JP3473082B2 - Vehicle 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 a vehicle air bag system for inflating and deploying an air bag in the event of a side collision of the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an airbag device for an automobile, an airbag which is inflated and deployed from a steering wheel or an instrument panel on the passenger side is used.
Various types have been proposed and put into practical use that buffer the inertial force applied to the occupant during a frontal collision and prevent the secondary collision of the occupant with the steering wheel handle, instrument panel, or the like. As such an airbag device, an ignition device (igniter) is operated based on an output signal from a collision detection sensor mounted on a vehicle body, and an airbag is generated by a pressure of nitrogen gas generated from a gas generator (inflator). The one that is designed to instantly expand and deploy is widely adopted.

By the way, in the case of a side collision, the upper half of the occupant seated on the seat on the side wall (door) side of the vehicle may collide with the side wall of the vehicle body that has entered the vehicle interior. That is, at the time of a side collision, the side wall of the vehicle body moves to the center side of the passenger compartment, which is the anti-collision side, and the seat is moved to the center side of the passenger compartment through the side sill and the floor. Move to the center of the passenger compartment,
Since the upper half of the occupant is almost free from the seat, the upper body of the occupant moves toward the side wall of the vehicle body and double-collides with the side wall of the vehicle body.

Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-281455, an air bag which is provided in the interior of a seat cushion and a seat back and is inflatable and deployable to at least a side wall of a vehicle occupant and a vehicle body. 2. Description of the Related Art An airbag device for a vehicle is known that includes a side collision detection sensor that detects a side collision and an airbag deployment means that deploys an airbag by receiving an output from the side collision detection sensor.

[0005]

However, in such an air bag system for a vehicle, the air bag is only inflatable and deployable to at least the side wall of the vehicle body of the occupant. Therefore, depending on the sitting posture of the occupant, A part of the occupant's body blocks the seat opening where the airbag is inflated and deployed, which prevents normal inflation and deployment of the airbag, and the airbag may not be inflated and deployed to a desired state. on the other hand,
The sitting posture of the occupant at the time of side collision cannot be predicted, and it is necessary to surely protect the occupant regardless of the sitting posture.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an airbag device for a vehicle capable of inflating and deploying an airbag capable of reliably protecting an occupant in a side collision regardless of the sitting posture of the occupant. To do.

[0007]

The present invention comprises a seat .
An airbag unit disposed on the seat back, in which the airbag is inflatable and deployable to at least the vehicle body side wall side of the occupant, and a side collision detection means for detecting a side collision with the vehicle body,
It is premised on an airbag apparatus for a vehicle, which is provided with an airbag deployment means for inflating and deploying the airbag of the airbag unit in the event of a side collision by receiving an output from the side collision detection means.

According to the first aspect of the invention , the seat back
The airbag of the airbag unit is inflated and expanded on the side.
The opening for opening should open toward the side of the vehicle.
Is formed on the side wall of the vehicle body facing the opening.
Is inflated during the airbag inflation process during a side impact.
Collision that actively guides the developing airbag to the side of the passenger
A side wall is formed, and this protruding side wall is the rear side of the vehicle.
Has a sloping surface that inclines so that
Configuration to be.

[0009] Contact to the invention of claim 2 information, the airbag unit is disposed in a direction in which the airbag is inflated and deployed toward the occupant side toward the vehicle interior front.

[0010] Contact Itewa to the invention of claim 3, the airbag unit, the airbag is disposed in a direction inflated and deployed toward the occupant side sitting on the seat.

According to the present invention of claim 4, the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body which is inflated and deployed toward the side of the occupant when a side collision occurs.

In the fifth aspect of the invention, the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body that is inflated and deployed to the side of the occupant's head when a side collision occurs.

[0013]

According to the invention of claim 1, when the side collision detection means detects the side collision at the time of the side collision, the airbag deploying means directs the vehicle to the side of the seat back toward the side of the vehicle body.
The airbag is inflated and deployed to the side of the vehicle body through the opening formed as described above. At that time, the airbag tries to inflate and deploy to the side of the vehicle body, but faces the opening.
On the side wall of the vehicle body inside the vehicle,
Is formed on the rear side of the vehicle.
It has an inclined surface that inclines so that it protrudes into the vehicle interior
As a result of this protruding side wall,
The inflating airbag is inflated and expanded to the side of the vehicle body
The air bag is restricted from opening and the airbag is occupant side.
People will be actively guided. Therefore, regardless of the sitting posture of the occupant , the occupant can be surely protected by the airbag in the event of a side collision .

According to the second aspect of the invention, the airbag unit is arranged so that the airbag is inflated and deployed toward the front of the passenger compartment toward the side of the occupant. Due to the protection of the occupant, the occupant can easily inflate and deploy laterally.

According to the third aspect of the invention, in the airbag unit, the airbag is arranged so as to inflate and deploy to the side of the occupant seated on the seat.
Due to the protection of the occupant during a side collision, the occupant can easily inflate and deploy laterally.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body which is inflated and deployed toward the side of the occupant during a side collision. In order to protect the occupant, the vehicle is easily inflated and deployed to the side of the occupant.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body that is inflated and deployed to the side of the head of the occupant in the case of a side collision, so that the airbag of a collision vehicle in a side collision occurs. The occupant's head is reliably prevented from hitting the bonnet.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings . In this example, a side collision airbag unit (hereinafter, simply referred to as a side collision unit) is arranged in the seat back.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 showing a schematic structure, 1
Is a front seat having a seat cushion 2 and a seat back 3. Front seat 2 (seat back 3)
A side collision unit 5 is embedded in the end of the door 4 on the side. The unit 5 for side collision has a bag 6 in which a bag-shaped airbag 7 is folded and inflatable on the vehicle body side wall 8 (door) side of the occupant M so as to be inflatable and expandable. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the airbag 7 is a bag body that is inflated and deployed to the side of the head of the occupant M when a side collision occurs.

At the same time, the casing 6 contains a gas generator 9 for instantaneously generating gas by the reaction of the gas generating agent and the flame sensitizer. The gas generator 9 generates heat when energized to generate gas. It has a built-in ignition device that reacts with the flame retardant. The casing 6 has a frame-shaped seat back frame 1 at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the seat back 3.
It is stuck at 0.

The casing 6 is closed by a lid body 8 which is opened when the airbag 7 is inflated and deployed, and a pair of front and rear lids integrally formed on the outside with a pad material 11 and a skin material 12. The parts 13A and 13B are located. A slit 11a is formed in the pad material 11 between the lids 13A and 13B, and a perforation (not shown) is formed in the skin material 12. Thereby, the airbag 7
Expands by the gas generated from the gas generator 9, breaks the skin material 12 along the perforations, and opens the lids 13A and 13B as shown by the chain line in FIG.

That is, on the side of the seat back 3, an opening 15 is formed which is opened toward the side of the vehicle body and in which the airbag 7 of the side collision unit 5 is inflated and deployed, and the opening 15 is covered by the lid 13A, It is blocked by 13B.
As described above, since the opening portion 15 that opens toward the vehicle body side is formed on the side portion of the seat 2, the pad material 11 of the seat back 3 that provides cushioning to the occupant is not damaged. It becomes possible to arrange the unit 5.

Further, on the side wall 8 of the vehicle body, which is a side wall in the passenger compartment facing the opening 15, the airbag 7 which is inflating and deploying in the process of inflating and deploying the airbag 7 at the time of a side collision is provided to the side of the occupant. A protruding wall portion 16 which is a guiding means for positively guiding the vehicle is formed. The protruding wall portion 16 has an inclined surface 1 inclined so as to protrude toward the rear side toward the inside of the vehicle.
6a.

With the above arrangement, when the impact detection sensor (side impact detection means) (not shown) detects a side impact on the vehicle body due to a side impact, as shown in FIG.
The airbag 7 of the side collision unit 5 installed in the seat back 3 of the front seat 2 in which the passenger is seated is inflated and deployed to at least the vehicle body side wall 8 side of the occupant M, and is collided to the vehicle body side wall 8 side (collision side) The upper half of the moving occupant M is restrained by the front seat 2 that moves toward the passenger compartment center side (anti-collision side), and the occupant M is moved toward the passenger compartment center side while relaxing the inertial force applied to the passenger M. The relative speed between the vehicle body side wall 8 and the occupant M is reduced to reliably prevent a secondary collision with the vehicle body side wall 8 or the like. In FIG. 5, the airbag 7 is provided with a reinforcing member 7a so as not to be broken due to breakage of the door glass at the time of a side collision.

In particular, the opening portion 15 formed by opening the lid portions 13A and 13B and in which the airbag 7 is inflated and deployed is opened at the side portion of the seat back 3 toward the side of the vehicle body. 15 is not blocked by the body of the occupant M, the airbag 7 can be surely inflated and deployed regardless of the seating posture of the occupant M, and the opening 15 is formed in the side portion of the seat back 3. As a result, the airbag 7 can be inflated and deployed at an early stage to a portion close to the upper body of the occupant M, and the reliability of occupant protection can be enhanced. In addition to that, opening 1
The airbag 7 which is inflated and deployed laterally through the vehicle body 5 is positively guided to the occupant side by the projecting wall portion 16 in the process of inflation and deployment of the airbag 7 during a side collision. Is prevented from inflating and deploying toward the side of the vehicle body through the opening 15, and the inflating and deploying airbag 7 is reliably guided to the side of the occupant.

In this way, at the time of a side collision, first, the airbag 7 is inflated and deployed toward the side of the vehicle body on the side portion of the seat back 3, and then the inflating airbag 7 is projected toward the occupant side. Since the guide is provided by the wall portion 16, regardless of the sitting posture of the occupant M, the portion of the occupant M near the upper body at the time of a side collision can be protected early and reliably.

Further, since the side collision unit 5 is arranged inside the seat back 3 in such a direction that the airbag 7 is inflated and deployed toward the front of the passenger compartment toward the side of the occupant, the protruding wall portion 16 is provided.
The airbag 7 can be easily inflated and deployed to the side of the occupant, as compared with the case where only the guide is performed, and it is also advantageous in improving reliability of occupant protection at the time of side collision.

Further, since the airbag 7 is formed as a bag body which is inflated and deployed to the side of the occupant in the case of a side collision, compared with the case where only the guide by the projecting wall portion 16 is provided.
At the time of a side collision, the entire side portion of the occupant M can be surely protected by the airbag 7 (see FIG. 4), and in particular, the bag body is formed to be inflated and deployed to the side of the head of the occupant M. As shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to reliably prevent the occupant M from directly hitting the head M1 on the hood 18a of the collision vehicle 18.

In the above embodiment, the air bag is a bag that is usually used for an air bag. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the air bag 7A is inflated and deployed at the time of a side collision, and the occupant is inflated. The airbag 7A of the airbag unit 5A may be formed in such a shape in advance so as to extend to the side.

Further, in the above embodiment, the airbag is designed to inflate and deploy on the side wall of the vehicle body of the occupant M seated on the front seat 1, but as shown in FIG. Not only the airbag 7 is inflated and deployed on the side wall side, but also on the center side of the passenger compartment.
Can be expanded and deployed. In this case, the airbags 19 on the center side of the passenger compartment are inflated and deployed to the side of the occupant, with the airbags 19 adjacent to each other serving as guide means. As a result, not only the collision with the vehicle body side wall 8 which has collided, but also the collision between the passengers on the center side of the vehicle compartment can be avoided .

[0031]

[Effect of the Invention] The invention of claim 1, as described above, Sea
Attach the airbag of the airbag unit to the side of the bag.
The opening for inflating and expanding opens toward the side of the vehicle.
The vehicle body in the passenger compartment that is formed so as to face the opening.
On the side wall, the rear side of the vehicle should protrude into the passenger compartment
The protruding sidewall having an inclined surface which is inclined to form, the air bag is inflated and deployed on the vehicle body side through the opening, the projecting side walls
Since the vehicle is actively guided to the side of the occupant while preventing expansion and deployment outside the vehicle body , the occupant can be surely protected in the event of a side collision regardless of the seated posture of the occupant. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the airbag unit is arranged so that the airbag is inflated and deployed toward the front of the passenger compartment toward the side of the passenger, the airbag is inflated and deployed toward the side of the passenger. This makes it easier to protect the occupant in the event of a side collision .

According to the third aspect of the invention, since the airbag unit is arranged so that the airbag is inflated and deployed toward the occupant seated on the seat, the airbag is easily inflated and deployed toward the occupant side. It is possible to surely protect the occupant in the case of a side collision.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body formed to inflate and deploy toward the side of the occupant in a side collision, the airbag is directed toward the side of the occupant. It is easy to inflate and deploy, and occupant protection can be ensured in the event of a side collision.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body that is inflated and deployed to the side of the occupant's head during a side collision, the occupant's head during a side collision. Is positively protected, and an occupant can be prevented from hitting his / her head on the hood of a collision vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a front seat with a part cut off.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a seat back.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an airbag in a deployed state.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a deployed state of the airbag.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a deployed state of the airbag in the vehicle compartment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a modified example of the shape of the airbag .

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Front Seat 2 Seat Cushion 3 Seat Back 4 Door 5 Side Impact Unit (Airbag Unit) 7 Airbag 8 Body Side Wall 9 Gas Generator (Airbag Deploying Means) 15 Opening 16 Projecting Wall (Guiding Means )

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --Continued from the front page (56) References JP-A-4-50052 (JP, A) JP-A-4-356246 (JP, A) JP-A-4-166452 (JP, A) JP-A-3- 281455 (JP, A) Actually developed 58-130850 (JP, U) Actually developed 3-108564 (JP, U) US Patent 4946191 (US, A) US Patent 5290084 (US, A) (58) (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60R 21/22 B60R 21/20

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. Arranged in a seat back constituting a seat
The airbag unit inflates and deploys the airbag to at least the side wall of the vehicle body of the occupant, the side collision detection means for detecting a side collision with the vehicle body, and the output from the side collision detection means for receiving the side collision during the side collision. An airbag device for a vehicle, comprising: an airbag deployment means for inflating and deploying an airbag of an airbag unit;
The opening for inflating and deploying the airbag faces the side of the vehicle.
It is formed so as to open me, to the vehicle-body side wall of the cabin opposite to the opening, side impact
In the process of inflating the airbag during
Forming a protruding side wall that actively guides the bag to the side of the occupant
The protruding side wall protrudes into the passenger compartment toward the rear of the vehicle.
An airbag device for a vehicle having an inclined surface that inclines like this . Wherein the airbag unit, the airbag apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 where the airbag is disposed in a direction inflated and deployed toward the occupant side toward the vehicle interior front. 3. The airbag unit comprises an airbag,
The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag device is disposed so as to inflate and deploy toward a side of an occupant seated on a seat. 4. The airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body which is inflated and deployed toward a side of an occupant when a side collision occurs. 5. The airbag apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag of the airbag unit is a bag body that is inflated and deployed to a side of a passenger's head when a side collision occurs.