JP2012006521A - Airbag device for front passenger seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly expand an airbag on vehicle width direction both sides in the initial deployment of the airbag.SOLUTION: A pair of upper side airbag doors 28 and a pair of lower side airbag doors 30 are divided and formed in an instrument panel 20 by: a pair of vertical breaking scheduled parts 22; an additional vertical breaking scheduled part 24 formed in parallel with the pair of vertical breaking scheduled parts 22 between the pair of vertical breaking scheduled parts 22; and a pair of lateral breaking scheduled parts 26 extended in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width direction both sides of the additional vertical breaking scheduled part 24 and connected to the pair of vertical breaking scheduled parts 22. When the pair of vertical breaking scheduled parts 22 and the pair of lateral breaking scheduled parts 26 are broken and the airbag 16 is expanded on the vehicle width direction both sides of the airbag door 12, an upper side airbag door 28 and lower side airbag door 30, and another upper side airbag door 28 and lower side airbag door 30 are deformed on a vehicle upper and lower directional upper side, by using the additional vertical breaking scheduled part 24 as a point of origin.

Description

  The present invention relates to a passenger seat airbag device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a cover (airbag door) after an airbag is inflated on both sides in the vehicle width direction by sequentially breaking a pair of first and second tier lines at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle. There is disclosed an airbag device for a passenger seat that is configured to be opened on the front side of an instrument panel by opening up and down.

JP 2002-29355 A JP 2007-153222 A JP 2005-67466 A JP 2008-174210 A

  By the way, in this type of passenger airbag device, it is desired that the airbag is smoothly inflated on both sides of the airbag door in the vehicle width direction at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device for a passenger seat that can smoothly inflate the airbag to both sides in the vehicle width direction at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag. And

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 1 extends in the vehicle vertical direction and is aligned in the vehicle width direction with respect to the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction of the passenger seat in the instrument panel. A pair of expected vertical fracture portions formed in parallel, the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion formed in parallel with the pair of vertical fracture planned portions between the pair of vertical fracture planned portions, and the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion A pair of upper airbag doors and a pair of lower bottoms that are partitioned by a pair of planned lateral rupture portions that extend from both sides in the vehicle width direction in the vehicle width direction and are connected to the vehicle vertical direction intermediate portion of the pair of longitudinal rupture planned portions. An air bag door configured by a side air bag door, and a back side of the air bag door, provided in a folded state and receiving a gas supply at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle, After the planned portion and the pair of laterally fractured portions are broken and inflated on both sides of the airbag door in the vehicle width direction, the additional longitudinally fractured portion is broken to break the pair of upper airbag doors and the pair And an airbag that is inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel while opening the lower airbag door.

  In the passenger seat airbag device, when gas is supplied to the airbag at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the airbag first breaks the pair of longitudinally fractured portions and the pair of laterally fractured portions by breaking the airbag. The door bulges on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The airbag is then inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel while breaking the additional longitudinally scheduled portion and opening the pair of upper airbag doors and the pair of lower airbag doors.

  Here, in the instrument panel, an additional vertical fracture planned portion is formed between the pair of vertical fracture planned portions in parallel with the pair of vertical fracture planned portions. Therefore, as described above, when the pair of planned vertical fracture portions and the pair of lateral fracture planned portions are broken and the airbag is inflated on both sides of the airbag door in the vehicle width direction, the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion is the starting point. In this manner (as a hinge), one upper airbag door and lower airbag door and the other upper airbag door and lower airbag door are deformed upward in the vehicle vertical direction. Accordingly, the pair of planned longitudinal breakage portions can be smoothly broken to form the initial inflation outlets on both sides of the airbag door in the vehicle width direction, so that the airbag can be passed through the initial inflation outlet in the vehicle width direction of the airbag doors. Can bulge smoothly on both sides.

  The passenger seat airbag apparatus according to claim 2 is the passenger seat airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of laterally-scheduled scheduled portions are above the vehicle vertical center of the airbag door. It is set as the structure formed in.

  According to the airbag device for a passenger seat, the pair of laterally ruptured portions are formed above the center portion of the airbag door in the vehicle vertical direction, and the length of the upper airbag door in the vehicle longitudinal direction is lower. The side airbag door is shorter than the length in the vehicle front-rear direction. Accordingly, since the upper airbag door is easier to open than the lower airbag door, when the airbag is inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel, the upper airbag door is more than the lower airbag door. It can be opened in advance.

  In addition, when the airbag is inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel in this way, the passenger in the passenger seat is brought close to the vehicle by delaying the opening of the lower airbag door from the opening of the upper airbag door. Even if it exists, it can suppress that an airbag penetrates into the passenger | crew's chin lower side.

  The passenger seat airbag device according to claim 3 is the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the passenger seat airbag device is provided inside the airbag and ejects the gas at the time of a frontal collision of a vehicle. An inflator having a gas ejection hole is provided, and the additional longitudinal fracture scheduled portion is provided on the opposite side to the gas ejection hole with respect to the vehicle width direction central portion of the airbag door.

  According to the airbag device for a passenger seat, the inflation pressure applied to the one upper airbag door and the lower airbag door located on the gas ejection hole side with respect to the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion is applied to the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion. On the other hand, it becomes higher than the inflation pressure applied to the other upper airbag door and the lower airbag door located on the opposite side of the gas ejection hole. However, since the other upper airbag door and the lower airbag door are shorter in width than the upper airbag door and the lower airbag door, the upper airbag door and the lower airbag door are easily opened. It is possible to suppress a time difference between the airbag door and the other upper airbag door and lower airbag door when being opened.

  As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the airbag can be smoothly inflated on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag.

It is the figure which looked at the instrument panel with which the airbag apparatus for passenger seats concerning one Embodiment of this invention was provided from the vehicle rear side. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. FIG. 2 is a view showing a state in which the airbag is inflated on both sides of the airbag door in the vehicle width direction in the passenger seat airbag device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. FIG. 2 is a view showing a state in which the airbag is inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel by opening the pair of upper airbag doors and the pair of lower airbag doors in the passenger seat airbag device shown in FIG. 1. . It is a figure which shows the modification of the airbag door shown by FIG. It is a figure which shows the modification of the airbag apparatus for passenger seats shown by FIG.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  Note that an arrow UP, an arrow FR, and an arrow OUT shown in each figure respectively indicate the vehicle up-down direction upper side, the vehicle front-rear direction front side, and the vehicle width direction outer side (left side).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the passenger airbag device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an airbag door 12, a module case 14, an airbag 16, and an inflator 18. And provided integrally with the instrument panel 20.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the instrument panel 20 includes a pair of longitudinally fractured portions 22, an additional longitudinally fractured portion 24, and a pair of laterally fractured portions at a front-rear direction front portion of a passenger seat (not shown). A portion 26 is formed. For example, the pair of planned vertical breaks 22, the planned horizontal breaks 26, and the pair of additional vertical breaks 24 are formed by forming grooves such as continuous grooves and intermittent grooves on the back surface of the instrument panel 20. It is comprised by the weak part formed thinly.

  The pair of longitudinal fracture scheduled portions 22 are formed to extend in the vehicle vertical direction and are aligned with each other in the vehicle width direction. The additional longitudinal fracture scheduled portion 24 is interposed between the pair of vertical fracture scheduled portions 22. It is formed in parallel with the longitudinal fracture scheduled portion 22. Further, the pair of planned horizontal breakage portions 26 extend in the vehicle width direction from both sides of the additional vertical breakage planned portion 24 in the vehicle width direction, and are connected to the vehicle vertical direction intermediate portion of the pair of vertical breakage planned portions 22.

  Then, by forming the pair of scheduled vertical fracture portions 22, the additional vertical fracture planned portion 24, and the pair of lateral fracture planned portions 26, the instrument panel 20 includes a pair of upper airbag doors 28 and a pair of A lower airbag door 30 is partitioned. The airbag door 12 includes a pair of upper airbag doors 28 and a pair of lower airbag doors 30.

  In addition, the instrument panel 20 includes a hinge portion 32 formed of, for example, an integral hinge in parallel with the pair of planned lateral fracture portions 26 on both sides of the vehicle in the vertical direction across the pair of lateral fracture planned portions 26. , 34 are formed. The hinge portion 32 connects the end portions of the pair of planned vertical fracture portions 22 on the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction, and the hinge portion 34 connects the end portions of the pair of planned vertical fracture portions 22 on the lower side in the vertical direction of the vehicle. ing.

  The pair of upper airbag doors 28 and the pair of lower airbag doors 30 are in a state in which the pair of longitudinally fractured portions 22, the additional longitudinally fractured portion 24, and the pair of laterally fractured portions 26 are broken. The hinge portions 32 and 34 can be turned to the front side of the instrument panel 20 as starting points. Note that the pair of upper airbag doors 28 and the pair of lower airbag doors 30 (airbag doors 12) are, as shown in FIG. It is formed in the curved part which forms convex.

  The module case 14 is formed in a box shape having an opening 36 opened toward the front side of the instrument panel 20, and is provided on the back side of the airbag door 12. A frame-shaped retainer 38 is formed on the back surface of the instrument panel 20 so as to surround the airbag door 12, and the module case 14 is fixed to the retainer 38 in a state of being inserted inside the retainer 38. Has been.

  The opening portion 36 of the module case 14 is closed by the airbag door 12, and the bottom portion 40 of the module case 14 is disposed on the back side of the airbag door 12 so as to face and separate from the airbag door 12. Yes.

  The airbag 16 is housed in a folded state inside the module case 14. In this case, the airbag 16 can be stored inside the module case 14 in various folding forms. As will be described in detail later, the airbag 16 is inflated and deployed to the front side of the instrument panel 20 (passenger side of the passenger seat) by opening the pair of upper airbag doors 28 and the pair of lower airbag doors 30. It is configured.

  The inflator 18 includes a cylindrical main body portion 42 and a flange portion 44 that is formed in an annular shape at the central portion in the axial direction of the main body portion 42. The main body portion 42 is disposed on the bottom portion 40 of the module case 14 so that the above-described planned lateral fracture portion 26 is positioned on the extension line L of the central axis in a vehicle side view. The upper portion of the main body portion 42 is configured as a gas ejection portion 48 in which a plurality of gas ejection holes 46 are formed side by side in the circumferential direction, and is disposed inside the airbag 16.

  The flange portion 44 is in contact with the upper surface of the bottom portion 40 of the module case 14. An annular retainer 50 is provided on the opposite side of the bottom portion 40 with respect to the flange portion 44. The retainer 50 is provided with a plurality of stud bolts 52 protruding in the opposite direction to the gas ejection portion 48, and the stud bolts 52 penetrate the flange portion 44 and the bottom portion 40. Further, a nut 54 is fastened to the tip of the stud bolt 52, whereby the flange portion 44, and hence the entire inflator 18, is fixed to the bottom portion 40 of the module case 14.

  In the passenger seat airbag device 10, when an actuation signal output from an ECU (not shown) at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle is input to the inflator 18, the inflator 18 is activated and gas is ejected from the gas ejection holes 46. . Further, the airbag 16 is inflated upon receiving this gas supply, and the pair of upper airbag doors 28 and the pair of lower airbag doors 30 are opened to be inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel 20.

  In addition, the case of the frontal collision of the vehicle in this case includes not only the case where the frontal collision actually occurs in the vehicle but also the case where it is predicted that the frontal collision will occur in the vehicle.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the groove 56 formed at a position corresponding to the planned vertical fracture portion 22 is more than the groove portion 58 formed at a position corresponding to the additional vertical fracture planned portion 24 shown in FIG. 4. The depth is also deeply formed. 3 is formed thinner than the additional vertical fracture planned portion 24 shown in FIG. 4 (thickness D1 of the vertical fracture planned portion 22 <additional vertical fracture). The thickness D2) of the planned portion 24). That is, the planned vertical fracture portion 22 is formed more fragile than the additional vertical fracture planned portion 24. Further, although not shown in particular, the laterally fractured portion 26 shown in FIG. 1 has the same cross-sectional shape as the longitudinally fractured portion 22 shown in FIG.

  Therefore, when the airbag 16 is inflated and deployed as described above, first, the pair of longitudinally fractured portions 22 and the pair of laterally fractured portions 26 shown in FIG. The airbag 16 is inflated on both sides of the airbag door 12 in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 5). After that, the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion 24 is broken by the inflation pressure of the airbag 16, and the airbag 16 opens the instrument panel while opening the pair of upper airbag doors 28 and the pair of lower airbag doors 30. 20 is inflated and deployed on the front side (see FIG. 7).

  Next, the operation and effect of one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  According to the airbag device 10 for a passenger seat, the instrument panel 20 includes a pair of planned vertical breakage portions 22 in parallel with the pair of planned vertical breakage portions 22 as shown in FIG. An additional vertical fracture scheduled portion 24 is formed. Therefore, as described above, when the pair of planned vertical fracture portions 22 and the pair of lateral fracture planned portions 26 are broken and the airbag 16 is inflated on both sides of the airbag door 12 in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 6, the upper airbag door 28, the lower airbag door 30, the upper airbag door 28, the other upper airbag door 28, The lower airbag door 30 is deformed upward in the vehicle vertical direction.

  As a result, the pair of planned longitudinal breakage portions 22 can be smoothly broken to form the initial inflation outlets 60 on both sides of the airbag door 12 in the vehicle width direction. The door 12 can be smoothly bulged on both sides in the vehicle width direction. As a result, even when the passenger in the passenger seat is in the proximity state, the reaction force to the passenger at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag 16 can be suppressed.

  Next, a modification of one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the pair of planned lateral rupture portions 26 are formed above the vehicle vertical center of the airbag door 12, thereby The length L1 in the direction may be shorter than the length L2 in the vehicle front-rear direction of the lower airbag door 30.

  With this configuration, the upper airbag door 28 is easier to open than the lower airbag door 30, so that when the airbag 16 is inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel 20, The airbag door 28 can be opened ahead of the lower airbag door 30.

  In addition, when the airbag 16 is inflated and deployed on the front side of the instrument panel 20 in this way, the opening of the lower airbag door 30 is delayed from the opening of the upper airbag door 28, so that the passenger in the passenger seat Even when the vehicle is in the proximity state, the airbag 16 can be prevented from entering under the passenger's chin.

  In particular, since the length L2 of the lower airbag door 30 in the vehicle front-rear direction is longer than the length L1 of the upper airbag door 28 in the vehicle front-rear direction, the lower airbag door 30 abuts on the face of a nearby occupant. Thus, the airbag 16 can be further suppressed from entering the occupant's chin.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the inflator 18 is extended along the vehicle width direction, and the gas ejection hole 46 is one side (this) with respect to the vehicle width direction center part of the airbag door 12. In this case, as an example, the vehicle may be arranged offset to the left side of the vehicle. Further, in this case, the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion 24 may be provided on the side opposite to the gas ejection hole 46 with respect to the central portion of the airbag door 12 in the vehicle width direction.

  If comprised in this way, the expansion pressure added to one upper side airbag door 28 and the lower side airbag door 30 which are located in the gas ejection hole 46 side with respect to the additional vertical fracture plan part 24 will be an additional vertical fracture plan It becomes higher than the inflation pressure applied to the other upper airbag door 28 and the lower airbag door 30 located on the side opposite to the gas ejection hole 46 with respect to the portion 24.

  However, the lateral width W1 of the other upper airbag door 28 and the lower airbag door 30 is shorter than the lateral width W2 of the one upper airbag door 28 and the lower airbag door 30. Therefore, the other upper airbag door 28 and the lower airbag door 30 are easier to open than the one upper airbag door 28 and the lower airbag door 30. It is possible to suppress a time difference between the lower airbag door 30 and the other upper airbag door 28 and lower airbag door 30 when being opened.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the longitudinally fractured scheduled part 22 and the laterally fractured scheduled part 26 shown in FIG. The additional vertical fracture scheduled portion 24 is configured to be fractured after the pair of lateral fracture planned portions 26 are fractured, but may be configured as follows.

  That is, an inner bag (rectifying cloth) (not shown) that supplies the air bag 16 while rectifying the gas supplied from the inflator 18 is provided inside the air bag 16 (see FIG. 2). By controlling the form at the time of expansion, the additional vertical fracture scheduled portion 24 may be fractured after the pair of vertical fracture planned portions 22 and the pair of lateral fracture planned portions 26 are fractured. .

  The plurality of modified examples may be implemented in combination as appropriate.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited above, In addition to the above, in the range which does not deviate from the main point, it can implement in various deformation | transformation.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Passenger seat airbag apparatus 12 Airbag door 16 Airbag 18 Inflator 20 Instrument panel 22 Planned longitudinal fracture portion 24 Planned additional vertical fracture portion 26 Planned lateral fracture portion 28 Upper airbag door 30 Lower airbag door 46 Gas ejection Hole

Claims (3)

Between a pair of longitudinally fractured portions extending in the vehicle vertical direction and arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, and a pair of longitudinally fractured portions at the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the passenger seat in the instrument panel The additional vertical fracture planned portion formed in parallel with the pair of vertical fracture planned portions, and the vehicle vertical direction in the pair of vertical fracture scheduled portions extending in the vehicle width direction from both sides of the additional vertical fracture planned portion in the vehicle width direction. An airbag door configured by a pair of upper airbag doors and a pair of lower airbag doors that are partitioned by a pair of planned lateral rupture portions connected to the intermediate portion;
The airbag door is provided in a folded state on the back side of the airbag door, and is supplied with a gas at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle to break the pair of longitudinally fractured portions and the pair of laterally fractured portions. And then inflating to the front side of the instrument panel while opening the pair of upper airbag doors and the pair of lower airbag doors. A deployed airbag,
Air bag device for passenger seat equipped with The pair of laterally fractured portions are formed above the vehicle vertical direction center of the airbag door,
The airbag device for a passenger seat according to claim 1. An inflator provided inside the airbag and having a gas ejection hole for ejecting the gas at the time of a frontal collision of a vehicle;
The additional longitudinal fracture scheduled portion is provided on the opposite side to the gas ejection hole with respect to the vehicle width direction central portion of the airbag door,
The airbag device for a passenger seat according to claim 1 or 2.