JP2018171999A - Armrest - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an armrest which can protect an occupant from various collision forms, in which rotation of a head relative to an upper body may occur, quickly and securely by using airbags having small capacities.SOLUTION: An armrest 1 is attached to a seat 100 on which an occupant P of a vehicle is seated, the armrest 1 including: a pair of side parts 2 provided at left and right sides of the occupant P and extend in a fore and aft direction to be connected to the seat 100; a front part 3 provided in front of the occupant P and connecting the front sides of the side parts 2 in a lateral direction at least in use; and airbags 5 which expand from at least one of the side parts 2 and the front part 3 to the front and lateral sides of the occupant P. The airbags 5 support an upper body and a head of the occupant P during a collision.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an armrest, and more particularly, to an armrest that quickly and reliably protects an occupant from various types of collisions by using an airbag having a smaller capacity than that of a conventional one.

  Various airbags and the like have been developed to protect vehicle occupants, such as drivers. For example, a vehicle driver's seat airbag device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a main chamber that is deployed in front of the driver and a sub-chamber that is deployed to the side of the main chamber. It is possible to protect even when the driver moves diagonally forward.

JP 2016-199123 A

  However, for example, a front airbag deployed from a steering wheel is deployed from a member at a position away from the occupant, and thus there has been a demand for an improved restraining effect on the size of the airbag. That is, there is room for improvement in the arrangement and restraint of the airbag that reaches the seating area of the occupant for the first time after deploying a large-capacity airbag. At present, the armrest is not used as an occupant protection member or there are very few examples of use.

  In view of this, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to quickly and reliably protect an occupant from various collision modes in which a head rotation with respect to the upper body can occur using a smaller-capacity airbag than in the past. It is to provide an armrest that can be used.

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, an armrest according to the present invention is an armrest mounted on a seat on which a vehicle occupant is seated, and is provided in a pair on the left and right sides of the occupant and extends in the front-rear direction. A front part that is provided in front of the occupant and is connected to the front side of the side part at least during use, and is developed in front and side of the occupant from at least one of the side part and the front part. An airbag, and the airbag supports an occupant's upper body and head in the event of a collision.

  The armrest which concerns on this invention WHEREIN: It is preferable that an airbag regulates rotation of the head with respect to a passenger | crew's upper body.

  In the armrest according to the present invention, the airbag is preferably an airbag that is integrally deployed from the front to the side of the occupant.

  In the armrest according to the present invention, the airbag is preferably an airbag having an inclined surface that inclines outward in the seat width direction from the front to the side of the occupant.

In the armrest according to the present invention, the airbag is preferably an airbag that curves from the front to the side of the occupant.

  The armrest which concerns on this invention WHEREIN: It is preferable that an airbag has a connection part which connects the site | part developed by the passenger | crew's side by right and left.

  In the armrest according to the present invention, the airbag is preferably deployed between the side portion and the occupant and between the front portion and the occupant.

  According to the present invention, the airbag is deployed from the front portion disposed closer to the occupant than other members disposed in the vehicle, and the deployed airbag integrally connects the occupant's upper body and head. To support. As a result, even in a collision mode that can cause the head to rotate relative to the upper body, an armrest that can be quickly and reliably protected from a position close to the occupant using a smaller-capacity airbag than in the past. Can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a seat provided with an armrest according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a schematic side view showing the seat in a side view, and FIG. It is the plane schematic which shows a sheet | seat by planar view. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a seat provided with an armrest in a state where the airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention is deployed, and FIG. 2 (a) is a schematic side view showing the seat in a side view, FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view showing the sheet in plan view. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an armrest which is another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3A is a plan view showing a seat provided with an armrest having an airbag which is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view showing an armrest having an airbag according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(Basic embodiment)
An embodiment of an armrest according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
1 is a schematic diagram showing a seat 100 provided with an armrest 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1A is a schematic side view showing the seat 100 in a side view. 1 (b) is a schematic plan view showing the sheet 100 in plan view. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a seat 100 provided with an armrest 1 in a state where the airbag 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention is deployed, and FIG. 2A is a schematic side view showing the seat 100 in a side view. FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view showing the sheet 100 in plan view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the armrest 1 is attached to a seat 100 and includes a side portion 2, a front portion 3, a rear portion 4, and an airbag 5.

  A pair of the side portions 2 are provided on the left and right sides of the occupant P, and are cylindrical members that extend substantially parallel to the front-rear direction. The extending direction of the side part 2 may be substantially along the front-rear direction, and may be inclined to some extent vertically or horizontally with respect to the front-rear direction.

The front part 3 is a cylindrical member provided in front of the passenger P. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1A, the front portion 3 connects the front end portion side of the side portion 2 on the left and right sides at least during use as shown by the solid line. In the present embodiment, the front side of the side portion 2 and the front side are connected not only when in use but also when not in use, such as when the vehicle is parked and when the occupant P gets off the vehicle and leaves the seat 100. An integrated form of the part 3 is adopted.
In the present invention, the form of the front part is not particularly limited as long as it can accommodate and deploy an airbag described later, and it is sufficient that the front part is connected to at least one side of a pair of left and right side parts. It does not have to be connected so as to pass between the sections.

  The rear portion 4 is connected to the seat 100 and the rear end side of the side portion 2. In the present embodiment, the rear portion 4 is a shaft member that penetrates the seat back 101 in the left-right direction. The side portions 2 are connected to the left and right ends exposed from the seat back 101 of the rear portion 4, respectively. The rear portion 4 is fixedly attached to the seat frame 102 disposed in the seat back 101 so as to be immovable in the vehicle front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions.

The airbag 5 is accommodated inside the side part 2 and the front part 3 that are used as accommodation parts. The airbag 5 is a member that expands toward the passenger P. The deployment form and the like of the airbag 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 showing the airbag 5 in the deployed state.
As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag 5 includes a side airbag 51 provided at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of the side portion 2 and a front airbag 52 provided at a substantially central portion in the left-right direction of the front portion 3. .

The side airbag 51 is a member that expands toward the occupant P from the upper part of the side portions 2 on both the left and right sides, and includes a side airbag bag body 511 and a side inflator 512.
The side airbag bag body 511 is a bag body that extends substantially in the front-rear direction along the side portion 2, breaks the upper portion of the side portion 2 and bulges upward, and also has a substantially annular shape of the armrest 1. It develops inside the side part 2, that is, in a region where the pair of side parts 2 are opposed.
The side inflator 512 is a gas generating member provided inside the side part 2 and press-fits gas into the side airbag bag 511 by driving.

The front airbag 52 is a member that is deployed from the front portion 3 toward the occupant P, and includes a front airbag body 521 and a front inflator 522.
The front airbag bag body 521 is a bag body that extends from the front portion 3 to the upper front of the occupant P, ruptures the upper portion of the front portion 3 and bulges upward, and also has a substantially annular shape of the armrest 1. It develops from an inner part, that is, a part facing the occupant P of the front part 3.
The front inflator 522 is a gas generating member provided inside the front portion 3, and press-fits gas into the front airbag bag body 521 by driving.

  The side part 2 and the front part 3 are rotatable around a line connecting the connecting part between the rear part 4 and the seat back 101 on the left and right. A line connecting the connecting portions on the left and right sides is substantially parallel to and substantially coincides with the central axis of the rear portion 4, and the rear portion 4 functions as a hinge in this embodiment. Accordingly, the side part 2 and the front part 3 can be rotated upward when not in use to make it difficult for the occupant P to get in and out, and the side part 2 can be substantially parallel and parallel after the occupant P is seated in use. Thus, the side part 2 and the front part 3 can be rotated downward so that the occupant P can place the arm on the armrest 1.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the side portion 2, the front portion 3, and the rear portion 4 or the seat 100 incorporating the rear portion 4 form a substantially rectangular annular structure in plan view. Therefore, when the armrest 1 is used, the occupant P is surrounded. Thus, even when the vehicle interior is deformed and an intruder is generated in the vehicle interior during a forward collision, an oblique collision, a side collision, or the like, the armrest 1 is disposed between the intruder and the occupant. Therefore, the passenger P can be directly protected from the intruder. In particular, at the time of an oblique collision and a side collision, the door component member and the vehicle body component member tend to become intrusions into the vehicle interior. Even if the door component or the like is deformed to the vehicle interior side, the armrest 1 including the side portion 2 and the front portion 3 can be suppressed or prevented from directly hitting the occupant P.

  In the present embodiment, since the rear portion 4 is fixed to the seat frame 102, the position of the armrest 1 is not easily displaced due to an impact caused by a collision, and an intruder entering the vehicle compartment hits the armrest 1. Even if it exists, it can demonstrate the resistance against an intruder. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side part 2, the front part 3, and the rear part 4 are provided as rigid members. By having rigidity, the side part 2 and the front part 3 are not easily deformed to protect the occupant P even if the intruder comes into contact with each other at the time of a collision, which will be described later, and the rear part 4 It is difficult to detach from the sheet 100 when it contacts 2 etc.

  When the armrest 1 is applied to a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving or driving support system, the side portion 2 and the front portion 3 preferably have a shape on which an arm, a book, an electronic terminal, or the like of the occupant P can be placed or an easy shape. . Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the rear portion 4 employs a single shaft member, but the rear portion in the present invention may be divided and does not need to penetrate the seat back.

  As a method of using the airbag 5, the gas is injected into the side airbag bag body 511 and the front airbag bag body 521 by driving the side inflator 512 and the front inflator 522 at the time of collision or at the time of collision prediction. Thereby, each side bag 2 511 and the front airbag bag body 521 are deployed toward the occupant P from the side part 2 and the front part 3 by breaking each upper part of the side part 2 and the front part 3. .

  By deploying the side airbag bag body 511 and the front airbag bag body 521 toward the occupant P, the region between the side portion 2 and the front portion 3 and the occupant P can be filled with the airbag bag body. . Therefore, not only the direct protection function against the intruder by the substantially annular armrest 1 but also the occupant P can be more reliably protected by being restrained by the airbag 5 of the occupant P. The airbag 5 can be deployed from a position closer to the occupant P than an existing airbag such as a front airbag from the steering wheel and a curtain airbag from the vicinity of the roof. Protection is possible.

  Here, the protection mode of the passenger P by the airbag 5 will be described in detail.

  For example, when the seat 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a driver's seat and an oblique collision from the right side of the occupant P occurs without providing the airbag 5 in the present embodiment, the occupant P is indicated by a one-dot chain line from the posture shown by the solid line. It produces a behavior that changes to the posture shown. Specifically, since the right shoulder is restrained by the seat belt, the occupant P generates a substantially circular motion in which the left shoulder and the head swing rightward with the right shoulder as the center. When the behavior of the left shoulder and head of the occupant P has advanced to some extent, the upper body of the occupant P is normally restrained by a front airbag or the like that is deployed from a steering or the like. However, the head is swung forward from the upper body due to inertia. Even if only the upper body of the occupant P is restrained, if the head has a large displacement with respect to the upper body, the injury value of the head or the like may increase.

Even when the above-described upper body is not restrained first, there may be a case where a large difference in behavior between the head and the upper body occurs and the injury value increases.
For example, when the occupant P comes into contact with a region that is not the substantially central portion in the left-right direction of the front airbag from a steering or the like during an oblique collision, the head of the occupant P is fixed at the contact location. On the other hand, the upper body, which is heavier than the head, has a large inertia, so that the displacement in the oblique direction may not be stopped by contact with the airbag. As a result, due to the difference in behavior between the head that is in a substantially fixed state and the upper body in which the forward displacement is maintained, the head is caused to rotate relatively rapidly with respect to the upper body, and as a result The head of the passenger P causes a large displacement with respect to the upper body.

  The airbag 5 in the present embodiment is deployed forward and sideward of the occupant P, and supports the upper body and head of the occupant P in the event of a collision. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the occupant P is supported on the upper body by friction by rubbing the left and right shoulder portions against the pair of side airbags 51, and the head is on the upper body. Is supported by the side airbag 51 and the front airbag 52 that are deployed in the vicinity of the occupant P before being largely displaced independently.

  Furthermore, compared with a mode in which only a front airbag that is deployed in one direction from the steering is provided, in this embodiment, the side airbag 51 and the front airbag that are deployed so as to surround from the front side and the side side of the occupant P. By providing the bag 52, the upper body and the head of the occupant P can be restrained integrally. Thereby, since the substantially fixed state of only the head of the occupant P due to contact with the airbag is less likely to occur, the rotation of the head relative to the upper body of the occupant P can be restricted. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the injury value due to the rotation operation of the head.

Here, the modification of the armrest which concerns on this invention is demonstrated, referring FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing armrests 11 and 12 which are other embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 3A is a seat provided with an armrest 11 having an airbag 53 which is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view of the armrest 12 having an airbag 54 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In addition, about the member similar to embodiment shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, the same referential mark is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, an airbag 53 is provided instead of the airbag 5.
The airbag 53 has a curved airbag bag body 531 and a side inflator 532.
The curved airbag bag body 531 is a substantially plate-shaped curved airbag bag body that is integrally deployed from the front to the side of the occupant P. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 (a), the side portion 21 and the front portion 31 are the outer shape of the curved airbag bag body 531 in order to reliably support the curved airbag bag body 531 from the front and the side. It has a curved shape so as to follow. The side inflator 532 is provided on each of the pair of left and right side portions 21 and presses the gas into the curved airbag bag body 531 when driven.

  Compared with the case where the side airbag 51 and the front airbag 52 are divided, the airbag 53 is deployed on the front side of the occupant P without any gaps on the front side and the side side. Restraint is possible, and integral protection of the upper body and the head is realized.

  Note that the pair of side inflators 532 provided on the pair of side portions 21 can be quickly deployed when the drive is synchronized, and therefore effective when the movement due to the impact of the occupant P during a high-speed collision or the like becomes high speed. is there. Further, when the collision direction or the collision prediction direction is the side, the front body and the head of the occupant P are largely moved by driving the side inflator 532 in the direction in which the occupant P is moved by the impact first. The curved airbag bag body 531 can be inserted into.

Subsequently, FIG. 3B shows only the armrest 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, an airbag 54 is provided instead of the airbag 5.
The airbag 54 includes an airbag bag body 541 and a side inflator 542.
The airbag bag body 541 has a curved shape that unfolds integrally from the front to the side of the occupant P, like the curved airbag bag body 531, but is not a substantially plate shape but a curved tube shape. Or it is the form which piled up two or more cylindrical parts up and down. As shown in FIG. 3B, the airbag 54 includes a tether 6 that connects left and right portions of the airbag bag body 541 that are deployed to the side of the occupant. The tether 6 is an example of a connecting portion in the present invention, and is disposed at a position higher than the occupant's head.
The side inflator 542 is provided on each of the pair of left and right side portions 22 and presses the gas into the airbag bag body 541 when driven.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 (b), the airbag 54 is deployed without gaps in the front and sides on the front side of the occupant in the same manner as the airbag 53, so that the occupant can be restrained well, and the upper body and Integrated protection of the head is achieved.

  In addition, the airbag 54 having a tube-like laminated structure as compared with the airbag 53 is preferable because it is less likely to be bent and deformed even when a passenger contacts it. Furthermore, since the upper part of the airbag 54 is connected to the left and right by the tether 6, the airbag bag body 541 is not easily deformed to open to the left and right. That is, for example, when the occupant continues to press the airbag 54 forward or sideward, even if only the contact portion falls in the pressing direction and is deformed, the local force to be deformed by the tether 6 is dispersed. . Thereby, it is easy to maintain the shape when the airbag 54 is deployed.

  Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, in the present invention, as an airbag, for example, a form that is integrally deployed from the front to the side of the occupant, the rear from the front to the side of the occupant Any of a form having an inclined surface that inclines outward in the seat width direction and a form that is curved from the front to the side of the occupant may be used. An embodiment having a plurality of configurations of these forms is shown in FIG. 3, but even in these forms, sufficient support of the upper body and the head is possible especially when the occupant moves obliquely forward. Therefore, it is preferable because an effect of suppressing the head rotation with respect to the upper body of the passenger is obtained.

  As another modification, the side portion of the armrest according to the present invention may be integrated with the door trim at the side portion provided on the door side of the vehicle. In this case, the front part is divided into left and right parts when not in use, and the left and right side parts are connected to each other when in use. Further, the side portion on the door side does not rotate and becomes a fixing member.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment which applied the invention made | formed by this inventor was described, this invention is not limited by the description and drawing which make a part of indication of this invention by this embodiment. That is, it should be added that other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, and the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

1, 11 and 12: Armrest, 2, 21 and 22: Side part, 3, 31 and 32: Front part, 4: Rear part, 5, 53 and 54: Air bag, 51: Side airbag, 511: Side part Airbag bags, 512, 532 and 542: Side inflators, 52: Front airbags, 521: Front airbag bags, 522: Front inflators, 531: Curved airbag bags, 541: Airbag bags, 6 : Tether, 100: Seat, 101: Seat back, 102: Seat frame, P: Crew

Claims (7)

An armrest mounted on a seat on which a vehicle occupant is seated,
A pair of left and right sides of the occupant, extending in the front-rear direction and connected to the seat;
A front part that is provided in front of the occupant and connects at least the front side of the side part at the time of use;
An airbag that deploys to the front and side of the occupant from at least one of the side portion and the front portion, and
The airbag supports the upper body and head of the occupant during a collision,
Armrest. The airbag regulates rotation of the head relative to the upper body of the occupant;
The armrest according to claim 1. The airbag is an airbag that is integrally deployed from the front to the side of the occupant.
The armrest according to claim 1 or 2. The airbag is an airbag having an inclined surface that is inclined outward in the seat width direction from the front to the side of the occupant toward the rear.
The armrest in any one of Claims 1-3. The airbag is an airbag that is curved from the front to the side of the occupant.
The armrest in any one of Claims 1-4. The airbag has a connecting portion that connects left and right parts deployed on the side of the occupant,
The armrest in any one of Claims 1-5. The airbag is deployed between the side portion and the occupant and between the front portion and the occupant.
The armrest in any one of Claims 1-6.

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