JP2019059381A - Fur side airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve crewman protection performance in such a manner that an air bag is so made as to be hard to be moved even if an external force is added thereto by a crewman.SOLUTION: A fur side airbag device expands and inflates an air bag 50 between adjacent vehicle seats according to an impact which is added to one side wall part of a vehicle from a lateral side or an oblique front side. An upper tether 62 and a lower tether 63 are located between the air bag 50 and a seat frame 21 in the vehicle seat which is far from the side wall part to which an impact is added. One end 62a, 63a of each tether 62, 63 is combined with a crewman side cloth part 52 of the air bag 50 on a side closer to a crewman in a width direction of the vehicle seat. The other end 62b, 63b of each tether 62, 63 is combined with a part separated to a side frame part 23 side which is far from a side frame 24 closer to the side wall part to which an impact is added.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

  The present invention deploys and inflates an air bag between adjacent vehicle seats when an impact is applied to a side wall of a vehicle or the like from the side or diagonally front side, thereby providing a side far from the side wall The present invention relates to a far-side airbag device that receives an occupant seated on a vehicle seat with an airbag and protects the occupant from impact.

  Among vehicles in which a plurality of vehicle seats are arranged in parallel in the vehicle width direction, there are vehicles in which a far side airbag device is mounted. This type of air bag apparatus comprises an air bag and a gas generator disposed in the air bag. These air bags and gas generators are incorporated, for example, on the side of the vehicle seat closer to the next vehicle seat.

  Then, when an impact is applied from one side to one side wall portion of the side door or the like of the vehicle due to a side collision or the like, the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat far from the side wall portion receives the impact due to inertia. Try to move to the added side wall side. On the other hand, an inflation gas is generated from the gas generator in response to the impact, and is supplied to the air bag. The inflation gas causes the air bag to expand and inflate between adjacent vehicle seats, thereby suppressing the movement of the occupant.

  As one form of the above-mentioned far-side airbag device, one described in Patent Document 1 further includes an occupant side strap. One end of the occupant-side strap is coupled to an occupant-side cloth portion that constitutes a portion of the airbag that is closer to the occupant in the vehicle width direction. The other end of the occupant side strap is coupled to a side frame portion of the pair of side frame portions of the seat frame in the seatback, which is closer to the side wall portion to which an impact is applied.

  According to the above-mentioned far-side airbag device, the occupant-side strap is pulled by the deploying and inflating airbag, and becomes in tension between the occupant-side cloth portion and the side frame portion. For the air bag, a tension is applied through the occupant side strap to pull it toward the side frame portion side. Therefore, when the airbag receives an external force from the occupant who is about to move, a force (reaction force) in a direction to cancel the external force is generated by the occupant side strap to make the airbag difficult to move and protect the occupant from impact. It is possible.

JP, 2016-215868, A

  However, in the far-side airbag device of Patent Document 1 in which the occupant side strap is coupled to the side frame portion closer to the side wall portion of the seat frame, the direction of tension of the occupant side strap cancels the external force. It is very different from the direction. Therefore, it is difficult for the occupant side strap to generate a large reaction force in the direction of canceling the external force. Therefore, there is a limit to making the air bag hard to move.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it difficult for the airbag to move even when an external force is applied by the occupant, and to improve the occupant protection performance. It is in providing an apparatus.

  A far-side airbag device that solves the above-mentioned problems includes an airbag in which a plurality of vehicle seats are fixed to a vehicle arranged side by side in the width direction of a passenger vehicle seat, and one of a pair of side wall portions in the vehicle An inflation gas supplied to the airbag in response to an impact applied from the side or diagonally front side, and the airbag is deployed and inflated between adjacent vehicle seats. A seat frame in which both side portions in the width direction are formed by side frame portions is disposed in the seat back of the vehicle seat, and the vehicle remote from the airbag and the side wall portion to which the impact is applied. A tether is disposed between the seat and the seat frame, and one end of the tether is one of the airbags of the airbag. The side frame portion is connected to the occupant side cloth portion closer to the occupant in the direction, and the other end portion of the tether is remote from the side frame portion near the side wall portion to which the impact is applied in the vehicle seat. Bonded to the side away.

  According to the above configuration, when an impact is applied to the side wall of one side of the vehicle from the side or obliquely from the front side, the occupant tries to move to the side wall on which the impact is applied by inertia. On the other hand, the inflation gas is supplied to the air bag, and the air bag expands and expands between adjacent vehicle seats. The tethers are pulled by the deploying and inflating air bags, and the tethers become tensed between the tether joining points on the occupant side cloth portion and the tether joining points on the vehicle seat. For the air bag, tension is applied through the tether to pull it toward the vehicle seat. Therefore, when the airbag receives an external force from the occupant who is about to move, a force (reaction force) in the direction to cancel the external force is generated by the tether.

  Here, the other end of the tether is coupled to a part of the vehicle seat remote from the side frame near the side wall to which the impact is applied to the side frame far. Therefore, compared with the case where the other end of the tether is coupled to the side frame portion close to the side wall to which the impact is applied, the direction of tension of the tether approaches the direction to cancel the external force and occurs as a force canceling the external force. Reaction force increases. As a result, even if an external force is received from the occupant, the air bag does not move easily, and the movement of the occupant toward the side wall portion to which the impact is applied is suppressed.

  In the above-mentioned far-side airbag device, at least a portion of the tether is constituted by an upper tether, and one end of the upper tether is coupled to the upper portion of the occupant side cloth portion, and the other end of the upper tether is The part is a part of the vehicle seat separated from the side frame part close to the side wall part to which the impact is applied to the side frame part side far from the side frame part and is connected to a part higher than the shoulder part of the occupant preferable.

According to the above configuration, when an impact is applied to one side wall of the vehicle from the side, the upper part of the deployed and inflated air bag receives an external force from the head of the occupant who tends to fall to the side wall. .
However, as the air bag inflates, the upper tether is pulled, and the upper tether is in tension between the upper portion of the occupant side cloth portion to which the upper tether is joined and the joining position of the upper tether in the vehicle seat. Become. A tension is applied to the upper portion of the airbag to pull it toward the vehicle seat side through the upper tether.

  Here, the other end of the upper tether is joined to the vehicle seat at a position satisfying the above conditions, so that the direction of the tension of the upper tether approaches the direction for canceling the external force, and the force for canceling the external force The reaction force that occurs is increased. Therefore, even if an external force is applied from the head to be fallen down, the upper part of the air bag does not move easily, and the fall of the head to the side wall side to which an impact is applied is restricted.

  In the above-mentioned far-side airbag device, the seat frame includes an upper back plate extending in the width direction at an upper portion of the seat frame, and the other end of the upper tether is coupled to the upper back plate. Is preferred.

  According to the above configuration, when the seat frame includes the upper back plate, the upper back plate is used as a coupling point of the other end of the upper tether. Therefore, it is not necessary to newly provide the vehicle seat with the joining point at the other end of the upper tether.

  In the above-mentioned far-side airbag device, the airbag includes, in addition to the occupant side cloth portion, an opposite occupant side cloth portion far from the occupant in the width direction, the occupant side cloth portion and the opposite occupant side cloth portion In the occupant side cloth portion and the non-occupant side cloth portion, the peripheral edge portions are joined to each other, and in the area surrounded by the peripheral edge joint portion in the occupant side cloth portion and the non-occupant side cloth portion, They are joined together in a state of being in contact with or in proximity to each other by a thickness restricting portion, and are sandwiched between the peripheral binding portion and the thickness restricting portion between the occupant side cloth portion and the opposite occupant side cloth portion. The area constitutes an inflating portion which is supplied with an expanding gas to expand and inflate, and a portion of the inflating portion which is above the thickness restricting portion and which becomes a side of the head of the occupant is a head A protective expansion portion, and the upper The one end of the sleeve is connected to the occupant side cloth portion in the head protection expansion portion, and the expansion portion is bent when the upper tether is in tension. It is preferable to be configured to be bent toward the occupant side from the line.

  In the upper body of the occupant, the shoulders project to both sides in the width direction than the head. Therefore, when the air bag is inflated, the shoulders come in contact with the air bag, and there is a possibility that the head may fall to the side wall side to which an impact is applied due to the gap between the head and the air bag.

  However, the occupant side cloth portion and the non-occupant side cloth portion are in contact with or close to each other in the region joined by the thickness restricting portion, and are recessed in the width direction than the inflatable portion. When the shoulder portion of the occupant gets into this recessed area, the gap between the head and the head protection expansion portion on the side becomes smaller, and the head is less likely to fall to the side wall portion to which the impact is applied.

  Furthermore, the upper tether is pulled by the inflating air bag, and the upper tether is formed between the occupant side cloth portion in the head protection expansion portion to which the upper tether is joined and the joining position of the upper tether in the vehicle seat. I am tense. A tension is applied through the upper tether to pull the head protection inflation portion toward the vehicle seat side. The head protection inflating portion is bent toward the occupant side from the bending line in the inflating portion by this tension, and the gap between the head protection inflating portion and the head is further reduced. Therefore, the head is less likely to fall to the side wall side to which the impact is applied.

  In the above-mentioned far-side airbag device, the tether includes a lower tether in addition to the upper tether, and the airbag is attached to a side frame portion close to the side wall to which the impact is applied, and one end of the lower tether The lower portion is coupled to the lower portion of the occupant side cloth portion below the upper tether, and the other end of the lower tether is a side frame portion close to the side wall portion to which the impact is applied in the vehicle seat. It is preferable to be separated at the side frame part side far from it, and to be joined to a lower position than the attachment point to the said side frame part of the said airbag.

  According to the above configuration, when an impact is applied to one of the side walls of the vehicle from the diagonally front side, the occupant tends to move to the side wall. An external force is applied to the lower part of the deployed and inflated air bag from the occupant diagonally upward to the rear. Due to this external force, the air bag is supposed to rotate obliquely upward and backward with the point attached to the side frame portion as a fulcrum.

  However, the inflatable airbag pulls the lower tether in addition to the upper tether, and between the lower portion of the occupant-side cloth portion to which the lower tether is joined and the lower tether connecting point in the vehicle seat, the lower portion The tether is in tension. For the lower part of the airbag, a tension is applied through the lower tether to pull the lower part and the vehicle seat side. Therefore, the diagonally upward and backward rotation (falling down) with the mounting point of the air bag as a fulcrum is restricted.

  Here, the other end of the lower tether is joined to a portion of the vehicle seat where the above conditions are satisfied, so that the direction of the tension of the lower tether approaches the direction in which the external force is canceled and the external force is canceled. The reaction force that occurs is increased. Therefore, the lower portion of the air bag does not easily move even when receiving an external force from the occupant who is moving toward the oblique front side, and the movement of the occupant toward the oblique front side is restricted.

  In the far-side airbag device, the seat frame includes a lower back plate extending in the width direction and connecting lower portions of both side frame portions, and the other end of the lower tether is the lower back plate. It is preferable that it is couple | bonded.

  According to the above configuration, when the seat frame includes the lower back plate, the lower back plate is used as a coupling point of the other end of the lower tether. Therefore, it is not necessary to newly provide the vehicle seat with the joining point of the other end of the lower tether.

  According to the above-mentioned far-side airbag device, even if an external force is applied by the occupant, the airbag can be made difficult to move, and the occupant protection performance can be enhanced.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment embodied in the far-side airbag apparatus for vehicles, and is a partial top view of the vehicle by which the same airbag apparatus was mounted. In one embodiment, a side view showing a vehicle seat provided with a far-side airbag device together with a passenger. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In one embodiment, the top view which shows the positional relationship of a vehicle seat, an airbag, a passenger | crew, and a side wall part. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vehicle seat, an airbag, an occupant, and a side wall in one embodiment as viewed from the front of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a partial plan sectional view showing the internal structure of the side of a seat back in which an airbag module is incorporated. In one embodiment, a side view of an airbag module with the airbag deployed and uninflated. FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing an internal structure of the air bag module of FIG. 6; The disassembled perspective view shown in the state which each expanded the airbag in one Embodiment, the upper tether, and the lower tether in planar shape. In one embodiment, the perspective view explaining the attachment point to the seat frame of the upper tether and the lower tether. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 6; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 6; FIG. 11 is a view for explaining an operation when an impact is applied to a side wall of a vehicle from the side in one embodiment, and is a flat cross-sectional view of an airbag module corresponding to FIG. 10. It is a figure explaining an effect | action when an impact is added to the side wall part of a vehicle from diagonally front side, and is a side view of the airbag module corresponding to FIG.

Hereinafter, one embodiment embodied in a far-side airbag device for a vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following description, the forward direction of the vehicle is referred to as the front, and the reverse direction is referred to as the rear. Further, the vertical direction means the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the horizontal direction is the width direction (vehicle width direction) of the vehicle, which coincides with the horizontal direction when the vehicle is moving forward. Furthermore, in order to define the vehicle width direction, the side approaching the occupant may be referred to as the “occupant side” with respect to the occupant, and the side away from the occupant may be referred to as the “non-occupant side”. Further, it is assumed that an occupant having the same physical size as a dummy for a collision test is seated on the vehicle seat.

  As shown in FIG. 1, both side portions in the vehicle width direction of a vehicle 10 as a vehicle are configured by side wall portions 11 and 12 including a door, a pillar, and the like. A pair of vehicle seats 13 and 14 are arranged in the vehicle width direction as a vehicle seat for the front seat at the front of the cabin (vehicle cabin) of the vehicle 10. The vehicle seat 13 on the side closer to the side wall portion 11 functions as a driver's seat, and the occupant P1 is seated here. The vehicle seat 14 on the side closer to the side wall portion 12 functions as a front passenger seat, and the occupant P2 is seated here. The vehicle seats 13 and 14 have the same configuration.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that an impact due to a collision is applied to one side wall portion 12. The occupant protected by the far-side airbag device is the occupant P1 seated on the vehicle seat 13 far from the side wall 12 to which the impact is applied. Therefore, only one vehicle seat 13 will be described here, and the description of the vehicle seat 14 will be omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the vehicle seat 13 includes a seat cushion 15, a seat back 16 and a headrest 17. The seat cushion 15 is attached to a rail 18 (see FIG. 9) installed on the floor of the vehicle body so as to be adjustable in the longitudinal direction. The seat back 16 is erected in an inclined state so as to be positioned rearward from the rear of the seat cushion 15 toward the upper side, and the inclination angle can be adjusted. The headrest 17 is disposed on the seat back 16 and is attached to the seat back 16 so that the vertical position adjustment is possible. The vehicle seat 13 is disposed in the vehicle compartment with the seatback 16 facing forward. The width direction of the vehicle seat 13 disposed in this manner coincides with the vehicle width direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, the frame portion of the seat back 16 is constituted by the seat frame 21. The outer frame portion 22 constituting the peripheral portion of the seat frame 21 includes a pair of side frame portions 23 and 24 and an upper frame portion 25. Each of the side frame portions 23 and 24 is formed in a shape extending substantially in the vertical direction by bending a metal plate, and is disposed in both side portions of the seat back 16 in the vehicle width direction. The upper frame portion 25 is formed by bending a pipe material in a gate shape, and is fixed to the upper end portions of both side frame portions 23 and 24 at both ends.

  An upper back plate 26 extending in the vehicle width direction is bridged over the upper frame portion 25. The upper back plate 26 is located at the upper portion of the seat frame 21 and lower than the upper end portion of the upper frame portion 25. A lower back plate 27 extending in the vehicle width direction is bridged between the lower portions of the side frame portions 23 and 24.

  In the vicinity of the seat frame 21, a seat pad 31 made of an elastic material such as urethane foam is disposed. Further, on the rear side of the seat frame 21, a backboard 32 formed of a synthetic resin or the like is disposed. Although the seat pad 31 is covered with a skin, the skin is not shown in FIG.

  In the seat pad 31, a storage portion 33 is provided in the vicinity of the side closer to the vehicle seat 14 than the side frame portion 24. The storage unit 33 incorporates an air bag module ABM which is a main part of the far side air bag apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a slit 34 extends diagonally forward from a corner on the front side of the storage portion 33 and on the side closer to the adjacent vehicle seat 14. The airbag 50 is a front portion of the seat pad 31 and a portion (a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line frame in FIG. 5) sandwiched by the corner portion 31c on the side closer to the vehicle seat 14 and the slit 34. The portion 35 to be fractured is formed.

The air bag module ABM includes a gas generator 40 and an air bag 50 as main components. Next, each of these components will be described.
<Gas generator 40>
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the gas generator 40 includes an inflator 41 and a retainer 42. Here, as the inflator 41, a type called a pyro type is employed. The inflator 41 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a gas generating agent (not shown) for generating an inflation gas is accommodated in its inside. The inflator 41 has a gas injection part 41a at its upper end. Further, a harness (not shown) serving as an input wiring of an operation signal to the inflator 41 is connected to a lower end portion of the inflator 41.

  As the inflator 41, a type (hybrid type) is used in which the partition wall of a high pressure gas cylinder filled with high pressure gas is broken by a gunpowder or the like instead of the pyrotype using the above gas generating agent. It may be done.

  On the other hand, the retainer 42 functions as a diffuser for controlling the direction in which the inflation gas is jetted, and is a member having a function of attaching the inflator 41 to the side frame portion 24 together with the air bag 50. Most of the retainer 42 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by bending a plate material such as a metal plate, and covers the inflator 41.

  As a member for attaching the retainer 42 to the side frame portion 24, bolts 43 respectively extending to the occupant P1 are fixed at a plurality of locations separated from each other in the vertical direction of the retainer 42. The gas generator 40 may be one in which the inflator 41 and the retainer 42 are integrated. Moreover, in FIG. 5, what enclosed "the passenger | crew P1" with the ellipse has shown the general position of the passenger | crew P1. This point is the same as in FIGS.

<Airbag 50>
FIG. 6 shows the air bag module ABM in a state in which the air bag 50 is expanded in a planar manner without being filled with an inflation gas (hereinafter referred to as a “deployment non-inflated state”). 7 shows an airbag module ABM in which the airbag 50 of FIG. 6 is cut at a central portion in the vehicle width direction to show the internal structure of the airbag module ABM.

  The air bag 50 is formed by folding one piece of cloth (also called base cloth, panel cloth, etc.) in the forward direction along a folding line 51 set at the central portion thereof and overlapping in the vehicle width direction. It is formed by connecting the other parts so as to form a bag. In FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the folding lines 51 are each shown by an alternate long and short dash line. Here, in order to distinguish the two overlapped portions of the air bag 50, the one located on the side closer to the occupant P1 in the vehicle width direction is called the occupant side cloth portion 52, which is located on the side far from the occupant P1. This will be referred to as the non-crew side cloth portion 53.

  In the present embodiment, the cloth piece is folded in half so that the folding line 51 is positioned at the rear end of the airbag 50, but the folding line 51 has other ends, such as the front end, the upper end, and the lower end. A piece of cloth may be folded in half so as to be positioned at a part or the like. In addition, the airbag 50 may be made of two pieces of cloth divided along the fold line 51. In this case, the air bag 50 is formed by overlapping two pieces of cloth in the vehicle width direction, and bonding the two pieces of cloth over the entire circumference. Furthermore, at least one of the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53 may be configured by two or more pieces of cloth.

  In the airbag 50, the outer shapes of the occupant side fabric portion 52 and the non-occupant side fabric portion 53 are in line symmetry with each other with the folding line 51 as a symmetry axis. As shown in FIG. 2, the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53 are a part of the upper body of the occupant P1, in this embodiment, the chest PT from the chest PT, when the airbag 50 is deployed and inflated. It is formed in the shape and size which can occupy the area | region corresponding to the area | region to the at least lower-half part of PH.

  As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the occupant side fabric portion 52 and the non-occupant side fabric portion 53 have high strength, are difficult to stretch, and are flexible and easily foldable materials, for example, A woven fabric or the like formed using polyester yarn, polyamide yarn or the like is suitable.

  The above-mentioned connection of the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53 is performed at a peripheral joint portion 54 provided along the peripheral edge portions thereof. The peripheral edge joint portion 54 sews (sews with a sewing thread) a portion of the peripheral edge portions of the occupant side fabric portion 52 and the non-occupant side fabric portion 53 except the rear end portion (portion near the folding line 51) and the like. It is formed. The same applies to the annular joint portion 57 described later.

  With regard to the above-described sewing, in FIGS. 6 to 9 and 13, the sewing portion is represented by two line types. One of the line types is a line in which thick lines of a fixed length are intermittently arranged and expressed, and this shows a state in which the sewing thread is viewed from the side (see the peripheral joint portion 54 and the like in FIG. 6). The other line type is a line in which points are arranged at regular intervals, which represents a cross section of the thread along the cross section passing through the sewing portion (see the peripheral joint portion 54 and the like in FIG. 7).

In addition, the peripheral edge coupling portion 54 may be formed by means different from the above-mentioned sewing using the suture, for example, adhesion using an adhesive. The same applies to the annular joint 57.
As shown in FIGS. 6-8, at the rear lower end portions of the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53, the connection by the peripheral edge joint portion 54 is not made. This portion constitutes the insertion port 55 of the gas generator 40. Bolt holes 56 (see FIG. 8) are opened at a plurality of locations in the vicinity of the upper side of the insertion opening 55 in the occupant side fabric portion 52 and separated from each other in the vertical direction.

  The air bag 50 is provided with an annular joint portion 57 as a thickness restricting portion which restricts the expansion thickness in the vehicle width direction. The annular joint portion 57 has a configuration similar to that generally referred to as a “seam”, and is formed by coupling the occupant side fabric portion 52 and the non-occupant side fabric portion 53 in a state where they are in contact with each other. ing. The annular joint portion 57 includes a pair of straight portions 57a extending substantially in the front-rear direction in a state separated from each other in the vertical direction, and a pair of arc portions 57b curved so as to expand in opposite directions in a state separated from each other in the substantially front-rear direction And has an elongated oval shape which is elongated in a substantially front and rear direction as a whole. As shown in FIG. 2, the annular joint portion 57 is located near the center of the airbag 50 in the present embodiment, which is a side of the shoulder PS of the occupant P1 when the airbag 50 is deployed and inflated. doing. The annular joint portion 57 may be formed in a shape different from the oval shape, for example, an annular shape, an elliptical ring shape, or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the inflation gas is supplied between the occupant side cloth 52 and the non-occupant side cloth 53, in the space sandwiched by the peripheral edge joint 54 and the annular joint 57. To form an inflatable portion 58 which can be deployed and inflated. A region of the inflating portion 58 above the annular joint portion 57 constitutes a head protection inflating portion 59 which expands and inflates on the side of the head PH or the like of the occupant P1 (see FIG. 2). In the expansion portion 58, a portion different from the head protection expansion portion 59 constitutes a gas flow path 60 for leading the expansion gas generated from the gas generator 40 to the head protection expansion portion 59.

  As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the area surrounded by the annular joint portion 57 between the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53 is expanded without supplying inflation gas. A non-inflatable portion 61 is formed. In the non-inflatable portion 61, the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53 are in contact with or close to each other.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the gas generator 40 is extended substantially vertically in the rear lower portion in the expansion portion 58, and the bolt 43 is inserted into the bolt hole 56, The gas generator 40 is locked in a state of being positioned with respect to the air bag 50.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the far side airbag device further includes an upper tether 62 and a lower tether 63 disposed between the airbag 50 and the seat frame 21. The upper tether 62 and the lower tether 63 are constituted by pieces of cloth formed using the same material as the airbag 50. In FIG. 5, the upper tether 62 and the lower tether 63 are not shown.

  One end 62 a of the upper tether 62 is coupled to the occupant-side cloth 52 at the diagonally upper front end of the head protection inflatable portion 59. This connection is made by the end 62 a being co-stitched to the peripheral edge of the air bag 50 by a part of the peripheral edge joint 54 (diagonal front upper end) described above.

  The other end 62 b of the upper tether 62 is apart from the side frame 24 near the side wall 12 to which the impact is applied to the side frame 23 in the seat frame 21 and is higher than the shoulder PS of the occupant P 1 Combined with In this embodiment, this portion is set at the middle portion of the upper back plate 26 in the vehicle width direction.

  One end 63 a of the lower tether 63 is coupled to the occupant-side cloth 52 at the lower end of the airbag 50. This connection is made by the end 63 a being co-stitched to the peripheral edge of the airbag 50 by a part (lower end) of the peripheral edge joint 54 described above.

  The other end 63 b of the lower tether 63 is separated from the side frame portion 24 of the seat frame 21 toward the side frame portion 23 in the same manner as the end 62 b of the upper tether 62 and the airbag 50 by the gas generator 40. It is coupled to a point lower than the attachment point (bolt 43) to the side frame portion 24. In this embodiment, this portion is set at an intermediate portion of the lower back plate 27 in the vehicle width direction.

  As indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 6, when the upper tether 62 is in a tensioned state, the head protection inflating portion 59 starts from the bending line 64 when the upper tether 62 is in tension (arrows indicated by solid arrows in FIG. It is configured to be bent to the side shown by. The bending line 64 is a place where the cross-sectional area of the gas flow passage 60 is smaller than the periphery in the expansion part 58, and in the present embodiment, a place sandwiched by the rear arc part 57b and the rear upper end of the peripheral joint 54. Located in

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, the air bag module ABM is made into a compact form (hereinafter referred to as “storage mode”) by folding the air bag 50 in the unfolded and uninflated state shown in FIG. This is to make the air bag module ABM suitable for storage with respect to the storage unit 33 of limited size on the side of the seat back 16. As a mode for folding the air bag 50, for example, roll folding, bellows folding or the like is suitable. Roll folding is a folding mode in which one end of the air bag 50 is centered and the other part is wound around it. The bellows folding is a folding mode in which the airbag 50 is folded while alternately changing the folding direction by a constant width.

  An air bag module ABM in which the air bag 50 is stored is stored in the storage unit 33. A bolt 43 which extends from the gas generator 40 and is inserted into a bolt hole 56 (see FIG. 8) of the occupant side cloth portion 52 is inserted from the opposite side to the side frame portion 24. The rear end portion of the air bag 50 is attached to the side frame portion 24 together with the gas generator 40 by fastening the nut 44 to each bolt 43 from the occupant P1 side.

  The gas generator 40 may be attached to the side frame portion 24 by a member different from the bolt 43 and the nut 44 described above. Also, the inflator 41 may be directly attached to the side frame portion 24 without using the retainer 42.

  The far-side airbag device includes an impact sensor 71 and a control device 72 shown in FIG. 2 in addition to the above-described airbag module ABM. The impact sensor 71 includes an acceleration sensor or the like, and detects an impact applied to the side wall 12 or the like from the side. The controller 72 controls the operation of the gas generator 40 (inflator 41) based on the detection signal of the impact sensor 71.

  Furthermore, in the vehicle 10, when an impact is applied to the side wall 11 closer to the vehicle seat 13 from the side, the airbag is expanded and inflated between the side wall 11 and the vehicle seat 13. A side airbag device (also referred to as a near side airbag device, not shown) of a type that restrains the occupant P1 and protects against impact is provided.

Further, a seat belt device (not shown) for restraining an occupant P1 seated on the vehicle seat 13 on the vehicle seat 13 is provided in the vehicle interior.
Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described separately for each situation.

<If no impact is applied>
When it is not detected by the impact sensor 71 that an impact equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied to the side wall portion 12 from the side or diagonally from the front side, the controller 72 sends the impact to the gas generator 40 (inflater 41). The actuation signal for actuation is not output, and the inflation gas is not ejected. The air bag 50 continues to be stored in the storage section 33 in the storage mode (see FIG. 5).

<When impact is applied from the side>
As shown by a solid white arrow in FIG. 1, when an impact due to a side collision or the like is applied to one side wall 12 from the side, it is seated on the vehicle seat 13 on the side far from the side wall 12 to which the impact is applied. The upper body of the passenger P1 who is carrying out tries to move to the side wall 12 side by inertia. This movement includes the phenomenon that the head PH of the occupant P1 falls to the side wall 12 side.

  On the other hand, when it is detected by the impact sensor 71 that an impact of a predetermined value or more is applied to the side wall portion 12, the controller 72 operates the gas generator 40 (inflator 41) based on the detection signal. The operation signal for the The inflation gas is ejected from the gas ejection portion 41 a of the inflator 41 in response to the actuation signal. The inflation gas is guided to the head protection inflation portion 59 through the gas flow passage 60 in the inflation portion 58. The expansion portion 58 starts to expand and expand by the expansion gas.

  In the middle of the expansion and the expansion, the air bag 50 presses the seat pad 31 to break the seat pad 31 at the portion 35 to be broken (see FIG. 5). Thereafter, the supply of the inflation gas is continued, and the air bag 50 is moved forward from the storage portion 33 with the part (the attachment portion to the side frame portion 24 and the vicinity thereof) left in the storage portion 33. Go out to. Thereafter, the airbag 50 is deployed and inflated between the adjacent vehicle seats 13 and 14 as indicated by the two-dot chain lines in FIGS. 2 to 4 respectively. When the air bag 50 completes deployment and expansion, the non-inflatable portion 61 is located on the side of the shoulder PS of the occupant P1, and the head protection inflating portion 59 is on the side of the lower half of the head PH of the occupant P1. Located in

  The upper tether 62 and the lower tether 63 are respectively pulled by the deploying and inflating air bag 50, as shown by the thick double-dotted line in FIGS. The upper tether 62 is in tension between the joining portion of the end portion 62 a of the upper tether 62 in the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the joining portion of the end portion 62 b of the upper tether 62 in the upper back plate 26. Further, the lower tether 63 is in a tensioned state between the joint portion of the end 63 a of the lower tether 63 in the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the joint portion of the end 63 b of the lower tether 63 in the lower back surface plate 27.

  For the air bag 50, a tension F3 to pull the air bag 50 toward the upper back plate 26 and the lower back plate 27 is applied through the upper tether 62 and the lower tether 63. Therefore, when the airbag 50 receives the external force F1 from the occupant P1 who is about to move, a force (reaction force F2) in the direction to cancel the external force F1 is generated.

  Here, the end portions 62 b and 63 b are coupled to a portion of the seat frame 21 that is distant from the side frame portion 24 close to the side wall portion 12 to which the impact is applied to the side frame portion 23 side. Therefore, as shown by a thin two-dot chain line in FIG. 12, a comparative example in which the end 62b of the upper tether 62 is coupled to the side frame portion 24 close to the side wall 12 to which an impact is applied , The direction of the tension F3 of the upper tether 62 approaches the direction of canceling the external force F1, and the reaction force F2 generated as the force of canceling the external force F1 becomes larger. In FIG. 12, for convenience of illustration, the end 62 b of the upper tether 62 of the comparative example is drawn at a distance from the side frame portion 24.

  Although not shown, the direction of the tension F3 approaches the direction of canceling the external force F1 for the lower tether 63 for the same reason, and the reaction force F2 generated as the force of canceling the external force F1 becomes large.

  As a result, even if the external force F1 is received from the occupant P1, the air bag 50 does not move easily, and the movement of the occupant P1 to the side wall 12 side to which an impact is applied is suppressed. The target movement also includes falling of the head PH to the side wall 12 side.

  That is, in the upper body of the occupant P1, the shoulder portion PS protrudes to both sides in the width direction than the head portion PH (see FIG. 4). Therefore, when the air bag 50 is inflated, the shoulder portion PS contacts the air bag 50, and the head PH is subjected to an impact on the side wall 12 due to the gap generated between the head PH and the air bag 50. I try to fall to the side.

  However, in the non-inflatable portion 61 surrounded by the annular joint portion 57, the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53 are in contact with or close to each other, and are recessed from the inflating portion 58. The shoulder portion PS of the occupant P1 enters the recessed non-inflatable portion 61, so that the gap between the head portion PH and the head protection inflating portion 59 on the side becomes smaller, and the side wall 12 side to which the impact is applied The head PH is less likely to fall down.

  Furthermore, as shown by the solid line arrow in FIG. 6, starting from the bending line 64 in the inflating portion 58, by the tension F3 that the upper tether 62 tries to pull the upper portion of the airbag 50 toward the seat frame 21 side The portion 59 is bent toward the occupant P1 (see FIG. 12). By this bending, the gap between the head protection expansion part 59 and the head PH is further reduced. Therefore, the head portion PH is further less likely to fall to the side wall 12 side to which the impact is applied.

<When impact is applied from diagonally front side>
When an impact is applied to the side wall 12 of the vehicle 10 obliquely from the front side, as indicated by a white arrow of a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the occupant P1 will move to the side wall 12 side, that is, the oblique front side. I assume. An external force directed diagonally upward from the rear is applied to the lower portion of the deployed and inflated air bag 50 from the occupant P1. By this external force, the air bag 50 is diagonally upward rearward as shown by a solid white arrow in FIG. 13 with the point (bolt 43) attached to the side frame portion 24 by the gas generator 40 as a fulcrum. Try to rotate (fall over). This direction is a direction away from the side of the occupant P1 and rearward and upward.

  However, as shown in FIG. 11, in addition to the upper tether 62, the lower tether 63 is also pulled by the airbag 50 that is deployed and inflated, and the occupant side fabric portion 52 to which the end 63a of the lower tether 63 is joined. The lower tether 63 is in tension between the lower portion and the joint point of the end 63 b of the lower tether 63 in the lower back surface plate 27. To the lower portion of the air bag 50, a tension F3 to pull it toward the lower back plate 27 is applied through the lower tether 63. Moreover, the end 63 b of the lower tether 63 is coupled to a point lower than the attachment point (bolt 43) of the air bag 50 to the side frame portion 24 by the gas generator 40. Therefore, as shown by the white arrow of a two-dot chain line in FIG. 13, a force that resists the above-described diagonally upward backward force (see the solid white arrow in FIG. 13) is generated. By this force, the rotation in the above direction (falling backward and upward) with the attachment point of the air bag 50 as a fulcrum is restricted.

  Furthermore, the end 63 b of the lower tether 63 is coupled to a part of the seat frame 21 that is farther from the side frame 24 closer to the side wall 12 and farther to the side frame 23 side.

  Therefore, although not illustrated as shown in FIG. 12, the direction of the tension F3 of the lower tether 63 is compared with the case where the end 63b of the lower tether 63 is coupled to the side frame portion 24 as in the upper tether 62 described above. Approaches the direction in which the external force F1 is canceled, and the reaction force F2 generated as a force which cancels the external force F1 increases. Therefore, even if external force F1 is received from occupant P1 attempting to move diagonally forward, the lower portion of airbag 50 is hard to move, and movement of occupant P1 toward the oblique front side is restricted.

  Although the case where an impact is applied from the side or diagonally front side to the side wall portion 11 in FIG. 1 will not be described, the airbag module ABM is the next vehicle seat 13 of the seatback 16 of the vehicle seat 14. The same operation as described above is performed on condition that the occupant P2 is accommodated in the side portion, and the occupant P2 seated on the vehicle seat 14 is protected from the impact.

According to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the above.
As shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, the upper back plate 26 provided in the seat frame 21 is used as a connection point of the end 62 b of the upper tether 62. Therefore, it is not necessary to newly provide the joint portion of the end portion 62b on the vehicle seat 13.

  Similarly, in the present embodiment, the lower back plate 27 provided in the seat frame 21 is used as a coupling place of the end 63 b of the lower tether 63. Therefore, it is not necessary to newly provide the joint portion of the end portion 63b on the vehicle seat 13.

  In the present embodiment, even if the external force F1 from the occupant P1 is applied, the air bag 50 does not move easily, and the movement of the occupant P1 to the side wall portion 12 to which an impact is applied is suppressed. Therefore, when only one person is seated in the front seat, that is, when the occupant P1 (driver) is seated in the vehicle seat 13 (driver's seat), the side wall portion 12 is deformed by an impact and the vehicle interior Even if it gets in, it can suppress that crew member P1 (driver) interferes with the side wall part 12.

  As shown in FIG. 8, using the peripheral edge joint 54, the connection of the end 62a of the upper tether 62 to the occupant-side cloth 52 and the connection of the end 63a of the lower tether 63 to the occupant-side cloth 52 Is doing. Therefore, the number of parts and the number of operation steps for the coupling can be reduced.

In addition, the said embodiment can also be implemented as a modification which changed this as follows.
<About the airbag 50>
The mounting location of the air bag 50 is a member positioned on the side closer to the adjacent vehicle seat 14 of the vehicle seats 13 and 14 and has high rigidity as with the side frame portion 24 It may be changed to a member.

  The air bag 50 may have the non-inflatable portion 61 which is not supplied with the inflating gas and does not expand as in the above embodiment, but does not have the non-inflatable portion 61. Alternatively, substantially the entire portion may be formed of the expanded portion 58.

-The airbag 50 may be extended below rather than the said embodiment, and the protection area of the occupants P1 and P2 by the airbag 50 may be expanded below.
Further, the airbag 50 may be extended upward as compared with the above-described embodiment, and the protection area of the occupants P1 and P2 by the airbag 50 may be expanded upward.

The inside of the airbag 50 may be divided into a plurality of chambers. Further, a member for straightening the inflation gas from the gas generator 40 may be disposed inside the airbag 50.
<About thickness control part>
The thickness restricting portion is formed by connecting the occupant side cloth portion 52 and the non-occupant side cloth portion 53 in a state in which they are brought close to each other by using a cloth or the like instead of the annular joint portion 57. May be Also in this case, since the airbag 50 is recessed at the portion where the thickness regulating portion is provided, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained.

<About the upper tether 62 and the lower tether 63>
· The end 62a of the upper tether 62 and the end 63a of the lower tether 63 are joined to the occupant side fabric 52 by a joint different from the peripheral joint 54, provided that the end 62a of the upper tether 62 and the end 63a of the lower tether 63 are in the vicinity of the peripheral joint 54 It is also good. Further, the end portions 62 a and 63 a may be coupled to the occupant-side cloth portion 52 at a location away from the peripheral edge coupling portion 54.

The lower tether 63 may be omitted, and only the upper tether 62 may constitute the tether.
The height of the end 62 b of the upper tether 62 is preferably set to a height close to the head PH in terms of protection of the head PH by the air bag 50. In addition, it is desirable that the upper tether 62 be bridged at a location that does not interfere with the occupant P1. This is to suppress a change in tension F3 when the upper tether 62 is tensioned due to the interference with the occupant P1.

To the extent that these conditions are met, the end 62b of the upper tether 62 may be joined at a height different from that of the above embodiment.
The end 62 b of the upper tether 62 may be coupled to a portion of the vehicle seat 13 different from the upper rear plate 26. Similarly, the end 63 b of the lower tether 63 may be joined to a portion of the vehicle seat 13 different from the lower rear plate 27.

<About Airbag Module ABM>
The air bag module ABM may be provided on the vehicle seat 14 instead of the vehicle seat 13 or on both of the vehicle seats 13 and 14.

<Others>
The above-mentioned far-side airbag device is also applicable to a vehicle in which three or more vehicle seats are juxtaposed in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the airbag is deployed and inflated between the adjacent vehicle seats in response to an impact applied to the side wall portion from the side or diagonally front side of the vehicle.

The vehicles to which the above-described far-side airbag device is applied include various industrial vehicles as well as private vehicles.
-The above-mentioned far-side airbag device is mounted on a vehicle other than a vehicle, for example, an aircraft, a ship, etc., and deploys and inflates the airbag between adjacent vehicle seats to move away from the side wall to which impact is applied. The present invention can also be applied to a far-side airbag device that protects an occupant seated on a vehicle seat from an impact caused by a side collision or the like.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle (vehicle), 11, 12 ... Side wall part, 13, 14 ... Seat for vehicles (seat for vehicles) 16, ... Seat back, 21 ... Seat frame, 23, 24 ... Side frame part, 26 ... Upper back plate , 27: lower rear plate, 50: air bag, 52: occupant side cloth portion, 53: opposite occupant side cloth portion, 54: peripheral edge joint portion, 57: annular joint portion (thickness regulating portion), 58: inflatable portion, 59 ... head protection expansion part, 61 ... non expansion part, 62 ... upper tether, 63 ... lower tether, 62a, 63a ... one end, 62b, 63b ... the other end, 64 ... bending line, P1, P2 ... Crew, PH ... head, PS ... shoulder.

Claims (6)

The vehicle includes an air bag in which a plurality of vehicle seats are fixed to a vehicle arranged in parallel in the width direction of the vehicle seat, and an impact applied from one side or diagonally frontward to one of a pair of side wall portions of the vehicle. According to the invention, there is provided a far-side airbag device, wherein inflation gas is supplied to the airbag, and the airbag is deployed and inflated between adjacent vehicle seats,
In the seat back of the vehicle seat, there is disposed a seat frame in which both side portions in the width direction are constituted by side frame portions,
A tether is disposed between the air bag and the seat frame of the vehicle seat far from the side wall to which the impact is applied;
One end of the tether is coupled to an occupant side cloth portion on the side closer to the occupant in the width direction of the airbag,
The other end portion of the tether is coupled to a part of the vehicle seat separated from the side frame portion closer to the side wall portion to which the impact is applied. . At least a portion of the tether is comprised of an upper tether,
One end of the upper tether is coupled to the upper portion of the occupant-side cloth portion, and the other end of the upper tether is far from a side frame portion of the vehicle seat near the side wall portion to which the impact is applied. The far-side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the far-side airbag device is coupled to a location remote from the side frame portion and higher than an occupant's shoulder. The seat frame is provided with an upper back plate extending in the width direction on the top thereof.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the other end of the upper tether is coupled to the upper back plate. The air bag includes, in addition to the occupant side cloth portion, an opposite occupant side cloth portion on the side far from the occupant in the width direction,
Peripheral portions of the occupant side cloth portion and the opposite occupant side cloth portion are joined by a peripheral edge joint portion,
In the occupant side cloth portion and the opposite occupant side cloth portion, in the area surrounded by the peripheral edge joint portion, the portions that become the side of the occupant shoulder are brought into contact or approach each other by the thickness restricting portion Combined in the state,
An area between the occupant side cloth portion and the non-occupant side cloth portion and sandwiched by the peripheral edge joint portion and the thickness restricting portion constitutes an inflating portion which is supplied with an inflation gas to expand and inflate ,
In the inflating portion, a portion which is above the thickness regulating portion and which is a side of the head of the occupant constitutes a head protecting inflating portion;
The one end of the upper tether is coupled to the occupant side cloth portion in the head protection inflatable portion,
The fur according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the inflating portion is configured to be bent toward the occupant side starting from a bending line when the upper tether is in tension. Side airbag device. The tether comprises a lower tether in addition to the upper tether,
The air bag is attached to a side frame portion close to the side wall portion to which the impact is applied,
One end of the lower tether is coupled to the lower portion of the occupant-side cloth below the upper tether, and the other end of the lower tether is the impact seat on the vehicle seat. 5. The air bag according to any one of claims 2 to 4, separated from the side frame portion close to the side wall portion toward the side frame portion side and coupled to a position lower than the attachment point of the airbag to the side frame portion. Far-side airbag device. The seat frame includes a lower back plate extending in the width direction and connecting lower portions of both side frame portions.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the other end of the lower tether is coupled to the lower back plate.