JP3366051B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To rapidly unfold the bag of an air bag device into a shape suitable for constraining an occupant. CONSTITUTION:A bag B housed in a folded condition in the inside of a bag housing container C wherein the upper surface is opened is composed of a first part B1 facing the bag housing container C at the time of unfolding, a second part B2 extending to the body front from the first part B1, and a third part B3 extending to the body rear from the first part B1. The third part B3 folded into a bellows shape to be overlapped in a vertical direction is housed on the bottom wall part side of the bag housing container C, and thereon the second part B2 folded in a bellows shape to be overlapped in a fore and aft direction is overlapped. The first part B1 connecting the second and third parts B2 and B3 is housed along the front wall part of the bag housing container C so as to cover the front surface of the third part B3.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device for a vehicle, and more particularly, to folding an airbag in a bag storage container having a bottom wall, a side wall, and an opening. Stored in the state
In the space between the airbag and the bottom wall.
The present invention relates to an airbag device that inflates the bag by injecting air into the vehicle interior from the opening. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an acceleration exceeding a certain value is detected due to a collision of a vehicle, a bag is inflated and deployed in a vehicle interior by high-pressure gas, and an occupant is restrained by the bag to protect the vehicle from a secondary collision. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an airbag device adapted to perform such operations. The bag of such an airbag device is stored in the bag storage container of the module in a folded state, and the order of folding greatly affects the deployment performance of the bag. In US Pat. No. 5,178,407, a bag is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion, and the lower portion is first folded in a bellows shape and stored on the bottom wall side of the bag storage container. It is described that the upper part is folded in a bellows shape and stored on the opening side of the bag storage container so as to be overlapped on the lower part. [0004] In an airbag device in which a bag is folded as described above, the upper portion of the bag is first deployed at the time of deployment, and then the lower portion of the bag is deployed. , The lower part is pulled by the upper part to be expanded first and expands in almost the same direction as the upper part.
The entire bag will be deployed in one direction. As a result, not only is there a problem that a time lag occurs until the bag is deployed to a shape suitable for restraining the occupant, but also the tip of the deployed bag may strongly contact a part of the occupant's body. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to quickly deploy a bag of an airbag device into a shape suitable for restraining an occupant. [0006] To achieve the above object, resolving means for the problems, the present invention is housed in a folded state the bag the bag container having a bottom wall and a side wall portion and the opening portion, the back
Gas from the inflator into the space between the
In the airbag device, the bag is inflated by injecting the airbag into the vehicle interior through the opening , and the bag is configured to have a first portion facing the opening of the bag storage container when the airbag is unfolded; A second portion and a third portion extending in a direction away from each other with the first portion interposed therebetween, wherein the third portion is folded in a bellows shape so as to overlap in the depth direction of the bag storage container, and The third part in the folded state is stored on the bottom wall side of the bag storage container .
The second part remote the opening portion side is folded like bellows so as to overlap in the width direction of the bag container is accommodated in the bag accommodating container, and wherein the first portion is the folded
The first portion is housed along the side wall of the bag storage container so as to cover the side portion of the third portion in the folded state .
Between the bag and the base end of the bag fixed to the bag storage container.
In the step of deploying the second part, the second part is
Gas is removed from said space to said second
A gas inflow path for leading to the portion is formed . An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 9 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with an airbag device, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of an operation corresponding to FIG. 2, and FIGS. 4 to 8 show first to fifth steps of bag folding.
FIG. 9 is a view showing a process, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the operation when the bag is deployed. As shown in FIG. 1, a module M of this airbag device is mounted inside an instrument panel P in front of a passenger seat of a vehicle, and the bag constitutes a part of the upper surface of the instrument panel P. L is pushed open to inflate and deploy in the passenger compartment, thereby restraining the occupant in the passenger seat and protecting it from a secondary collision. As shown in FIG. 2, a module M includes a cylindrical inflator I which ignites at the time of a vehicle collision and generates high-pressure gas, a lower retainer case 1 for housing the inflator I therein, and a lower retainer case 1. A central retainer case 2 coupled to the upper opening so as to cover above the inflator I; and an upper retainer case 3 coupled to the upper edge of the lower retainer case 1 and extending toward the lid L.
And a bag B whose peripheral edge is fastened to a joint between the lower retainer case 1 and the upper retainer case 3. A bag storage container C for storing the bag B in a folded state includes a bottom wall portion formed by the central retainer case 2, a side wall portion formed by the upper retainer case 3, and an opening at an upper end of the upper retainer case 3. The opening 4 is covered by a lid L which constitutes a part of the upper surface of the instrument panel P. The instrument panel P is formed by covering the surface of a core material 5 made of a soft foamed resin with a soft thin skin, and a part of an upper surface and a lower surface of the instrument panel P are made of a hard resin 6, respectively. 7 coated. The instrument panel P recess 8 for housing the module M is formed, the front edge of the lid L with the stepped portion ₆₁ of the outer cover 6 constituting the upper opening is fitted. The lid L is formed by covering the surface of a core material 9 made of the same soft foamed resin as the instrument panel P with a soft thin skin, and a plurality of pieces penetrating through metal reinforcing frames 10 and 11 inserted therein. The upper retainer case 3 is fixed to the upper edge of the upper retainer case 3 by bolts 12. Reinforcement frame 1 on lid L
Corresponding to break of 0,11 thin portion 9 ₁ is formed by the thin portion 9 ₁ at a pressure at which the bag B is inflated and deployed is broken, the lid L is bent upward from the bent portion 9 ₂ Open. A support plate 13 welded to the lower surface of the lower retainer case 1 of the module M is supported by bolts 17 on a mounting bracket 15 fixed to the mounting pipe 14 and a mounting bracket 16 fixed to the outer cover 7 of the instrument panel P. You. Reference numeral 18 denotes a patch cloth for covering the upper surface of the bag B stored in a folded state in the bag storage container C. The patch cloth 18 is used when the bag B is unfolded when the bag B is unfolded. Has a function of preventing direct sliding contact with the lower surface of the instrument panel P or the upper surface of the instrument panel P to prevent damage. Next, a folding order for storing the bag B in the bag storage container C will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4A shows a bag B unfolded from a bag storage container C.
9 and a pair of left and right side cloths 2 to be sewn to the left and right side surfaces thereof
0, 21. The lateral width W ₁ of the bag B in the deployed state is larger than the lateral width W of the bag storage container C. As shown in FIG. 4 (B), in the first step of folding the bag B, the side cloths 20, 21 constituting the left and right side surfaces of the bag B are folded in a bellows-like manner, so that the width in the lateral direction of the vehicle body is obtained. W ₂ is made smaller than the width W of the bag container C in the left-right direction. As a result, the folded bag B has a band shape extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction with the bag storage container C as a center. Here, the bag B folded in a band shape is conveniently divided into three parts, and a central part facing the bag storage container C is divided into a first part B ₁ , a part extending from the first part B ₁ to the front of the vehicle body. To the second part B ₂ and the first part B
The portion extending from ₁ to the rear of the vehicle body and a third portion B _3. Next, in the second step shown in FIG. 5, after the third portion B ₃ is folded in a bellows shape, in the third step shown in FIG. 6, the third portion B 3 folded in a bellows shape is _Three
Are stored on the bottom wall (center retainer case 2) side of the bag storage container C so as to be stacked in the vertical direction, that is, in the depth direction of the bag storage container C. Next, in the fourth step shown in FIG. 7, after folding the second portion B ₂ in a bellows,
In the fifth step shown in FIG. 8, the second portion B ₂ are as stacked in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, housed above the third portion B ₃ folded like bellows. [0018] As a result, the first portion B ₁ that connects the second portion B ₂ and the third portion B ₃ is the third portion B ₃ accommodated in the bottom wall portion of the bag container C rising upwardly from the lower end along the side wall portion of the vehicle body front side of the bag container C (upper retainer case 3), positioned so as to cover the third portion B ₃ and the second front portion B ₂ stacked Will be. The side wall (upper retainer case)
The bag base end Bb connected to 3) and the first portion B ₁
Between the second part B ₂ and the third part during the bag unfolding process.
In order to expand ahead of the portion B ₃ portions of said 2 B
A gas inflow path 100 that allows gas to flow preferentially into ₂ is formed
Is done. This gas inflow path 100 is the third state of the folded state.
The side wall portion on the side of the portion B ₃ (upper Ritenake
3) is located almost along the center
One end is opened in a space S between the na case 2 and the bag B,
The other end faces the opening 4 on the upper end of the upper retainer case 3
Extending. [0019] As described above above, ends when the bag B is housed in a folded state in the interior of the bag container C, and work over the top of the folded bag B in the patch cloth 18. Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described. When the sensor that detects the collision of the vehicle outputs an activation signal of the airbag device, the squib of the inflator I operates to ignite the propellant, and the generated high-pressure combustion gas is formed in the central retainer case 2. As a result, the bag B starts to expand inside the bag storage container C as a result of flowing into the upper retainer case 3 through the gas hole of FIG. When pressure is applied to the inner surface of the lid L by expansion of the bag B, the bent portion 9 by the lid L is broken along the thin portion 9 _1
2 and the bag B is opened outward with the lid L
From the opening formed by the expansion of the vehicle. [0022] Further describing in detail the development process of the bag B, the combustion gas supplied from the inflator I into the bottom of the bag container C includes a front wall (the upper retainer casing 3 as indicated by an arrow X in FIG. 3 the first front portion B ₁ of the bag B that are disposed along the side wall portion), i.e. the gas flow
Second flows to the portion B ₂ through the entrance road 100, to expand toward the second portion B ₂ substantially upward. When the second portion B ₂ is expanded upward to the state shown in FIG. 3, the first portion B ₂ connected to the _second portion B _2
1 is raised upward. As a result, the first part B ₁
Front lower edge of the third portion B ₃ is pulled upwardly, part B ₃ of the third are thrown from the bag container C while rotating in the rear of the vehicle body as indicated by an arrow Y in FIG. 3 connecting to. As shown by a → b → c... J in FIG. 9, first, the second portion B ₂ of the bag B is expanded upward along the windshield S, and slightly delay third portion B ₃ is deployed rearward toward the vehicle compartment. In this way, by deploying the third portion B ₃ and each different directions constituting a second portion B ₂ and a rear portion constituting a front portion of the bag B, most suitable for restraining an occupant The bag B can be quickly deployed toward the final shape (see i in FIG. 9), whereby the occupant's head, chest and abdomen can be softly restrained at substantially the same timing. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design changes can be made. For example, in the embodiments, the airbag device for the passenger seat is illustrated, but the present invention can be applied to the airbag device for the driver's seat and the rear seat. As described above, according to the present invention, the bag
Is open when the bag is opened.
Part 1 and those who move away from each other across the first part
A second portion and a third portion extending in
Bellows shape so that the parts overlap in the depth direction of the bag storage container
Folded and stored on the bottom wall side of the bag storage container
Together with the third portion in the folded state.
The second portion overlaps the width direction of the bag storage container on the mouth side
Folded in a bellows shape and stored in a bag storage container
And the first part is the third part in the folded state.
Along the side wall of the bag container so as to cover the side of the
It has been accommodated, to the first portion and the back grayed container
Between the fixed bag proximal end and the bag
Gas to inflate the part before the third part
From the space between the container bottom wall and the bag to the second part
Gas inflow channel is formed for the initial deployment of the bag
First, the bag along the side wall of the bag storage container
A second passage through the gas inlet between the proximal end and the first portion;
By gas flows into the portion, the second portion is deployed first, followed by the other end of the second first are connections via a portion bag portion constituting one end of the bag Can be developed in a direction different from that of the second part. As a result, the bag can be deployed in a very short time toward a shape suitable for restraining the occupant, as compared with a case in which the entire bag is deployed in one direction. It becomes possible to restrain softly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with an airbag device. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view corresponding to FIG. FIG. 5 shows a first step of bag folding. FIG. 5 shows a second step of bag folding. FIG. 6 shows a third step of bag folding. FIG. 7 shows a fourth step of bag folding. 8: Fifth step of bag folding FIG. 9: Explanatory view of the bag when it is deployed [Explanation of symbols] 2 Central retainer case (bottom wall) 3 Upper retainer case (side wall) 4 Opening 100 gas Inflow path B Bag B ₁ First part B ₂ Second part B ₃ Third part Bb Base end C Bag storage container S space

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-368251 (JP, A) JP-A-4-293642 (JP, A) JP-A-2-14944 (JP, A) JP-A-2- 303952 (JP, A) JP-A-1-314646 (JP, A) JP-A-4-93244 (JP, U) US Patent 5,178,407 (US, A) US Patent 5,074,584 (US, A) US Patent 5,197,756 (US, A) US Patent 4991869 (US, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60R 21/16-21/32

Claims (1)

(57) Claims 1. A bag (B) in a bag container (C) having a bottom wall (2), a side wall (3), and an opening (4 ).
Housed in a folded state, the bottom wall and the bag (B)
From the inflator (I) to the space (S) between the part (2)
By injecting the gas, the bag (B) is inflated.
In the airbag device, the bag (B) faces the opening (4) of the bag storage container (C) at the time of deployment. (B ₁ )
And a second portion (B ₂ ) and a third portion (B ₃ ) extending in directions away from each other with the _first portion (B ₁ ) interposed therebetween, and the third portion (B ₃ ) with is housed folded like bellows so as to overlap in the depth direction of the bag container (C) to the bottom wall (2) side of the bag container (C), its
Opening than the third portion (B ₃ ) in the folded state of
On the (4) side, the second portion (B ₂ ) is folded in a bellows shape so as to overlap in the width direction of the bag storage container (C), and is stored in the bag storage container (C). 1
Part (B ₁₎ is being housed along the side wall (3) of the bag container (C) so as to cover the side portion of the third portion of the folded state (B _3), first the part
(B ₁ ) and a bag base end fixed to the bag storage container (C)
Between the second part (Bb) and the second part
(B ₂ ) expands before the _third part (B ₃ )
Gas from said space (S) to cause said second portion
A gas inflow path (100) for leading to (B ₂ ) is formed.
Characterized in that that the air bag device.