That is, since the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed independently of the roof head lining 17, the roof head lining 17 does not interfere with the occupant P.

According to the second embodiment described in detail above, the following effects are exhibited.
(7) Since the skin material 42 (deployment permission portion 48) only moves along the lower surface of the guide plate 41 when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the skin material 42 (deployment permission portion 48) is in the vehicle interior. The possibility of interference with the occupant P (especially the head) seated on the rearmost seat (rear seat 12 in this embodiment) can be reliably suppressed.

(Example of change)
Each of the above embodiments can be modified and embodied as follows.
In the first embodiment, when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the deployment allowing portion 24 is released from the fastening state with the locking piece 22a at the rear end (upper end), and the weakened portion at the front end (lower end). The opening 25 may be formed by breaking 25 and scattering to the rear side of the rear seat 12.

  In the first embodiment, when the airbag 27 is inflated and deployed, the deployment allowance portion 24 is broken with the weakened portion 25 at the front end (lower end), and is fixed to the locking piece 22a at the rear end (upper end). The opening may be formed by rotating (displacement) with the fixing point of the locking piece 22a as a rotation fulcrum without being released.

  -In 1st Embodiment, the expansion | deployment permission part 24 is provided in the rear-end part of the lower wall which forms the lower surface of the case 18, and the weak part of the bending part connected to the rear wall of the case 18 at the time of expansion | deployment of the airbag 27 While the 25 is broken, the hinge portion provided in front of the fragile portion 25 may be a pivotal fulcrum so as to sag downwardly and rearwardly downward in the passenger compartment. In this case, it is preferable that the hinge portion of the deployment allowing portion 24 is provided at least behind the headrest 12c of the rear seat 12.

In the first and second embodiments, the lower surface of the case 18 and the lower surface of the roof head lining 17 are not necessarily flush with each other.
In the first and second embodiments, the airbag device 26 may be mounted on a two-box type (hatchback type) vehicle.

  -In 1st Embodiment, you may make it arrange | position an assist grip etc. in the case 18 as a functional member.

The side view of the vehicle rear part in 1st Embodiment. The rear view of the vehicle rear part in 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing of the roof in the vehicle rear part of 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the state in the middle of the expansion | deployment of the airbag in FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the state after the expansion | deployment deployment of the airbag in FIG. Sectional drawing of the roof in the vehicle rear part of 2nd Embodiment. In 2nd Embodiment, the perspective view of the case of the state which excluded the airbag apparatus. Sectional drawing which shows the state in the middle of inflation expansion | deployment of the airbag in FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the state after the expansion | deployment of the airbag in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Vehicle, 12 ... Rear seat as rear seat, 16 ... Roof panel, 17 ... Roof head lining, 18, 40 ... Case, 22a ... Locking piece as fastening part, 24, 48 ... Deployment permission part, 26 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Airbag apparatus, 27 ... Airbag, 28 ... Inflator as a gas generation source, 41 ... Guide plate as a frame, 42 ... Skin material.

Claims (5)

In an airbag apparatus including an airbag that is disposed inside a rear end portion of a roof panel in a vehicle and inflates and deploys behind a rearmost seat in a vehicle interior by pressure of a gas supplied from a gas generation source.
A case for accommodating the airbag is provided inside the rear end portion of the roof panel so as to have a separate structure from a roof head lining provided so as to cover the inside of the roof panel. Airbag device. 2. The case according to claim 1, wherein the case is provided adjacent to a rear end side of the roof head lining, and the lower surface of the case and the lower surface of the roof head lining are flush with each other. The airbag apparatus as described. At the rear end of the case, there is a deployment permitting portion that is displaced so as to form an opening for allowing the airbag to be inflated and deployed from the inside of the case to the outside of the case when the airbag is inflated and deployed. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag device is provided. The opening allowance portion is formed by being displaced so as to hang down rearward of a rearmost seat in a vehicle interior by being pressed by an inflating force when the airbag is inflated and deployed. 3. The airbag device according to 3. The case includes a frame body that defines the shape of the lower surface of the case, and a flexible skin material that is mounted so as to surround the frame body, and one end portion of the skin material is the The upper end of the frame is connected to the airbag, and the other end is fixed to the fixing portion provided on the roof panel side on the lower side of the frame so as to constitute the deployment allowing portion. The frame in a direction in which the other end portion of the skin material is separated from the fastening portion as the one end portion of the skin material moves from the inside of the case to the outside of the case accompanying the inflation and deployment of the airbag. The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein the opening is formed by moving along a lower surface of the body.

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