JP2013112276A - Airbag device for passenger seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an airbag device for a passenger seat, the device capable of extending a first contact area of an airbag.SOLUTION: In an airbag device 10 for a passenger seat, an inflator 16 generates gas in a frontal collision of a vehicle or a prediction of the frontal collision. Thereby, an airbag 18 is expanded and unfolded ahead of an occupant P on the passenger seat, and right and left restraining parts 18A are protruded to a rear side of a vehicle from the back end side of the airbag 18. In this case, the airbag 18 has a shape set to bring right and left restraining parts 18A into contact with regions ranging from the right and left shoulders S of the occupant P to the breast B thereof, while back ends 18A1 of the right and left restraining parts 18A are positioned above the right and left shoulders S of the occupant P. This can bring the right and left restraining parts 18A into contact with even the top surface sides of the shoulders S of the occupant.

Description

  The present invention relates to a passenger seat airbag device.

  The airbag described in Patent Document 1 below is a space that opens toward the occupant between a left half airbag that expands on the left side in front of the occupant and a right half airbag that expands on the right side in front of the occupant. A part is formed. As a result, the vicinity of the sternum of the occupant is prevented from receiving a large reaction force from the airbag. In addition, the left half airbag and the right half airbag described above are primarily folded into a primary folded body that is elongated in the vertical direction, and then secondarily folded to reduce the vertical width. The final folded body. For this reason, when the inflator is operated, the left half airbag and the right half airbag are inflated relatively early and then inflated toward the occupant. As a result, the size of the surface of the airbag that first contacts the occupant (hereinafter referred to as “first contact area”) is increased.

JP 2004-268903 A

  By the way, depending on the aspect of the frontal collision of the vehicle, the upper body (spine) of the occupant may tilt (bend) sideways. In order to suppress such behavior of the occupant's upper body with an airbag, it is preferable to enlarge the first contact area of the airbag.

  In consideration of the above-described facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a passenger seat airbag device that can expand the first contact area of an airbag.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag device for a passenger seat that operates when a frontal collision of a vehicle or when a frontal collision is predicted and generates a gas, and a passenger seat using the gas generated by the gas generating device. The left and right restraints are inflated and deployed in front of the occupant and the left and right restraint portions protrude from the rear end side to the vehicle rear side, and the rear end portions of the left and right restraint portions are located above the left and right shoulder portions of the occupant. And an airbag that is shaped so that the portion contacts the chest from the left and right shoulders of the occupant.

  In the passenger seat airbag device according to the first aspect, the gas generator generates gas at the time of frontal collision or prediction of frontal collision of the vehicle. As a result, the airbag is inflated and deployed in front of the passenger on the passenger seat, and the left and right restraint portions protrude from the rear end side of the airbag toward the vehicle rear side. Here, in the airbag, the left and right restraint portions extend from the left and right shoulder portions of the occupant to the chest while the rear end portions of the left and right restraint portions are positioned (reached) above the left and right shoulder portions of the occupant. The shape is set to contact. Accordingly, the left and right restraint portions can be brought into contact with the upper surface side of the shoulder portion of the occupant, so that the first contact area of the airbag for the occupant can be enlarged.

  A passenger seat airbag device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the passenger seat airbag device according to the first aspect, wherein a vehicle front side is provided between the left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state. A recessed central recess is formed, and the airbag is shaped so that the left and right restraints contact the occupant before the central recess contacts the occupant's head and chest.

  In the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 2, the right and left restraint portions are formed before the central recess formed between the left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed airbag contacts the occupant's head and chest. Touches the chest from the left and right shoulders of the occupant. Thereby, since a passenger | crew's advance speed is reduced, a passenger | crew's head and chest can be softly received by a center recessed part after that.

  The passenger seat airbag device according to claim 3 is the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the central recess has a front center of a passenger's chest when the left and right restraint portions contact the passenger. The shape is set along a virtual straight line connecting the head and the front center of the head.

  In the passenger seat airbag device according to the third aspect, the shape of the central recess of the airbag is set as described above. Accordingly, since the chest and head of the occupant can be brought into contact with the central recess at the same time or substantially simultaneously, it is possible to prevent or suppress the neck of the occupant from bending with the contact between the occupant and the central recess. it can. Thereby, a passenger | crew's neck part can be protected favorably.

  The passenger seat airbag device according to the invention described in claim 4 is the passenger seat airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state are provided. The rear end portion is positioned at the intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the airbag, and the lower inclined surface is inclined so that the lower side from the rear end portion is directed toward the vehicle front side toward the lower side.

  In the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 4, in a state where the airbag is inflated and deployed, the rear end portions of the left and right restraint portions are located in the middle portion in the vertical direction of the airbag, and the rear ends of the left and right restraint portions The left and right lower inclined surfaces are inclined so that the lower side of the part is directed to the vehicle front side as it goes downward. For this reason, when the left and right restraint portions come into contact with the occupant, the lower inclined surfaces of the left and right restraint portions are positioned in the state where the rear end portions of the left and right restraint portions are located above the left and right shoulder portions of the occupant. Contact from left and right shoulders to the chest. Thereby, the lower inclined surfaces of the left and right restraint portions can be brought into good contact with the upper surface sides of the left and right shoulder portions of the occupant.

  The “lower inclined surface” described in claim 4 is not limited to a flat surface (a straight surface when viewed from the vehicle width direction), but is a curved surface (a curved shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction). Even those that are slanted as a whole are included. This also applies to the “upper inclined surface” described in claim 5.

  The passenger seat airbag device according to the invention described in claim 5 is the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state are located above the rear end portion. The left and right upper inclined surfaces are inclined so as to go to the vehicle front side as they go upward.

  In the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 5, in a state where the airbag is inflated and deployed, the left and right sides tilted so that the upper side from the rear end part of the left and right restraint parts is directed toward the vehicle front side as it goes upward. The upper inclined surface. Thereby, since the volume of the airbag can be reduced, the airbag can be inflated and deployed at an early stage.

  The passenger seat airbag device according to claim 6 is the passenger seat airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state are located above the rear end portion. The shape is set so as to protrude to the rear side of the vehicle in the same manner as the rear end.

  7. The passenger seat airbag device according to claim 6, wherein the rear end portions of the left and right restraint portions of the inflated airbag are positioned above the left and right shoulder portions of the occupant, and the lower side of the left and right restraint portions. The inclined surface contacts from the left and right shoulders of the occupant to the chest. Moreover, since the upper side of the rear end portions of the left and right restraint portions protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle in the same manner as the rear end portion, the left and right restraint portions are brought into good contact with the upper end side of the side portion of the occupant's head. be able to. Thereby, the behavior of the occupant's head can be satisfactorily suppressed.

  As described above, in the passenger seat airbag device according to the present invention, the first contact area of the airbag can be enlarged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a passenger seat airbag device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a view of a state in which the airbag of the passenger seat airbag device is inflated and deployed. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the airbag shown in FIG. 1 in an inflated and deployed state. It is a side view which shows the schematic structure of the airbag apparatus for passenger seats concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and is a figure of the state which the airbag of the airbag apparatus for passenger seats inflate-deployed.

<First Embodiment>
Hereinafter, the airbag device 10 for a passenger seat according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Note that an arrow FR appropriately shown in each drawing indicates the front of the vehicle, an arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, and an arrow IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

(Constitution)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the passenger seat airbag device 10 according to the present embodiment is disposed on the passenger seat side of the top wall portion 12 </ b> A of the instrument panel 12, and includes an airbag case 14, An inflator 16 (gas generator) and an airbag 18 are provided.

  The airbag case 14 is a box made of a metal material or the like, and is disposed on the back side of the instrument panel 12 so that the vehicle upper side is the opening side. The airbag case 14 is supported by a strength member such as instrument panel reinforcement (not shown) via a bracket. The upper end opening of the airbag case 14 is closed by an airbag door (not shown) attached to the instrument panel 12 during normal use. The airbag door is configured to be opened when a bag inflating pressure of a predetermined value or more acts to open the upper end opening of the airbag case 14. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the upper end opening of the airbag case 14 is opened.

  The inflator 16 is, for example, a cylinder-shaped gas generator configured to be able to inject gas and supply the air bag 18 at the time of a frontal collision or prediction of a frontal collision of the vehicle. The inflator 16 is connected to an airbag ECU (none of which is shown) via a wire harness, and is actuated by an operating current from the airbag ECU to supply inflation gas to the airbag 18. It is configured to supply. The airbag ECU is configured to flow an operating current to the inflator 16 when a frontal collision of the vehicle is determined by a signal from a collision sensor (not shown) or when a frontal collision is predicted.

  The airbag 18 is formed into a bag shape by sewing one or a plurality of panels formed by cutting a nylon or polyester base fabric, for example. It is stored in a folded state. The airbag 18 is configured to inflate and deploy in front of an occupant P seated in a passenger seat as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 when gas ejected from the inflator 16 is supplied therein. ing. The vertical dimension of the airbag 18 in the inflated and deployed state is set to a size that can restrain at least the range from the head H to the abdomen of the occupant P. Further, the lateral dimension of the airbag 18 in the inflated and deployed state is set wider than the lateral dimension of the occupant P as shown in FIG.

  The airbag 18 is formed with a pair of left and right restraining portions 18A projecting toward the vehicle rear side on the left and right sides on the rear end side facing the occupant P in the inflated and deployed state shown in FIGS. A shape is set between the left and right restraint portions 18A so as to form a central recess portion 18B (space portion) that is recessed toward the front side of the vehicle. The shape of the airbag 18 may be set depending on the shape of the panel constituting the airbag 18 and the manner of sewing, or may be set by providing a tether in the airbag 18. The setting method is not particularly limited. Moreover, the shape of each part of the airbag 18 described in the following description is a shape in a state where the airbag 18 is inflated and deployed.

  The central recess 18B is formed to extend in the vertical direction on the rear lateral side of the airbag 18 so that the upper side faces the head H of the occupant P, and the lower side is the lateral central side of the chest B of the occupant P. opposite. The dimension along the vehicle width direction of the central recess 18 </ b> B is set corresponding to the width dimension of the head H of the occupant P.

  The left and right restraint portions 18A are developed in a substantially triangular shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and the rearward end portion 18A1 (projection portion) whose center in the vertical direction protrudes most toward the vehicle rear side. The height position of the rear end portion 18A1 with respect to the airbag 18 in the inflated and deployed state is appropriately changed according to the arrangement of the instrument panel 12 and the front windshield glass 20 or the like. A lower inclined surface 18A2 that is inclined toward the vehicle front side as it goes downward is formed below the rear end portion 18A1, and the vehicle front side as it goes upward is formed above the rear end portion 18A1. An upper inclined surface 18A3 that is inclined toward the side is formed.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the height position of the left and right rear end portions 18A1 with respect to the occupant P in the inflated and deployed state of the airbag 18 is the occupant P when (when) the occupant P contacts the airbag 18 in the initial stage of deployment. It is set in consideration of the height position of the shoulder S of each other. Specifically, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 1, when the occupant P moves forward toward the airbag 18 due to the sudden deceleration of the vehicle at the time of a frontal collision or a frontal collision prediction, The height position of the rear end portion 18A1 is set so that the side inclined surface 18A2 contacts from the left and right shoulder portions S of the occupant P to the chest portion B. In other words, when the occupant P first contacts the airbag 18 in the initial deployment (hereinafter referred to as “first contact”), the rear end portions 18A1 of the left and right restraint portions 18A are located on the left and right shoulder portions S of the occupant P. The shape of the airbag 18 is set so as to be positioned above. More specifically, the left and right restraint portions 18A are shaped so that the rear end portions 18A1 of the left and right restraint portions 18A reach above the scapula of the occupant P during the first contact. 2 indicates the center of the shoulder S of the occupant P in the front-rear direction.

  In the present embodiment, the bottom surface 18B1 of the central recess 18B of the airbag 18 is a virtual straight line VL connecting the front center of the head H of the occupant P and the front center of the chest B of the occupant P at the time of the first contact. The shape is set to follow. At the time of the first contact, the central recess 18B is shaped so that a slight gap is secured between the bottom surface 18B1 of the central recess 18B of the airbag 18 and the occupant P. That is, in this embodiment, before the bottom surface 18B1 of the central recess 18B comes into contact with the head H and the chest B of the occupant P, the lower inclined surface 18A2 of the left and right restraint portions 18A extends from the chest B of the occupant P to the left and right shoulders. The shape of the airbag 18 is set so as to contact over the upper surface of the part S.

  The shape of the airbag 18 as described above is, for example, the situation when the dummy comes into contact with the inflated airbag 18 in a frontal crash test of a vehicle using an American standard male dummy (so-called AM50). This can be confirmed by photographing with a high-speed camera or the like. Also, for example, the AM50 is seated on the passenger seat of the vehicle in the sitting posture defined by the side impact test method (ECE R95) currently employed in Japan and Europe and the side impact test method (FMVSS214) in the United States, This can be confirmed by inclining the upper body of the AM 50 forward with respect to the waist of the AM 50 and bringing it into contact with the airbag 18 with the airbag 18 inflated and deployed.

(Function and effect)
Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.
In the passenger seat airbag apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration, the inflator 16 generates gas at the time of a frontal collision or a frontal collision prediction of the vehicle. Thus, the airbag 18 is inflated and deployed in front of the passenger seat occupant P, and the left and right restraining portions 18A protrude from the rear end side of the airbag 18 to the vehicle rear side. Here, in the airbag 18, the left and right restraint portions 18 </ b> A are positioned on the left and right shoulder portions S of the occupant P in a state where the rear end portions 18 </ b> A <b> 1 of the left and right restraint portions 18 </ b> A are positioned above the left and right shoulder portions S of the occupant P. To the chest B, the shape is set. Therefore, the left and right restraint portions 18A can be brought into contact with the upper surface side of the shoulder portion S of the occupant, so that the first contact area of the airbag 18 with respect to the occupant P (the contact of the occupant P with the airbag 18 at the initial stage of deployment). The area (see symbol L1 in FIG. 1) can be enlarged. Accordingly, even when the occupant P behaves like tilting the upper body sideways, the behavior can be satisfactorily suppressed by the airbag 18. That is, in order to suppress the above-described behavior of the occupant P, it is effective to restrain the left and right shoulders S of the occupant P by the airbag 18, but in this embodiment, the left and right shoulders S are restrained. This is preferable because the first contact area of the airbag 18 is enlarged.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, before the bottom surface 18B1 of the central recess 18B of the airbag 18 contacts the head H and the chest B of the occupant P, the left and right restraint portions 18A are moved from the left and right shoulders S of the occupant P to the chest B. In contact. Accordingly, the forward speed of the occupant P is reduced, and thereafter, the head H and the chest B of the occupant P can be softly received by the central recess 18B. In addition, the code | symbol L2 of FIG. 1 has shown the length of the contact surface when the passenger | crew's P head H contacts the bottom face 18B1 for the first time.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the central recess 18B of the airbag 18 is formed so that the left and right restraint portions 18A contact the chest P of the occupant P from the left and right shoulders S to the chest B. The shape is set along an imaginary straight line VL connecting the center. Thereby, since the chest and the head of the occupant P are simultaneously or substantially simultaneously in contact with the central recess 18B, the neck of the occupant P can be prevented or suppressed from being bent due to the contact between the occupant P and the central recess 18B. . Thereby, the passenger | crew's P neck can be protected favorably.

  Further, in the present embodiment, in a state where the airbag 18 is inflated and deployed, the rear end portions 18A1 of the left and right restraint portions 18A are positioned on the center side in the vertical direction of the airbag 18, and the rear end portions 18A of the left and right restraint portions 18A. The left and right lower inclined surfaces 18A2 are inclined such that the lower side is directed downward as the vehicle is directed downward. Therefore, when the left and right restraint portions 18A come into contact with the occupant P, the left and right restraint portions 18A are positioned with the rear end portions 18A1 of the left and right restraint portions 18A positioned above the left and right shoulder portions S of the occupant P. The lower inclined surface 18A2 is in contact with the occupant P from the left and right shoulders S to the chest B. Thereby, the lower inclined surface 18A2 of the left and right restraint portions 18A can be satisfactorily brought into contact with the upper surface side of the left and right shoulder portions S of the occupant P.

  In the present embodiment, in the state where the airbag 18 is inflated and deployed, the left and right upper inclined surfaces are inclined such that the upper side of the rear end portion 18A1 of the left and right restraint portions 18A is inclined toward the front side of the vehicle toward the upper side. 18A3. Thereby, since the volume of the airbag 18 can be reduced, the airbag 18 can be inflated and deployed at an early stage.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, about the structure and effect | action similar to the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol as the said 1st Embodiment is provided, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a passenger seat airbag device 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The airbag device 30 for the passenger seat is basically configured in the same manner as the airbag device 10 for the passenger seat according to the first embodiment, but the configuration of the airbag 32 is related to the first embodiment. It is different from the airbag 18. The airbag 32 has basically the same configuration as the airbag 18 according to the first embodiment, but the left and right restraint portions 18A in the inflated and deployed state are rear end portions located on the center side in the vertical direction. The shape is set so that the upper side from 18A1 protrudes toward the vehicle rear side in the same manner as the rear end 18A1, and the head restraint 18A4 is formed above the rear end 18A1.

  In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the left and right restraint portions 18A1 of the inflated airbag 32 are positioned above the left and right shoulders S of the occupant P, and the left and right The lower inclined surface 18A2 of the restraining portion 18A comes into contact with the occupant P from the left and right shoulders S to the chest B. Therefore, the first contact area of the airbag 32 can be enlarged as in the first embodiment. In addition, since the upper side of the rear end 18A1 of the left and right restraint portions 18A is the head restraint portion 18A4 protruding to the vehicle rear side in the same manner as the rear end portion 18A1, the left and right restraint portions 18A are used as the head of the occupant P. It is possible to satisfactorily contact the upper end side of the side portion of the portion H. Thereby, the behavior of the head H of the occupant P can be satisfactorily suppressed.

<Supplementary explanation of the embodiment>
In each of the above embodiments, the bottom surface 18B1 of the central recess 18B of the airbag 18, 32 is a virtual straight line VL connecting the front center of the chest front of the occupant P and the center of the front of the head when the occupant P contacts the left and right restraint portions 18A. However, the invention according to claim 1 and claim 2 is not limited to this, and the shape of the central recess can be changed as appropriate.

  Moreover, in each said embodiment, before the center recessed part 18B of the airbags 18 and 32 contacts the passenger | crew's P head H and the chest B, the airbag 18 and the right-and-left restraint part 18A contact the passenger | crew P, However, the invention according to claim 1 is not limited to this, and the central recess and the left and right restraint portions may be configured to contact the occupant at the same time.

  In addition, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say, the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

10 Airbag device for passenger seat 18 Airbag 18A Restraint portion 18A1 Rear end portion 18A2 Lower inclined surface 18A3 Upper inclined surface 18B Central recess 30 Airbag device for passenger seat 32 Airbag P Passenger H Head S Shoulder B Chest H Head VL Virtual straight line

Claims (6)

A gas generator that operates to generate gas when a frontal collision of a vehicle or a frontal collision is predicted;
The gas generated by the gas generator expands and deploys forward of the passenger in the passenger seat, and the left and right restraint portions protrude from the rear end side toward the vehicle rear side, and the rear end portions of the left and right restraint portions are the left and right shoulder portions of the occupant. An airbag that is shaped so that the left and right restraining portions are in contact with the chest from the left and right shoulders of the occupant,
Air bag device for passenger seat equipped with   Between the left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state, a central recess recessed toward the vehicle front side is formed, and the left and right restraint portions before the center recess contacts the occupant's head and chest. The airbag device for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the airbag is set such that the airbag contacts an occupant.   3. The passenger seat according to claim 2, wherein the central recess is shaped so as to follow a virtual straight line connecting the front center of the chest and the front center of the head when the left and right restraints come into contact with the passenger. Airbag device.   The left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state are inclined so that a rear end portion is positioned at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the airbag, and a lower side from the rear end portion is directed toward the vehicle front side toward the lower side. The airbag device for a passenger seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the airbag device is a lower inclined surface.   The left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state are left and right upper inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the upper side from the rear end portion is directed upward toward the vehicle front side. Airbag device.   The airbag device for a passenger seat according to claim 4, wherein the left and right restraint portions in the inflated and deployed state are shaped so that the upper side of the rear end portion projects to the vehicle rear side in the same manner as the rear end portion. .

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