JP2017100552A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an air bag device capable of adjusting a development shape of the air bag according as a collision mode and the like of a vehicle.SOLUTION: An air bag device 10 comprises: a gas generator 16 generating gas by being activated; and an air bag 12 being disposed at a vehicle ahead side of a vehicle seat on which an occupant sits, and expanding and developing by gas generated by the gas generator 16 being supplied to an inside thereof. Further, the air bag device 10 comprises an upper side tether 18, a lower side tether 20, a right side tether 22 and a left side tether 24, parts of which are connected to the air bag 12. Furthermore, the air bag device 10 comprises a tether length adjustment unit 26 adjusting lengths to the parts of the upper side tether 18, the lower side tether 20, the right side tether 22 and the left side tether 24 according as at least one of a collision mode of a vehicle and an attitude of the vehicle while the other parts of the upper side tether 18, the lower side tether 20, the right side tether 22 and the left side tether 24 are being connected thereto.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag device.

  Patent Document 1 below discloses an airbag device including an airbag that is inflated and deployed on the front side of a seated occupant when a vehicle collides. The airbag described in this document includes a right shoulder bag portion and a left shoulder bag portion that are disposed to face the right shoulder and the left shoulder of a seated occupant, respectively, and an occupant's bag between the right shoulder bag portion and the left shoulder bag portion. And a recessed portion that is recessed with respect to the chest. The airbag is provided with tether means that can be pulled in a direction in which the right shoulder bag portion and the left shoulder bag portion are close to each other. The shape of the restraining surface of the airbag (the surface on which the occupant is restrained) is changed by adjusting the pulling margin of the tether means depending on whether the seated occupant is wearing the seat belt. ing.

JP 2011-195018 A

  By the way, in an airbag device provided with an airbag that is inflated and deployed on the front side of a seated occupant in the event of a vehicle collision, it is desirable that the deployment shape of the airbag can be adjusted in accordance with the vehicle collision mode and the like.

  In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain an airbag device capable of adjusting the deployment shape of an airbag according to a vehicle collision mode or the like.

  The airbag device according to claim 1 is disposed on the vehicle front side of a vehicle seat on which a passenger sits, and a gas generated by the gas generator is generated inside. An airbag that is inflated and deployed by being supplied, a connection part that is partially connected to the airbag, and another part of the connection part that is connected, And an actuator that adjusts the length of the connecting portion up to the part according to at least one of them.

  According to the airbag device of the first aspect, when the gas generated by the gas generator is supplied into the airbag, the airbag is inflated and deployed on the front side of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat. Here, according to the present invention, the actuator is operated based on at least one of the vehicle collision mode and the vehicle attitude. Thereby, the length from the actuator to the portion connected to the airbag at the connection portion is adjusted. As a result, the distance between the portion where the connecting portion is connected to the actuator in the airbag at the time of inflating and deploying and the actuator is adjusted, and the shape of the airbag at the time of inflating and deploying is adjusted according to the collision mode of the vehicle.

  The airbag device according to the present invention has an excellent effect that the deployment shape of the airbag can be adjusted in accordance with the collision mode of the vehicle.

It is a perspective view which shows the airbag etc. at the time of completion of inflation and deployment. It is a side view which shows the airbag etc. at the time of completion of inflation and deployment. It is a top view which shows the airbag etc. at the time of the completion of expansion | deployment at the time of a full wrap collision. It is a top view which shows the airbag etc. at the time of completion of expansion | deployment at the time of an offset collision.

  The airbag apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention using FIG.1 and FIG.2 is demonstrated. In addition, arrow FR, arrow UP, arrow LH, and arrow RH shown in the drawing respectively indicate the forward direction (traveling direction), the upward direction, the left direction, and the right direction of the vehicle. In the following description, the front / rear direction, the left / right direction, and the up / down direction will be described with reference to the front / rear direction of the vehicle, the left / right direction of the vehicle left / right direction (vehicle width direction), And

  As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag device 10 of the present embodiment is a passenger seat airbag device 10 including an airbag 12 that is inflated and deployed on the front side of the passenger seat. The airbag device 10 is disposed in the instrument panel 14 at a position facing the front passenger seat in the front-rear direction.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the airbag device 10 is inflated by a gas generating device 16 that generates gas when activated and a gas generated by the gas generating device 16 is supplied to the inside. And an airbag 12 to be used. Further, the airbag device 10 operates with the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22 and the left tether 24 as connecting portions connected to the airbag 12, thereby operating the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, A tether length adjusting device 26 as an actuator for adjusting the pull-out amounts of the right tether 22 and the left tether 24 is provided. Further, the airbag device 10 operates the tether length adjusting device 26 based on a signal input from a collision prediction device (not shown) and operates the gas generating device 16 when a vehicle collision (front collision) is detected. An airbag ECU (not shown) is provided.

  The gas generator 16 includes a gas generating agent and an ignition mechanism that ignites the gas generating agent. By igniting the gas generating agent, a high-pressure gas can be generated instantaneously. Then, the high pressure gas generated by the gas generator 16 is supplied to the inside of the airbag 12, so that the airbag 12 is stored between the instrument panel 14 and the occupant P as shown in FIG. It expands from a state to a deployed state.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag 12 is formed in a bag shape in which a portion to which the gas generator 16 is connected is opened. The state in which the airbag 12 is folded into a predetermined shape and stored in the instrument panel 14 (see FIG. 2) is referred to as a “stored state”, and the airbag 12 is inflated into a predetermined shape. Is referred to as “deployment completion state”. In addition, the airbag 12 includes a restraint surface 28 that is disposed to face the occupant P in the front-rear direction in the deployed state, and a right surface 30 and a left surface that extend from the right and left ends of the restraint surface 28 toward the front side, respectively. 32, and an upper surface 34 and a lower surface 36 that extend from the upper and lower ends of the restraining surface 28 toward the front side, respectively.

  The upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 are formed in a strip shape. The rear end side 18A of the upper tether 18 is connected to an intermediate portion in the left-right direction of the upper surface 34 of the airbag 12 in the deployed state. The rear end 18B of the upper tether 18 is located on the front side of the restraining surface 28. The front end portion of the upper tether 18 is connected to the tether length adjusting device 26, and the front end side of the upper tether 18 is stored by being wound around the tether length adjusting device 26.

  The rear end sides 20A, 22A, and 24A of the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 are intermediate portions in the left-right direction of the lower surface 36 of the airbag 12 in the deployed state in the same manner as the rear end side 18A of the upper tether 18. Are connected to an intermediate portion of the right surface 30 in the vertical direction and an intermediate portion of the left surface 32 in the vertical direction. The rear ends 20B, 22B, and 24B of the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 are located on the front side of the restraint surface 28, like the rear end 18B of the upper tether 18. The front ends of the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 are connected to a tether length adjusting device 26, and the front ends of the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 are tether lengths. It is stored by being wound around the adjusting device 26 or the like.

  As an example, the tether length adjusting device 26 is connected to the front end portions of the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24, respectively, and the upper tether 18, lower tether 20, right tether 22, and left tether. The front end side of 24 is each provided with four storage parts stored by winding up. The tether length adjusting device 26 operates the four storage units independently to adjust the storage amount of the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 in the storage unit. A quantity adjustment mechanism is provided. Then, based on a signal input to the airbag ECU from a collision prediction device (not shown), the airbag ECU activates the storage amount adjustment mechanism (activates the tether length adjustment device 26). Accordingly, the lengths of the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 that can be pulled out from the storage unit are adjusted. When the airbag device 10 is assembled (mounted in the vehicle), the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the right tether 22 and the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the left tether 24. Are set to the same length.

  In the present embodiment, the tether length adjusting device 26 operates based on the collision mode predicted by the collision prediction device and the attitude of the vehicle at the time of the collision. As an example, the collision prediction apparatus includes a collision prediction ECU, a millimeter wave radar, a camera, and the like. The millimeter wave radar is provided at the front end of the vehicle (for example, a grill). By transmitting a radio wave from the millimeter wave radar to an obstacle in front of the vehicle and receiving a reflected wave from the obstacle. The distance from the vehicle to the obstacle and the relative speed between the vehicle and the obstacle can be measured. The camera is provided on the inner side (cabin side) of the front windshield glass of the vehicle. This camera images the front side of the vehicle, and the shape and size of the obstacle on the front side of the vehicle can be measured by analyzing an image captured by the camera. Then, based on the information obtained from the millimeter wave radar and the camera, the collision prediction ECU predicts the collision mode of the vehicle and the attitude of the vehicle at the time of the collision.

(Operation and effect of this embodiment)
Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when a vehicle equipped with the airbag device 10 of the present embodiment collides frontward at a predetermined speed or higher, the gas generator 16 is activated and the airbag 12 is instantly inflated. The Thus, the upper body of the occupant P that has been inertially moved forward can be received by the airbag 12, and the kinetic energy of the occupant P can be absorbed by the airbag 12. The gas in the airbag 12 is gradually discharged through a vent hole (not shown).

  Here, when the collision prediction apparatus predicts that a vehicle including the airbag apparatus 10 of the present embodiment will collide with an obstacle, a prediction signal is input to the airbag ECU. Thus, the length of the tether length is set so that the airbag ECU has the same length as the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the right tether 22 and the length that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the left tether 24. The adjustment device 26 is activated. In the present embodiment, in the assembled state of the airbag device 10, the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the right tether 22 and the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the left tether 24 Are set to the same length, the tether length adjusting device 26 is not operated during a full lap collision. Thereby, in the full wrap collision, as shown in FIG. 3, the airbag 12 is inflated and deployed in a symmetrical shape in the vehicle plan view.

  Further, when the collision prediction device predicts that the occupant P moves obliquely forward due to an offset collision with an obstacle or the like of the vehicle including the airbag device 10 of the present embodiment, A prediction signal is input to the airbag ECU. Thereby, the airbag ECU adjusts the tether length so that the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the right tether 22 and the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the left tether 24 are different. The device 26 is activated. As an example, if it is predicted that the left front side portion of the vehicle will collide with an obstacle, the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion in the left tether 24 is The tether length adjusting device 26 is operated so as to be longer than the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion. As a result, when the left front portion of the vehicle has an offset collision with an obstacle, as shown in FIG. 4, the airbag 12 has a left-side portion 12 </ b> L with respect to the right-side portion 12 </ b> R in the vehicle plan view. Inflated and deployed into a shape located on the rear side.

  Further, when the collision prediction device predicts that the vehicle pitching amount (pitching amount toward the front side) when colliding with an obstacle is larger than a predetermined angle, the prediction signal is the airbag ECU. Is input. Thus, the airbag ECU adjusts the tether length so that the length of the upper tether 18 that can be pulled out from the storage portion is longer than the length of the lower tether 20 that can be pulled out from the storage portion. The device 26 is activated. Thereby, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the airbag 12 is inflated and deployed in a shape in which the upper portion 12U is located on the rear side with respect to the lower portion 12L in a vehicle side view.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the shape of the airbag 12 can be adjusted according to the vehicle collision mode and the attitude of the vehicle at the time of the collision. Thereby, the angle with respect to the passenger | crew P of the restraint surface 28 of the airbag 12 can be adjusted to a desired angle according to the collision form of a vehicle and the attitude | position of the vehicle at the time of a collision.

  In this embodiment, the length of the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 that can be pulled out from the storage unit is adjusted by the tether length adjusting device 26, so Although the example which adjusted the shape of the airbag 12 of the completion state was demonstrated, this invention is not limited to this. For example, in a configuration in which any one or two of the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 are provided, the length of the portion that can be pulled out from the storage portion of the tether May be adjusted to adjust the shape of the airbag 12 in the deployed state.

  In the present embodiment, the shape of the airbag 12 in the deployed state is adjusted by adjusting the storage amount (winding amount) of the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 in the storage unit. Although an example in which is adjusted is described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the restraint of a part of the upper tether 18, the lower tether 20, the right tether 22, and the left tether 24 may be released by the operation of the actuator, thereby adjusting the shape of the airbag 12 in the deployed state. .

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, although the example which applied this invention to the airbag apparatus 10 for passenger seats was demonstrated, this invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration similar to the airbag device of the present invention can be applied to an airbag device for a driver's seat. In this case, a center pad that is not rotationally displaced even if the steering wheel is operated (not rotated together with the steering wheel) is provided at the center portion of the steering wheel, and the airbag device in which the configuration of the present invention is applied to the center pad. May be provided.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications other than the above can be implemented without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Of course.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Airbag apparatus 12 Airbag 16 Gas generator 18 Upper tether 20 Lower tether 22 Right tether 24 Left tether 26 Tether length adjustment apparatus (actuator)

Claims (1)

A gas generator that generates gas by operating; and
An airbag which is disposed on the vehicle front side of a vehicle seat on which an occupant is seated and which is inflated and deployed by supplying gas generated by the gas generator;
A connection part partially connected to the airbag;
An actuator that is connected to another part of the connection part and adjusts the length of the connection part to the part according to at least one of a vehicle collision mode and a vehicle posture;
An airbag device comprising: