JP3184930B2 - Side airbag device inflator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an inflator used for a side airbag device. The side airbag device of the present invention is attached to the periphery of the door opening inside the vehicle body, and when the airbag is inflated,
The airbag covers the door opening and restrains the occupant's head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an inflator 1 used in this type of side airbag apparatus has a gas discharge port 2a capable of discharging an inflation gas G disposed on an outer peripheral surface as shown in FIGS. A cylindrical inflator body 2, and a cylindrical diffuser disposed so as to cover the inflator body 2 and allow the inflation gas G discharged from the inflator body 2 to flow to the tip side along the axial direction of the inflator body 2. And three.

[0003] The diffuser 3 has a total of eight screw holes 3a formed through two rows at four locations in the circumferential direction. The diffuser 3 is connected to the inflator main body 2 by externally covering the inflator main body 2 and screwing the screws 4 into the respective screw holes 3a and pressing the tips of the screws 4 against the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body 2. Had been fixed.

In such an inflator 1, when the inflation gas G is discharged from the gas discharge port 2 a of the inflator main body 2, the inflation gas G is guided to the inner peripheral surface of the diffuser 3, and The gas is discharged to the distal end side along the axial direction, and is further supplied to the inside of the airbag 5 via the cylindrical gas inflow portion 5a of the airbag 5 that is provided on the diffuser 3.

[0005] Incidentally, as described above, the inflator 1
As the thin diffuser 3 and the inflator body 2
The reason that the inflator gas G is caused to flow out along the axial direction of the inflator body 2 is that the inflator 1 of the side airbag device is generally arranged such that the width of the inflator 1 is lower than the width of the front pillar. Therefore, it is necessary to be elongated, and furthermore, the outflow direction of the inflation gas G is set along the front pillar, and the elongated portion from the inside of the narrow front pillar to the roof side rail is formed. This is because the inflation gas can be smoothly supplied to the folded airbag 5.

[0006]

However, the tips of a number of screws 4 are pressed from around the inflator body 2 to
When the diffuser 3 is fixed to the inflator body 2, a gap h0 is generated between the outer peripheral surface of the inflator body 2 and the inner peripheral surface of the diffuser 3 around the area where the screw 4 is arranged. In addition, it is inevitable that the inflation gas G discharged from the gas discharge port 2a of the inflator main body 2 escapes to the base portion side of the inflator main body 2 opposite to the front end side which is the airbag 5 side. Then, from the gap h0, the inflator body 2
If the amount of the inflation gas G leaking to the base portion of the inflator increases, the inflation gas G discharged from the inflator body 2 cannot be used effectively.

Further, in the conventional inflator 1, if the tightening manner of each screw 4 is not constant, the inflator main body 2
And the diffuser 3 are not concentric, and the inflation gas G flowing from the inflator 1 to the distal end side in the axial direction of the inflator main body 2 varies in the outflow direction and the distribution of the outflow around the inflator main body 2, resulting in inconsistency. It will be discharged uniformly. Therefore, it takes time and effort to tighten each screw 4 so that the inflator body 2 and the diffuser 3 are concentric, and the fixing work of the diffuser 3 to the inflator body 2 requires a lot of man-hours.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and can easily fix the diffuser to the inflator body, prevent unnecessary leakage of the inflation gas, and uniformly discharge the inflation gas from the distal end side. An object of the present invention is to provide an inflator for a side airbag device that can be used.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided an inflator having a plurality of dischargeable inflation gases capable of supplying an inflation gas to an airbag folded around the periphery of a door opening inside the vehicle . A column-shaped inflator body in which gas discharge ports are uniformly arranged in a circumferential direction of an outer peripheral surface, and an inflation gas that covers the inflator body and is discharged from the inflator body to a front end side of the inflator body. A cylindrical diffuser arranged to flow to the
Of side airbag device composed of
In the inflator body, a male screw is formed on an outer peripheral surface on an end portion side closer to a base portion than the gas discharge port, and an internal thread corresponding to the male screw is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the diffuser, The diffuser
The corresponding screws are screwed into the inflator body, and the inflator gas is discharged at the outflow side of the inflation gas.
Outer peripheral surface of the inflator body and inner periphery of the diffuser
Along the outer peripheral surface of the inflator body
It is characterized by being equally connected and fixed.

It is preferable that a grip surface is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body and the diffuser so that the inflator main body and the diffuser can be gripped when the screws are screwed together.

[0011]

In the inflator according to the present invention, the end portion of the inflator body closer to the base portion than the gas discharge port.
On the outer peripheral surface of the diffuser, an external thread is formed, and on the inner peripheral surface of the diffuser, an internal thread corresponding to the external thread of the inflator body is formed, and the diffuser is connected and fixed to the inflator body by screwing the screws together. I have.

That is, even if the inflation gas is discharged from the gas discharge port of the inflator main body, the diffuser that is externally mounted on the inflator main body is screwed into the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body closer to the base from the gas discharge port. ,
Since there is no gap as in the related art, unnecessary leakage of the inflation gas from the base portion side of the inflator body can be prevented.

Further, since the diffuser is screwed to the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body, the mounting positional relationship between the two is always constant, and the axes of the diffuser and the inflator main body can be made concentric. Therefore, the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body and the inner peripheral surface of the diffuser on the outflow side of the inflation gas can be made uniform along the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body, and the outflow direction of the inflation gas and the outflow distribution around the inflator main body. The inflation gas can be uniformly discharged from the front end side of the inflator without variation.

And, of course, the fixing of the diffuser to the inflator body can be easily performed simply by screwing the corresponding screws together.

[0015] Therefore, in the inflator of the side air bag device of the present invention, easily and can be fixed diffuser inflator body, it is possible to prevent unnecessary leakage of inflation gas in the inflation gas from the front end side
Can flow out uniformly around the body of the flatter .

In particular, in the conventional structure, even if the gas discharge port is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the base portion side of the inflator main body so that the inflation gas is difficult to uniformly flow out from the front end side,
In the present invention, the inflator gas is supplied from the tip side to the inflator gas.
Since the airbag can be uniformly discharged around the body, the airbag can be smoothly inflated.

If a gripping surface capable of gripping the inflator main body and the diffuser when the screws are screwed together is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body and the diffuser, a cylindrical shape is formed by using the gripping surface. The inflator body and the cylindrical diffuser can be grasped smoothly, respectively, and the work of screwing the diffuser to the inflator body can be facilitated.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A side airbag device M in which the inflator 18 of the embodiment is used, as shown in FIGS.
It is arranged from below the front pillar at the periphery of the door opening W on the inside of the vehicle to the rear side of the roof side rail, and includes an airbag 11 and an inflator 18.

The airbag 11 is folded from the front pillar above the belt line BL (the lower edge line of the window frame F in the door D) of the door opening W on the inside of the vehicle to the roof side rail and stored. ing.

As shown in FIG. 5, the airbag 11 has an inner side wall portion 12 and an outer side wall portion 13, and has a substantially square plate-like shape when inflated, and a lower inflatable shape. It is provided with a cylindrical gas inflow section 14 through which gas flows.

The airbag 11 of the embodiment is formed of a substantially arrow-blade-shaped cloth material having the lower edge sides of the inner side wall portion 12 and the outer side wall portion 13 as a center line, and is folded in half at the center line of the cloth material. At the same time, a predetermined peripheral edge is bonded with an adhesive 10 such as a thermosetting adhesive such as a silicone-based, urethane-based, or epoxy-based adhesive or a hot melt adhesive to form a bag shape. The upper edge side is the upper edge side where the inner side wall portion 12 and the outer side wall portion 13 overlap, and the mounting hole 15
and a mounting portion 15 for mounting to the body 29 with a. The cloth material of the airbag 11 is formed of a flexible woven fabric such as polyamide or polyester.

A connecting portion 16 for forming a tension line LL (a line for exerting a tension in order to enhance the shape retention when the airbag is inflated) is formed in the airbag 11 when inflated, as shown in FIGS. As shown in the figure, the vehicle interior side wall portion 12 and the vehicle exterior side wall portion are formed of four pieces by an adhesive 10 for bonding the interior side wall portion 13 and the interior side wall portion 13.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the airbag 11 is accommodated in a bellows-folded shape at the periphery of the door opening W, is covered with a garnish 31 on the front pillar side, and has a roof interior material on the roof side rail side. 33.

The garnish 31 is made of a synthetic resin such as ABS or polypropylene, and has a mounting base 31a, a base 31b,
A door portion 31d having an integral hinge 31e disposed so as to be pushed and opened by the airbag 11 when the airbag 11 is inflated is provided, and is fixed to the body 29 with the clip 25 or a bolt. Have been. The clip 25 and the like are attached to a mounting belt 27 described later.
At the same time, it also serves to attach the airbag 11 to the body 29 by inserting a predetermined attachment hole 15a of the airbag 11 therethrough.

The roof interior material 33 is made of a synthetic resin such as urethane or polypropylene.
b. It is provided with a skin 33c, is fixed to the body 29 by a clip 25 or a bolt, and the tip 33d is locked to a door trim 34 connected to the body 29.
When the airbag 11 is inflated, the airbag 11
, The tip 33d comes off the door trim 34.

The folded airbag 11 is wrapped at a plurality of predetermined locations with a synthetic resin mounting belt 27 and covered with a garnish 31 and a roof interior material 33. The attachment belt 27 includes a thin-walled rupture portion 27a that ruptures when the airbag 11 is inflated, and is fastened together by a clip 25 or a bolt for attaching the airbag 11 to the body 29.

The mounting hole 1 on the rear end side of the airbag 11
A bolt 36 screwed to the body 29 is inserted through 5a, and the rear end of the airbag 11 is attached to the body 29 without using the attachment belt 27.

On the front end side of the airbag 11, a cylindrical gas inflow portion 14 surrounding an inflator 18 is provided.
The mounting bracket 23 attached to the body 29 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the inflator 18, and the front end side of the airbag 11 is attached to the body 29 using the attachment bracket 23.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the inflator 18 has a belt line BL below the front pillar.
Is disposed below the cylindrical inflator body 19.
And a cylindrical diffuser 20. The diffuser 20 is attached to the body 29 using the mounting bracket 23 with the gas inflow portion 14 of the airbag 11 interposed therebetween.

The inflator body 19 has a cylindrical large-diameter portion 19a on the distal end side, a cylindrical small-diameter portion 19d arranged concentrically with the large-diameter portion on the base side and having a smaller diameter than the large-diameter portion 19a.
It is composed of A plurality of gas discharge ports 19b capable of discharging the inflation gas G are provided on the outer peripheral surface on the base portion side of the large diameter portion 19a.
Are arranged evenly along the circumferential direction. An external thread 19e is threaded on the outer peripheral surface on the end side of the small diameter portion 19d which is further closer to the base portion than the gas discharge port 19b. In addition, a predetermined number of cutout recesses 19c are formed at the distal end of the large diameter portion 19a of the embodiment as a gripping surface for gripping and fixing the inflator body 19 when screwing the diffuser 20. I have. The main body 19 is configured to discharge the inflation gas G from the gas discharge port 19b.
Is a lead wire for inputting a predetermined electric signal to the input terminal.

The diffuser 20 has a cylindrical large-diameter portion 20a on the distal end side and a cylindrical small-diameter portion 20d concentrically arranged on the base side with the large-diameter portion 20a and smaller in diameter than the large-diameter portion 20a.
And an intermediate portion 20b between the large diameter portion 20a and the small diameter portion 20d
And is provided. A female screw 20e corresponding to the male screw 19e of the inflator body 19 is threaded on the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 20d. Also, the intermediate portion 20b
7 and 8 has a regular hexagonal cylindrical shape so as to form a flat gripping surface 20c that can be gripped when screwed into the inflator body 19, as shown in FIGS. The length of the diffuser 20 of the embodiment is a length that exposes the cutout recess 19c on the tip end side of the inflator body 19 when the small diameter portion 20d is screwed into the small diameter portion 19d of the inflator body 19. In the inner diameter of the large-diameter portion 20a on the front end side of the inflator main body 19, a gap h1 of about 2 mm is left between the inner diameter of the large-diameter portion 19a on the front end side of the inflator main body 19 when screwed into the inflator main body 19. Dimensions.

The inflator 18 of the embodiment
The inflator body 19 using the notch recess 19c.
While holding the diffuser 20 with a wrench or the like using the gripping surface 20c, screwing the female screw 20e into the male screw 19e, and connecting and fixing the diffuser 20 to the inflator body 19. It is formed.

The mounting bracket 23 is formed from a bent sheet metal, and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, a cylindrical portion 23 that covers the diffuser 20 with the gas inflow portion 14 interposed therebetween.
a and a mounting portion 23b extending from the cylindrical portion 23a and having mounting holes 23c and 23c. Clamp portions 23d and 23d capable of plastically deforming and reducing the inner diameter are connected to both ends of the cylindrical portion 23a. It is configured.

When the mounting bracket 23 is used, the gas inflow portion 14 is provided around the diffuser 20 of the inflator 18, and the cylindrical portion 23a and the clamp portion 23d of the mounting bracket 23 are provided around the diffuser 20. If each clamp portion 23d is pinched with pliers or the like so as to reduce the diameter and plastically deformed, the cylindrical diffuser 2d can be formed.
0, the gas inflow portion 14 of the airbag 11 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the diffuser 20 with good sealing properties,
In addition, the inflator 18 is held by the clamp portion 23d of the mounting bracket 23.

Thereafter, when the mounting bolt 38 is screwed into the body 29 through each mounting hole 23c of the mounting portion 23b, the inflator 18 with the gas inflow portion 14 is assembled to the body 2.
9 can be easily attached and fixed.

When the inflator 18 and the gas inflow portion 14 of the airbag 11 are attached to the body 29 by the attachment bracket 23, the airbag 11
Is folded and wrapped around each mounting belt 27, and at the same time, each mounting belt 27 is clipped or bolted, and a bolt 36 is screwed in so that the portion of the airbag 11 other than the gas inflow portion 14 is moved to the body 29. It will be attached to.

In the airbag apparatus M according to the embodiment, when the inflation gas G is discharged from the gas discharge port 19b of the inflator 18 after being attached to the vehicle, the inflator body 19
Between the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 19a and the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 20a of the diffuser 20, and the inflator 18
The inflation gas flows out from the front end of the airbag into the gas inflow portion 14 of the airbag 11. Then, with the inflow of the inflation gas G from the gas inflow portion 14, the airbag 11 breaks the scheduled break portion 27a of each mounting belt 27, pushes the door portion 31d of the garnish 31, opens it, and opens the roof interior. The tip 33d side of the member 33 is pushed to open, and expands so as to close the door opening W.

At that time, in the inflator 18 of the embodiment, the diffuser 20 provided on the inflator main body 19 uses the screws 19e and 20e to screw the diffuser 20 onto the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body 19 closer to the base from the gas discharge port 19b. Therefore, there is no gap h0 as in the related art, and unnecessary leakage of the inflation gas G from the base portion side of the inflator body 19 can be prevented.

Further, since the diffuser 20 is screwed to the outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body 19, the axis of the diffuser 20 and the inflator main body 19 can be arranged concentrically. Therefore, the inflation gas G
The gap h1 between the outer peripheral surface of the inflator body 19 and the inner peripheral surface of the diffuser 20 on the outflow side of the inflator body 19 can be made uniform along the outer peripheral surface of the inflator body 19, and the outflow direction of the inflation gas G and the inflator body 19
The inflation gas G is uniformly distributed from the tip side of the inflator 18 without variation in the outflow distribution around the airbag 11.
Out to the gas inflow section 14 of the first embodiment.

Therefore, the inflator 1 of the embodiment
In 8, the diffuser 20 can be easily fixed to the inflator body 19 by simply screwing the corresponding screws 19e and 20e together, and unnecessary leakage of the inflation gas G can be prevented. Inn from the front end side
It can be uniformly discharged around the flatter body 19 .

In particular, in the conventional structure, the gas discharge port 19b which makes it difficult for the inflation gas to flow out uniformly from the tip end side is used.
In the embodiment, the inflation gas G flowing out from the distal end side can be made uniform around the inflator body 19 , and the airbag 11 can be smoothly inflated. Can be done.

In the embodiment, the screws 19e and 19e are provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the inflator body 19 and the diffuser 20.
20e gripping surfaces 19c and 2 that can grip the inflator body 19 and the diffuser 20 when screwed together.
0c is formed, the gripping surfaces 19c and 20c
By using, the cylindrical inflator body 19 and the cylindrical diffuser 20 can be gripped smoothly,
The operation of screwing the diffuser 20 to the inflator body 19 can be facilitated.

As the gripping surfaces 19c and 20c, only one flat surface may be formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface, and further, a single convex portion or concave portion may be formed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a side airbag device in which an inflator according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of a II-II portion in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of a III-III part in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state when the side airbag device using the inflator of the embodiment is operated.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the airbag device of the embodiment when the airbag is inflated.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of an inflator portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a diffuser used for the inflator of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the diffuser.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a mounting bracket used to mount the inflator of the embodiment to a vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view showing a conventional inflator.

11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1.18: inflator, 2.19: inflator body, 2a, 19b: gas discharge port, 3.20: diffuser, 5.11: airbag, 19c: (gripping surface) cutout recess, 19e: male screw, 20e: female screw 20c: gripping surface; M: side airbag device.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hisaaki Kato 1 Ochiai Ogata, Kasuga-cho, Nishikasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyota Gosei Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroki Nakajima 1-Toyota-cho, Toyota-shi, Aichi Prefecture Toyota Motor Vehicle Stock In-company (56) References JP-A-9-156450 (JP, A) JP-A-7-69167 (JP, A) JP-A-8-332910 (JP, A) (58) Fields studied (Int. . ^7, DB name) B60R 21/16 - 21/32

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A against interior side of the door opening peripheral edge folded airbag, the possible supply inflation gas, the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface a plurality of gas discharge ports capable of discharging the inflation gas
A cylindrical inflator body evenly arranged in a cylindrical shape; and a cylindrical diffuser arranged so as to cover the inflator body and to allow inflation gas discharged from the inflator body to flow toward the tip end of the inflator body. And the side airbag device
In the inflator body, an external thread is formed on an outer peripheral surface on an end side closer to a base portion than the gas discharge port in the inflator body, and an internal thread corresponding to the external thread is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the diffuser, The diffuser engages the corresponding screws with each other with respect to the inflator body, and the inflation gas
The outer peripheral surface of the inflator body and the
The gap with the inner peripheral surface of the diffuser is
-An inflator for a side airbag device, wherein the inflator is uniformly connected and fixed along the outer peripheral surface of the main body . 2. The outer peripheral surface of the inflator main body and the diffuser is formed with gripping surfaces capable of gripping the inflator main body and the diffuser when the screws are screwed together. Item 2. An inflator for a side airbag device according to item 1. Wherein the gas discharge ports said inflator present
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is disposed on the base of the body.
Alternatively, the inflator of the side airbag device according to claim 2.