JP2008168874A - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device capable of setting the strength of a first airbag and a second airbag separately with each other, and being easily installed. <P>SOLUTION: Since an airbag 4 is formed of the first airbag 6 and the second airbag 7 independently, each can be set to the optimal strength. While the first airbag 6 and the second airbag 7 are kept separate, both are combined at each rear end, and then an inflator 5 can be positioned at the same time. Since the airbag 6 and the second airbag 7 are combined not only at the rear ends, but at front ends 22, 23, the first airbag 6 and the second airbag 7 can be folded at the same time so that folding work performance is good. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag device that deploys an airbag on the side of an occupant of an automobile.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an airbag device that deploys an airbag from an automobile seat to the side of an occupant and protects the occupant during a side collision (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  The airbag device of Patent Document 1 includes a bag-shaped airbag having a large vertical dimension, and is divided into an upper first airbag and a lower second airbag by a partition provided inside. It is partitioned. The first airbag is for protecting the chest, and the second airbag is for protecting the waist.

  An inflator is accommodated in the rear end portion of the airbag, and the airbag is accommodated in the seat back in a state of being folded together with the inflator. The gas ejected from the inflator is supplied to both the first airbag and the second airbag by the distribution means, whereby the entire airbag is expanded and inflated, and forwards from the side portion of the seat back. It protrudes and protects passengers.

  In this type of airbag, the internal pressure of the second airbag corresponding to the waist is usually adjusted higher than the internal pressure of the first airbag corresponding to the chest. For this reason, in the case of the configuration of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to set the thickness and the number of base fabrics corresponding to the internal pressure of the second airbag for the entire airbag. Waste will occur.

In this regard, in the airbag apparatus disclosed in the patent document, the first airbag and the second airbag are set independently to each other, so that the first airbag and the second airbag are set at a strength corresponding to the internal pressure. can do.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-210048 US Pat. No. 5,803,485

  However, when the first airbag and the second airbag are separately independent as in Patent Document 2, it takes time and effort to attach the airbag.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device that can set the strengths of the first airbag and the second airbag separately and can more easily perform the attaching operation.

  In the invention of claim 1, a bag-like first airbag having an opening at the rear end portion, and a bag shape having an opening at the rear end portion disposed adjacent to the lower side of the first airbag. A second airbag, and a rear end portion of the lower end of the first airbag and a rear end portion of the upper end of the second airbag are each formed with a notch portion opened to the rear side. By forming the upper and lower connecting portions in which the edges of the cutout portions are stitched together, the first and second airbags are coupled in a bifurcated shape, and the openings of the first and second airbags are connected to each other. A connected integral opening is formed, and an elongated inflator inserted from the integral opening is accommodated in the airbag in a posture extending vertically.

  In the invention according to claim 2, in the upper and lower connecting portions, the edges of the cutout portions of the first and second airbags overlap each other and are stitched inward so as to protrude inward of the airbag. A flange is formed.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a gas distribution plate facing the gas discharge port of the inflator is provided, and the inward flange is in contact with the outer surface of the gas distribution plate.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the inward flange is inclined to the side of the first and second airbags having a higher inner pressure, and the outer surface of the inflator or the gas discharge of the inflator It is in contact with the outer surface of a gas distribution plate provided to face the outlet.

  The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the surface of the inward flange is covered with a resin coating material.

  In the invention according to claim 6, each of the first and second airbags is formed into a bag shape by folding the base fabric in half and stitching the edges together. The second airbag is characterized in that the folded portions of the two folds are coupled with each other facing each other.

  The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that a lower portion of the front end portion of the first airbag and an upper portion of the front end portion of the second airbag are coupled to each other.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the strength of each airbag can be set separately, and the airbags are integrated as much as the first airbag and the second airbag are formed separately and independently. As a result, the mounting operation can be performed more easily.

  According to invention of Claim 2, it becomes easy to ensure the seal | sticker in a vertical connection part by making an inward flange contact | abut to outer surfaces, such as an inflator.

  According to the invention of claim 3, it is easy to distribute the gas by the gas distribution plate, and the first and second airbags can be made easier by bringing the inward flange into contact with the outer surface of the gas distribution plate. Can be partitioned.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the inward flange is pressed against the outer surface of the inflator or the like due to the pressure difference between the first and second airbags, it becomes easier to ensure the seal at the upper and lower connecting portions.

  According to invention of Claim 5, a sealing performance can be improved with the resin coating material.

  According to invention of Claim 6, since the stitching | suture part of each airbag can be arrange | positioned on the opposite side of an up-and-down connection part, the suturing in an up-and-down connection part can be performed more easily.

  According to the invention of claim 7, the airbag can be folded more easily.

  (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a side view showing a deployed state of an airbag apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a first airbag and a second airbag along the line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the inflator housing, FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing how the base fabric is aligned at the rear end of the inflator, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the retainer holding the inflator. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the gas discharge port of the inflator in a state of injecting gas, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the inward flange and its periphery.

  Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is a front seat on the left side facing the traveling direction, and FIG. 1 shows a state viewed from the vehicle interior side. The front seat 1 includes a seat back 2 and a seat cushion 3. On the side of the front seat 1, there is a door (not shown) as a side wall of the vehicle body.

  An air bag 4 and an inflator 5 are accommodated at the right end of the seat back 2 when viewed from the front. In the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the airbag 4 is deployed forward from the seat back 2 and is interposed between the occupant M and a door (not shown), thereby protecting the occupant M.

  The airbag 4 has a configuration in which a first airbag 6 for protecting the chest and a second airbag 7 for protecting the lower back are arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction and are coupled to each other.

  The first airbag 6 is formed into a bag shape by folding a single (single) base fabric in half and sewing the edges together, while the second airbag 7 has two (double) ) Is folded in half and the edges are sewn together to form a bag. In this manner, by changing the number of base fabrics to be overlapped, the strengths of the first and second airbags 6 and 7 can be made different, and the strength according to the internal pressure can be obtained.

  The first and second airbags 6 and 7 are coupled in such a manner that the bent portions 12 and 13 face each other and the terminal portions 8 and 9 to be stitched are separated from each other. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the upper and lower connecting portions 14 and the terminal portions 8 and 9 from gathering and overlapping the base fabrics to be difficult to sew.

  Further, both the first airbag 6 and the second airbag 7 are formed with openings 10a and 10b at the rear ends thereof, and the openings 10a and 10b are connected to each other to form an integrated opening 11.

  The rear end portion of the lower end of the first airbag 6 and the rear end portion of the upper end of the second airbag 7 are respectively formed with notches 14a and 14b opened in a substantially U shape on the rear side. The upper and lower connecting portions 14 are formed by stitching the edges of the notches 14a and 14b with two suture lines 16. In the upper and lower connecting portion 14, the edges of the notches 14a and 14b are folded toward the inner space side of the airbag 4, overlapped with a substantially constant width, and stitched to form the edges of the notches 14a and 14b. An inward flange 17 extending in a substantially U shape with a substantially constant width is formed. The first and second airbags 6 and 7 are connected in a bifurcated manner by the upper and lower connecting portions 14.

  The elongated inflator 5 is accommodated in the rear end portion of the airbag 4 integrated from the integrated opening 11 in a posture that extends vertically, and is held in the retainer 25 that supports the inflator 5, so that It is fixed to a seat frame (not shown). Further, the inflator 5 has a gas discharge port 26 at the lower portion, and gas is jetted laterally from the gas discharge port 26.

  A curved gas distribution plate 27 is provided at a portion of the retainer 25 corresponding to the gas discharge port 26 so as to be slightly spaced apart from the gas discharge port 26. A guide piece 28 is cut and raised on the gas distribution plate 27, and when the gas distribution plate 27 hits the gas distribution plate 27, the gas G is distributed more to the lower side than the upper side.

  The retainer 25 is fixedly provided with stud bolts 29 and 29 extending laterally outward at two upper and lower portions. The stud bolts 29 and 29 are used to fix the inflator 5 and block the integral opening 11 of the airbag 4. Used for Specifically, first, the inflator 5 is disposed at the rear end portion inside the airbag 4 in a posture that extends vertically, and the stud bolt 29 is caused to penetrate the front fixing hole 19 and protrude outward. The opening edges of the base fabric are overlapped so that the fixing holes 20 and 21 on the rear side overlap with each other, and the inflator 5 is folded back to the front so as to wrap the inflator 5 from the rear. And the stud bolt 29 is fixed to a seat frame (not shown). As a result, the integrated opening 11 at the rear end of the airbag 4 is closed, and the inflator 5 is fixed in a state of being accommodated in the seat back 2.

  Here, the portions of the airbag 4 where the fixing holes 19, 20, 21 are formed are reinforced by the reinforcing cloth 15.

  Further, when the inflator 5 is set in the airbag 4 by abutting against the substantially U-shaped inward flange 17, the inward flange 17 is tilted downward, and the upper surface 17 a of the inward flange 17 is made of gas. The side surface (outer surface) 27a of the distribution plate 27 is in contact (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

  Furthermore, in order to improve the sealing performance at the portion where the inward flange 17 and the inflator 5 are in contact with each other, the surface (at least the upper surface 17a) of the inward flange 17 is coated with silicone rubber as a resin coating material. . In addition, as a resin coating material used for coating, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, polyamide resin, or the like can be used in addition to silicone rubber.

  The lower portion of the front end portion of the first airbag 6 and the upper portion of the front end portion of the second airbag 7 are coupled to each other via a strap 24 as a connecting member.

  Next, the function and effect of the airbag apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. When the automobile has a side collision, the gas G is injected from the gas discharge port 26 of the inflator 5. The gas G hits the gas distribution plate 27 and is distributed to the upper first airbag 6 side and the lower second airbag 7 side. The gas G is adjusted by adjusting the flow resistance by the guide piece 28 and the like. Is supplied more to the lower second airbag 7 side.

  Both the first airbag 6 and the second airbag 7 are inflated to push the skin of the seat back 2 and expand forward.

  The first airbag 6 and the second airbag 7 deployed forward quickly enter the gap between the occupant M and the door (not shown), and the chest of the occupant M is laid by the first airbag 6. While being protected, the waist is protected by the second airbag 7. In the deployed state, the internal pressure of the second airbag 7 is made higher than the internal pressure of the first airbag 6 so that the waist part having a large specific gravity can be protected more reliably.

  According to the present embodiment described above, the strengths of the airbags 6 and 7 can be set separately, and the airbags 6 and 7 are integrated, so that the attaching operation can be performed more easily.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the inward flange 17 is brought into contact with the side surface 27a as the outer surface of the gas distribution plate 27, so that the seal at the upper and lower connecting portions 14 can be easily secured, and the first airbag 6 And the internal pressure of the 2nd airbag 7 can be obtained more reliably. If the gas distribution plate 27 is not provided, the same effect can be obtained by bringing the inward flange 17 into contact with the outer surface of the inflator 5 or the like.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the gas distribution plate 27 is provided, so that the gas can be easily distributed to the first and second airbags 6 and 7. Further, by bringing the inward flange 17 into contact with the side surface 27a as the outer surface of the gas distribution plate 27, the first and second airbags 6 and 7 can be more easily partitioned and a seal is secured at this portion. Thus, there is an effect that the internal pressures of the first and second airbags 6 and 7 can be easily maintained at predetermined values.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the inward flange 17 has a higher internal pressure side of the first and second airbags 6 and 7 (in this embodiment, the second airbag 7 side, that is, the lower side). ) In contact with the side surface 27a as the outer surface of the gas distribution plate 27 in a posture inclined to ()), the inward flange 17 has a pressure applied to the first and second airbags 6 and 7, as shown in FIG. By being pressed against the side surface 27a of the gas distribution plate 27 by the difference ΔP, the seal at the upper and lower connecting portions 14 can be more reliably ensured.

  Moreover, according to this embodiment, since the surface which contact | abuts at least the outer surface of the gas distribution board 27 of the inward flange 17 was coat | covered with the resin coating material, the sealing performance of this part can further be improved by the said coating. In the case where the gas distribution plate 27 is not provided, the same effect can be obtained by coating the surface of the inward flange 17 that contacts the outer surface of the inflator 5 and the like.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the first and second airbags 6 and 7 are each formed in a bag shape by folding the base fabric in half and stitching the edges together. Since the first and second airbags 6 and 7 are joined in a state in which the folded portions of the two folds face each other, the stitched portions of the airbags 6 and 7 are placed on the opposite side of the upper and lower connecting portions 14. Since it can arrange | position, the stitching | suture in the up-and-down connection part 14 can be performed more easily.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the airbag 4 is more easily folded because the lower portion of the front end portion of the first airbag 6 and the upper portion of the front end portion of the second airbag 7 are coupled to each other. This makes it possible to perform the mounting work more easily.

  (Second Embodiment) FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing an inward flange and its periphery of an airbag apparatus according to this embodiment. Note that the airbag device according to the present embodiment includes the same components as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, the same constituent elements are denoted by common reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  The two base fabrics of the second airbag 7A are both coated with a silicone coating on the inner surface side. In this embodiment, the inner side that forms the inner surface of the second airbag 7A out of the two fabrics. The edge part in the up-and-down connection part 14 of this base fabric is extended, and the folding | returning part 31 which wraps the inward flange 17A from the lower side is formed. The folded portion 31 is also sewn to the inward flange 17A by the suture line 16A. In the folded portion 31, the inner surface coated with silicone faces the gas distribution plate 27 side and contacts the gas distribution plate 27.

  That is, according to the present embodiment, since the surface of the folded portion 31 that has been subjected to the silicone coating comes into contact with the gas distribution plate 27, contact friction between the inward flange 17 </ b> A and the gas distribution plate 27 is caused through the folded portion 31. As a result, the contact state of the inward flange 17A with the gas distribution plate 27 is reliably maintained. The contact friction also increases when the inward flange 17A is pressed against the gas distribution plate 27 by the pressure difference ΔP between the first airbag and the second airbag 7A. As the contact friction is increased in this manner, the contact state of the inward flange 17A is further stabilized. Instead of the folded portion 31, the surface of the gas distribution plate 27 may be coated with a resin coating material, or both of them may be coated.

  (Third Embodiment) FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the connecting portion of the first and second airbags of the airbag apparatus according to this embodiment and the periphery thereof. In addition, this embodiment is provided with the component similar to the said 1st Embodiment. Therefore, the same constituent elements are denoted by common reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the edges 35, 36 of the first and second airbags 6B, 7B are sewn into a substantially U shape with a stitching line 37 at a fixed distance from the end edge, and the second airbag 7B side These two edge portions 36 are further sewn with a suture line 16B.

  Then, the edge 36 on the second airbag 7B side is faced down and brought into surface contact with the side surface 27a of the gas distribution plate 27, and the edge 35 on the first airbag 6B side is faced up and the side surface of the gas distribution plate 27 is faced up. 27a is in surface contact. In the present embodiment, the edges 35 and 36 correspond to inward flanges.

  Also according to the present embodiment, since the edge portions 35 and 36 abut on the side surface 27a of the gas distribution plate 27, the same effect as the first embodiment or the second embodiment can be obtained.

  (Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view showing an inward flange and its periphery of an airbag apparatus according to this embodiment. In addition, this embodiment is provided with the component similar to the said 1st Embodiment. Therefore, the same constituent elements are denoted by common reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the gas distribution plate 27C has a skirt shape that spreads downward. Further, the inward flange 17C is stretched relatively straight without being bent, and the tip portion 41 is brought close to the lower end 42 of the gas distribution plate 27C.

  The tip portion 41 may be brought into contact instead of approaching the lower end 42 of the gas distribution plate 27C. The tip portion 41 is preferably at a position substantially corresponding to the lower end 42 of the gas distribution plate 27C, and it is preferable that the amount of protrusion of the gas distribution plate 27C toward the inner side is small.

  The tip portion 41 of the inward flange 17C is strongly pressed against the lower end 42 of the gas distribution plate 27C by the internal pressure P of the second airbag 7C when the first and second airbags 6C and 7C are inflated. . Therefore, also in this embodiment, the contact state of the inward flange 17C with the gas distribution plate 27C is stable, and the gas G can be distributed more reliably.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the structure in which the lower edge of the first airbag and the upper edge of the second airbag are separated from each other is illustrated. However, according to the configuration of the present invention, the airbag is In an inflated and deployed state, the lower edge of the first airbag and the upper edge of the second airbag are in close contact with each other, or the lower portion of the first airbag and the upper portion of the second airbag are mutually Can be configured to overlap each other. Such a configuration is, for example, a shape in which at least one of the first and second airbags is projected to the other side (that is, a shape in which the lower portion of the first airbag is projected downward, (2) the upper part of the airbag is connected to the boundary part so that they overlap each other, or one of the first and second airbags is folded in half. It is relatively easy to place the terminal portion for suturing with the position to be turned upside down on the boundary portion side of the first and second airbags and to overlap the stitching margin of the terminal portion with the other bent portion Is feasible. By doing so, the gap between the first and second airbags can be substantially eliminated or made extremely small with the airbag inflated and deployed, and even at the boundary portion between the first and second airbags. It becomes possible to obtain the required airbag thickness (shock absorbing stroke) more reliably.

It is a side view which shows the expansion | deployment state of the airbag apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the 1st airbag and 2nd airbag which follow the II-II line in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the accommodating part vicinity of the inflator of the airbag apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows how to match the base fabric of the rear-end part of the inflator of the airbag apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the retainer holding the inflator of the airbag apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the gas discharge port vicinity of the inflator in the state which is injecting the gas of the airbag apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which expanded and showed the inward flange of the airbag apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention, and its periphery. It is sectional drawing which expanded and showed the inward flange of the airbag apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and its periphery. It is sectional drawing which expanded and showed the coupling | bond part of the 1st and 2nd airbag of the airbag apparatus concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention, and its periphery. It is sectional drawing which expanded and showed the inward flange of the airbag apparatus concerning 4th Embodiment of this invention, and its periphery.

Explanation of symbols

M occupant 4 airbag 5 inflator 6, 6A, 6B, 6C first airbag 7, 7A, 7B, 7C second airbag 10a, 10b opening 11 integral opening 12, 13 bent portion 14 upper and lower connecting portion 14a, 14b Notch 17, 17A, 17C Inward flange 26 Gas outlet 27, 27C Gas distribution plate 27a Side surface (outer surface)

Claims (7)

A bag-shaped first airbag having an opening at the rear end, and a bag-shaped second airbag disposed adjacent to the lower portion of the first airbag and having an opening at the rear end;
The rear end portion of the lower end of the first airbag and the rear end portion of the upper end of the second airbag are each formed with a notch that opens to the rear side, and the edges of the notches are sewn together. By forming the upper and lower connecting portions, the first and second airbags are coupled in a bifurcated manner, and an integrated opening in which the openings of the first and second airbags are connected is formed,
An airbag device characterized in that an elongated inflator inserted from the integrated opening is accommodated in the airbag in a posture extending vertically.   The upper and lower connecting portions are characterized in that inward flanges are formed so that the edges of the cutout portions of the first and second airbags are overlapped and stitched so as to project inside the airbag. The airbag device according to claim 1.   The airbag device according to claim 2, wherein a gas distribution plate facing the gas discharge port of the inflator is provided, and the inward flange is in contact with an outer surface of the gas distribution plate.   A gas distribution plate provided so as to face the outer surface of the inflator or the gas discharge port of the inflator in a posture in which the inward flange is inclined to the side of the first and second airbags having a high internal pressure. The airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the airbag device is in contact with an outer surface.   The airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a surface of the inward flange is covered with a resin coating material. The first and second airbags are each formed in a bag shape by folding the base fabric in half and stitching the edges together.
The airbag apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first and second airbags are coupled in a state where the folded portions of the two folds face each other. .   The airbag according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a lower portion of a front end portion of the first airbag and an upper portion of a front end portion of the second airbag are coupled to each other. apparatus.

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