JP2009280089A - Airbag device for side collision and vehicular seat - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect an area from a head part to a waist part of which the proper drag force in strength durability in case of protection varies with a single device. <P>SOLUTION: The airbag device for side collision includes an inflator 1 for generating gas, an airbag 4 for protection from a head part to a shoulder part, an airbag 5 for protection of the waist part, and gas passages 6a, 6b for connecting the airbag 4 for protection from the head part to the shoulder part and the airbag 5 for protection of the waist part with the inflator 1. The gas passages 6a, 6b are branched from the inflator 1 to be jointed to the airbag 4 for protection from the head part to the shoulder part and the airbag 5 for protection of the waist part. Therefore, a large range from the head part to the waist part of an occupant can be protected with a single device even when a side collision or the like occurs. wherein such a problem that either of the airbags is not deployed due to malfunction of the inflator does not occur. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a side-collision airbag device that restrains an occupant to a seat and protects the vehicle when, for example, a collision from the side of a vehicle (hereinafter abbreviated as a side collision), rotation (spin), or rollover (rollover). And a vehicle seat provided with the airbag device.

  Conventionally, a side airbag device and a curtain airbag device have been used as devices for protecting a passenger by preventing a passenger from colliding with a side door during a side collision, spin or rollover (hereinafter abbreviated as a side collision). Etc. are known.

Also, just before the occupant seated in a side collision or the like collides with the side door, or immediately after the side door is pushed into the vehicle interior in the case of a side collision, the body side extending from the occupant's waist to the abdomen is placed with a buffer armrest. An apparatus for pushing back into the passenger compartment has been proposed (Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-220913 A

In addition, there has been proposed a device that pushes up a buttock on the side door side of an occupant seated in a side collision and keeps the upper body away from the side door to enlarge the space between the side door and the occupant (Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-9798

  By the way, the protection range of the occupant during a side collision or the like extends over a wide range from the head to the waist. At that time, the appropriate drag in strength resistance in the case of protection is different between the head and the waist of the occupant. Therefore, not only the side airbag device and the curtain airbag device but also the devices proposed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot protect the range from the head to the waist with a single device.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that, in the conventional side collision protection device, a single device protects the range from the head to the waist where the appropriate resistance in strength resistance when protecting is different. Is that you can not.

The airbag device for a side collision of the present invention is made from such a viewpoint,
By connecting the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag to the inflator and connecting the gas passage connecting the inflator to the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag. The above-mentioned problem is solved.

That is, the airbag device for side collision of the present invention is
An inflator that generates gas;
A protective airbag for the head and shoulders;
A protective airbag for the waist,
These head / shoulder protection airbag and waist protection airbag have a gas passage connecting the inflator,
The main feature of the gas passage is that it is branched from the inflator and connected to the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag.

  In the side collision airbag device of the present invention, in the case of a side collision, the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag can protect a wide range from the head of the occupant to the waist. .

  And, since the gas is supplied to the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag through the gas passage branched from the inflator, for example, one of the airbags does not expand due to the inflator not operating. Such a problem does not occur. Note that the number of inflators constituting the present invention is not limited to one but may be plural as long as they are collected in one place.

  At that time, if a pressure control valve is provided in at least one of the gas passage from the branch portion of the gas passage to the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag, Appropriate drag can be given to each airbag.

  In addition, the surface portion of the airbag for protecting the head / shoulder portion at the time of deployment facing the occupant's head is loaded with a load tape for applying a tension at the time of airbag deployment, and a plurality of portions for dividing the surface portion into an uneven shape. When formed with Gore, it does not give excessive drag to the head.

  In addition, when the airbag for protecting the lumbar region is divided into two parts on the back side of the surface facing the occupant's lumbar region during deployment, and a belt-like gas passage is formed with these two divided fabrics, Productivity is improved.

  In the vehicle seat of the present invention having the airbag device for side collision according to the present invention as described above, the airbag is deployed at the optimum position even if the physique difference of the occupant changes or the seat position changes. The passengers can be properly protected.

  In the side collision airbag device of the present invention, a wide range from the head of the occupant to the waist can be protected by a single device even in the case of a side collision. At that time, there is no problem that one of the airbags does not deploy due to inactivation of the inflator.

  If a pressure control valve is provided in at least one of the gas passages from the gas passage branch to the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag, the passenger's head / shoulder And can hold the waist with appropriate drag.

  Moreover, in the vehicle seat of the present invention, the airbag can be deployed at an optimal position to properly protect the occupant even when the occupant's physique and the seat position change.

Hereinafter, an example of the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle seat according to the present invention provided with a side collision airbag apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of FIG. 1 viewed from the outside of the vehicle, and FIG. 1 is a schematic side view, and FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the side collision airbag apparatus of the present invention shown in FIGS.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes an inflator, which is attached to a seat back 2a or a seat cushion 2b constituting the seat 2. The gas generated in the inflator 1 is distributed to the head / shoulder protection airbag 4 and the waist protection airbag 5 through the distribution joint 3.

  One of the distributed gases is sewn, for example, on the seat belt 8a from the waist gas pipe 6a attached in the seat cushion 2b through the lap anchor fulcrum 7 attached to the side surface in the seat cushion 2b. The waist-protecting airbag 5 is deployed.

  Further, the other of the distributed gases passes through the head / shoulder gas pipe 6b disposed in the seat back 2a, and for example, head / shoulder protection air sewn on the seat belt 8b. The bag 4 is expanded.

  These waist gas pipes 6a and head / shoulder gas pipes 6b are preferably made of steel pipe, fabric, resin or the like.

  In the example of FIGS. 1 to 4, the waist protecting airbag 5 is used without controlling the amount of gas generated from the inflator 1, while the head / shoulder protecting airbag 4 is used for the head / shoulder. A pressure control valve 9 is provided in the gas pipe 6b to control the internal pressure.

  The pressure regulating valve 9 feeds back the internal pressure of the airbag 4 for protecting the head / shoulder portion, for example, and when the internal pressure of the airbag 4 for protecting the head / shoulder portion rises above a set value, It is a structure that shuts off the gas flowing in from the head / shoulder gas pipe 6b.

FIG. 5 is a view showing details in the vicinity of the lap anchor fulcrum 7.
The seat belt 8a located on the outer side outside the vehicle is attached to a lap anchor fitting 10 attached to a lap anchor fulcrum 7 attached to a side surface in the seat cushion 2b. The lap anchor fitting 10 is attached to the lap anchor fulcrum 7 so that it can freely rotate so as not to hinder the mobility of the seat belt 8a. In addition, 14 in FIG. 5 is a nut for fixing the lap anchor metal fitting 10.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a part development view of the lap anchor fulcrum 7 part.
The waist protecting airbag 5 is connected via a lap belt joint 11 joined to the lap anchor fulcrum 7. In this joining, a one-way lock spring 12 having a delta shape is interposed so that the lap belt joint 11 does not come off when pushed into the lap anchor fulcrum 7. In FIG. 6, the O-ring 13 is further interposed to maintain the gas tightness of the inflowing gas.

  When the conventional airbag structure in which two fabrics are overlapped and the outer periphery is sewed and the gas generated by the inflator is supplied and deployed is used as the head / shoulder protection airbag 4, energy at the time of collision Cannot be absorbed and dispersed efficiently.

  The drag mechanism generated when the occupant enters the airbag is the tension generated in the airbag determined by the internal pressure and shape of the airbag determined by the output of the inflator and the contact area when the occupant enters.

  However, as in the case of the conventional structure of the airbag, when the two fabrics are laminated together, the airbag tension described in the mechanism becomes a single unit, and the human body side surface has different strength resistance and the head. This is because the shoulder shows the same energy absorption characteristics.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing details of an example of the head / shoulder protecting airbag 4.
In FIG. 7, the surface portion of the airbag 4 for protecting the head / shoulder portion facing the occupant P's head is provided with a load tape 4a in the vertical direction for applying a tension when the airbag is deployed. For example, the portion is formed in a concavo-convex shape that is divided vertically by four gores 4b.

  By adopting such a structure, energy absorption at the shoulder can be avoided while avoiding energy absorption at the head, which is likely to be fatal, and the strength of the head and shoulder of the occupant P can be increased during a side collision. Drag in resistance can be controlled appropriately.

  FIGS. 8A and 8B are views for explaining the force that the airbag B acts on the occupant. FIGS. 8A and 8B are for the conventional structure described above, and FIGS. is there.

  In the conventional airbag structure, when the occupant P enters the airbag B (see FIG. (A)), the drag applied to the occupant P is caused by the tensions F1 and F2 generated in the airbag B. Resulting in a resultant force F3 (see FIG. 5B).

  On the other hand, in the structure described with reference to FIG. 7, when the occupant P enters the airbag B (see (c)), the drag applied to the occupant P is also reduced (see (d)). In this case, the load tape 4a plays a role of connecting the gore 4b and the gore 4b, and holds the shape of the gore 4b when the airbag B is deployed by the gas generated in the inflator 1.

FIG. 9 is a detailed view of an airbag having a waist as a protection range.
In order to prevent intrusion of dust inside and wrinkles on the surface, the waist protection airbag 5 may be folded before deployment and covered with a resin cover or cloth. desirable.

  The waist protecting airbag 5 is coupled to the seat belt 8a at a sewing portion 5a in order to accurately protect the waist of the occupant P seated on the seat 2. The place where the seat belt 8a and the waist protection airbag 5 are joined is a position where the thickness when the airbag is mounted does not cause discomfort to the occupant P wearing the seat belt. The area to the side of the femur is desirable.

  In the waist protection airbag 5 coupled to such a position, the gas passing through the lap anchor fulcrum 7 is supplied and deployed through a belt-like gas passage 5b sewn together with the waist protection airbag 5. Will be.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of a waist protecting airbag 5 having a belt-like gas passage 5b.
(A) In the figure, a joining hole 5c is provided on the back surface of a waist protection airbag 5 constituted by two cloths, front and back, and a belt-like gas passage 5b formed separately is sewn and joined to the joining hole 5c. It is an example. In this case, there is a degree of freedom in the joining position between the waist protection airbag 5 and the belt-like gas passage 5b, but the airtightness and productivity at the joint are poor.

  (B) The figure is the example which formed the waist part airbag 5 and the strip | belt-shaped gas channel | path 5b by sewing the cloth of 2 sheets of front and back. In this case, although the confidentiality and productivity at the joint portion are improved, the degree of freedom of the joint position between the waist protection airbag 5 and the belt-like gas passage 5b can be limited.

  (C) The figure shows an example in which a waist protection airbag 5 is formed by sewing a total of three fabrics, one on the front side and two on the back side. The belt-like gas passage 5b sews two fabrics on the back side. Formed. In this case, there is no restriction on the degree of freedom of the joining position between the waist protecting airbag 5 and the belt-like gas passage 5b, and the airtightness and productivity at the joining portion are good.

  In the waist protection airbag 5 used in the present invention, in addition to the performance of accurately deploying in the waist protection range of the occupant P seated on the seat 2, the occupant P wearing the seat belt feels uncomfortable when stored before deployment. Since it is necessary to sew at a position where no is given, the one shown in FIG.

  In the vehicle seat of the present invention having the airbag device for side collision according to the present invention as described above, the airbag is deployed at the optimum position even when the physique difference of the occupant P or the change in the seat position, and the occupant P is removed. It can be properly protected.

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

  For example, instead of providing the pressure control valve 9 to adjust the flow rate of the gas flowing through the head / shoulder protection airbag 4 and the lumbar protection airbag 5, the discharge flow rate is reduced inside the distribution joint 3. You may carry out by providing a different orifice.

  That is, the side collision airbag device described above is a preferred example of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or performed by various methods. In particular, the present invention is not limited to the detailed shape, size, configuration, and the like of the components shown in the accompanying drawings unless otherwise specified in the present specification. In addition, expressions and terms used in the present specification are for the purpose of explanation, and are not limited thereto unless specifically limited.

  For example, in the above example, the airbags 4 and 5 are joined by sewing. However, the present invention is not limited to sewing and may be joined by bonding.

  The side impact airbag device of the present invention and the vehicle seat equipped with the side impact airbag device are used by being installed in an automobile, but can also be provided on vehicles such as aircraft and ships other than vehicles, Similar effects are exhibited.

It is a schematic front view of the vehicle seat of this invention provided with the airbag apparatus for side collisions of this invention. It is the schematic side view of FIG. 1 seen from the vehicle outer side. It is the schematic side view of FIG. 1 seen from the vehicle interior. It is a schematic block diagram of the airbag apparatus for side collisions of this invention shown in FIGS. 1-3. It is a detailed view of the lap anchor fulcrum part of FIG. FIG. 5 is a part development view of the lap anchor fulcrum part of FIG. 4. It is detail drawing which shows an example of the airbag for a head and shoulder part protection of the airbag apparatus for side collisions of this invention. It is a figure explaining the force which an airbag acts on a passenger | crew, (a) (b) is the case of a conventional structure, (c) (d) is the case of the structure shown in FIG. It is detail drawing of the airbag for waist protection of this invention, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view. (A)-(c) is the schematic of the airbag for waist protection which has a strip | belt-shaped gas channel | path.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inflator 2 Seat 2a Seat back 2b Seat cushion 3 Distribution joint 4 Head / shoulder protection airbag 4a Road tape 4b Gore 5 Lumbar protection airbag 5b Band-shaped gas passage 6a Lumbar gas piping 6b Head / shoulder Gas piping 9 Pressure control valve P Crew

Claims (5)

An inflator that generates gas;
A protective airbag for the head and shoulders;
A protective airbag for the waist,
These head / shoulder protection airbag and waist protection airbag have a gas passage connecting the inflator,
The airbag apparatus for side collision, wherein the gas passage is branched from the inflator and connected to the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag.   The pressure control valve is provided in at least one of the gas passages extending from the branch portion of the gas passage to the head / shoulder protection airbag and the waist protection airbag. The airbag device for side collision according to 1.   The surface portion of the airbag for protecting the head / shoulder portion at the time of deployment facing the occupant's head is divided into a load tape for applying a tension generated when the airbag is deployed, and the surface portion is uneven. The airbag device for side collision according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the airbag device is formed by a plurality of gores. The waist protecting airbag is:
It is formed with a fabric that forms a surface opposite to the occupant's waist during deployment, and a fabric that forms the surface behind this surface,
The fabric which forms the back side surface among them is further divided into two, and a belt-like gas passage is formed with these two divided fabrics. Side impact airbag device.   A vehicle seat comprising the airbag device for side collision according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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