JP2021169299A - Airbag device for driver's seat - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an air bag device for a driver's seat that enables temporary sewing of an airbag cushion and an inner diffuser in a simple way.SOLUTION: An airbag device 100 for a driver's seat is provided with a diffuser 124 wrapped up in an airbag cushion 104 and for rectifying a gas from an inflator 112. The diffuser 124 has a connection part 136 connected to the inflator 112, and one or a plurality of supply ports for supplying a gas received from the inflator 112 into the airbag cushion 104. The supply port includes an occupant side supply port 148 that is overlapped onto a predetermined position of an occupant side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 that wraps up the diffuser 124. The airbag device 100 for the driver's seat is further provided with a temporary sewing portion 150 formed, in such a manner as to be eliminated, by crossing the occupant side supply port 148 of the diffuser 124 and sewing the diffuser 124 and the predetermined position of the occupant side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a driver's seat airbag device provided with an airbag cushion that expands and deploys between the steering wheel of a vehicle and an occupant.

Currently, the steering wheel of a vehicle is equipped with an airbag device for the driver's seat as standard equipment. The airbag cushion of the driver's airbag device is mainly housed in the hub in the center of the steering wheel, and the resin cover member or the like is cleaved by the expansion pressure to expand and deploy in front of the occupant.

In various airbag devices, a bag-shaped member may be provided inside the airbag cushion. For example, in the passenger seat airbag device of Patent Document 1, an inner bag 41 is provided inside the outer bag 31 for the purpose of adjusting the shape of the airbag cushion. In the technique of Patent Document 1, a two-stage output inflator 21 is adopted, and gas is supplied to the inner bag 41 only when the inflator 21 operates at a high output. Then, when the inner bag 41 is inflated, the tear seam 51, which is a stitched portion between the inner bag 41 and the outer bag 31, is cut, and the outer bag 31 is configured to inflate more greatly.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-321506

In addition to the technology of Patent Document 1, a bag-shaped or tubular diffuser for the purpose of rectifying gas is provided inside the airbag cushion so that the airbag cushion and the diffuser can be broken like the above-mentioned tear seam 51. It may be tentatively sewn. However, in order to perform such temporary sewing in the mass production process of the airbag device, a special jig is required, which increases the corresponding cost and labor, and it becomes necessary to control the variation in quality. .. Therefore, there is a demand for a configuration in which the airbag cushion and the diffuser or the like can be sewn more simply.

In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a driver's seat airbag device capable of simply temporarily sewing an airbag cushion and an internal diffuser.

In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the driver airbag device according to the present invention is an airbag cushion that expands and expands between the steering wheel of the vehicle and the occupant, and supplies gas to the airbag cushion. It is a driver's airbag device equipped with an inflator and a diffuser contained in an airbag cushion to rectify gas from the inflator. The airbag cushion includes an occupant side panel arranged on the occupant side and steering. The diffuser includes a steering side panel arranged on the wheel side, and the diffuser has a connection portion connected to the inflator and one or more supply ports for supplying the gas received from the inflator into the airbag cushion. One or more supply ports include an occupant-side supply port that overlaps a predetermined position on the occupant-side panel of the airbag cushion containing the diffuser, and the driver's seat airbag device further provides an occupant-side supply port of the diffuser. It is characterized in that it is provided with a tentatively sewn portion that is sewn so as to be able to eliminate a predetermined portion of the diffuser and the passenger side panel of the airbag cushion across the surface.

According to the above-mentioned temporary sewing portion, by connecting the diffuser to the occupant side panel, it is possible to prevent the position of the diffuser from being displaced during storage. Further, according to the temporary sewing portion, the positions of the occupant side panel and the diffuser are stabilized in the process of deploying the airbag cushion. Therefore, it becomes possible to supply gas from the diffuser to the airbag cushion as set, and it is possible to adjust the deployment behavior of the occupant side panel and smoothly expand and deploy. As described above, according to the above configuration, it is possible to mass-produce airbag cushions of stable quality while improving the occupant restraint performance of the airbag cushions.

The tentatively sewn portion may be formed by a plurality of lines intersecting within the range of the occupant side supply port. If the tacked portion has this configuration, it can be efficiently eliminated by the pressure of the gas from the supply port on the occupant side.

The occupant-side supply port may be circular, and the tacking portion may be formed by two lines orthogonal to each other at the center of the occupant-side supply port. Even in the tentatively sewn portion having this configuration, the pressure of the gas from the supply port on the occupant side is evenly applied, so that the gas can be efficiently eliminated.

A predetermined portion of the passenger side panel of the airbag cushion may be marked with a predetermined color or pattern, and the tacked portion may be formed along the marking. By using the marking as a mark, the alignment between the diffuser and the occupant side panel becomes easy, and the work efficiency when forming the tacked portion is improved.

The predetermined location of the occupant-side panel may be near the center of the occupant-side panel. If it is near the center of the occupant side panel, it is suitable because it can be easily aligned with the diffuser and a tentatively sewn portion can be easily formed.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an airbag device for a driver's seat that can simply temporarily sew an airbag cushion and an internal diffuser.

It is a figure which illustrated the outline of the airbag device for a driver's seat which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the driver's seat airbag device after the operation of FIG. 1B. It is a figure which illustrated the diffuser of FIG. 2 (b). It is a figure exemplifying the temporary sewing part which connects the occupant side panel of FIG. 2A and the diffuser of FIG. 2B. It is a figure exemplifying the first modification example of the diffuser of FIG. 2 (b). It is a figure which illustrated the 2nd modification example of the diffuser of FIG. 2A.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in such an embodiment are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are designated by the same reference numerals to omit duplicate description, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown. do.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an airbag device 100 for a driver's seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a state before the operation of the driver's seat airbag device 100. Hereinafter, in FIG. 1 and other drawings, the front-rear direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Back), the left and right directions of the vehicle width are indicated by arrows L (Left) and R (Right), and the vertical direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows U. Examples are (up) and D (down).

In the present embodiment, the driver airbag device 100 is used for the driver's seat (seat 102 on the left side of the front row) in a left-hand drive vehicle. In the following, since the explanation will be made assuming the seat 102 on the left side of the front row, for example, the outside in the vehicle width direction (hereinafter, the outside of the vehicle) means the left side of the vehicle, and the inside in the vehicle width direction (hereinafter, the inside of the vehicle) means the right side of the vehicle. Means.

The airbag cushion 104 (see FIG. 1B) of the driver's seat airbag device 100 is in a predetermined storage form such as folded or wound, and is placed in front of the occupant's regular seating position on the seat 102. It is housed inside the central hub 108 of the steering wheel 106.

FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a state after the operation of the driver's seat airbag device 100. The airbag cushion 104 starts expansion while cleaving the cover member 110 of the steering wheel 106 (see FIG. 1A) by the gas from the inflator 112 (see FIG. 2B). The airbag cushion 104 expands and expands in a bag shape between the steering wheel 106 and the occupant in the normal seating position on the seat 102, and restrains the upper body and head of the occupant who intends to move forward. The cushion 104 is circular when viewed from the seating position side, and is formed by stacking and sewing or adhering a plurality of panels constituting the surface thereof.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the driver's seat airbag device 100 after the operation of FIG. 1 (b). FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating the airbag cushion 104 of FIG. 1B when viewed from slightly above the outside of the vehicle. The airbag cushion 104 in the present embodiment expands and expands into a shape close to a slightly flat circular shape.

The airbag cushion 104 is formed of a plurality of panels and includes an occupant side panel 120 arranged on the occupant side and a steering side panel 122 arranged on the steering wheel 106 (see FIG. 1A) side. .. A marking 152, which will be described later, is provided in the center of the occupant side panel 120. Further, the steering side panel 122 is provided with a vent hole (not shown) for discharging gas to the outside.

FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating the inside of the airbag cushion 104 through the occupant side panel 120 and the steering side panel 122 of FIG. 2A. The diffuser 124 is a member that rectifies the gas from the inflator 112, and is installed on the steering side panel 122 together with the inflator 112 in a state of being included in the airbag cushion 104.

The inflator 112 is a device for supplying gas, and in this embodiment, a disk type (disk type) device is adopted. The inflator 112 is installed in a state in which a part of the inflator 112 is inserted inside the diffuser 124 and terminals (not shown) are exposed to the outside from the diffuser 124 and the steering side panel 122 (see FIG. 2B). The inflator 112 operates due to an impact detection signal sent from a sensor (not shown) to supply gas to the airbag cushion 104 via the diffuser 124.

The inflator 112 is provided with a plurality of stud bolts 118. The stud bolt 118 penetrates the diffuser 124 and the steering side panel 122 and is fastened to the inner bottom surface of the steering wheel 106 (see FIG. 1A). The airbag cushion 104 is also fixed to the steering wheel 106 by fastening the stud bolts 118.

Currently popular inflators are filled with a gas generator and burned to generate gas, compressed gas is filled and gas is supplied without generating heat, or combustion. There is a hybrid type that uses both gas and compressed gas. Any type of inflator 112 can be used.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the diffuser 124 of FIG. 2 (b). FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating the diffuser 124 of FIG. 3B by itself. The diffuser 124 is composed of a lower panel 126 and an upper panel 128, and covers the inflator 112 (see FIG. 2B) in a state where a plurality of gas supply ports (supply ports 130 and the like) are formed. There is.

FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the lower panel 126 of FIG. 3A is placed on a flat surface. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the lower panel 126 has a central bottom surface 132 and four legs 134. The bottom surface portion 132 has a connecting portion 136 to which the inflator 112 (see FIG. 2B) is connected in the center. The connection portion 136 is configured to include an opening 138 that exposes the terminals of the inflator 112 and a bolt hole 140 through which a stud bolt 118 provided around the opening 138 is passed. The leg 134 is connected to the leg 146 of the upper panel 128 to form the pillar 142 of the diffuser 124.

FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the upper panel 128 of FIG. 3A is placed on a flat surface. The upper panel 128 has a central top surface portion 144 and four leg portions 146. The occupant side supply port 148 is formed in the center of the top surface portion 144. The occupant-side supply port 148 is a circular through hole for supplying gas toward the occupant-side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 (see FIG. 3B), and has a supply port 130 (see FIG. 3A). Similarly, it is one of the supply ports of the diffuser 124.

In the present embodiment, before the inflator 112 (see FIG. 2B) is activated, in order to prevent the diffuser 124 from being displaced, the vicinity of the occupant-side supply port 148 of the diffuser 124 is a tacking portion 150 (FIG. 4A). (See) is tentatively sewn to the occupant side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a tentatively sewn portion 150 connecting the occupant side panel 120 of FIG. 2 (a) and the diffuser 124 of FIG. 2 (b). FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the marking 152 with the occupant-side panel 120 of FIG. 2A placed on a flat surface.

In the present embodiment, the occupant-side supply port 148 of the diffuser 124 (FIG. 3A) is an occupant when the airbag cushion 104 including the diffuser 124 is placed on a flat surface with the occupant-side panel 120 facing up. It is provided so as to overlap the marking 152 of the side panel 120. The marking 152 is formed in a quadrangle having a dark color such as dark blue or black, and is provided near the center of the occupant side panel 120. By using the marking 152 as a mark, the alignment between the diffuser 124 and the vicinity of the center of the occupant side panel 120 becomes easy, and the work efficiency when forming the tacking portion 150 is improved.

The tentative sewing portion 150 is a portion where tentative sewing is formed in which the thread breaks or frays when a force of a certain degree or more is applied to eliminate the tentative sewing. The tacking portion 150 connects the diffuser 124 and the occupant side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 by a line crossing the occupant side supply port 148 of the diffuser 124 (see FIG. 2B). The tack sewing unit 150 has a mechanism in which the inflator 112 is activated by crossing the occupant side supply port 148 to eliminate the gas pressure from the occupant side supply port 148.

Further, the tacking portion 150 is formed along the marking 152 on the occupant side panel 120. The marking 152 is provided near the center of the occupant side panel 120, and is suitable because the tacking portion 150 can be easily formed.

FIG. 4 (b) is a diagram illustrating a state before the operation of the inflator 112 (see FIG. 2 (b)) in the AA cross section of the driver's seat airbag device 100 of FIG. 1 (b). As described above, before the operation of the inflator 112, the top surface portion 144 of the upper panel 128 of the diffuser 124 crosses the occupant side supply port 148, and the occupant side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 is provided by the tacking portion 150. It is connected to.

The driver's seat airbag device 100 can prevent the diffuser 124 from being displaced during storage by connecting the diffuser 124 to the occupant side panel 120 by the tacking portion 150. Therefore, in the case of the driver's seat airbag device 100, in the process of folding the airbag cushion 104, a dedicated jig or the like for holding the position of the diffuser 124 becomes unnecessary, which contributes to simplification of work and cost reduction. Becomes possible.

FIG. 4C is a cross section taken along the line AA of the driver airbag device 100 of FIG. 1B, and the inflator 112 of the driver airbag device 100 of FIG. 4B (FIG. 2B). It is a state after the operation of (see). As described above, the tacking portion 150 is eliminated by applying gas pressure to the occupant side supply port 148, and the airbag cushion 104 expands and expands with the occupant side panel 120 separated from the diffuser 124.

According to the tacking portion 150, the positions of the occupant side panel 120 and the diffuser 124 are stabilized in the process of deploying the airbag cushion 104. Therefore, the gas can be supplied from the diffuser 124 to the airbag cushion 104 as set, and the deployment behavior of the occupant-side panel 120 can be adjusted to enable smooth expansion and deployment. As described above, according to the tacking unit 150, the diffuser 124 and the occupant side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 can be sewn simply, and the occupant restraint performance of the airbag cushion 104 is improved while maintaining stable quality. It becomes possible to mass-produce the airbag cushion 104.

The tacking portion 150 illustrated in FIG. 4A is not limited to two orthogonal lines, but may be formed by diagonally intersecting lines, one line, or two or more lines. It is possible. Even in these temporary sewing portions, by providing them so as to cross the occupant side supply port 148, it is possible to efficiently eliminate them by the pressure of the gas. Further, the marking 152 is not limited to a quadrangle, and can be implemented by other figures, patterns, and other colors.

(Modification example)
Hereinafter, a modification example of each of the above-mentioned components will be described. In each of the figures 5 and 6, the same components as those already described are designated by the same reference numerals, and thus the description of the existing components will be omitted. Further, in the following description, components having the same name as the components already described shall have the same function even if they have different reference numerals, unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first modification (diffuser 200) of the diffuser 124 of FIG. 2 (b). FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating the diffuser 200 corresponding to FIG. 2B. The diffuser 200 has side supply ports 204a and 204b and a lower supply port 206 in addition to the occupant side supply port 202 as supply ports for supplying gas from the inflator 112 (see FIG. 2B). In the diffuser 200 as well, the occupant-side supply port 202 is tentatively sewn to the occupant-side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 by the tentatively sewn portion 150 (see FIG. 4A).

FIG. 5B is a side view illustrating the diffuser 200 of FIG. 5A. The diffuser 200 is formed in a bag shape by sewing, and the lower edge is opened to form the lower supply port 206. Further, the edge on the occupant side (right side in FIG. 5B) is released to form the occupant side supply port 202.

The lower supply port 206 is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the side supply ports 204a and 204b and the occupant side supply port, and the amount of gas passing through the lower supply port 206 is larger than that of the side supply ports 204a and 204b. As a result, the cushion 104 (see FIG. 5A) expands and expands preferentially from the lower part. According to this configuration, the cushion 104 can protect the lower part of the cushion 104, for example, by getting it between the steering 106 (see FIG. 1A) and the abdomen or chest of the occupant at an early stage.

FIG. 5 (c) illustrates a state in which the diffuser 200 of FIG. 5 (b) is unsewn and spread on a flat surface. The diffuser 200 is provided with a connection portion 136 of the inflator 112 (see FIG. 2B) in the center, and is fixed to the steering side panel 122 (see FIG. 2A) together with the inflator 112.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a second modification (diffuser 220) of the diffuser 124 of FIG. 2 (a). The diffuser 220 is different in configuration from each of the above diffusers in that the entire diffuser 220 has a flat circular shape. The diffuser 220 also has side supply ports 204a and 204b and a lower supply port 206 in addition to the occupant side supply port 222. Also in the diffuser 220, the occupant-side supply port 222 is tentatively sewn to the occupant-side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 by the tack-sewn portion 150 (see FIG. 4A).

FIG. 6B illustrates a state in which the lower panel 224 of the diffuser 220 of FIG. 6A is spread out on a plane. The lower panel 224 is provided with a connecting portion 136 in the center, and has notches along the side supply ports 204a and 204b and the lower supply port 206 on the left, right, and lower edges, and a notch for making the diffuser 220 round. And are formed.

FIG. 6 (c) illustrates a state in which the upper panel 226 of the diffuser 220 of FIG. 6 (a) is spread out on a plane. The upper panel 226 has a substantially circular shape, and the diffuser 220 (see FIG. 6 (a)) can be embodied by joining the edge to the lower panel 224 (FIG. 6 (b)). The upper panel 226 also has a occupant side supply port 222 in the center.

In addition to the diffusers 200 and 220 of the above modified examples, as another example, after omitting the side supply ports 204a and 204b, gas is directed toward the upper part and the lower part of the airbag cushion in addition to the occupant side supply port. It is also possible to realize a diffuser or the like provided with a supply port capable of discharging. In any of the diffusers, each diffuser and the occupant side panel 120 of the airbag cushion 104 can be simply tentatively sewn by the tacking portion 150, and the airbag with stable quality while improving the occupant restraint performance of the airbag cushion 104. The cushion 104 can be mass-produced.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments described above are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments may also be implemented by various methods. Can be carried out. Unless otherwise specified in the specification of the present application, the present invention is not limited to the shape, size, configuration arrangement, etc. of the detailed parts shown in the accompanying drawings. In addition, the expressions and terms used in the specification of the present application are for the purpose of explanation and are not limited thereto unless otherwise specified.

Therefore, it is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications or modifications within the scope of the claims, which naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood as a thing.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a driver's seat airbag device provided with an airbag cushion that expands and deploys between the steering wheel of a vehicle and an occupant.

100 ... Driver's airbag device, 102 ... Seat, 104 ... Airbag cushion, 106 ... Steering wheel, 108 ... Hub, 112 ... Inflator, 118 ... Stud bolt, 120 ... Passenger side panel, 122 ... Steering side panel, 124 ... Diffuser, 126 ... Lower panel, 128 ... Upper panel, 130 ... Supply port, 132 ... Bottom part, 134 ... Leg part, 136 ... Connection part, 138 ... Opening, 140 ... Bolt hole, 142 ... Pillar part, 144 ... Top surface part, 146 ... Leg part, 148 ... Crew side supply port, 150 ... Temporary sewing part, 152 ... Marking, 200 ... Diffuser of the first modification, 202 ... Crew side supply port, 204a, 204b ... Side supply port, 206 ... Lower supply port, 220 ... Diffuser of the second modification, 222 ... Crew side supply port, 224 ... Lower panel, 226 ... Upper panel

Claims (5)

It is provided with an airbag cushion that expands and expands between the steering wheel of the vehicle and an occupant, an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag cushion, and a diffuser that is contained in the airbag cushion and rectifies the gas from the inflator. It is an airbag device for the driver's seat.
The airbag cushion
The occupant side panel arranged on the occupant side and
The steering side panel arranged on the steering wheel side and
Including
The diffuser is
The connection part connected to the inflator and
One or more supply ports that supply the gas received from the inflator into the airbag cushion, and
Have,
The one or more supply ports include an occupant-side supply port that overlaps a predetermined position on the occupant-side panel of the airbag cushion in which the diffuser is included.
The driver's seat airbag device further includes a tentatively sewn portion that is sewn across the occupant-side supply port of the diffuser so that the diffuser and a predetermined portion of the occupant-side panel of the airbag cushion can be eliminated. The characteristic airbag device for the driver's seat. The driver's seat airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the tentatively sewn portion is formed by a plurality of wires intersecting within the range of the occupant-side supply port. The occupant side supply port is circular and has a circular shape.
The driver's seat airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the tentatively sewn portion is formed by two orthogonal lines at the center of the occupant-side supply port. A predetermined portion of the passenger side panel of the airbag cushion is marked with a predetermined color or pattern.
The driver airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tentatively sewn portion is formed along the marking. The driver's seat airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined portion of the occupant-side panel is near the center of the occupant-side panel.

Images