JP2014015103A - Curtain airbag for vehicle and curtain airbag structure for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a curtain airbag for a vehicle and a curtain airbag structure for a vehicle, which enable a strap to securely connect to a vehicle and to generate large tension.SOLUTION: In a curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle, a junction site J at which an end 5b of a strap 5 is connected to the vehicle is set in a front terminal part T in the lengthwise direction of a curtain airbag body 4 formed in an outer shape configured to expand and inflate to cover a side window of the vehicle. The curtain airbag body comprises a protrusion part 14 protruding in the lengthwise direction of the curtain airbag body with the position of the junction site of the strap adjustable.

Description

  The present invention relates to a curtain airbag for a vehicle and a curtain airbag structure for a vehicle that can reliably connect a strap to a vehicle and can generate a large tension in the strap.

  In recent years, in order to more reliably prevent passengers from being released from the vehicle during a rollover, there has been a demand for further improvements in the performance of curtain air bags (improvement in the prevention of vehicle release). In order to meet this demand, various performances for preventing the vehicle from being released outside the curtain airbag have been verified. At present, it is known that the curtain airbag has a tendency to prevent the release of the curtain airbag from being nearer to the end than the center in the vehicle front-rear direction, particularly near the front end.

  Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known as techniques that take such problems into consideration. The “airbag device” disclosed in Patent Document 1 is directed to a curtain airbag that covers a side window portion of an automobile, in which a tension is applied to the airbag by a strap and the airbag is stably deployed. The airbag is deployed from above to below along the section. A strap connects the supported portion at the lower end on the front side of the airbag body and the support position of the front pillar. With the airbag body folded and stored on the roof side, the strap is stored along the front pillar. When the airbag is deployed, the supported portion moves from the initial position to the deployed position. The separation dimension between the support position and the deployment position in the deployed state is approximately equal to the separation dimension between the support position and the initial position in the stored state. The strap is coupled to the lower portion of the airbag body, and is disposed so as to be inclined upward toward the support position in the deployed state.

  The “vehicle occupant protection device” disclosed in Patent Document 2 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the vehicle. When an impact is applied to the side portion, the airbag is deployed downward from the roof side rail so that the inside of the side window is covered. In the curtain airbag device that is to be covered, an object is to ensure the restraint of the occupant by applying a longitudinal tension to the deployed airbag, and the front end portion and the rear end portion of the lower portion of the airbag are respectively front Provide front and rear tethers that connect to the pillars and rear pillars. The trim of the rear pillar includes a frame member fixed to the inner panel of the rear pillar. By utilizing the force with which the airbag is inflated and deployed downward, the rear tether is extended toward the vehicle interior along the frame member, so that the slack of the rear tether is absorbed and sufficient tension is provided. I am doing so.

JP 2003-291717 A JP 2006-151390 A

  The strap (tether referred to in Patent Document 2) is securely connected to the mounting location where the other end is set to a pillar or the like, with one end joined to the airbag body in the stowed state when the airbag is mounted on the vehicle. Must.

  However, in an actual airbag mounting operation, the other end of the strap may reach the mounting location due to accumulation of mounting tolerances of a plurality of mounting tabs that mount and support the upper end edge of the airbag body on the vehicle. Therefore, since the strap cannot be connected to the vehicle, there is a case in which the airbag cannot be mounted on the vehicle.

  If there is a margin in the strap length to prevent such problems, the strap will not be able to generate the necessary tension when the airbag is deployed and inflated, and the strap will loosen. There existed a subject that there exists a possibility that a passenger | crew restraint performance may not be ensured.

  The present invention was devised in view of the above-described conventional problems, and is capable of reliably connecting a strap to a vehicle and generating a large tension on the strap, and a curtain air bag for a vehicle. An object is to provide a curtain airbag structure for a vehicle.

  A curtain airbag for a vehicle according to the present invention is a strap whose tip is connected to a longitudinal end portion of a curtain airbag main body formed in an outer shape that covers and expands a side window of the vehicle. A curtain airbag for a vehicle, wherein the position of the joint portion of the strap is urged to be adjustable along the length direction of the curtain airbag body. A protruding portion is formed.

  The protruding portion is formed at the terminal portion of the curtain airbag main body and the periphery thereof, and the terminal portion approaches the length direction of the curtain airbag main body by folding up the lower end edge of the curtain airbag main body. It is preferable that the folded portion is formed and a holding portion that is formed at the folded portion and holds the folded state.

  It is desirable that the folded portion is formed by folding along a folding line that is inclined upward from the terminal portion toward the center with respect to the vertical direction of the curtain airbag body.

  It is preferable that the amount of protrusion of the protruding portion that protrudes in an adjustable manner is set by the inclination angle of the folding line.

  It is desirable that the holding portion is set so that the folded state is released by the deployment and inflation action of the curtain airbag body. The holding portion is preferably formed by sewing.

  The curtain airbag structure for a vehicle according to the present invention uses the above-described curtain airbag for a vehicle, and the curtain airbag main body that is in a stored state by winding or folding and that is expanded and inflated by an inflator gas that flows in the curtain airbag. The upper end edge of the main body is mounted and supported on the vehicle, and the tip end of the strap is connected to the vehicle and mounted on the vehicle.

  In the vehicle curtain airbag and the vehicle curtain airbag structure according to the present invention, the strap can be reliably connected to the vehicle, and a large tension can be generated in the strap.

1 shows a preferred embodiment of a vehicle curtain airbag and a vehicle curtain airbag structure according to the present invention; a storage state of a vehicle curtain airbag; and a state in which the vehicle curtain airbag in the storage state is mounted on a vehicle. It is a side view of the curtain airbag structure for vehicles. It is a front view which shows the unfolded state before vehicle mounting of the curtain airbag for vehicles shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of the vehicle curtain airbag shown in FIG. 2. It is an enlarged view which shows the folding | turning location and holding | maintenance part with which the curtain airbag for vehicles shown in FIG.2 and FIG.3 is equipped. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state in which the curtain air bag for a vehicle shown in FIG. 2 is deployed and inflated by an inflator gas that flows in. It is a front view of the unfolded state before vehicle mounting which shows the modification of the curtain airbag for vehicles shown in FIG.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a vehicle curtain airbag and a vehicle curtain airbag structure according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a side view of a vehicle curtain airbag structure 3 in a state in which the vehicle curtain airbag 1 according to the present embodiment is stored and a vehicle curtain airbag 1 in the storage state is mounted on a vehicle 2. Has been.

  In this embodiment, the curtain airbag 1 for vehicles is comprised from the curtain airbag main body 4 which expand | deploys by inflator gas, and the strap 5 which joined the base end 5a to this curtain airbag main body 4. As shown in FIG. The vehicle curtain airbag structure 3 refers to a state in which the vehicle curtain airbag 1 equipped with the inflator 6 and the like is mounted on the vehicle 2 and the tip 5 b of the strap 5 is connected to the vehicle 2.

  FIG. 2 is a front view showing a deployed state of the vehicle curtain airbag 1 according to the present embodiment before the vehicle is mounted, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of the vehicle curtain airbag 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a folding portion 7 and a holding portion 8 provided in the vehicle curtain airbag 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and FIG. 5 is a flow-in of the vehicle curtain airbag 1 shown in FIG. It is a front view which shows the state expanded and expanded by inflator gas.

  As is well known, the vehicle curtain airbag structure 3 is configured by mounting and supporting the vehicle curtain airbag 1 in the vehicle interior along the roof side rail 9 provided in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 2. The When the curtain airbag main body 4 of the vehicle curtain airbag 1 is mounted on the vehicle 2, the curtain airbag main body 4 is brought into a housed state by winding or folding.

  An inflator 6 is attached to the curtain airbag body 4. Due to the inflator gas that flows in by the operation of the inflator 6, the curtain airbag main body 4 is expanded and inflated from the upper side to the lower side along the side window 10 of the vehicle 2, thereby being seated on the side window 10 and the seat 11. Protect passengers by entering between them.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the curtain airbag body 4 is formed in an outer shape that is long in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 2 and wide in the vertical direction so as to cover and expand the side window 10. At the upper end edge of the curtain airbag body 4, mounting tabs 12 are arranged at appropriate intervals along the length direction, that is, along the vehicle front-rear direction. The curtain airbag main body 4 is mounted on the vehicle 2 with the upper end edge being mounted and supported on the vehicle 2 via the mounting tabs 12.

  A joint portion J where the strap 5 is joined is set at the end portion T in the length direction of the curtain airbag body 4, and the base end 5 a of the strap 5 is joined to the joint portion J. The strap 5 extends from the curtain airbag main body 4 in the stored state to the outside. In the present embodiment, the base end 5 a of the strap 5 is joined to the front terminal portion T on the front side of the vehicle 2 of the curtain airbag body 4. The tip 5 b of the strap 5 is connected to, for example, an A pillar 13 when the vehicle curtain airbag 1 is mounted on the vehicle 2.

  When the curtain airbag main body 4 is deployed and inflated, the strap 5 prevents the curtain airbag main body 4 from moving toward the vehicle interior from the side window 10 by this deployment and inflation action. 13 to prevent the occupant from releasing outside the vehicle.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, in the curtain airbag 1 for the vehicle according to the present embodiment, the position of the joint J of the strap 5 is along the length direction of the curtain airbag body 4. Thus, the projecting portion 14 is formed so as to be adjustable. The position of the joint portion J is set to the front of the vehicle 2 by the projecting portion 14 as compared to the case where the projecting portion 14 is not provided (in FIG. 3, the joint portion when not provided is indicated by Q). The required length of the strap 5 is shortened (indicated by dimension D in FIG. 3). In other words, the length of the curtain airbag body 4 is apparently extended by the protruding portion 14.

  The protruding portion 14 includes a front end portion T of the curtain airbag main body 4 and a folded portion 7 formed in the periphery thereof, and a holding portion 8 that is formed at the folded portion 7 and holds the folded state. The folded portion 7 is formed by folding the curtain airbag body 4 at least once between the attachment tab 12x of the attachment tab 12 located at the forefront of the vehicle in the front-rear direction and the joint portion J of the strap 5. .

  The folding portion 7 is folded at the front terminal so that the curtain airbag body 4 is lifted up at the front terminal portion T of the curtain airbag body 4 and its periphery, and the lower edge of the curtain airbag body 4 is slightly pushed up. The part T or the like is folded. Thereby, the front terminal part T in which the joint location J is set is pushed out in the length direction of the curtain airbag main body 4.

  Specifically, the turn-back portion 7 where the front terminal portion T projects toward the front of the vehicle 2 is directed from the front terminal portion T toward the center of the curtain airbag body 4 in the longitudinal direction with respect to the vertical direction of the curtain airbag body 4. Thus, it is formed by folding along an upwardly inclined folding line L. As a result, the protruding portion 14 is formed to reliably protrude toward the front of the vehicle 2.

  The amount of protrusion of the protrusion 14 toward the front of the vehicle 2 is large when the inclination angle θ of the folding line L is set large with respect to the horizontal, and is small when it is set small. In this way, by setting the inclination angle θ variously, the protruding portion 14 capable of adjusting the protruding amount is formed.

  The holding unit 8 holds the folded state of the folded portion 7, and thereby the protruding portion 14 is maintained. In the present embodiment, the holding portion 8 is configured by sewing to sew the folded portion 7. In the illustrated example, the sewing is provided along the folding line L and the folding edge 7a. The portion to be sewn is not limited to this, and may be set appropriately.

  The holding part 8 is set so that the holding in the folded state is released by the deployment and inflation action of the curtain airbag body 4. As a result, the folded-back portion 7 and thus the protruding portion 14 are maintained in the first half of the deployment and expansion of the curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle, and disappears in the second half of the deployment and inflation. In the case of sewing, a thread that breaks when the curtain airbag body 4 is deployed and inflated is employed.

  The holding portion 8 is not limited to sewing, and may be configured by a joining means such as adhesion or welding. Even in the case of such joining means, the joining strength is set so that the holding is released by the deployment and inflation of the curtain airbag body 4.

  Next, the operation of the vehicle curtain airbag 1 and the vehicle curtain airbag structure 3 according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base end 5 a of the strap 5 is joined to the joint J set in the curtain airbag body 4 at the stage of manufacturing the curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the protruding portion 14 is formed by folding the curtain airbag body 4 at the folded portion 7 and holding the folded portion 7 with the holding portion 8.

  As a result, the joint J of the strap 5 is pushed out along the length direction of the curtain airbag body 4. As described above, the vehicle curtain airbag 1 according to this embodiment is manufactured.

  When the vehicle curtain airbag 1 is mounted on the vehicle 2, the curtain airbag main body 4 with the inflator 6 attached is wound or folded to bring the vehicle curtain airbag 1 into the storage state. At this time, the strap 5 extends outward from the vehicle curtain airbag 1 in the housed state.

  The curtain airbag body 4 is attached and supported along the side window 10 through the attachment tab 12 provided at the upper edge. Further, the tip 5 b of the strap 5 is connected to the A pillar 13. At this time, the curtain airbag body 4 is apparently extended in length by the protruding portion 14. Therefore, the strap 5 is connected to the A pillar 13 of the vehicle 2 without being short in length. As described above, the vehicle curtain airbag 1 is mounted on the vehicle 2 and the vehicle curtain airbag structure 3 is configured.

  When an impact occurs due to the collision of the vehicle or the like, the inflator 6 is activated, and the inflator gas flows into the curtain airbag main body 4, whereby the vehicle curtain airbag 1 has a side window as shown in FIG. 10 expands and expands from above to below.

  In the first half of the expansion and expansion, the holding portion 8 holds the folded portion 7 and the protruding portion 14 is maintained. In the latter half of the subsequent expansion, the sewing thread breaks, and the holding of the folded portion 7 by the holding portion 8 is released. Thus, the length of the curtain airbag body 4 that is apparently extended is the original length. It will return to length. Thereby, the protrusion part 14 disappears, the distance between the A pillar 13 and the front terminal part T is widened, and the strap 5 is more than when the protrusion part 14 is maintained by the holding part 8. Even greater tension is generated.

  In the vehicle curtain airbag 1 and the vehicle curtain airbag structure 3 according to the present embodiment described above, the position of the joint J of the strap 5 on the curtain airbag body 4 is the length of the curtain airbag body 4. Since the protruding portion 14 is formed so as to be adjustable in the vertical direction, the tip 5b of the strap 5 is attached to the A pillar 13 if the strap 5 has a length set under the condition that the protruding portion 14 is not provided. It can be reliably connected.

  Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of problems such as the vehicle curtain airbag 1 cannot be mounted on the vehicle 2 because the strap 5 cannot be connected. Further, the length of the strap 5 can be shortened by the protruding portion 14.

  Since there is no need to allow the strap 5 to have a sufficient length, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience that the strap 5 becomes loose when the curtain airbag body 4 is deployed and inflated. Occupant restraint performance can be ensured.

  Since the projecting portion 14 is formed in the curtain airbag body 4 itself, the curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle can be produced with no need for additional parts, good workability and low cost. . Since the projecting portion 14 is constituted by the folded-back portion 7 and the holding portion 8, the curtain airbag body 4 can be provided with the projecting portion 14 with a very simple configuration.

  Since the folding portion 7 is formed by folding along the folding line L that is inclined upward from the front terminal portion T toward the center with respect to the vertical direction of the curtain airbag body 4, the protruding portion 14 is formed on the curtain airbag body 4. It can be reliably pushed out in the length direction. By setting the inclination angle θ of the folding line L, the amount of protrusion of the protrusion 14 can be adjusted very easily.

  Since the holding portion 8 is set so that the folded state is released by the deployment and inflation action of the curtain airbag body 4, the holding portion 8 is apparently extended by the protruding portion 14 when the folded portion 7 is released. The length of the curtain airbag body 4 returns to the original length and becomes shorter.

  Thereby, when the curtain airbag body 4 is deployed and inflated, a large tension can be generated in the strap 5 connecting the curtain airbag body 4 and the A pillar 13, and the vehicle can be moved from the side window 10 by the deployment and inflation action. The curtain airbag main body 4 can be appropriately prevented from moving indoors, and excellent occupant release prevention performance can be ensured.

  In particular, when the length of the strap 5 is set to be short in correspondence with the formation of the protruding portion 14, the curtain airbag body 4 and the A pillar 13 that return to the original length by releasing the holding portion 8 In the meantime, a large tension can be generated in the strap 5 and a high occupant restraint performance can be exhibited. Since the holding portion 8 is formed by sewing, the holding portion 8 can be easily provided by a light work such as a temporary sewing.

  FIG. 6 shows a modification of the above embodiment. In this modification, in addition to providing the strap 5 from the curtain airbag body 4 forward in the vehicle front-rear direction, an additional strap 15 is provided rearward. Other configurations are the same as those in the above embodiment. Even in this case, the additional protruding portion 14 may be formed in the rear terminal portion T1 in the same manner as the protruding portion 14 is formed in the front terminal portion T.

  Of course, instead of joining the strap 5 to the front terminal portion T, the strap 15 may be joined only to the rear terminal portion T1. Even in such a modification, it is needless to say that the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  The vehicle curtain airbag and the vehicle curtain airbag structure described above are preferable examples of the present invention, and other exemplary 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.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Curtain airbag for vehicles 2 Vehicle 3 Curtain airbag structure for vehicles 4 Curtain airbag main body 5 Strap 5b Tip 7 Folding part 8 Holding part 10 Side window 13 A pillar 14 Projecting part J Strap joining part L Folding line T Front Terminal part T1 Rear terminal part θ Inclination angle of fold line

Claims (7)

A curtain airbag for a vehicle in which a joint portion of a strap whose tip is connected to the vehicle is set at a longitudinal end portion of a curtain airbag body formed to have an outer shape that covers and expands a side window of the vehicle Because
A curtain airbag for a vehicle, characterized in that a protruding portion is formed on the curtain airbag body so that the position of the joining portion of the strap can be adjusted along the length direction of the curtain airbag body. .   The protruding portion is formed at the terminal portion of the curtain airbag main body and the periphery thereof, and the terminal portion approaches the length direction of the curtain airbag main body by folding up the lower end edge of the curtain airbag main body. The curtain airbag for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle curtain airbag is configured by a folded portion to be put out and a holding portion that is formed at the folded portion and holds the folded state.   The vehicular curtain according to claim 2, wherein the folded portion is formed by folding along a folding line that is inclined upward from the terminal portion toward the center with respect to the vertical direction of the curtain airbag main body. Airbag.   The vehicular curtain airbag according to claim 3, wherein an amount of the projecting portion projecting in an adjustable manner is set by an inclination angle of the fold line.   The curtain air bag for a vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the holding portion is set such that the folded state is released by a deployment and expansion action of the curtain airbag main body.   The vehicular curtain airbag according to claim 5, wherein the holding portion is formed by sewing.   The curtain airbag body according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the curtain airbag body is deployed and inflated by an inflator gas that is stored and retracted by winding or folding. A curtain airbag structure for a vehicle, wherein the upper end edge of the strap is mounted and supported on the vehicle, and the tip of the strap is connected to the vehicle and mounted on the vehicle.

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