JP3431307B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device,
In particular, the present invention relates to an airbag device for safely and reliably restraining the lower body from the knees of an occupant during a collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an airbag system has been adopted in many vehicle types as a passive occupant restraint protection device for effectively protecting an occupant from an impact force generated in a vehicle collision. The purpose of this airbag device is to catch the occupant's body, particularly the head and chest, that has moved forward in a state of being restrained by the seat belt device at the time of a collision, with a bag-shaped cushion filled with gas, and To prevent from a collision. Most of the driver-seat airbag devices are folded and housed in a steering center pad located in front of the driver. At the time of a collision, the bag-shaped cushion that is inflated and expanded between the steering wheel and the driver can prevent the driver from hitting the steering wheel and being injured.

On the other hand, various airbag devices have been developed to restrain and protect passengers in the passenger seat. Unlike the driver's seat where the installation position of the airbag device is limited, the passenger's seat has a large space between the occupant and the dashboard, so that the occupant does not collide with the dashboard or windshield when the airbag is inflated and deployed. Such a large-capacity airbag is required. Moreover, it is necessary to store the airbag in a position where it can be securely deployed between the occupant and the dashboard.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating a developed state of a conventional airbag device 50 that meets such a demand. The airbag device 5 folded as shown in FIG.
0A (in the figure, for the sake of explanation, the airbag 50A when stored
And the airbag 50B when inflated are shown at the same time. )
Is installed at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the dashboard 51 with the opening surface facing upward. The airbag device 50B, which has started to expand, expands so as to cover the front of the occupant 53 from the front at the time of a collision, and receives the upper half of the occupant 53 moving forward. However, in the airbag 50B deployed in the shape as shown in FIG. 8, the lower body of the occupant 53 cannot be sufficiently restrained, and the action force causes the occupant 53 to slide in the direction of arrow A from the leg. Therefore, there is a risk that the knee or shin may hit the lower cover 55 of the dashboard at the lower position of the deployed airbag 50B.

In order to solve such a problem, various airbag devices as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 have already been proposed. The airbag device 60 shown in FIG. 9 is an airbag device for simultaneously restraining and protecting the upper body and the lower body of the occupant 53 with two airbags (Japanese Patent Publication No. 57/57).
-54337 gazette). According to the device, the torso bag 61 and the knee bag 62 are simultaneously inflated and deployed at the time of a collision to securely restrain the knee portion of the occupant 53, and the torso bag 61 prevents the upper half of the occupant 53 from leaning forward. It is designed to prevent it.

In FIG. 10, an airbag (folded state is not shown) and an inflator 71 are stored in a part of a lower cover 55 of a dashboard 51 in front of a passenger seat, and the airbag is inflated at the time of a collision. Lower cover 5 at 70
A part of the air bag 5 is pushed open from the inside to deploy the entire airbag from a position as low as the knees of the occupant 53. In addition, the airbag 70 includes a tubular baffle 72 and a knee cushion 73 that allow gas to escape laterally. As a result, the entire airbag 70 can be rapidly expanded into a predetermined shape, and the position corresponding to the knee of the occupant 53 can be protected (US Pat. No. 4,265,468).
(See Japanese Patent Publication).

[0007]

However, in the airbag device shown in FIG. 9, one inflator 64 inflates two airbags 61 and 62 having a large capacity difference. At this time, the knee bag 62 is the trunk bag 61.
It is necessary to inflate and deploy so as to maintain a high internal pressure state compared to. Therefore, in this apparatus, the gas pressure and the gas supply amount must be adjusted so that the high-pressure jet gas is supplied only to the knee bag 62 and the gas having a pressure suitable for deployment is supplied to the torso bag 61. Therefore, the airbags 61 and 62
The gas passage holding plate 65 and the one-way valve 6
It is necessary to equip 6 and the like, and there is a problem that the device becomes complicated and large.

Further, in the airbag device shown in FIG. 10, the lid 75 forming a part of the lower cover 55 at the position in front of the knees of the occupant 53 opens so as to project outward as the airbag expands. Therefore, the lid 75 may be caught by the leg of the occupant 53, and the opening through which the bag pops out may not be completely formed, which may hinder the airbag 70 from being smoothly deployed into a predetermined shape. Also, the lid 75
It's also not good for your to hit your knees.

On the other hand, in the driver-seat airbag device, the bag-like cushion accommodated in the steering center pad as described above can prevent the driver from hitting the steering wheel and getting injured. If you are seated with the seat back down without wearing the device, even if the driver airbag device operates normally and inflates and deploys,
It is preferable to be able to restrain and protect the knee portion.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to allow the lower body centering around the knees of an occupant to be restrained by an airbag having a compact structure, and in which the airbag is accommodated. Therefore, it is to provide an airbag device that can be deployed safely and smoothly.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is to inflate and deploy an inflator and a lower cover of a dashboard facing a passenger seat of a passenger seat by operating the inflator. An airbag capable of restraining and protecting the occupant's knees and chest is stored, and is integrally formed from a lid portion that covers the front surface of the airbag in the stored state and a movable cover that forms at least a part of the lower cover. In the airbag apparatus including the lid configured as described above, when the airbag is inflated, the lid is pushed by a part of the airbag that is inflated and deformed, and is displaced and deformed toward the inside of the lower cover, and the displacement A space in which the airbag can be deployed is formed between the deformed lid position and the occupant.

As another invention, an inflator is provided at a lower position of a lower cover of a dashboard facing a seat of a driver's seat, and an inflator is inflated and expanded by the operation of the inflator to restrain and protect a lower side of a passenger's knee position. A possible airbag, a lid portion that covers the front surface of the airbag in the stored state, and a lid integrally configured from a movable cover that forms at least a part of the lower cover,
When the lid is inflated, the lid is pushed by a part of the airbag that is inflated and deformed, and is displaced and deformed toward the inside of the lower cover, and the lid position after the displacement and the knee portion of the occupant are A space in which the airbag can be deployed is formed between the two.

In any one of the above airbag devices,
When the airbag is inflated, the lid is pushed by a part of the airbag which is inflated and deformed, and forms an opening portion for deploying the airbag outward from the storage position. It is preferable that the movable cover is rotated around the member connecting point and is displaced and deformed by being pressed inward of the lower cover.

At this time, it is preferable that the connecting points of the upper and lower ends of the lid are attached to a part of the lower cover by a hinge structure. Further, it is preferable that the lid has a plurality of cutout grooves formed in the lid portion and the movable cover.

In the lid, an end portion of the lid portion and an end portion of the movable cover are connected via a locking portion, and the locking portion is pushed and locked by the expansion deformation of the airbag. Is released, the lid is rotated around the lower end member connecting point to form the opening, and the movable cover is pushed by being pushed by the locking claw formed in a part of the lid. It is preferable that the upper end member is pivotally displaced around the connecting point.

[0016]

In the above-described passenger airbag apparatus and airbag apparatus capable of restraining and protecting the knee portion of the driver's seat, the lid is partially inflated and deformed when the airbag is inflated. Since it is pushed and deformed toward the inside of the lower cover and a space in which the airbag can be deployed is formed between the lid position after the displacement and the occupant, the airbag is covered. When the lid is removed, it is pressed and deformed toward the dashboard side so as to be blocked by the inflated airbag, and the lid does not project to the occupant side, so the airbag is safe and secure to the occupant's feet. Can be expanded and deployed from.

One end of the lid is provided with a hinge portion on the fixed portion.
The lid part attached via the
Since the movable cover connected to the other end of the lid is pressed toward the inside of the lower cover while being pushed by a part of the bag and rotating around the hinge , The lid can be surely displaced and deformed as the bag expands and deforms.

[0018]

By forming a plurality of cutout grooves in the lid portion and the movable cover that form the lid, the lid can be bent securely at the cutout groove positions.

One end of the lid is provided with a hinge portion on the fixed portion.
And other end portion of the lid which is attached through the movable end of the movable cover is coupled through the locking portion, the locking portion is pushed by the expansion deformation of the airbag locking Is solved,
The lid is pushed by a part of the airbag which is inflated and deformed.
The part is rotated around the hinge part and is pushed by the locking part of the lid part so that the movable cover is rotationally displaced around the hinge part at the supporting end , thereby forming a lid. The shape of can be simplified and the assembling becomes easy.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an airbag device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a developed state of an airbag portion of an airbag device 1 according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the airbag is a one-bag / two-chamber type cloth bag in which a main bag 10 and a sub bag 20 are integrally sewn, and the main bag 10 and the sub bag 20 are partitioned by a partition sheet 15. (Hereafter,
The main bag 10 and the sub bag 20 are collectively referred to as an airbag B. Details of the bag shape will be described later).
The sub-bag 20 forms a sub-chamber that extends from the lower end position of the lower cover 3B of the dashboard 3 in front of the passenger seat 2 to the knee portion of the occupant 5 and the dashboard upper end 3C (see FIG. 6), and the main bag. 10 is crew 5
Hold your chest from your waist, and the upper surface of the dashboard 3
A main room is formed so as to cover A.

In the same figure, a solid line shows a state in which the occupant 5 who has been accelerated forward by a collision is restrained by an airbag. Further, for comparison, the forward movement state of the occupant 5 without the airbag is shown by a chain double-dashed line. At this time, the occupant 5 is in a state of being pressed against the seat 2 by the sub-bag 20 in which the lower half of the body is inflated from the knees to the waist and a part of the main bag 10. Furthermore, the upper body restrained by the shoulder belt 6 of the seat belt device,
It is bent at the waist and comes into contact with the front main bag 10. Needless to say, even when the seat belt device is not worn, the restraint protection effect can be obtained centering on the lower half of the occupant 5. In this way, the occupant 5 shown in FIG.
Being firmly bound to.

At this time, the lower cover 3 is attached to the dashboard 3 side of the sub-bag 20 which restrains the knees of the occupant 5.
The lid 30 forming a part of B is folded and pressed against the steel plate panel 9 in the dashboard by the sub-bag 20 in a state where internal pressure is applied.

Here, the structure of the lid 30 with the airbag stored therein will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the dashboard lower cover 3B and a part of the legs of the occupant 5. As shown in the figure, a steel plate panel 9 that constitutes a support frame is attached to the lower surface of the dashboard 3, and a bag storage portion 8 is defined at the lower end of the steel plate panel 9. The bag storage portion 8 stores an inflator 7 and an airbag B that is connected to the inflator 7 and is folded in a folding shape that is easy to deploy. Furthermore, the hinges 35 and 36 between the end portion 3C and the bag housing portion 8 top lid 31 and the ripple <br/> de 30 constructed integrally with the lower cover 3B is dashboard upper of the bag housing portion 8 Is attached through. A portion of the bag storage portion 8 that constitutes the upper surface lid 31 has a flat plate shape, and as shown in FIG. 2, a notch groove 32 having a V-shaped cross section is provided along the longitudinal direction of the plate. on the other hand,
Of the lower cover 3B, the movable cover 33 has a cutout groove 34.
The end portion of the upper surface cover 31 of the bag housing portion 8 through a predetermined
A curved surface portion 33a is formed on the upper portion of the movable cover 33 that is smoothly formed integrally at a bending angle and at a position where the knees of the occupant 5 face each other. The upper end is connected to the end 3C of the dashboard upper by a hinge 35. As shown in FIG. 3, the curved surface portion 33a of the movable cover 33 on the front surface of the lower cover 3B is exposed from the passenger 5 in the passenger seat.

The whole lid 30 is made of a urethane resin molding material having an aluminum plate bent into a predetermined shape as a core material, and is deformed even when the knees of the occupant 5 are hit during getting on and off or during normal running. The rigidity and deformation resistance of each part are set so as not to bend or bend at the hinge part. Further, in the present invention, the glove box 38 is arranged on the upper surface 3A of the dashboard 3 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the lid 38a thereof is adapted to rotate in the direction of arrow A and open.

When high pressure gas is supplied from the inflator 7 to the airbag B from this state, a part of the airbag B is stored along the swash plate-shaped lower cover 3B of the bag storage portion 8 in the direction of arrow D. It jumps out of part 8.
Due to the popping-out action of the airbag B , the lid 30
The upper surface lid 31 of the bag storage portion 8, which is a part, is bent in the arrow C direction around the hinge 36 at the same time when the notch groove 31 is bent by the bending force from below. And of the lid 30
The upper cover 31 and a part of the lower cover 3B are pressed against the steel plate panel 9 surface by the inflating airbag B, and the cutout groove 3
The two portions are pushed and spread to the extent that the upper surface lid 31 is rotated in the direction of arrow C to be bent at about 90 °. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the lid 30 is pressed against the steel plate panel 9 so that the positional relationship with the airbag B can be seen. As is clear from the figure, the lid 30 does not project toward the occupant 5 when the airbag is deployed, so the lid 30 is not deployed when the airbag is deployed.
Can be prevented from sticking out and hitting the occupant, resulting in injury.

The structure of the airbag shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. 4 and 5
As shown in FIG. 5, the sub-bag 20 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape when inflated due to the action of internal pressure, and has a lower end to which the inflator 7 is connected via a retainer plate (not shown). It is supposed to be done. The length from the lower end connected to the inflator 7 to the sewn portion 11 with the main bag 10 is set so as to reach the vicinity of the boundary between the lower cover 3B and the dashboard upper 3C as shown in FIG. There is. Meanwhile, the main bag 1
Reference numeral 0 is composed of a lower half portion 10B joined to the sub-bag 20 at the sewn portion 11, and an upper half portion 10A joined to the lower bag portion 10B and the sewn portion 12 by bag sewing. The outer shape of the main bag 10 when viewed from the side of the occupant 5 when inflated is a substantially square shape as shown in FIG.

Further, two vent holes 13 are formed in the lower half portion 10B at positions facing the upper surface 3A of the dashboard on the windshield side. This vent hole 13
Plays a role of releasing gas inside the main bag 10 when the face or chest of the occupant 5 is pressed against the upper half of the main bag 10. As a result, the main bag 10 can have a large cushioning stroke, absorb the shock applied to the face and the like of the occupant 5, and reduce the rebound phenomenon in which the upper half of the body is vigorously bounced back to the seat back side.

Further, the main bag 10 and the sub bag 20
A partition sheet 15 is provided on the sewn portion 11 of.
The periphery of the partition sheet 15 is integrally sewn to the sewn portions 11 of the main bag 10 and the sub bag 20. A gas communication port 16 is formed at a substantially central position of the partition sheet 15. By providing the partition sheet 15, most of the high-pressure gas ejected from the inflator 7 is temporarily blocked by the partition sheet 15. Therefore, the sub-bag 20 can be inflated prior to the main bag 10, and the main bag 1 can be continuously inflated by the gas passing through the gas communication port 16.
0 is expanded and deployed. Thus, when the airbag B is inflated and deployed at the time of a collision to restrain and protect the occupant 5, the main bag 10 can be inflated and deployed while keeping the sub-bag 20 in a high pressure state. Firstly, the occupant 5 is surely restrained at the part from the knee to the waist, and at the same time, the main bag 10 can reliably receive the place rotated around the waist part.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of a lower cover showing a modified example of the lid. In this modification, the upper surface lid 40 of the bag storage portion 8 can be rotated around the hinge 43 in the arrow C direction.
The aluminum plate supported by is used. This top lid 4
No. 0 has a protruding portion 40a that partially covers the bag storage portion 8 and projects toward the occupant.
An engaging portion 41 formed at the tip of is engaged with one end of a movable lower cover 42 made of a resin mold plate. The upper end of the movable lower cover 42 is connected to the dashboard upper end 3C via a hinge 44.

According to the airbag apparatus having the lid constructed as described above, at the time of a collision, the upper surface lid 40 is rotated in the direction of arrow C as shown by the phantom line in FIG. The lower end of the movable lower cover 42 is also a steel plate panel 9
Slightly pivots around the hinge 44 toward. Then, after rotating by a slight angle, the upper surface lid 40 and the movable lower cover 4
(2) The engagement with the lower end is released, and the engagement claw 41 of the top cover 40 contacts the surface of the movable lower cover 42. In this state, as the airbag inflates and the top cover 40 further rotates,
The movable lower cover 42 is pressed against the steel plate panel 9 by the locking claws 41 as shown in phantom in FIG. As a result, the airbag can be efficiently inflated and deployed. Further, although it has a two-part configuration, there is an advantage that the processing and assembling are easy because the shape of each part is simple.

Next, referring to FIG. 7, as an airbag device for the driver's seat, in addition to the bag-shaped cushion that is folded and accommodated in the steering center pad, the driver's knees can be restrained and protected. An example in which the above-described lid structure is applied to the airbag device will be described.
As shown in FIG. 7, it is the airbag 24 housed in the steering center pad 24 supporting the steering wheel 22 that mainly functions as the airbag device 1 equipped to restrain and protect the driver. It is possible to prevent the driver 5 who is inflated and expanded and moves forward in a collision from hitting the steering wheel and getting injured.

At this time, in order to securely restrain the movement of the lower body of the driver 5, it is also preferable to equip the below-knee restraint airbag 25 as shown in the figure. The lid 30 is used to cover the airbag 25 mounted at such a position. In the lid 30, the movable cover 33 moves inward of the airbag 25 as shown in FIG. Is surely inflatable and deployable in front of the knee portion of the driver 5.

[0034]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, an airbag capable of restraining the entire lower body of an occupant who is about to move forward due to a collision or the like is inflated safely and smoothly. There is an effect that can be.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a state explanatory view showing an operating state of an embodiment of an airbag device according to the present invention installed at a passenger seat lower cover position.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a portion of the airbag device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view from the direction of arrow III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an airbag used in the airbag device shown in FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the airbag shown in FIG. 4 taken along the line VV.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the airbag device.

FIG. 7 is a state explanatory view showing an operation state of an embodiment of an airbag installed at a driver's seat lower cover position in order to restrain and protect a knee portion of a driver.

FIG. 8 is a state explanatory view showing an operating state of an example of a conventional airbag device.

FIG. 9 is a state explanatory view showing an operation state of an example of a conventional airbag device.

FIG. 10 is a state explanatory view showing an operating state of an example of a conventional airbag device.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 Airbag device 2 passenger seat 3 dashboard 3A dashboard top 3B lower cover 3C dashboard upper end 5 crew 7 inflator 8 bag storage 9 Steel plate panel 10 main bags 13 Bent hole 15 Partition sheet 20 sub bags 23 Upper body airbag 25 below knee airbag 30 lid 31, 40 Top lid 32, 34 Notch groove 33,42 Movable cover B airbag

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-58-110338 (JP, A) JP-A-58-110339 (JP, A) JP-A-2-14945 (JP, A) 56053 (JP, U) Actually open 4-29459 (JP, U) Actually open 61-159250 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60R 21/16-21 / 32

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An inflator and an airbag capable of being restrained and protected from the knees and chest of an occupant by being inflated and expanded by the operation of the inflator are stored in a lower position of a lower cover of a dashboard facing a seat of a passenger seat. And a lid portion that covers the front surface of the airbag in the stored state,
In an airbag device including a lid integrally configured with a movable cover forming at least a part of the lower cover, the lid is formed by a part of the airbag that is inflated and deformed when the airbag is inflated. An airbag which is pushed and is displaced and deformed toward the inside of the lower cover, and a space in which the airbag can be deployed is formed between the lid position after the displacement and the occupant. apparatus. 2. An inflator at a lower position of a lower cover of a dashboard facing a seat of a driver's seat, and an airbag capable of being inflated and expanded by the operation of the inflator to restrain and protect a lower side of a passenger's knee position. A lid integrally covering a front cover of the stored airbag and a movable cover forming at least a part of the lower cover, wherein the lid expands the airbag. When this is done, the airbag is pushed by a part of the airbag that is inflated and deformed, and is displaced and deformed toward the inside of the lower cover, and the airbag can be deployed between the lid position after the displacement and the knee of the occupant. An air bag device characterized in that a large space is formed. 3. The lid has a hinge portion at one end and a fixed portion.
The lid part attached via the
Is pushed to a part of Tsu grayed, with pivots the hinge portion around is displaced deformed pressed toward the movable cover which is connected to the other end of the lid to the lower cover inwardly, this
As a result, the airbag is deployed outward from the storage position.
The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an opening is formed . 4. The airbag apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lid has a plurality of cutout grooves formed in the lid portion and the movable cover. 5. The lid has a hinge portion at a fixed portion at one end.
And other end portion of the lid which is attached through the movable end of the movable cover is coupled through the locking portion, the locking portion is pushed by the expansion deformation of the airbag locking Is solved,
The lid is pushed by a part of the airbag which is inflated and deformed.
Part pivots around the hinge part and is pushed by the locking part of the lid part to pivotally displace the movable cover around the hinge part at the support end , thereby removing the airbag from the storage position.
The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an opening portion for expanding toward one side is formed .