JP2010006333A - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an airbag device capable of distributing gas with a simpler configuration. <P>SOLUTION: The airbag device includes an inflator 10 and a gas distribution cloth 13 as a flexible member for gas distribution comprising a flexible sheet-like member surrounding the inflator 10 in a substantially cylindrical shape in a curtain airbag 2 as a bag-shaped airbag body. A slit 14 for inserting the inflator 10 and the gas distribution cloth 13 in the curtain airbag 2 is formed on the curtain airbag 2. When inflating and deploying the curtain airbag 2 by gas generated in the inflator 10, the gas is allowed to act in the cylindrical inner side of the gas distribution cloth 13 so as to close the slit 14 from the inside of the curtain airbag 2 by the gas distribution cloth 13. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus including an inflator in an airbag body.

An airbag device mounted on an automobile or the like is configured to inflate and deploy an airbag body with gas generated by an inflator in an emergency such as a collision. As this type of airbag apparatus, there is conventionally known an apparatus in which a gas ejecting portion of an inflator faces an inside of an airbag body and gas is directly injected into the airbag body (for example, a patent Reference 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-67868

  However, depending on only the number and arrangement of the gas ejection portions as in the conventional airbag device, it may be difficult to control gas distribution (for example, gas distribution in the front-rear direction in a curtain airbag that is long in the front-rear direction). is there.

  As a countermeasure, when a relatively hard gas distribution member made of metal or the like is provided, the weight is increased by that amount, and there is a possibility that the entire apparatus is enlarged and the number of assembling steps is increased. is there.

  Then, an object of this invention is to obtain the airbag apparatus which can distribute gas with a simpler structure.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a bag-like airbag body includes an inflator and a flexible member for gas distribution made of a flexible sheet-like member surrounding the inflator in a substantially cylindrical shape. A slit for inserting the inflator and the gas distribution flexible member into the airbag body is formed in the bag body, and the slit is closed from the inside of the airbag body by the gas distribution flexible member. It is characterized by that.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that an attachment member that penetrates the airbag body and attaches the airbag body to the vehicle body projects from the side surface of the inflator, and the sheet-like member is wound around the side surface of the inflator. By overlapping both ends of the sheet-like member, the flexible member for gas distribution is arranged so as to surround the side surface of the inflator, and an engagement hole for inserting the mounting member is formed in each of the both ends. And the said attachment member was penetrated to the engagement hole which accumulated the said both ends and overlapped mutually, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the slit is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the airbag body during storage.

  The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that a plurality of the attachment members are provided in the inflator, and the slit is formed at a position between two attachment members adjacent to each other.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the flexible member for gas distribution is formed of a flexible sheet-like member, the airbag is compared with a case where the gas distribution member is formed of a relatively hard member such as metal. The device can be made smaller and lighter. Moreover, the gas distribution flexible member can be inserted into the airbag body together with the inflator from the slit formed in the airbag body so that it can be equipped relatively easily. Since the distribution flexible member can be closed from the inside of the airbag main body, another means for closing the slit can be simplified or omitted, and this contributes to the simplification of the airbag apparatus.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the flexible member for gas distribution is obtained by winding the sheet-like member around the side surface of the inflator and inserting the attachment members provided on the side surface of the inflator into the engagement holes formed at both ends thereof. Can be temporarily fastened (engaged) with the side surface of the inflator surrounded. Further, the gas distribution flexible member is engaged with the inflator and inserted into the airbag body from the slit, and the attachment member is attached to the vehicle body side, whereby the airbag device can be attached to the vehicle body side while being assembled. That is, the number of steps for assembling the airbag device can be reduced, and the structure for attaching the inflator and the structure for attaching the flexible member for gas distribution can be made compatible with each other. Can be simplified.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the slit is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the airbag body, it is possible to suppress the slit from being greatly opened when the airbag body is inflated and deployed in the lateral direction. Thus, it becomes easy to improve the sealing performance of the slit by the flexible member for gas distribution.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the slit can be formed in the portion where the airbag main body is difficult to expand between the two attachment members, it is possible to suppress the slit from being greatly opened when the airbag main body is inflated and deployed. Thus, it becomes easy to improve the sealing performance of the slit by the flexible member for gas distribution.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is an overall view showing a stored state of the airbag apparatus, FIG. 2 is an overall view showing an expanded state of the airbag apparatus, FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a flexible member for gas distribution, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. In the following, the case where the airbag device according to the present invention is implemented as a curtain airbag device housed on the upper side of the vehicle interior side surface will be exemplified.

  As is generally known, the curtain airbag 2 as an airbag body is deployed to cover the side of the interior of a vehicle, that is, the inside of the front door glass or rear door glass, in the event of an emergency such as a side impact or rollover. Is protected from side collisions.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the curtain airbag 2 has a shape that covers the front door glass and the rear door glass in the inflated and deployed state, and the vehicle longitudinal dimension is longer than the vertical dimension. Yes. And this curtain airbag 2 is arrange | positioned corresponding to a front door glass, and the front bag part 21 which protects a front seat passenger | crew, and the back bag part 22 which is arrange | positioned corresponding to a rear door glass and protects a rear seat passenger | crew. And have. The upper portions of the front bag portion 21 and the rear bag portion 22 are communicated with each other by a communication portion 23.

  In the present embodiment, the curtain airbag 2 has the front bag portion 21, the rear bag portion 22, and the communication portion 23 formed by stitching the peripheral edges of the two base fabrics with the stitching portion 24. The front bag portion 21 is provided with a stitching portion 24a on the inner side to prevent the front bag portion 21 from being excessively expanded in the thickness direction because the area of the front bag portion 21 is increased. As shown in FIG. 1, when the curtain airbag 2 is stored (that is, when stored), the curtain airbag 2 is elongated in the front-rear direction by folding it up and down as shown in FIG. It is attached along the vehicle interior side of the roof side rail. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 3 denotes an inner panel of a roof side rail configured in a closed section, and reference numeral 4 denotes a mounting bracket for the curtain airbag 2.

  In the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a roof lining, and the folded curtain airbag 2 is stored behind the side edge of the roof lining 5. When the curtain airbag 2 is deployed, the inflating curtain airbag 2 pushes down the side edge of the roof lining 5 to create a gap, and the curtain airbag 2 is deployed downward while widening the gap.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the curtain airbag 2 has a boundary portion with the communication portion 23 at the inner side of the center portion in the front-rear direction, more specifically, as shown in FIG. The inflator storage part 25 is provided in this. And as shown in FIG. 5, the inflator 10 is arrange | positioned in the inflator accommodating part 25. As shown in FIG.

  A plurality of attachment pieces 26 project from the upper edge of the curtain airbag 2 at appropriate intervals in the front-rear direction, and a tension strap 26 a is projected from the tip of the curtain airbag 2. The attachment piece 26 and the tension strap 26a are attached to the attachment bracket 4 and the side rail inner panel 3 via a clip (not shown).

  The inflator 10 instantaneously generates gas in an emergency, and supplies the gas into the curtain airbag 2 to inflate and deploy the curtain airbag 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the inflator 10 is formed in an elongated cylindrical shape whose longitudinal direction (axial direction) is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a pair of circumferentially side surfaces 10 a of the inflator 10 is spaced apart at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the mounting bolt 11 as a mounting member protrudes through the curtain airbag 2 and the mounting bracket 4, and is attached to the weld nut 12 on the back surface of the side rail inner panel 3. It is designed to be screwed.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a gas distribution 13 made of a flexible sheet-like member is provided as a gas distribution flexible member surrounding the inflator 10, and a curtain airbag is provided. 2 is formed with a slit 14 into which the inflator 10 and the gas distribution 13 are inserted.

  The gas distribution 13 is formed of a flexible sheet-like member, for example, a base fabric similar to a general airbag material. As shown in FIG. 3, the gas distribution 13 is in an expanded state of the inflator 10. It is formed in a rectangular shape having a width W slightly larger than the axial length. The length L in the direction surrounding the inflator 10 is sufficiently longer than the outer peripheral length of the inflator 10 so that the outer periphery of the inflator 10 can be surrounded with a slack (with a gap) as shown in FIG. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 3, engagement holes 13 a and 13 b through which the pair of mounting bolts 11 are inserted are provided at both ends in the length L direction of the developed gas distribution 13. And when attaching the inflator 10 to the mounting bracket 4, after inserting the engagement hole 13a of the one end part side of the gas distribution 13 into the attachment bolt 11, the gas distribution 13 is made to circulate around the inflator 10, and the other end side By inserting the engagement holes 13b into the mounting bolts 11, the gas distribution 13 can be maintained in an engaged state (temporarily fixed state) while surrounding the inflator 10 in a cylindrical shape.

  When the curtain airbag 2 is stored, the gas distribution 13 is wound around the outer periphery of the inflator 10, and the outside thereof is pressed by the inflator storage portion 25 of the curtain airbag 2, as shown in FIG. The airbag 2 is folded at the lower part of the inflator 10.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the curtain airbag 2 is deployed, the curtain airbag 2 is inflated by the gas generated in the inflator 10, and the gas distribution 13 is expanded in a cylindrical shape by the internal pressure of the generated gas. Thus, the inflator 10 is surrounded with a necessary space provided on the lower side.

  The gas distribution 13 is inflated into a cylindrical shape when the curtain airbag 2 is deployed, so that the gas generated in the inflator 10 can be ejected from the open ends 13c and 13d of the gas distribution 13 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the gas distribution 13 can eject gas directly from the front opening 13c to the front bag 21 and communicate with the rear bag 22 from the rear opening 13d. Gas can be ejected to the portion 23.

  The slit 14 is formed in the curtain airbag 2 where the inflator 10 is disposed, that is, on the back surface of the inflator storage portion 25. When the inflator 10 is attached, the inflator 10 and the gas distribution 13 wound around the inflator 10 are inserted into the curtain airbag 2 inward by expanding the slit 14.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the inflator 10 inserted into the curtain airbag 2 inserts its mounting bolt 11 into the mounting hole 41 of the mounting bracket 4 and also into the mounting hole 31 of the side rail inner panel 3. Thus, it is fastened to a weld nut 12 welded to the back surface of the side rail inner panel 3.

  Of course, when the attachment bolt 11 is attached to the attachment bracket 4, the attachment bolt 11 passes through the curtain airbag 2, and the through portion is sealed by fastening the attachment bolt 11 to the weld nut 12.

  Thus, when the inflator 10 and the gas distribution 13 are arranged in the curtain airbag 2, and the curtain airbag 2 is deployed with the gas generated in the inflator 10, as shown in FIG. The slit 14 is closed by being brought into pressure contact with the inner surface of the curtain airbag 2 with an internal pressure acting on this.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the slit 14 mentioned above is formed in the substantially perpendicular direction (up-down direction) with respect to the longitudinal direction (vehicle front-back direction) of the curtain airbag 2. FIG.

  Further, the slit 14 is formed between the two mounting bolts 11 arranged along the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the inflator 10, particularly in the present embodiment, at substantially the center between the two mounting bolts 11.

  As described above, in this embodiment, a gas composed of an inflator 10 and a flexible sheet-like member that surrounds the inflator 10 in a substantially cylindrical shape in a curtain airbag 2 as a bag-like airbag body. Gas distribution 13 as a flexible member for distribution, and the curtain airbag 2 is formed with an inflator 10 and a slit 14 for inserting the gas distribution 13 into the curtain airbag 2, and is generated in the inflator 10. When the curtain airbag 2 was inflated and deployed with gas, the gas was allowed to act on the inside of the cylinder of the gas distribution 13, and the slit 14 was blocked from the inside of the curtain airbag 2 by the gas distribution 13.

  That is, since the gas distribution flexible member is formed by the flexible gas distribution 13, the airbag apparatus 1 is smaller and smaller than the case where the gas distribution member is formed by a relatively hard member such as metal. It can be configured to be lighter. Moreover, the gas distribution 13 can be inserted into the curtain airbag 2 together with the inflator 10 from the slit 14 formed in the curtain airbag 2 and relatively easily equipped. Since the slit 14 can be closed from the inside of the curtain airbag 2 by the gas distribution 13, another means for closing the slit 14 can be simplified or omitted, and that portion also contributes to the simplification of the airbag device 1. Become.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a mounting bolt 11 as a mounting member that protrudes through the curtain airbag 2 and attaches the curtain airbag 2 to the vehicle body side protrudes from the side surface 10 a of the inflator 10, and around the side surface 10 a of the inflator 10. The gas distribution 13 is wound around the gas distribution 13 and the both ends of the gas distribution 13 are overlapped with each other, so that the gas distribution 13 is disposed so as to surround the side surface 10a of the inflator 10, and mounting bolts are respectively attached to the both ends. Engagement holes 13a and 13b that pass through 11 are formed, and the mounting bolts 11 are inserted into the engagement holes 13a and 13b that are overlapped with each other by overlapping the both ends.

  That is, the gas distribution 13 is wound around the side surface 10a of the inflator 10, and the mounting bolts 11 provided on the side surface 10a of the inflator 10 are inserted into the engagement holes 13a, 13b formed at both ends thereof. Can be easily temporarily engaged (engaged) with the side surface 10a of the inflator 10 surrounded. Further, the gas distribution 13 is engaged with the inflator 10 and inserted into the curtain airbag 2 through the slit 14, and the mounting bolt 11 is attached to the vehicle body side, so that the airbag device 1 is assembled and attached to the vehicle body side. Can do. That is, the number of steps for assembling the airbag device 1 can be reduced, and the structure for attaching the inflator 10 and the structure for attaching the gas distribution 13 can be made compatible with each other. Can be simplified.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the slit 14 was formed in the substantially right angle direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the curtain airbag 2 at the time of accommodation.

  That is, since the slit 14 is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the curtain airbag 2, it is possible to suppress the slit 14 from opening greatly when the curtain airbag 2 is inflated and deployed in the short direction, and the gas It becomes easy to improve the sealing performance of the slit 14 by the distribution 13.

  Further, since the slit 14 is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inflator 10, the slit 14 having a relatively short length is inserted when the inflator 10 is inserted into the curtain airbag 2. The inflator 10 and the gas distribution 13 can be inserted into the curtain airbag 2. Further, since the length L1 (see FIG. 6) of the slit 14 can be further shortened, the sealing performance by the gas distribution 13 can be easily improved when the curtain airbag 2 is deployed.

  In the present embodiment, the inflator 10 is provided with a plurality of mounting bolts 11, and the slits 14 are formed between the two mounting bolts 11 adjacent to each other.

  That is, since the slit 14 can be formed in a portion where the curtain airbag 2 is difficult to spread between the two mounting bolts 11, when the curtain airbag 2 is inflated and deployed, the slit 14 can be prevented from being greatly opened, It becomes easy to improve the sealing performance of the slit 14 by the gas distribution 13.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made.

1 is an overall view showing a stored state of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an overall view showing a deployed state of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an expanded view of the flexible member for gas distribution concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view along the IV-IV line in FIG. It is an expanded sectional view along the VV line in FIG. It is an expanded sectional view along the VI-VI line in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Airbag Device 2 Curtain Airbag (Airbag Body)
10 Inflator 10a (Inflator side) 11 Mounting bolt (Mounting member)
13 Gas distribution (gas distribution flexible member, sheet-like member)
13a, 13b engagement hole 14 slit

Claims (4)

In the bag-shaped airbag body, an inflator and a flexible member for gas distribution made of a flexible sheet-like member surrounding the inflator in a substantially cylindrical shape,
Forming a slit in the airbag body for inserting the inflator and the gas distribution flexible member into the airbag body;
An airbag device characterized in that the slit is closed from the inside of the airbag body by the gas distribution flexible member. On the side surface of the inflator, a mounting member that penetrates the airbag main body and attaches the airbag main body to the vehicle body side protrudes.
By winding the sheet-like member around the side surface of the inflator and overlapping both ends of the sheet-like member, the flexible member for gas distribution is arranged so as to surround the side surface of the inflator,
An engagement hole for inserting the attachment member is formed in each of the both end portions, and the attachment member is inserted into engagement holes that overlap each other by overlapping the both end portions. The airbag apparatus as described.   The airbag apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slit is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the airbag body during storage.   The air according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of the attachment members are provided in the inflator, and the slit is formed at a position between two attachment members adjacent to each other. Bag device.

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