JP3558953B2 - Vehicle airbag device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag device, and more particularly to a vehicle airbag device mounted on a steering wheel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, an airbag device for a vehicle has a structure in which an airbag module is mounted substantially at the center of a steering wheel (for a similar technique, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-144555). The airbag module includes a container-shaped housing having a bottom portion and a peripheral wall portion. An airbag folded and compacted is inserted into the housing and connected to an inflator fixed to the bottom portion of the housing. After the airbag is stored, the opening of the housing is closed by a cleavable cover. An annular rim supported by spokes is located around the airbag module attached to the steering wheel.
[0003]
Then, at the time of collision, the airbag is inflated by the gas generated from the inflator, and the inflated airbag is pushed out of the cover and deployed to the outside, so that the occupant can be received and protected.
[0004]
In such an airbag device, when the occupant is in a normal state in which the occupant is away from the steering wheel, the airbag is deployed from the inner space of the rim toward the occupant to protect the occupant. Also, if the occupant approaches the steering wheel abnormally and the inner space of the rim is obstructed by an obstacle such as the occupant's body, use an airbag to avoid applying excessive deployment force to the obstacle. It is necessary to deploy in the lateral direction orthogonal to the original deployment direction.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such an abnormal approach state where the inner space of the rim is blocked by an obstacle, in order to deploy the airbag in the lateral direction, the abnormal approach state is detected by a sensor and the angle of the airbag module is turned sideways. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for changing the airbag device, and a significant design change of the existing airbag device is inevitable.
[0006]
The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional technique, and is intended for a vehicle that can reliably deploy an airbag in a lateral direction in an abnormal approach state without largely changing an existing structure. An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, an airbag module is formed by storing a folded airbag in a container-like housing having a bottom portion and a peripheral wall portion and closing an opening of the housing with a cleavable cover. An airbag device for a vehicle, wherein the airbag module is mounted on a steering wheel, and an annular rim supported by spokes is present around the airbag module, wherein spokes on a peripheral wall of the housing are provided. In a portion other than the portion, a portion lower than the general portion, which is substantially equivalent to the bulkiness of the stored airbag, was formed to form a passage portion of the airbag.
[0008]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a portion lower than a general portion substantially corresponding to the bulkiness of the airbag stored in a portion other than the spoke portion in the peripheral wall portion of the housing is formed. In the abnormal approach state in which the inner space of the rim is closed by an obstacle, the airbag can be deployed laterally from the passage portion to avoid applying an excessive deployment force to the obstacle. it can. Also, no complicated mechanisms and controls are required. It should be noted that the reason why the passage portion is not formed in the portion corresponding to the spoke portion is that a high portion must be left to hold the airbag in the housing, and the passage portion is formed in the portion corresponding to the spoke portion. However, this is because the airbag does not deploy in the lateral direction because it is obstructed by the spokes.
[0009]
The invention according to claim 2 is a type in which the cover is movable along the peripheral wall of the housing for operating the horn switch, and the flange formed on the back surface of the cover is movable at a position outside and near the peripheral wall of the housing. .
[0010]
According to the second aspect of the invention, even when the cover is movable along the peripheral wall of the housing to operate the horn switch, the peripheral wall other than the passage is high, and the airbag can be reliably held in the housing. Therefore, there is no possibility that the airbag protrudes largely outside the housing and interferes with the flange of the movable cover.
[0011]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the cleavage portion formed on the surface of the cover extends to the flange.
[0012]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the cleaved portion is formed to extend to the flange, the cover is severely cleaved and the deployment of the airbag in the lateral direction is smooth.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 1 denotes a steering wheel, in which an airbag module M is installed at a central portion, and an annular rim 3 is supported around three peripheral portions via three spoke portions 2. The airbag module M includes a housing 4, an inflator 5, an airbag 6, and a cover 7.
[0014]
The housing 4 is formed by die-casting (injection) a resin containing magnesium or glass (66 nylon or the like), and has a container shape in which a peripheral wall portion 9 rises from a bottom portion 8 (note that the bottom portion 8 and The peripheral wall 9 may be separate). The center of the bottom portion 8 of the housing 4 is rectangularly protruded, and one large-diameter circular hole 10 and four small-diameter circular holes 11 are formed. The inflator 5 is fixed by being inserted into the large-diameter circular hole 10. The portion of the peripheral wall portion 9 other than the spoke portion 2 is formed lower than the general portion, and the passage portion 12 is formed there. The height of the general portion of the peripheral wall portion 9 substantially corresponds to the bulkiness of the stored airbag 6.
[0015]
The airbag 6 is folded in a roll shape, and then wrapped by a wrap 13 (FIG. 5) to be compact. Then, after only the gas inlet of the airbag 6 is drawn out in advance and connected to the inflator 5, the whole is inserted into the housing 4. The wrap 13 has first attachment points 13a formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the winding direction of the airbag 6, and has second attachment points 13b formed in a direction perpendicular to the first attachment points 13a. Then, the first attachment point 13a and the second attachment point 13b are stopped at the back side of the airbag 6 to enclose the airbag 6. The wrap 13 is exclusively attached to the second attachment point 13b in a direction perpendicular to the wrap 13 by generating a tension for pressing the airbag 6 between the first attachment points 13a. A slit S is formed in the wrap 13 so as to break the wrap 13 when the airbag 6 is inflated. It is formed along the direction.
[0016]
The opening of the housing 4 containing the airbag 6 is closed by a cover 7. A flange 15 is formed on the back surface of the cover 7, and the flange 15 is formed with a locking hole 16 having a sufficient size along the forming direction of the flange 15. The cover 7 is made of a soft resin, and is provided with a substantially H-shaped cleaved portion 14 formed in a thin line on the surface thereof, and the cleaved portion 14 is formed to extend to the vicinity of the locking hole 16 in the flange 15. (See FIG. 6).
[0017]
On the other hand, a hook 17 is formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion 9 of the housing 4 to be temporarily engaged with the locking hole 16 of the flange 15. Further, a shelf 18 is formed at a position corresponding to the spoke 2 on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 9. Stepped bolts 19 are inserted through the shelf 18 upward, and fixed contacts 20 (FIG. 3) of the horn are provided at adjacent positions. The cover 7 is guided by a stepped bolt 19 and is movably supported via a spring 21. A movable contact 22 is provided on the cover 7 side, and when the cover 7 is pressed, the movable contact 22 comes into contact with the fixed contact 20 to blow the horn.
[0018]
During the horn operation, the flange 15 of the cover 7 is movable near the outside of the peripheral wall 9 of the housing 4, but the airbag 6 is securely stored inside the housing 4 by the general portion of the peripheral wall 9. In addition, there is no possibility that the airbag 6 protrudes outside of the housing 4 and interferes with the flange 15 of the movable cover 7.
[0019]
Next, an operation when the airbag 6 is deployed in an abnormal approach state in which the space inside the rim 3 of the steering wheel 1 is closed by an obstacle G such as an occupant will be described. The airbag 6 is inflated by the gas ejected from the inflator 5, and pushes through the slit S of the wrap 13 and the cleavage portion 14 of the cover 7 to deploy outside the airbag module M. At the initial stage of deployment of the airbag 6, the portion corresponding to the spoke portion 2 has a high peripheral wall portion 9 so that the airbag 6 cannot be deployed in the lateral direction (see FIG. 7). It will be in a state of being deployed to the G side (see FIG. 9). However, in the portions other than the spoke portion 2, the peripheral wall portion 9 is low, and the passage portion 12 is formed there. Therefore, the airbag 6 expands in the lateral direction while pushing down the cover 7 from the passage portion 12, and the obstacle G There is almost no increase in volume on the side and it expands solely downward (see FIG. 10). The reason why the cover 7 falls down and the outlet of the airbag 6 is secured large is that the cleavage portion 14 is extended not only on the surface of the cover 7 but also on the flange 15 side. Since the downward volume of the airbag 6 gradually increases (see FIGS. 11 and 12), it is possible to avoid applying an excessive deployment force to the obstacle G side.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the passage portion of the airbag is formed by forming a portion lower than the general portion substantially corresponding to the bulkiness of the airbag housed in a portion other than the spoke portion in the peripheral wall portion of the housing. In an abnormal approach state in which the inner space of the airbag is closed by an obstacle, the airbag can be deployed laterally from the passage portion, and an excessive deployment force can be prevented from being applied to the obstacle. Also, no complicated mechanisms and controls are required.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the airbag module of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line SA-SA shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the housing of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a wrap that wraps the airbag of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the back side of the cover of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the deployed state of the airbag along the line SB-SB shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the deployed state of the airbag along the line SC-SC shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 9 is a side view showing an initial state of deployment of the airbag in a portion corresponding to the spoke portion in FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a side view showing an initial state of deployment of the airbag in a portion other than a portion corresponding to the spoke portion in FIG. 1;
11 is a sectional view showing a state in which the deployment of the airbag in FIG. 10 is further advanced.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing a state in which the deployment of the airbag in FIG. 11 is further advanced.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering wheel 2 Spoke part 3 Rim 4 Housing 5 Inflator 6 Airbag 7 Cover 8 Bottom 9 Peripheral wall part 12 Passage part 13 Wrap 14 Cleaving part 15 Flange G Obstacle M Airbag module S Slit

Claims (3)

An airbag module is formed by storing the folded airbag in a container-like housing including a bottom portion and a peripheral wall portion and closing an opening of the housing with a cleavable cover, and attaching the airbag module to a steering wheel. A vehicle airbag device which is mounted and has an annular rim supported by spokes around the airbag module,
A vehicle, wherein a portion lower than a general portion substantially corresponding to the bulkiness of a stored airbag is formed in a portion other than a spoke portion in a peripheral wall portion of the housing to form a passage portion of the airbag. Airbag device. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, wherein
The cover is of a type movable along a peripheral wall of the housing for operating a horn switch, and a flange formed on a back surface of the cover is movable at a position outside and near the peripheral wall of the housing. Airbag device. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 2,
An airbag device for a vehicle, wherein a cleavage portion formed on a surface portion of the cover extends to a flange.

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