JP2011051447A - Airbag exhaust device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag exhaust device for more reliably preventing the occurrence of excessive inner pressure. <P>SOLUTION: The airbag exhaust device 100 is provided in an airbag 102 which uses an inflator 104 for inflation and development. It includes an exhaust port 120 provided in the airbag 102, a valve element part 122 formed of bimetal to be deformed depending on a temperature change, for sealing the exhaust port 120, and a deformation restricting member 123 for restricting the deformation of the valve element part 122 toward either the inside or outside of the exhaust port 120. In environment at a predetermined temperature or higher, the valve element part 122 is deformed into such a shape as to disable sealing of the exhaust port 120 which is thus in an opened state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an air bag exhaust device that is attached to an air bag that is inflated and deployed by receiving supply of gas.

  In recent years, as a safety device mounted on a vehicle, an airbag that protects an occupant from an impact at the time of a collision has become widespread. In general, an airbag has a structure in which a cloth material is sewn in a bag shape, and is inflated and deployed by storing gas therein. This gas is supplied by a gas generator (inflator) connected to the airbag.

  An inflator is a device that generates gas by exploding explosives due to the detection of an impact by a sensor provided in a vehicle. Since the inflator instantaneously supplies gas using the explosion of the explosive, the airbag can be inflated and deployed in about 10 ms or less from the occurrence of the impact.

  As described above, the airbag can be inflated and deployed instantaneously by using an inflator, but the gas pressure generated by the explosive explosion sometimes fluctuates depending on the ambient temperature. In particular, when the ambient temperature is high, such as in summer, there is a problem that an excessive internal pressure is generated in the airbag by increasing the coefficient of thermal expansion of the gas. If the outer surface of the airbag is strained more than necessary due to excessive internal pressure, it may cause a decrease in safety when contacting the occupant, or cause bursting or opening of the sewing part. End up.

  In order to solve the above problem, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inflator provided with a tubular case, a rearward opening provided in the tubular case, and a high-temperature gas exhaust port that discharges gas flowing out from the rearward opening to the atmosphere. A passenger side airbag cushion inflating device is disclosed. According to this passenger side airbag cushion inflating device, the rearward opening is configured to be sealed with foil until the pressure becomes excessive, and when the pressure becomes excessive at high temperatures, excess gas is discharged from the rearward opening, It is said that over-pressurization of the airbag cushion during deployment can be avoided.

  Further, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a rear chamber provided with a vent hole on the back side of an inflator that is opposite to an airbag, and a gas passage flow rate variable device that changes a gas flow rate that passes through the vent hole. An airbag device is disclosed. According to this airbag device, when the back chamber becomes equal to or higher than the set internal pressure, the piston biased by the spring spring in the gas passage variable device is lowered, and the vent hole is opened to discharge the gas. Yes.

Noto 3037749 JP 2006-151063 A

  However, in the passenger-side airbag cushion inflating device as described in Patent Document 1, it is not disclosed what structure the foil that seals the rearward opening is and how it is opened. Therefore, even if the backward opening has a function of discharging excessive gas, the function may be deteriorated due to the structure and operation of the foil.

  Further, in the airbag apparatus described in Patent Document 2, although the hardness of the airbag can be adjusted by opening the vent hole according to the internal pressure, the piston biased by the spring spring is instantaneously supplied. Because the gas is pushed down by the gas, a vibration phenomenon (hunting phenomenon) may occur in the piston. When the hunting phenomenon occurs, the gas discharge becomes unstable, or the piston becomes hard and the gas cannot be discharged.

  Further, in the configurations as described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, since the opening operation of the foil and the piston are pushed down at the start of the inflation and deployment of the airbag, the operation is performed at the inflation and deployment speed of the airbag. There is a risk that it will not be able to follow up and will be delayed in response.

  In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an air bag exhaust device that more reliably prevents the occurrence of excessive internal pressure.

  In order to solve the above problems, a representative configuration of the present invention is an airbag exhaust device provided in an airbag that is inflated and deployed using an inflator, and an exhaust port provided in the airbag; A valve body part that is configured by a bimetal that deforms in response to a temperature change, seals the exhaust port, and a deformation limiting member that restricts deformation of the valve body part to either the inside or outside of the exhaust port, and has a predetermined temperature. In the above environment, the valve body portion is opened by deforming the exhaust port into a shape that cannot be sealed.

  According to the above configuration, the deformation of the valve body is always performed when the valve body senses the ambient temperature by itself regardless of the inflation and deployment operation of the airbag. Therefore, the opening of the exhaust port by the valve body portion does not cause a response delay with respect to the inflation and deployment of the airbag. Further, since the amount of deformation of the valve body portion varies depending on the ambient temperature change, the exhaust port can be opened to a size corresponding to the ambient temperature. Further, the deformation of the valve body is limited to a certain direction from the exhaust port by the deformation control member. As a result, it is possible to more reliably prevent the generation of excessive internal pressure.

  The valve body portion may be flat when not deformed, and may have a spiral cut line from the center to the outer edge, and be deformable in a spiral shape by the cut line. If spiral, the exhaust port can be opened largely with a small amount of deformation.

  The valve body portion may be curled so that the outer side of the spiral shape faces the gas flow direction. By curling, the passing gas can be guided in a swirling flow toward the exhaust port. Therefore, the air resistance of the valve body portion is reduced, and the gas can be smoothly guided to the exhaust port.

  The valve body portion is flat when not deformed, and has two ear portions at both ends, one of which is fixed to the airbag and the other is slidably installed on the airbag. The fulcrum may be deformable in an arch shape. Even such a simple valve body portion can be deformed to open the exhaust port and discharge the gas.

  The airbag exhaust device may further include a sealing material that closes a gap between the valve body portion and the exhaust port. By this sealing material, the space between the valve body portion and the exhaust port is surely sealed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the expansion and deployment of the air bag from being hindered due to a decrease in the internal pressure of the airbag when the valve body portion is not deformed.

  The airbag exhaust device further includes a cover portion that covers the valve body portion, the valve body portion having a movable contact that contacts the cover portion by being deformed, and the cover portion is a surface facing the valve body portion. The airbag exhaust device may function as a temperature switch that is turned on / off by contact / non-contact between the movable contact and the fixed contact.

  For example, when a two-stage output inflator (dual stage inflator) having two gas generation sources is used, when the temperature switch is turned on, the current path on one side of the two gas generation sources is closed. By configuring the circuit, it is possible to prevent an excessive internal pressure from being generated in the airbag.

  The airbag exhaust device may be installed in the vicinity of the connection portion of the airbag with the inflator. According to this configuration, the gas can be discharged immediately after the start of gas supply, in which the airbag is still folded. That is, since the gas is discharged before the airbag starts inflating and deploying, it is possible to more reliably prevent an excessive internal pressure from being generated in the airbag.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, another typical configuration according to the present invention is an airbag exhaust device provided in an airbag that is inflated and deployed using a cylinder-type inflator, and is connected to the cylinder-type inflator, A gas pipe part having a first open hole in the outer wall capable of releasing gas, and an annular shape provided on the outer periphery of the gas pipe part so as to close the first open hole and having a second open hole in the outer wall capable of releasing gas And a bimetal that deforms in response to temperature changes, and is wound around the gas pipe in a spring shape, and one end located inside the spring is connected to the gas pipe. The other end located outside the mainspring is connected to the lid, and the lid is rotated in the winding direction by being deformed in an environment of a predetermined temperature or higher, and the first opening hole and the second opening hole are overlapped. Match Characterized in that it and a rotation control module for an open state in a.

  According to the above configuration, the rotation control unit is constantly deformed by the rotation control unit itself sensing the ambient temperature regardless of the operation of inflating and deploying the curtain airbag. Therefore, the release of the gas by the rotation control unit does not cause a response delay with respect to the expansion and deployment of the curtain airbag. Further, since the deformation amount of the rotation control unit varies according to the ambient temperature change, the opening by the two open holes can be sized according to the ambient temperature. As a result, it is possible to more reliably prevent the generation of excessive internal pressure.

  The gas piping part has a fixed contact on the outer periphery, the lid part has a movable contact that can contact the fixed contact by rotating, and the airbag exhaust device includes a fixed contact and a movable contact. It is good to function as a temperature switch that is turned on / off by contact / non-contact.

  For example, when a two-stage output inflator (dual stage inflator) having two gas generation sources is used, when the temperature switch is turned on, the current path on one side of the two gas generation sources is closed. By configuring the circuit, it is possible to prevent an excessive internal pressure from being generated in the airbag.

  The air bag exhaust device may include a plurality of valve bodies or rotation control units that can start deformation at different temperatures. As a result, it is possible to provide an airbag that can flexibly cope with changes in temperature environment.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the exhaust apparatus for airbags which prevents generation | occurrence | production of an excessive internal pressure more reliably.

It is a figure which illustrates the installation position of the exhaust apparatus for airbags concerning 1st Embodiment. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG.1 (b). It is an exploded view of the exhaust apparatus for airbags of FIG. It is a perspective view of the valve body part of FIG. It is a block diagram which illustrates the control circuit using the exhaust apparatus for airbags concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the exhaust apparatus for airbags concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is DD sectional drawing of FIG.6 (b). It is a figure which illustrates the installation position of the exhaust apparatus for airbags concerning 3rd Embodiment. It is an exploded view of the exhaust apparatus for airbags of FIG.8 (b). It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the exhaust apparatus for airbags of FIG.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated. To do.

(First embodiment)
Drawing 1 is a figure which illustrates the installation position of the exhaust device for air bags concerning a 1st embodiment. FIG. 1A illustrates a passenger seat airbag as an attachment target of the airbag exhaust device. FIG.1 (b) has illustrated the state which looked at the inflator 104 vicinity of Fig.1 (a) from the inside of an airbag.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1A, a passenger airbag (hereinafter simply referred to as “airbag 102”) includes a housing 112 (FIG. 1B) inside an instrument panel (instrument) of a vehicle. The gas supplied from the inflator is inflated and deployed by taking in the gas. The airbag 100 uses a disk-type inflator (hereinafter simply referred to as “inflator 104”) as an inflator. The inflator 104 has a disk shape and can release gas in the circumferential direction.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the airbag 102 is provided with a retainer ring 106 that is connected to the inflator 104 and is fixed to the vehicle. The retainer ring 106 has a bolt hole and can be fixed to the vehicle by the fixing bolt 108. In addition, the retainer ring 106 has a connection portion 110 that is connected to the inflator 104. Connection unit 110 functions as a receiving port that receives gas from inflator 104.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the airbag exhaust device according to the present embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “exhaust device 100”) can be mounted on the retainer ring 106. The exhaust device 100 can again discharge a predetermined amount from the excessive amount of gas supplied from the inflator 104 into the airbag 102 to the outside.

  Since the exhaust device 100 is installed in the vicinity of the connection portion 110 with the inflator 104, it is possible to exhaust the gas immediately after the start of gas supply, in which the airbag 102 is still folded. By discharging the gas before the airbag 102 completes the inflation and deployment, it is possible to reliably prevent an excessive internal pressure from being generated in the airbag 102. The gas is discharged after being inflated and deployed through a vent hole or the like (not shown) provided in the airbag 102.

  The exhaust device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 1B, FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the exhaust device of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the valve body portion of FIG. Further, FIG. 2A illustrates the operation before the valve body, and FIG. 2B illustrates the operation of the valve body. Note that the upper direction in FIG. 2 is the inside of the airbag, and the lower direction is the vehicle side.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the exhaust device 100 according to the present embodiment includes an exhaust port 120, a valve body part 122, a deformation control member 123, a cover part 124, a body part 126, and a fixing nut 128. .

  The exhaust port 120 is provided through the retainer ring 106, the airbag 102, and the housing 112. Therefore, the gas inside the airbag 102 can be discharged to the vehicle side through the exhaust port 120.

  The valve body portion 122 is a portion that seals and opens the exhaust port 120. In the exhaust device 100 according to this embodiment, the valve body 122 is made of bimetal. Here, the bimetal is a metal material in which a plurality of metals having different thermal expansion coefficients are integrally formed. A bimetal has a property of being bent to the metal side having a small coefficient of thermal expansion because the metal having a large coefficient of thermal expansion expands when the temperature rises.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the valve body portion 122 seals the exhaust port 120 before the operation in which the surrounding environment is lower than the predetermined temperature. The valve body 122 before this operation (when not deformed) has a circular flat plate shape as illustrated in FIG.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the valve body 122 has a spiral cut line from the center to the outer edge. The valve body 122 is formed in a circular flat plate shape having a score line by pressing a metal plate having a small coefficient of thermal expansion and a metal plate having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, and pressing. 2 and 4, the upper side of the valve body 122 in the drawing is made of a metal plate having a small coefficient of thermal expansion, and the lower side of the drawing is made of a metal plate having a large coefficient of thermal expansion.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the valve body 122 deforms the exhaust port 120 into a shape that cannot be sealed during operation when the surrounding environment is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the valve body 122 is deformed from the circular flat plate illustrated in FIG. 4A to the spiral illustrated in FIG. 4B. By deforming in a spiral shape, the valve body portion 122 can greatly open the exhaust port with a small deformation amount. At this time, the helical deformation in the valve body 122 is generated by the two metals having different coefficients of thermal expansion described above and the spiral cut line. When the surrounding environment becomes lower than a predetermined temperature, the valve body portion 122 is thus sealed by the valve body portion 122 made of bimetal by sensing the ambient temperature change and deforming itself. And can be opened.

  In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the valve body portion 122 curls the outer side 130 in a spiral shape so as to oppose the gas flow direction by press working or the like. By curling, the passing gas can be guided in a vortex flow toward the exhaust port 120. Therefore, the air resistance of the valve body 122 is reduced, and the gas can be smoothly guided to the exhaust port.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the deformation control member 123 is provided between the valve body portion 122 and the exhaust port 120. Due to the presence of the deformation control member 123, the valve body 122 is not deformed to the exhaust port side. Therefore, the deformation of the valve body 122 is limited and the flat state is maintained at a temperature lower than a predetermined value. The deformation control member 123 has a mesh structure or the like, and can pass gas without resistance.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover portion 124 is a portion that is provided inside the airbag of the exhaust device 100 and covers and protects the valve body portion 122. In the exhaust device 100 according to the present embodiment, the valve body 122 is deformed in a spiral shape toward the inside of the airbag. Therefore, there is a possibility that there is no space that allows deformation of the valve body 122 in the airbag when the airbag 102 is folded. However, since the cover portion 124 covers the valve body portion 122, the valve body portion 122 can be deformed even when the airbag 102 is stored. Further, the cover portion 124 prevents the valve body portion 122 from being deformed more than necessary.

  The body portion 126 is installed in the retainer ring 106 through the exhaust port 120. The body part 126 has a function as a support for the valve body part 122 and the cover part 124. The body portion 126 is provided with a flange portion 132, and the valve body portion 122 is swaged and fixed by the flange portion 132 and the cover portion 124. The cover portion 124 is fixed to the body portion 126 by screw fixing or the like.

  The fixing nut 128 fixes the body portion 126 to the retainer ring 106 by screw fixing outside the airbag 102. The fixing nut 128 allows the exhaust device 100 to withstand the pressure when the gas is discharged.

  With the above configuration, the exhaust device 100 allows the valve body 122 to open the exhaust port 120 to discharge gas from the exhaust port 120 to the airbag 102 when the ambient temperature is high, for example, in summer. The occurrence of excessive internal pressure is suppressed. At this time, the amount of deformation of the valve body 122 (the size of the helix gap) fluctuates in accordance with the ambient temperature change, so the exhaust port 120 is opened to a size corresponding to the ambient temperature, and the ambient temperature is increased. On the other hand, it is possible to discharge gas appropriately. Further, when the ambient temperature is low, the valve body portion 122 seals the exhaust port 120, so that the internal pressure of the airbag is lowered and the expansion and deployment is prevented from being hindered.

  The deformation of the valve body portion 122 is always performed when the valve body portion 122 senses the ambient temperature by itself regardless of the inflation and deployment operation of the airbag 102. Therefore, the opening of the exhaust port 120 by the valve body 122 does not cause a response delay with respect to the inflation and deployment of the airbag 102. Thus, the exhaust device 100 can reliably prevent the generation of excessive internal pressure in the airbag 102.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1B, four exhaust devices 100 according to this embodiment are attached to the airbag 102. Each exhaust device 100 can be configured by a valve body portion 122 that can start deformation at different temperatures. Thus, by providing both an exhaust device that opens and closes in a cold region and an exhaust device that opens and closes in a high temperature region, an airbag that can flexibly respond to changes in the temperature environment can be provided.

(Other features)
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control circuit using the airbag exhaust device according to the first embodiment. In addition, each element which comprises the control circuit in FIG. 5 may be comprised with either hardware or software, and may be arrange | positioned in any position in a vehicle.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5, the exhaust device 100 includes a movable contact 136 and a fixed contact 134. The movable contact 136 is provided in the center of the valve body 122 as illustrated in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the fixed contact 134 is provided on the inner side of the cover portion 124, which is a surface facing the valve body portion 122. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the movable contact 136 and the fixed contact 134 come into contact with each other when the valve body 122 senses temperature and deforms in a spiral shape. As described above, the exhaust device 100 can function as a temperature switch that is turned on / off by contact / non-contact between the movable contact 136 and the fixed contact 134.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5, the control unit 140 is connected to the movable contact 136, the fixed contact 134, and the inflator 104. The control unit 140 controls the inflator 104 when the temperature switch is turned on. As a control, when a two-stage output inflator (dual stage inflator) having two gas generation sources is used, the current path on one side of the two gas generation sources is closed when the temperature switch is turned on. Can do. This is because, under a high-temperature environment, a pressure necessary for inflating and deploying the airbag can be sufficiently obtained (or excessive gas supply) without using two gas generation sources. Thus, by using the exhaust device 100 as a temperature switch and turning off one gas generation source in advance to prepare for an accident, it is possible to prevent an excessive internal pressure from being generated in the airbag.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an airbag exhaust apparatus according to the second embodiment. The airbag exhaust device according to the second embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “exhaust device 200”) differs from the exhaust device 100 according to the first embodiment in the shape of the valve body. Note that elements similar in function and configuration to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 6A is a view of the vicinity of the inflator 104 as seen from inside the airbag. FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of the valve body portion 222 of FIG.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, the valve body portion 222 is made of a bimetal like the valve body portion 122. The valve body 222 is flat when not deformed, and has a shape in which band-like ear portions (ear portions 224, ear portions 226) are provided at both ends of a circular portion. The ear portion 224 has a bolt hole 223 and is fixed to the retainer ring 106 by a bolt 202. The ear portion 226 is slidably installed on the retainer ring 106 by a support portion 204 provided on the retainer ring 106.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. FIG. 7A illustrates the operation before the valve body 222 and FIG. 7B illustrates the operation of the valve body 222. Note that the upward direction in FIG. 7 is the inside of the airbag, and the downward direction is the vehicle side.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the valve body portion 222 seals the exhaust port 120 before the operation in which the surrounding environment is lower than the predetermined temperature. The valve body 222 before the operation (at the time of non-deformation) at this time is constituted by a metal plate having a small coefficient of thermal expansion on the upper side of the valve body part 222 and constituted by a metal plate having a high coefficient of thermal expansion on the lower side of the figure. Has been. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, the valve body portion 222 is deformed into an arch shape with the ear portion 224 and the ear portion 226 as fulcrums during the operation when the surrounding environment is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, Open mouth 120.

  The exhaust device 200 includes a sealing material 240 that closes between the valve body portion 222 and the exhaust port 120. The sealing material 240 is an O-ring and reliably seals between the valve body portion 222 and the exhaust port 120. Therefore, at a low temperature when the valve body 222 is not deformed, the internal pressure of the airbag 102 is prevented from being lowered and the expansion and deployment is inhibited.

  Thus, compared with the valve body portion 122 that deforms in a spiral shape in the first embodiment, even if the valve body portion 222 has a simple shape, the exhaust port 120 is opened by being deformed according to the temperature, It is possible to prevent an excessive internal pressure from being generated in the airbag 102.

(Other features)
The exhaust device 200 according to the second embodiment can also function as a temperature switch as in the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, in the exhaust device 200, the movable contact 236 is disposed at the center of the valve body 222, and the fixed contact 234 is disposed on the inside of the cover 224, which is a surface facing the valve body 122. Provided. 7B, the movable contact 236 and the fixed contact 234 come into contact with each other when the valve body 222 senses the temperature and deforms into an arch shape. As described above, the exhaust device 200 can be turned on / off according to the temperature by the contact / non-contact between the movable contact 236 and the fixed contact 234. The control circuit using the exhaust device 200 has the same configuration as that in FIG. In this case, the movable contact 136 in FIG. 5 corresponds to the movable contact 236, and the fixed contact 134 corresponds to the fixed contact 234.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the installation position of the airbag exhaust device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating a curtain airbag that is an attachment target of an airbag exhaust device according to the third embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “exhaust device 300”), and FIG. 8B is a diagram. It is an enlarged view of the exhaust apparatus 300 of 8 (a). A curtain airbag (hereinafter simply referred to as “airbag 302”) is illustrated on the left side in the vehicle left-right direction.

  As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the airbag 302 is accommodated above the side surface in the vehicle compartment, and is inflated and deployed by taking in the gas supplied from the inflator. The airbag 302 uses a cylindrical cylinder type inflator (hereinafter simply referred to as “inflator 304”) as an inflator. The inflator 304 has a gas outlet near one end and can release gas in the longitudinal direction. In FIG. 8A, the inflator 304 is illustrated as being located on the rear pillar (C pillar) when the airbag 302 is installed in the vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  As illustrated in FIG. 8B, the exhaust device 300 according to the present embodiment can be attached to one end of the inflator 304 having the gas ejection port. The exhaust device 300 forms an opening hole 340 and exhausts the gas supplied from the inflator 304 to the inside of the airbag to the outside, thereby preventing an excessive internal pressure from being generated in the airbag 302.

  Here, the air bag 302 is provided with an exhaust port 306 for allowing the exhaust device 300 to discharge gas (FIG. 8A). The exhaust device 300 and the exhaust port 306 are provided upstream of the inflating portion of the airbag 302 with respect to the gas supply direction from the inflator 304. Therefore, the exhaust device 300 can discharge gas immediately after the start of gas supply, in which the airbag 302 is still folded. That is, since the gas is discharged before the airbag starts inflating and deploying, the safety of the airbag 302 is fully improved and the burst is prevented.

  With reference to FIG. 8B and FIG. 9, the configuration of the exhaust device 300 will be described. FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the airbag exhaust device of FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 8B and FIG. 9, the exhaust device 300 according to the present embodiment includes a gas piping part 310, a lid part 320, and a rotation control part 330.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, the gas piping part 310 is a part that is directly connected to the inflator 304 and communicates gas to the airbag 302. As shown in FIG. 9A, the gas pipe section 310 has a first open hole 340a capable of releasing gas on the outer wall. In addition, the gas piping part 310 has a connection part 322 with the rotation control part 330.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, the lid portion 320 is formed in an annular shape and is installed on the outer periphery of the gas piping portion 310 so as to close the first opening hole 340 a. As shown in FIG. 9B, the lid 320 has a second opening hole 340b capable of releasing gas on the outer wall. The lid part 320 has a connection part 316 with the rotation control part 330.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, the rotation control unit 330 has a shape wound in a spring shape and is disposed around the gas piping unit 310. In the exhaust device 300 according to the present embodiment, the rotation control unit 330 is made of bimetal. The rotation control unit 330 is formed such that a metal plate having a small coefficient of thermal expansion and a metal plate having a large coefficient of thermal expansion are bonded together, and the metal having a small coefficient of thermal expansion is positioned inside the mainspring. For this reason, when the temperature reaches a predetermined temperature or more, the rotation control unit 330 is deformed so that the outer metal having a large thermal expansion coefficient expands and the main winding is tightened as a whole.

  As shown in FIG. 9C, the rotation control unit 330 is connected to the connection part 316 of the gas pipe part 310 by one end (end part 332) located inside the mainspring shape. In addition, the other end (end portion 334) located outside the mainspring is connected to the connection portion 322 of the lid portion 320.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the air bag exhaust apparatus of FIG. FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate the operation before the rotation control unit 330, and FIGS. 10C and 10D illustrate the operation of the rotation control unit 330.

  As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the lid 320 seals the first open hole 340a of the gas pipe 310 before the operation in which the surrounding environment is lower than the predetermined temperature. At this time, the end 334 of the rotation control unit 330 is at the position shown in FIG.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 10C and FIG. 10D, the rotation control unit 330 is deformed so that the winding is tightened during the operation in which the surrounding environment is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. Therefore, the end 334 moves from the position shown in FIG. 10A to the position shown in FIG. At this time, since the end portion 334 is connected to the connection portion 322, the lid portion 320 rotates in the spring-shaped winding direction with the deformation of the rotation control unit 330. By this rotation, the first opening hole 340a and the second opening hole 340b are overlapped to form the opening hole 340, and the exhaust device 300 is in a state where gas can be released.

  As described above, when the ambient temperature is high, the exhaust device 300 discharges gas by forming the opening hole 340 and suppresses the internal pressure of the airbag 302. In addition, the internal pressure of the airbag can be maintained by sealing the exhaust port during low temperature operation. Since the rotation distance of the lid 320 varies depending on the ambient temperature change, the opening hole 340 formed by the overlap of the first opening hole and the second opening hole can be formed in a size corresponding to the ambient temperature. Is possible. In addition, when the ambient temperature is low, the opening hole 340 is not formed, so that the internal pressure of the airbag 302 is prevented from being lowered and the expansion and deployment is inhibited.

  Further, the deformation of the rotation control unit 330 is always performed when the rotation control unit 330 senses the ambient temperature by itself regardless of the inflation and deployment operation of the airbag 302. Therefore, the formation of the opening hole 340 by the rotation control unit 330 does not cause a response delay with respect to the inflation and deployment of the airbag 302. With the above operation, the exhaust device 300 can reliably prevent the occurrence of excessive internal pressure in the airbag 302.

  A plurality of exhaust devices 300 according to the present embodiment can be installed for one airbag 302. By configuring each exhaust device 300 with the rotation control unit 330 capable of starting deformation at different temperatures, it is possible to provide an airbag that can flexibly cope with changes in the temperature environment.

(Other features)
The exhaust device 300 according to the third embodiment can function as a temperature switch as in the first and second embodiments. As shown in FIG. 9, in the exhaust device 300, the fixed contact 312 is provided on the outer periphery of the gas piping part 310 at a position where the movable contact 324 protrudes from the lid part 320. Then, as shown in FIG. 10C, when the rotation control unit 330 senses the temperature and rotates the lid unit 320, the movable contact 324 comes into contact with the fixed contact 312. As described above, the exhaust device 300 can also be turned on / off according to the temperature by the contact / non-contact between the movable contact 324 and the fixed contact 312. At this time, the movable contact 324 and the fixed contact 312 can be connected by making the rotation control unit 330 conductive. The control circuit using the exhaust device 300 has the same configuration as that shown in FIG. In this case, the movable contact 136 in FIG. 5 corresponds to the movable contact 324, and the fixed contact 134 corresponds to the fixed contact 312. By configuring such a control circuit, the exhaust device 300 can control the internal pressure of the airbag 302 by operating the control circuit in accordance with the ambient temperature.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments described above are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or performed in various ways. Can be carried out. The 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 otherwise specified.

  Therefore, it is obvious for those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood.

  Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which an airbag provided with an exhaust device for an airbag according to the present invention is applied to an automobile has been described, but it is also possible to apply to an aircraft, a ship, and the like other than an automobile, Similar effects can be obtained.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for an air bag exhaust apparatus that is attached to an air bag that is inflated and deployed by receiving gas supply.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Exhaust device 102 ... Airbag 104 ... Inflator 106 ... Retainer ring 108 ... Fixing bolt 110 ... Connection part 112 ... Housing 120 ... Exhaust port 122 ... Valve body part 123 ... Deformation control member 124 ... Cover part 126 ... Body part 128 ... Fixed nut 130 ... Side 132 ... Flange part 134 ... Fixed contact 136 ... Movable contact 140 ... Control part 204 ... Support part 222 ... Valve body part 223 ... Bolt hole 224 ... Ear part 226 ... Ear part 234 ... Fixed contact 236 ... Movable contact 240 ... Sealing material 300 ... Exhaust device 302 ... Airbag 304 ... Inflator 306 ... Exhaust port 310 ... Gas piping part 312 ... Fixed contact 316 ... Connection part 320 ... Cover part 322 ... Connection part 324 ... Movable contact 330 ... Rotation control part 332 ... end 334 ... end 340a ... first opening hole 340 b ... 2nd opening hole

Claims (10)

An airbag exhaust device provided in an airbag that is inflated and deployed using an inflator,
An exhaust port provided in the airbag;
A valve body portion configured by a bimetal that deforms according to a temperature change, and seals the exhaust port;
A deformation limiting member that limits deformation of the valve body part to either the inside or outside of the exhaust port;
With
An air bag exhaust apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve body part is opened by deforming the exhaust port into a shape that cannot be sealed in an environment of a predetermined temperature or higher.   The said valve body part is flat form at the time of a non-deformation, has a spiral cut line from the center to an outer edge, and can deform | transform into a spiral shape by this cut line. Exhaust device for airbags.   The exhaust device for an air bag according to claim 2, wherein the valve body portion is curled so that an outer side in the spiral shape is opposed to a gas flow direction.   The valve body portion is flat when not deformed, and one end is fixed to the airbag, and the other has two ears slidably installed on the airbag at both ends. The airbag exhaust device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust device can be deformed into an arch shape with two ears as fulcrums.   The exhaust device for an air bag according to claim 4, further comprising a sealing material that blocks between the valve body portion and the exhaust port. A cover portion covering the valve body portion;
The valve body portion has a movable contact that contacts the cover portion by the deformation,
The cover portion has a fixed contact that contacts the movable contact on the inner side which is a surface facing the valve body portion,
6. The air according to claim 1, wherein the airbag exhaust device functions as a temperature switch that is turned on / off by contact / non-contact between the movable contact and the fixed contact. 6. Exhaust device for bags.   The airbag exhaust apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the airbag exhaust apparatus is installed in the vicinity of a connection portion of the airbag with the inflator. In an air bag exhaust device provided in an air bag that is inflated and deployed using a cylinder-type inflator,
A gas pipe part connected to the cylinder type inflator and having a first open hole in the outer wall capable of releasing gas;
An annular lid portion provided on the outer periphery of the gas pipe portion so as to close the first opening hole, and having a second opening hole capable of releasing gas on the outer wall;
It is formed of a bimetal that deforms in response to a temperature change, and has a shape wound in a spring shape around the gas pipe portion, and one end located inside the spring shape is connected to the gas pipe portion, The other end located on the outer side of the mainspring is connected to the lid, and the lid is rotated in the winding direction by being deformed in an environment of a predetermined temperature or higher, so that the first opening hole and the second opening hole And a rotation control unit that is opened by overlapping
An exhaust device for an air bag comprising: The gas piping part has a fixed contact on the outer periphery,
The lid portion has a movable contact that can contact the fixed contact by the rotation.
The airbag exhaust apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the airbag exhaust apparatus functions as a temperature switch that is turned on / off by contact / non-contact between the fixed contact and the movable contact.   The exhaust device for an airbag according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a plurality of the valve body portions or the rotation control portions capable of starting deformation at different temperatures.

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