JP2014019418A - Air bag device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device for vehicle, which can eliminate variation of opening and closing timings of vent holes with a simple configuration without increasing cost or weight and therefore can achieve a stable performance in protecting an occupant.SOLUTION: In an air bag body 5, a development restricting member 16 is arranged so as to stretch between opposed parts 5c and 5c, and both end parts 16a of the development restricting member 16 are joined with an edge part of an opening of respective vent holes 5f so as to cover a high pressure gas inflow side. During an initial period of development of the air bag body 5, the development restricting member 16 deforms so as to close the vent holes 5f by a biasing force F1 of high pressure gas and during an intermediate period of development in which the air bag body 5 becomes almost fully opened, it deforms so as to open the vent holes 5f by a pressing force F2 of an occupant towards the air bag body 5.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag device that protects an occupant from an impact force at the time of a vehicle collision.

  In this type of airbag device, the airbag body is instantly deployed at the initial stage of deployment, and when the occupant enters the airbag body during the middle stage of deployment, high-pressure gas is discharged to the outside through the vent hole. A structure that reduces the impact force is adopted.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, the vent hole (37b) of the airbag (32) is closed by covering it with a restricting member (39) in the initial stage of deployment, and the restricting member breaks and opens the vent hole in the middle stage of deployment. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that the vent hole (5) of the airbag (1) is closed by sewing with a cloth piece (4) in the initial stage of deployment, and the cloth piece is peeled off in the middle stage of deployment. Discloses a structure in which a vent hole is opened. Further, in Patent Document 3, the opening / closing vent hole (22) of the airbag (10) is closed by the lid (60) in the initial stage of deployment, and the hanging strap (80) connected to the lid is loosened in the middle stage of deployment. A structure in which the hole (22) is opened is disclosed.

JP 2004-314739 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-329697 JP 2009-40260 A

  By the way, in each of the above-mentioned conventional patent documents, since it is necessary to close the vent hole by sewing a regulating member, a piece of cloth, a lid, etc. in any case, the number of work steps increases, the structure becomes complicated, and the cost increases. There is a problem that leads to an increase in weight.

  In addition, as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in the structure in which the regulating member is broken by the development pressure or the cloth piece is peeled off, it is difficult to set the breaking and peeling load, and the opening timing of the vent hole is likely to vary. There is a concern that stable occupant protection performance cannot be obtained.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional situation, and it is possible to eliminate variations in opening / closing timing of vent holes with a simple structure without incurring cost and weight increase, and thus stable occupant protection performance. It is an object to provide a vehicle airbag device that can be obtained.

The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag device including an inflator that generates high-pressure gas at the time of a vehicle collision, and an airbag body that expands into a predetermined shape when the high-pressure gas flows therein.
Vent holes are formed in opposing portions of the airbag body facing each other, and a deployment regulating member is disposed in the airbag body so as to span between the opposed portions. Are coupled to the opening edge of each vent hole so as to cover the high-pressure gas inflow side,
The deployment regulating member is deformed so as to close the vent hole by an urging force of high-pressure gas at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag body, and during the middle stage of deployment when the airbag body is substantially fully opened. It is characterized by being deformed so as to open the vent hole by the pressing force of the occupant on the main body.

  According to the airbag device of the present invention, the deployment regulating member is disposed between the opposing portions in the airbag body, and both ends of the deployment regulating member flow into the opening edge of each vent hole. The deployment regulating member is deformed so as to close the vent hole by the urging force of the high-pressure gas at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag body, and in the middle stage of deployment when the airbag body is substantially fully opened, The vent hole was deformed so as to be opened by the pressing force of the occupant who entered the airbag body.

  Since it comprised in this way, a vent hole can be closed in the initial stage of expansion | deployment, and the expansion | swelling and expansion | deployment of an airbag main body can be performed rapidly and instantaneously. As a result, the time required for inflation and deployment can be shortened, and as a result, the output of the inflator can be reduced while ensuring the necessary capacity of the airbag body.

  Further, in the middle stage of deployment, the deployment control member opens the vent hole by the pressing force caused by the occupant's entry receiving the flow of the expansion gas. As a result, the high-pressure gas in the airbag body is discharged to the outside, the impact force on the occupant can be reduced, and the occupant's restraining force can be increased.

  As described above, in the present invention, the opening / closing timing of the vent hole can be accurately controlled with a simple structure in which both ends of the development restricting member are joined to the opening edge of each vent hole so as to cover the high-pressure gas inflow side. Stable occupant protection performance can be obtained without causing problems of ups and weights.

It is a cross-sectional side view of the deployment state of the airbag apparatus of the motor vehicle by Example 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view of the deployment state of the airbag of the airbag apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the storage state of the said airbag apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating deployment operation | movement of the said airbag apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 to 4 are views for explaining a vehicle airbag apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an airbag device mounted on an automobile. The airbag device 1 is disposed on the passenger seat side of an instrument panel 3 disposed below the windshield 2, and an inflator 4 that generates high-pressure gas in the event of a vehicle collision and the high-pressure gas flow in. An airbag body 5 that inflates and expands into a predetermined shape, and an ECU 6 that operates the inflator 4 when a detected value from an acceleration sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, or the like at the time of a vehicle collision exceeds a set value. Yes.

  The inflator 4 is disposed in a storage box 9 that opens upward, and an upper case 10 in which a large number of gas ejection holes 10a are formed, and a lower case in which a high-pressure gas generating agent (not shown) is loaded. 11 has a structure in which the flange portions 12 and 12 are coupled to each other.

  The storage box 9 is housed in an opening 3a formed in the instrument panel 3, and is flanged to the peripheral edge of the opening 3a. In addition, a lid 14 that is opened by the inflation and deployment pressure of the airbag body 5 is disposed in the opening 3a.

  The airbag body 5 is stored in a folded state in the storage box 9, and when the inflator 4 is energized, the high-pressure gas generating agent is ignited, and the high-pressure gas generated thereby inflates and deploys into a predetermined shape. Specifically, it has the following structure.

  The airbag body 5 is made of a woven fabric and has a substantially triangular pyramid shape when viewed in a deployed state. Specifically, a substantially rectangular lower side portion 5a and an upper side portion 5b extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, substantially triangular left and right side portions 5c, 5c stitched to the upper and lower side portions 5a, 5b, It has a left side, a right side part 5c, and a rear side part 5d stitched to the upper and lower side parts 5a, 5b.

  A gas inlet 5e is formed at the front end of the lower side 5a, and the airbag body 5 is airtightly sandwiched between the flanges 12 and 12 of the inflator 4 at the periphery of the inlet 15e. Is fixedly connected to the inflator 4.

  Vent holes 5f and 5f each having a rectangular shape are formed in the left and right side portions (opposing portions) 5c of the airbag body 5 facing each other. Each of the vent holes 5f is for discharging high-pressure gas in the airbag body 5 to the outside when an occupant enters the expanded and deployed airbag body 5.

  Each of the vent holes 5f is formed so as to be positioned at the center in the front-rear direction and the center in the up-down direction of the left and right side portions 5c. Here, the vent hole 5f may be formed slightly closer to the occupant side from the center of the left and right side portions 5c. In such a case, it is possible to accelerate the closing time of the vent hole 5f due to the occupant falling down in the later stage of deployment, which will be described later.

  A deployment regulating member 16 is disposed in the airbag main body 5 so as to span between the left and right side portions 5c. The deployment regulating member 16 is made of a woven fabric like the airbag body 5 and is set to a length that allows the left and right side portions 5c to be pulled in tension when the airbag body 5 is inflated and deployed. ing.

  The left and right end portions 16a and 16a in the longitudinal direction of the development regulating member 16 are joined to the opening edge portions of the left and right vent holes 5f by sewing so as to cover the high-pressure gas inflow side. More specifically, the development restricting member 16 has a U-shaped cross section in which the front belt body 16b and the upper and lower belt bodies 16c and 16d are integrally formed, and the front belt body 16b and the upper and lower belt bodies 16c. 16d are sewn so as to surround the front edge and the upper and lower edges of the vent hole 5f. Thus, the deployment restricting member 16 is along the front opening edge of the vent hole 5f, in other words, has a shape that swells forward.

  The deployment regulating member 16 is deformed so as to close the left and right vent holes 5f by the urging force F1 of the high-pressure gas at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag body 5. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4A, at the initial stage of deployment when the occupant does not contact the airbag body 5, the deployment regulating member 16 is pushed rearward by the urging force F1 of the high pressure gas from the inflator 4. As a result, the upper and lower belts 16c and 16d are deformed so as to be pulled upward and downward, respectively, whereby the vent hole 5f is deformed into a slit shape, the opening area is reduced, and as a result, it is blocked.

  Further, during the middle deployment stage when the airbag main body 5 is in the fully open state, the vent hole 5f is deformed so as to be opened by the pressing force F2 of the occupant entering the airbag main body 5. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the occupant enters the airbag body 5, a forward pressing force F <b> 2 is applied, and this pressing force F <b> 2 causes the front belt body 16 b of the deployment regulating member 16 to move. By pushing forward, the deployment speed in the peripheral portion of the deployment restriction member 16 decreases, and the vent hole 5f is opened by returning to the original U-shape. At the same time, the pressure in the airbag body 5 is increased by the urging force F1 and the pressing force F2, the pressure difference between the airbag body 5 and the atmospheric pressure is increased, and the discharge of gas from the vent hole 5f is further promoted.

  Further, the deployment regulating member 16 is deformed to close the vent hole 5f by the occupant's pressing force F2 as the airbag body 5 contracts in the later stage of deployment of the airbag body 5. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the occupant falls down as the airbag body 5 contracts, the deployment regulating member 16 is pressed forward, and the upper and lower belt bodies 16c of the deployment regulating member 16 are pressed. , 16d are deformed so as to be pulled upward and downward in the same manner as described above, whereby the vent hole 5f is closed, and the pressure in the airbag body 5 is maintained.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the deployment regulating member 16 is disposed between the left and right side portions 5c in the airbag body 5, and the left and right end portions 16a of the deployment regulating member 16 are connected to the vent hole 5f. It was connected to the opening edge of the cover so as to cover the high pressure gas inflow side.

  Then, the deployment regulating member 16 is deformed so that the vent hole 5f is closed by the urging force F1 of the high-pressure gas at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag body 5, and in the middle stage of deployment when the airbag body 5 is substantially fully opened, The vent hole 5f is deformed so as to be opened by the pressing force F2 of the occupant who has entered the airbag main body 5, and the vent hole 5f is closed by the occupant pressing force F2 as the airbag main body 5 contracts in the later deployment stage. Was deformed.

  Since it comprised in this way, the vent hole 5f can be closed in the initial stage of expansion | deployment, and the expansion | swelling and expansion | deployment of the airbag main body 5 can be performed rapidly and instantaneously. As a result, it is possible to reduce the time required for inflating and deploying. As a result, it is possible to reduce the output of the inflator 4 while ensuring the necessary capacity of the airbag body 5, and to reduce the weight of the airbag device 1 as a whole. Miniaturization can be achieved.

  Further, in the middle of deployment, the pressing force F2 due to the occupant's entry receives the flow of the expansion gas, so that the deployment regulating member 16 returns to the original U-shaped cross section, thereby opening the vent hole 5f. As a result, the high-pressure gas in the airbag body 5 is discharged to the outside from the left and right vent holes 5f, so that the impact force on the occupant can be reduced and the restraining force of the occupant can be increased.

  Further, in the latter stage of deployment, the airbag body 5 is contracted by reducing the gas pressure, and the deployment regulating member 16 is deformed so as to be pulled upward and downward by the occupant's pressing force F2, thereby closing the vent hole 5f. It will be. Thereby, the pressure in the airbag main body 5 is maintained, and a secondary collision with the occupant's instrument panel 3 can be prevented. Here, when the output of the inflator 4 is reduced as described above, the reaction force of the airbag main body becomes extremely small at the later stage of deployment, and there is a concern that sudden deceleration may occur due to the secondary collision of the occupant. However, in the present embodiment, since the vent hole 5f is closed by the deployment regulating member 16 in the later stage of deployment, the above-mentioned concern can be avoided.

  In the present embodiment, since the left and right side portions 5c in the airbag body 5 are connected by the deployment restriction member 16, the deployment behavior of the airbag body 5 can be stabilized. In this case, since the deployment restricting member 16 has a U-shaped cross section having the front belt body 16b and the upper and lower belt bodies 16c, 16d, the airbag is compared with a case where a conventional general strip-shaped tether is provided. The deployment behavior of the main body can be further stabilized.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the left and right structures are simply constructed by simply coupling the deployment regulating member 16 to the left and right vent holes 5f of the airbag body 5 so as to cover the high-pressure gas inflow side. The opening / closing timing of the vent hole 5f can be accurately controlled, and stable occupant protection performance can be obtained without incurring problems of increased cost and weight.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the development restricting member 16 has a U-shaped cross section has been described. However, the development restricting member of the present invention is not limited to this, for example, a semicircular shape, a triangular shape, It may be polygonal. In short, any shape may be used as long as it covers the vehicle front side from the upper end to the lower end of the vent hole and has a bulge that bulges forward. In this case, the vent hole has a shape corresponding to the shape of the development restricting member.

  Moreover, in the said Example, although arrange | positioned so that the expansion | deployment control member 16 might be bridge | crossed between the left and right side parts 5c of the airbag main body 5, this invention is attached to the upper and lower side parts 5b and 5a of the airbag main body 5. In this case, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the airbag device is provided on the passenger seat side has been described. However, the airbag device of the present invention may be provided on the steering wheel on the driver's seat side, and also in this case, A substantially similar effect can be obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Airbag apparatus 4 Inflator 5 Airbag main body 5c Left and right side part (opposite part)
5f Vent hole 16 Deployment restriction member 16a Left and right end F1 urging force F2 pressing force

Claims (1)

In a vehicle airbag apparatus comprising an inflator that generates high-pressure gas at the time of a vehicle collision, and an airbag body that expands into a predetermined shape when the high-pressure gas flows in,
Vent holes are formed in opposing portions of the airbag body that are opposed to each other,
In the airbag main body, a deployment regulating member is disposed so as to span between the facing portions,
The development restricting member is coupled so that both ends thereof cover the high-pressure gas inflow side at the opening edge of each vent hole,
The deployment regulating member is deformed so as to close the vent hole by an urging force of high-pressure gas at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag body, and during the middle stage of deployment when the airbag body is substantially fully opened. A vehicle airbag device that is deformed so as to open the vent hole by a pressing force of an occupant on the main body.

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