JP2012254712A - Vehicular curtain airbag structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular curtain airbag structure that can prevent a curtain airbag from being easily moved to the exterior side, keep the deployment and inflation position within a cabin, and improve the initial restraining performance of an occupant and the performance for controlling the throw-out of the occupant.SOLUTION: The vehicular curtain airbag structure includes a main chamber 9 which is provided on a side part in the vehicle width direction in a cabin, and deployed and inflated along a side window or a door from an upper side of the cabin to a lower side thereof with inflator gas, a sub chamber 10 which is provided below the main chamber, and deployed and inflated under the main chamber, a communication part 11 which is provided on an upper part of the sub chamber to allow the inflator gas to flow from the main chamber into the sub chamber, and a tether 12 which allows the width HS in the vehicle width direction of the sub chamber to be larger than the width HM in the vehicle width direction of the main chamber.

Description

  The present invention prevents the curtain airbag from easily moving to the outside of the vehicle, can hold the deployed and inflated position in the vehicle interior, and can improve the initial restraint performance of the occupant and the out-of-vehicle release suppression performance. The present invention relates to a curtain air bag structure for a vehicle.

  Patent Document 1 is known as a curtain airbag structure for a vehicle that suppresses the release of an occupant from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle. The “head protection airbag device” of Patent Document 1 aims to suppress the amount of movement of a part of the occupant's body in the vehicle outward direction without increasing the output of the inflator, and protects the occupant's head. The extended area extending from the lower end of the head protective inflation area of the airbag bag body to the position below the door belt line is deployed without being inflated, with the inflation part of the part protection inflation area intact. It has become. As a result, when a part of the body such as an occupant's arm or shoulder moves in the vehicle exterior direction, the extension area suppresses the amount of movement. In addition, the extended area is non-inflated, there is no increase in the inflated portion of the airbag bag body, and the inflating performance of the airbag bag body can be ensured by using an inflator having the same gas ejection amount as the conventional one. .

JP-A-11-198753

  When regulating the release of passengers out of the vehicle, it is extremely important to maintain and set the deployed and inflated position of the curtain airbag that catches the passengers. If the curtain airbag can be easily moved to the outside of the vehicle, the risk of release from the vehicle increases. Further, by limiting the ease of movement of such a curtain airbag, it is possible to improve the occupant's initial restraining action.

  Therefore, the curtain airbag structure for a vehicle that can maintain the position of the curtain airbag and can be surely deployed and inflated closer to the inside of the passenger compartment, thereby improving the initial restraining performance of the occupant and the performance of suppressing release from the vehicle. Was devised.

  The present invention has been devised in view of the above-described conventional problems. The curtain airbag can be prevented from easily moving to the outside of the vehicle, and the deployed and inflated position can be held in the passenger compartment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a curtain airbag structure for a vehicle that can improve initial restraint performance and out-of-vehicle release suppression performance.

  A curtain air bag structure for a vehicle according to the present invention is provided on a side in a vehicle width direction in a vehicle interior, and a main chamber that expands and expands along a side window and a door from above the vehicle interior to below by an inflator gas, A sub-chamber provided under the main chamber and expanded and expanded under the main chamber by the inflator gas, a communication portion provided above the sub-chamber for flowing the inflator gas from the main chamber to the sub-chamber, and expanded and expanded And setting means for making the width of the sub chamber in the vehicle width direction larger than the width of the main chamber in the vehicle width direction.

  The setting means is provided inside the sub-chamber, and has one end connected to the lower end of the sub-chamber and the other end connected to the communication portion or the periphery thereof, so that the cross-sectional shape in the vehicle width direction of the expanded sub-chamber is obtained. It is preferable that the tether is set in a wedge shape that tapers toward the main chamber. It is desirable that at least a part of the sub-chamber is located facing the side in the vehicle width direction under the belt line of the door when expanded.

  It is preferable that the other end of the tether is connected to the communication portion or the inner surface of the vehicle inner side or the outer surface of the outer side of the communication portion or the inner surfaces of both the inner side and the outer side of the vehicle.

  It is desirable to set a non-expanding portion at the boundary between the sub chamber and the main chamber. The other end of the tether is preferably joined to the non-expanded portion.

  In the curtain airbag structure for a vehicle according to the present invention, the curtain airbag can be prevented from easily moving to the outside of the vehicle, the deployed inflated position can be held in the vehicle interior, and the initial restraint performance of the occupant In addition, the out-of-vehicle release suppression performance can be improved.

1 is a front view of a curtain airbag in a deployed and inflated state showing a preferred embodiment of a curtain airbag structure for a vehicle according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, it is an AA arrow directional cross-sectional view. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating an effect | action of the curtain airbag structure for vehicles shown in FIG. It is the B section enlarged view in FIG. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the inflated subchamber which shows the modification of the connection form of the tether employ | adopted as the curtain airbag structure for vehicles of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the curtain airbag which shows the other modification of the connection form of the tether employ | adopted as the curtain airbag structure for vehicles of FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of a subchamber in an inflated state, showing a modification of the tether connection configuration adopted in the vehicle curtain airbag structure of FIG. 1. It is CC sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is a front view of the curtain airbag of the expansion | deployment state which shows other embodiment of the curtain airbag structure for vehicles which concerns on this invention. It is a front view of the curtain airbag of the expansion | deployment state which shows other embodiment of the curtain airbag structure for vehicles which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing of a curtain airbag which shows an example of the connection form of the tether employ | adopted as the curtain airbag structure for vehicles of FIG.9 and FIG.10.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a curtain airbag structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a state where a curtain airbag 1 having a vehicle curtain airbag structure according to the present embodiment is deployed and inflated. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

  The vehicle width direction side portion 3 of the passenger compartment 2 is partitioned by a roof side rail 4, pillars such as A pillars 5 and B pillars, doors 7 disposed between these pillars, and the like. The door 7 is provided with a side window 6. The vicinity of the boundary between the side window 6 and the door 7 is a door belt line R.

  As is well known, the curtain airbag 1 has a tab 8 attached to the periphery of the roof side rail 4 and is provided along the vehicle length direction. When the inflator gas is introduced, the curtain airbag 1 is directed downward from above. It is inflated and deployed along the side window 6 and the door 7. In the illustrated example, a belt 19 for connecting to the A pillar 5 is provided at the front end of the curtain airbag 1.

  In the present embodiment, the curtain airbag 1 includes a main chamber 9 and a sub chamber 10. The main chamber 9 is set so as to substantially cover the entire side window 6. The sub chamber 10 is provided under the main chamber 9. The subchamber 10 is expanded and expanded under the main chamber 9 by the inflator gas.

  The main chamber 9 and the sub-chamber 10 are surrounded by a series of outer peripheral non-inflatable portions PC that surround the entirety of the main chamber 9 and the sub-chamber 10 to form a bag-like curtain airbag 1 by joining the base fabric. The non-inflatable portion PC (the same applies to the non-inflatable portion BC described later) is formed by well-known joining means such as weaving, sewing (may be a single sewing), adhesion, or welding.

  Between the main chamber 9 and the sub chamber 10, a boundary non-expanded portion BC serving as a boundary between them is formed, and inflator gas is passed from the main chamber 9 to the sub chamber 10 through the boundary non-expanded portion BC. A communication portion 11 to be introduced is formed. The communicating part 11 is a part that does not form the boundary non-expanding part BC. The communication part 11 is provided in the upper part of the sub chamber 10.

  Accordingly, the inflator gas is first introduced into the main chamber 9 to expand and expand the main chamber 9, and subsequently introduced from the communication portion 11 to the sub chamber 10 to expand and expand the sub chamber 10. In the present embodiment, the sub-chamber 10 is set in a part of the curtain airbag 1 in the length direction (vehicle length direction) and is shorter than the main chamber 9.

  The curtain airbag 1 is provided with setting means for making the vehicle width direction width dimension HS of the sub chamber 10 larger than the vehicle width direction width dimension HM of the main chamber 9 in the deployed and inflated state. The setting means includes a tether 12 provided in the sub chamber 10.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the tether 12 has one end 12 a connected to the lower end 10 a of the subchamber 10. A lower end 10a of the sub-chamber 10 is an outer peripheral non-inflatable part PC. The other end 12b of the tether 12 is connected to the communication part 11 or its periphery. In the illustrated example, the other end 12b of the tether 12 is connected to the outer side inner surface 10b of the communication portion 11 which is a passage narrowed in the vehicle width direction by the outer peripheral non-expanding portion PC and the boundary non-expanding portion BC. .

  The distance between the two end connecting positions of the tether 12 is such that the inner surface of the communicating portion 11 (the other end 12b connecting position of the tether 12) and the lower end 10a (the one end 12a connecting position of the tether 12) when the sub chamber 10 itself swells naturally. It is set shorter than the distance between.

  By connecting both ends 12a and 12b of the tether 12 provided in the sub chamber 10 in such a setting, when the sub chamber 10 is expanded and inflated, the tether 12 is fully extended, so that it is restricted from expanding downward. It swells to the left and right in the vehicle width direction. The degree of swelling in the left-right direction can be freely adjusted by the distance between the connecting positions of both ends 12a, 12b of the tether 12, and the width dimension HS in the vehicle width direction of the sub chamber 10 due to this swelling in the left-right direction is It is set to be larger than the width direction width dimension HM.

  Further, the boundary (communication portion 11) between the main chamber 9 and the sub-chamber 10 is narrowed between the swelled chambers 9 and 10. The tether 12 sets the cross-sectional shape of the expanded sub-chamber 10 in the vehicle width direction to a wedge shape that swells to the left and right in the vehicle width direction and at the same time is narrowed toward the main chamber 9 at the top. The tether 12 may be formed integrally with the base fabric constituting the curtain airbag 1 by weaving or the like.

  In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the boundary between the main chamber 9 and the sub-chamber 10 (boundary non-expanding portion BC) is set to the position of the door belt line R, and accordingly, when the sub-chamber 10 is expanded and expanded. It is located under the door belt line R and faces the side part 3 in the vehicle width direction. In the illustrated example, as described above, the sub-chamber 10 is set in a part in the length direction (vehicle length direction) of the curtain airbag 1 and is formed shorter than the main chamber 9.

  However, the sub chamber 10 may be formed to have the same length as or longer than the main chamber 9 (curtain airbag 1), or a plurality of sub chambers 10 may be formed at intervals in the vehicle length direction. In this case, at least a part of the sub chamber 10 may be deployed and expanded under the door belt line R.

  Next, the effect | action of the curtain airbag structure for vehicles which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 3 shows the head restraint status of the occupant step by step. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion B in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (A), before the occupant's head X (shown by the impact head of the testing machine in the drawing) reaches the side 3 in the vehicle width direction of the passenger compartment 2, the curtain airbag The expansion and expansion of one main chamber 9 and sub chamber 10 is completed.

  In this expansion completion stage, the vehicle width direction width dimension HS of the sub-chamber 10 is larger than the vehicle width direction width dimension HM of the main chamber 9 by the action of the tether 12. The sub-chamber 10 wider than the main chamber 9 can be positioned inside the vehicle compartment 2. For example, when the sub chamber 10 abuts on the side part 3 in the vehicle width direction, the main chamber 9 can be prevented from further moving to the outside of the vehicle.

  Thus, the width dimension HS of the sub-chamber 10 in the vehicle width direction becomes a margin, and the deployed position of the main chamber 9 and thus the curtain airbag 1 can be held in the vehicle compartment 2. In other words, the deployed and inflated position of the curtain airbag 1 suspended from the upper side of the passenger compartment 2 by the tab 8 can be brought inward of the passenger compartment 2 by the vehicle width direction width dimension HS of the sub-chamber 10 set by the tether 12. The curtain airbag 1 brought inward of the passenger compartment 2 can receive and restrain the occupant head X at an early stage and can improve the occupant protection performance.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, in the situation where the head X of the occupant reaches the periphery of the side window 6, the sub-chamber 10 has a wedge shape. It is possible to effectively suppress the sub-chamber 10 itself and the entire curtain airbag 1 including the main chamber 9 from being pushed out of the vehicle by frictional contact with the side portion 3 in a surface contact state.

  In this embodiment, the sub-chamber 10 is different from the main chamber in that the contact surface with the side part 3 in the vehicle width direction is close to the line contact when it is expanded in a so-called balloon shape, spherical shape, pillow shape or the like. Since the wedge shape is tapered toward 9, the friction resistance in a surface contact state when the sub chamber 10 is dragged along the vehicle width direction side portion 3 by being dragged by the main chamber 9 receiving the head X. The action can be ensured, and the main chamber 9 can be prevented from easily moving to the outside of the vehicle.

  Also by such a frictional action, the deployed and inflated position of the curtain airbag 1 can be held in the interior of the passenger compartment 2 and the passenger's out-of-vehicle release suppression performance can be improved.

  In addition, when at least a part of the sub chamber 10 is inflated and deployed, it is positioned so as to face the vehicle width direction side portion 3 under the door belt line R. Therefore, in the position of the side window 6, as shown in FIG. The wedge-shaped sub-chamber 10 is sandwiched between the head X and the door belt line R so that the wedge action can be effectively exerted, and the main chamber 9 is prevented from being pulled out of the side window 6 to the outside of the vehicle. Thus, it is possible to ensure the effect of restraining the passenger from releasing outside the vehicle.

  Furthermore, since the boundary non-expanding portion BC is formed between the main chamber 9 and the sub chamber 10 and the upper portion of the sub chamber 10 is constricted, the boundary non-expanding portion BC can be easily bent and deformed. As shown in FIG. 4, when the sub-chamber 10 is sandwiched between the head X and the door belt line R, the sub-chamber 10 can rotate with the boundary non-expandable portion BC as a hinge, and cannot rotate. Compared to the case, the wedge action can be strengthened, and the effect of suppressing the release of the passenger outside the vehicle can be improved.

  Due to the action of the sub-chamber 10 as described above, the curtain airbag 1 is placed between the tab 8 and the belt 19 and the sub-chamber 10 locked to the side part 3 in the vehicle width direction as shown in FIG. The curtain airbag 1 can be prevented from being easily pushed out of the vehicle from the side window 6, and the head protection performance of the occupant and the occupant emission control performance can be ensured.

  5 to 8 show modified examples of the arrangement of the tether 12. FIG. 5 shows a case where the other end 12 b of the tether 12 is connected to the inner side surface 10 c of the sub chamber 10. In this way, the sub-chamber 10 can be greatly expanded outside the vehicle.

  6 uses two tethers 12A and 12B in which one end 12a is connected to the lower end 10a of the sub chamber 10, and the other end 12b of one tether 12B is connected to the inner surface 10c of the sub chamber 10 and the other This is a case where the other end 12a of the tether 12A is connected to the inner surface 10b on the outer side of the sub chamber 10. The center of one tether may be connected to the lower end 10a of the sub-chamber 10, and both ends may be connected to both the vehicle inner surface 10c and the vehicle outer surface 10b. In this way, the subchamber 10 can be evenly expanded on the inside and outside of the vehicle.

  7 and 8 show a case where the other end 12b of the tether 12 is joined to the boundary non-expanding portion BC. In this case, when the boundary non-expanded portion BC is formed by sewing the base fabric or the like, the other end 12b of the tether 12 may be sandwiched and bonded between the base fabrics. In this way, similarly to the case of FIG. 6, the sub-chamber 10 can be evenly expanded inside and outside the vehicle. In the illustrated example, a pair of front and rear tethers 12 in the vehicle length direction are arranged with the communication portion 11 in between, and the sub-chamber 10 can be inflated with good balance in the length direction.

  Even in such a modification, it is needless to say that the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  9 to 11 show another embodiment of a vehicle curtain airbag structure according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the boundary non-expanding portion BC between the main chamber 9 and the sub chamber 10 is omitted.

  In FIG. 9, the sub chamber 10 is continuously formed under the main chamber 9 covering the side window 6, in the form of being positioned in the vicinity of the A pillar 5 and extending the main chamber 9 below the door belt line R. ing. The communication portion 11 is formed over the entire length of the sub chamber 10 in the vehicle length direction. The tether 12 is the same as that in the above embodiment, and connects the lower end 10a of the sub-chamber 10 and the inner side surface 10b of the communicating portion 11 as shown in FIG. FIG. 10 shows a form in which the sub-chamber 10 of FIG. 9 is expanded in the vehicle length direction. In this case, a plurality of tethers 12 are provided at appropriate intervals in the vehicle length direction.

  Even in such an embodiment, it is a matter of course that the same operational effects as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  The vehicle curtain airbag structure 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 stated 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.

2 Car interior 3 Sides in the vehicle width direction 6 Side window 7 Door 9 Main chamber 10 Subchamber 10a Lower end of the subchamber 10b Inside surface of the outer side of the subchamber 10c Inside surface of the inside of the subchamber 11 Communication portion 12, 12A, 12B Tether 12a Tether One end of 12b The other end of the tether BC Boundary non-expanding portion HS Sub-chamber vehicle width direction width dimension HM Main chamber width direction width dimension R Door belt line

Claims (6)

A main chamber that is provided on the side of the vehicle interior in the vehicle width direction and that expands and expands along the side windows and doors from above the vehicle interior to the bottom with the inflator gas;
A sub-chamber provided under the main chamber and expanded and expanded under the main chamber by an inflator gas;
A communication part provided on the upper part of the sub-chamber, for allowing inflator gas to flow into the sub-chamber from the main chamber;
A vehicular curtain airbag structure comprising setting means for making the width of the sub chamber in the vehicle width direction larger than the width of the main chamber in the deployed and expanded state.   The setting means is provided inside the sub-chamber, and has one end connected to the lower end of the sub-chamber and the other end connected to the communication portion or the periphery thereof, so that the cross-sectional shape in the vehicle width direction of the expanded sub-chamber is obtained. The curtain airbag structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the curtain airbag structure is a tether set in a wedge shape that tapers toward the main chamber.   3. The vehicle curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the sub-chamber is located facing a side in the vehicle width direction under a belt line of the door when the sub-chamber is deployed and inflated. Construction.   4. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the tether has the other end connected to the inner surface or the inner surface of the vehicle exterior of the communication portion or the periphery thereof, or the inner surfaces of both the vehicle inner side and the vehicle outer side. Curtain airbag structure.   The curtain airbag structure for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a non-inflatable portion is set at a boundary between the sub chamber and the main chamber.   The curtain airbag structure for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the other end of the tether is joined to the non-inflatable portion.

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