JP4070096B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an airbag device for protecting an occupant in the event of a vehicle collision or the like. More specifically, the airbag device is disposed on the side of a vehicle, and the occupant's head is positioned on the side of the vehicle in a side collision or rollover. The present invention relates to a curtain-like airbag device for preventing a direct collision with an inner wall or a window.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When a heavy load is applied to the side of the vehicle, such as when the vehicle collides or rolls over, the inflator is activated, and a curtain-like airbag is installed along the roof rail on the inner wall of the vehicle from the front pillar side to the rear pillar side. As an airbag device that prevents a passenger's head from directly colliding against a vehicle side wall or a side window by deploying the airbag, the present applicants disclosed in JP-A-2001-39256 a curtain airbag. A cylindrical inflatable portion that extends from the vicinity of the upper edge to the vicinity of the lower edge is provided on the vehicle, and both end portions of the lower edge are attached to the vehicle so that slack across the cylindrical inflated portion occurs in the natural attachment state of the airbag. The gas from the inflator is injected into the cylindrical inflatable part and extended, and the extension causes both ends of the lower edge to stretch the lower edge of the airbag. It has proposed an air bag device having a structure for applying tension to the lower edge by.
[0003]
Furthermore, in the Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-37207, the present applicants set a distance along the lower edge longitudinal direction between the attachment points on the front pillar side and the rear pillar side on a part of the lower edge of the curtain airbag. By arranging the expansion dimension adjustment mechanism to adjust, the distance between the attachment points at both ends along the lower edge longitudinal direction necessary for sufficient extension of the cylindrical expansion part and the tension in the same direction are adjusted autonomously. An airbag device that can be used is proposed.
[0004]
According to these proposals, a curtain-like airbag is required without causing slack in its lower edge, with a small gas capacity, compared to an airbag device in which a large number of cylindrical inflatable portions are formed in parallel. The occupant can be protected by being fixed at the unfolded position. Further, the inflator is stable because the expansion of the cylindrical inflating portion and the tension generated along the lower edge are stabilized without being affected by errors in the mounting position of the vehicle or the dimensional accuracy of the airbag itself. The airbag during operation can be deployed at a required position with high reproducibility, and stable occupant protection performance can be exhibited.
[0005]
FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the curtain-like airbag 100 according to the above proposal is removed from the vehicle body and spread alone, and FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which the airbag 100 is stored in the vehicle. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the natural attachment state of the curtain airbag 100, and FIG. 7 is a side view showing the deployed state. The left direction in the figure is the front side in the vehicle, and the right direction in the figure is the rear side in the vehicle.
[0006]
As shown in FIG. 4, the curtain airbag 100 includes a front-side cylindrical inflatable portion 102 and a rear-side cylindrical inflatable portion 101 that are connected from the vicinity of the upper edge 107 to the vicinity of the lower edge 108. Further, in the vicinity of the upper edge 107 between the cylindrical expansion portions 101 and 102, a front protection expansion portion 103 is formed, and in the vicinity of the lower edge 108 between the cylindrical expansion portions 101 and 102, An expansion dimension adjusting unit 105 that is in communication with these and expands into a tubular shape that is curved up and down with a substantially constant thickness is formed. A lateral inflating portion 104 extending in a substantially horizontal direction toward the front side of the vehicle is formed at a lower portion of the tubular inflating portion 101 on the rear side, and a rear protecting inflating portion 106 is provided on the opposite rear side. It is integrally formed. As a material for the airbag, polyamide or the like is preferably employed, and a peripheral portion including a non-inflatable portion and a mounting portion such as a mesh portion shown in the figure is formed in a predetermined shape using welding or sewing. The curtain-like airbag 100 is formed into an airtight bag shape with respect to the outside.
[0007]
As shown in FIG. 6, the curtain-shaped airbag 100 configured as described above includes a plurality of attachment portions 107 a provided on the upper edge 107 on each of a plurality of attachment points 31 a provided on the roof rail 31 of the vehicle. It is attached. Further, the attachment portion 109a at the front end of the belt-like portion 109 on the front side of the lower edge 108 is attached to the attachment point 32a provided at a predetermined position below the front pillar 32 of the vehicle, and the attachment portion 108a on the rear side is the center pillar of the roof rail 31. Attached to a mounting point 31 b provided at a predetermined position behind 33.
[0008]
Here, as a result of the attachment site 108a positioned at the rear end of the curtain airbag 100 being lifted to the height of the roof rail 31, a slack S from the front belt-like portion 109 to the rear tubular inflatable portion 101 occurs. . Due to the presence of the slack S, the naturally-installed curtain airbag 100 is not tensed and can be folded or stored along the roof rail 31 as shown in FIG. When the curtain airbag 100 is wound and stored, the lower edge 108 is bent in the vehicle inner side (occupant) direction.
[0009]
Further, the pipe 40 is inserted into the airbag 100 from the rear side of the vehicle through the pipe insertion portion 108b and the pipe insertion port 107b. One end of the pipe 40 is inserted to the front end on the front pillar 32 side of the upper edge 107, and the other end passes through the pipe insertion part 108 b and is connected to an inflator 41 fixed to the rear side of the roof rail 31. The pipe 40 is provided with a plurality of gas ejection holes (not shown) on the side surface thereof, and when the inflator 41 is operated, through the gas ejection port, the two cylindrical expansion portions 101 and 102 and the front protection expansion portion 103 are provided. Then, gas is injected from the upper edge 107 side toward the lower edge 108 side.
[0010]
In the airbag apparatus configured as described above, when the inflator 41 is activated due to a side collision of the vehicle, the generated gas is in a cylinder from the gas outlet of the pipe 40 toward the lower edge 108 as shown in FIG. Injection is performed with a slight time difference in the order of the cylindrical expansion portion 101, the front protection expansion portion 103, and the cylindrical expansion portion 102. In the initial stage of operation of the inflator 41, the tubular inflating portion 101 expands while being expanded downward. At this time, the tubular inflating portion 101 is formed as a lateral inflating portion formed on the lower edge 108. The curtain-like airbag 100 is quickly deployed while the slack S is eliminated by extending the lower 104 so as to push it downward. At the same time, the injected gas expands the front protective inflatable portion 103 and the rear protective inflatable portion 106 in accordance with the deployment of the curtain airbag 100, and adjusts the inflated dimensions communicating with the cylindrical inflatable portion 102. It flows into the portion 105 and contracts the length of the expansion dimension adjusting portion 105 in the continuous direction (longitudinal direction of the lower edge 108).
[0011]
That is, in this airbag apparatus, an action line of tension between both end attachment points 32a and 31b generated when the tubular inflating portion 101 pushes down the lateral inflating portion 104 (curve T in FIG. 7; Since the expansion dimension adjusting unit 105 is arranged on the upper side of the description, the amount of contraction in the longitudinal direction of the lower edge 108 is autonomously adjusted by the gas pressure, and the dimensional error of the airbag itself and the variation in the mounting position are reduced. Absorbing and realizing the shape stability when the curtain airbag 100 is inflated.
[0012]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in recent years, in the air bag apparatus, the rear portion of the vehicle is further increased due to the demand for the expansion of the vehicle interior space (for example, three rows of passenger seats) as seen in a multi-purpose vehicle (multi-purpose vehicle). It is required to expand the passenger protection range. Some of these vehicles have a rear hatch or the like for loading and unloading luggage at the rearmost part of the vehicle, so that the vehicle height from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle hardly changes. There are many vehicles.
[0013]
In order to deal with these vehicles, it is necessary to provide a curtain-shaped airbag with a larger rear protection inflating portion than the conventional one toward the rear of the vehicle, and the overall length of the airbag tends to be longer. However, the airbag rear end attachment point on the rear pillar side is difficult to provide at a free position because of the shape and equipment of the vehicle, and there may be a case where the airbag cannot be provided at a position where the airbag is sufficiently deployed. In such a case, part or all of the rear protective inflating part is applied to the tension acting line (tension line) generated between the attachment points on both the front pillar side and the rear pillar side that stabilize the airbag deployment shape during inflation. ) May be located outside.
[0014]
In addition, if this tension does not act, the rear protective inflating part may be bent during deployment or interfere with the window. There is a possibility that the deployment of the entire airbag is hindered and sufficient occupant protection performance cannot be exhibited.
[0015]
The present invention has been made to cope with the above-described problems, and stably reproduces a deployment shape sufficient to protect an occupant even when an ideal airbag rear end mounting position cannot be secured. An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device that can handle the above.
[0016]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the front pillar side to the rear pillar side along the roof rail of the inner wall of the vehicle by injecting gas from the inflator that operates when a high load is applied to the vehicle side portion. The curtain-like airbag is inflated by the operation of the inflator to protect the occupant and communicates with the protection inflating portion, and is operated by the operation of the inflator. The airbag has at least one tubular inflating portion that inflates from the vicinity of the upper edge to the vicinity of the lower edge, and a plurality of locations on the upper edge are attached to a plurality of attachment points provided on the roof rail, And one of the both ends of the lower edge is attached to the attachment point provided on the front pillar side, and the other is attached to the attachment point provided on the rear pillar side. In the folded or wound storage, when the storage is released, a slack is generated across the cylindrical expansion portion when the gas is not injected, and when the expansion is caused by the gas injection, the cylindrical expansion portion is The air is constructed so as to eliminate the slack, and is configured to apply a tension along the lower edge of the curtain airbag between the front pillar side attachment point and the rear pillar side attachment point. In the bag device,
The curtain airbag includes a rear protection inflatable portion communicating with the cylindrical inflatable portion on the rear side of the vehicle further than the cylindrical inflatable portion on the most rear pillar side of the cylindrical inflatable portion. All or part of the inflating part for use is folded or wound around after being folded inside the vehicle by a fold line applied to a part of the cylindrical inflating part.
[0017]
Here, the structure (Claim 2) by which the said rear part protection expansion part is arrange | positioned in the position along the lower edge of a curtain-shaped airbag can be employ | adopted suitably.
[0018]
Moreover, it is preferable that the part of the folding line in the curtain airbag is pleated (Claim 3).
[0019]
In the present invention, in order to protect an occupant at the rear of the vehicle, the rear protection inflating portion formed from the tubular inflating portion toward the rear of the vehicle is stabilized in the shape and position of other inflating portions including the cylindrical inflating portion. After that, it is intended to achieve the intended purpose by inflating and expanding at once with a slight time difference.
[0020]
That is, the curtain airbag according to the present invention communicates with the cylindrical inflatable portion on the most rear pillar side among the cylindrical inflatable portions and is formed on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the cylindrical inflatable portion. Is retracted to the inside of the vehicle by a folding line applied to a part of the cylindrical expansion portion, and then the expansion of the rear protection expansion portion is started simultaneously with the sufficient expansion and extension of the cylindrical expansion portion. be able to. In other words, the airbag device of the present invention is configured such that the gas from the inflator having the cylindrical inflating portion sufficiently inflated and extended downward flows into the rear protecting inflating portion from the communicating portion at a short time, with a slight time difference. The entire airbag can be developed into a required shape with high reproducibility. Even when the rear protective inflating part is located outside the action line (tension line) of the tension generated between the attachment points at both ends of the curtain-like airbag during inflation, the rear protective inflating part is Since the other inflated parts expand after being developed to a required position, there is no occurrence of bending during the development or interference with the window, and a sufficiently developed shape can be obtained.
[0021]
Moreover, according to the invention which concerns on Claim 2, by employ | adopting the structure by which the said expansion part for a rear part protection is arrange | positioned in the position along the lower edge of a curtain-shaped airbag as a shape of a curtain-shaped airbag. This rear protective inflating portion exerts the effect of contracting the length in the longitudinal direction of the lower edge similar to that of the inflating dimension adjusting portion, and can further increase the tension generated between the attachment points at both ends. In addition, the rear protective inflatable part arranged at a position along the lower edge autonomously adjusts the amount of contraction in the longitudinal direction of the lower edge by the gas pressure. It is also possible to absorb the variation in the position and the like and to stabilize the developed shape and the tension along the lower edge necessary to protect the occupant.
[0022]
On the other hand, the invention according to claim 3 is configured such that the expansion start of the rear protective expansion portion is surely after the expansion and extension of the cylindrical expansion portion. The folding of the protective inflatable portion is held until the tubular inflatable portion is fully inflated, and the rear protective inflatable portion can be prevented from flapping during the deployment of the airbag. In addition, after the folding is released, the gas from the inflator flows into the rear protection inflating portion at once, and the rear protecting inflating portion quickly inflates and develops to a required shape.
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a curtain-like airbag 1 of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention is detached from a vehicle body and spread alone. 2 and 3 are views for explaining the inflating process of the airbag 1 after the operation of the inflator 41 in this airbag apparatus. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the state of the airbag 1 at the initial stage of inflation. 3 is a side view showing a state of the airbag 1 at the time of maximum inflation. The left direction in the figure is the front side in the vehicle, the right direction in the figure is the rear side in the vehicle, and the pillars from the front side to the rear side are described as A pillar 22, B pillar 23, C pillar 24, and D pillar 25 in this order. Moreover, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structural member which has the same function as a prior art example.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 1, the curtain airbag 1 according to the present embodiment also includes a front-side cylindrical inflatable portion 12 and a rear-side cylindrical inflatable portion 11 that are connected from the vicinity of the upper edge 17 to the vicinity of the lower edge 18. In addition, a front protection expansion portion 13 is formed in the vicinity of the upper edge 17 between the cylindrical expansion portions 11 and 12, and in the vicinity of the lower edge 18 between the cylindrical expansion portions 11 and 12. In addition, an expansion dimension adjusting portion 15 that is inflated into a tubular shape that is curved up and down with a substantially constant thickness is formed. A lateral expansion portion 14 that communicates with an expansion dimension adjustment portion 15 on the vehicle front side is formed at a lower portion of the tubular expansion portion 11 on the rear side, and a tubular shape is formed on the opposite rear side by a communication portion 16a. A rear protection inflating portion 16 communicating with the inflating portion 11 is integrally formed. As in the conventional example, polyamide or the like is preferably used as the material of the airbag 1, and the non-inflatable portion such as the illustrated mesh portion or the peripheral portion including the attachment portion is welded or sewn or the like. The curtain airbag 1 is formed in a shape and is airtight to the outside.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 1, the curtain-shaped airbag 1 according to the present embodiment is characterized in that a relatively large rear protection inflating portion 16 for protecting an occupant riding in the rear portion of the vehicle communicates with the cylindrical inflating portion 11. The rear portion of the expansion portion 16 for protecting the rear portion is formed on the inner side of the vehicle (in the direction of the arrow Q) along a fold line (PP line) that extends from the communication portion 16a to a part of the tubular expansion portion 11. It is the point which has been accommodated in the vehicle after being folded. In addition, the fold line P is subjected to pleating by heat or the like in a state where the rear protective inflating portion 16 is folded back, so that the airbag 1 can be folded or prepared as a preparation stage for attachment to the vehicle. The folded shape is maintained even during the winding operation. In addition, it is preferable to provide this folding line (PP line) so that the communication part 16a formed between the cylindrical expansion part 11 and the rear part protection expansion part 16 may be cut | disconnected longitudinally.
[0026]
As a vehicle that requires such a relatively long curtain airbag 1, for example, a vehicle including three rows of passenger seats as shown in FIGS. Further, when the curtain airbag 1 is attached to the vehicle, the same method as the conventional example shown in FIG. 5 is performed.
[0027]
As described above, in the curtain-like airbag 1 in which a part of the rear protection inflating portion 16 is folded back to the inside of the vehicle, the belt-like portion 19 is attached to the attachment portion 18a on the front side of the lower edge 18, and the attachment of the vehicle According to the shape of the position, the rear mounting portion 17b of the upper edge 17 is folded up or wound toward the inside of the vehicle in a state where it is lifted so as to be substantially horizontal with the front mounting portion 17a. . The airbag 1 in the folded or wound state is attached to the attachment points 17a and 21b of the roof rail 21 by attaching the attachment part 17a in front of the upper edge 17 and the attachment part 17b in the rear, respectively. The attachment part 19a is attached to the attachment point 22a of the A pillar 22 and fixed to the vehicle.
[0028]
Simultaneously with the attachment to the vehicle, the pipe 40 is inserted into the airbag 1 from the vehicle rear side through the pipe insertion port 17c. One end of the pipe 40 is inserted up to the front end on the A pillar 22 side of the upper edge 17, and the other end is connected to an inflator 41 disposed in the vicinity of the D pillar 25. The inflator 41 is operated by a signal from a control unit (not shown) that detects the action of a high load on the side surface of the vehicle, and supplies gas to the airbag 1 through the pipe 40. Further, the pipe 40 is provided with a plurality of gas ejection holes (not shown) on its side surface, and when the inflator 41 is operated, the two cylindrical expansion portions 11 and 12 and the front protection expansion portion 13 are passed through the gas ejection port. Inside, gas is injected from the upper edge 17 side toward the lower edge 18 side.
[0029]
In the airbag apparatus having the above configuration, when the inflator 41 is operated due to a side collision of the vehicle or the like, as shown in FIG. 2, the generated gas is cylindrical from the gas outlet of the pipe 40 toward the lower edge 18. Injection is performed with a slight time difference in the order of the cylindrical expansion portion 11, the front protection expansion portion 13, and the cylindrical expansion portion 12. The gas generated in the initial stage of operation of the inflator 41 expands the tubular inflating portion 11 while extending downward. At this time, the tubular inflating portion 11 is formed in the lateral inflating portion at the lower edge 18. The curtain-like airbag 1 is quickly deployed downward while extending 14 so as to push down and eliminating folding or winding due to storage. At the same time, the gas flows from the tubular inflating portion 12 to the inflating size adjusting portion 15 communicating therewith while inflating the front protecting inflating portion 13 and the rear protecting inflating portion 16, and the inflating size adjusting portion. The length of 15 continuous directions (longitudinal direction of the lower edge 18) is shrunk.
[0030]
In the initial stage of inflation of the curtain airbag 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the folded back P of the rear protection inflation portion 16 is maintained, but sufficient inflation of the inflation site other than the rear protection inflation portion 16 is completed. At the same time, the turn-back P is quickly released in the direction of the arrow R by the gas pressure. At the same time as the turn-back P is released, the gas from the inflator 41 flows into the rear protection inflating portion 16 and the rear protection inflating portion 16 starts to expand. When the curtain airbag 1 is inflated to the maximum, as shown in FIG. 3, the airbag 1 as a whole has a required deployed shape, and the tubular inflating portion 11 extends downward between the both end attachment points 22a and 21b. And tension (tension line: T) resulting from the length contraction in the longitudinal direction of the inflated dimension adjusting portion 15 is generated, and the position and shape of the entire curtain airbag 1 are stabilized.
[0031]
What should be noted here is that, in the process of inflating the airbag 1, a part of the rear protection inflating portion 16 is folded back toward the inside of the vehicle. This is a point that starts simultaneously with the sufficient expansion and extension of the cylindrical expansion portion 11. In addition, this allows the rear protective inflating portion 16 to have a desired shape even when it is located behind the tension line T without flapping during deployment or interfering with the outside window or the like. Can expand and extend quickly and stably. Therefore, the curtain airbag 1 according to the present embodiment can stably reproduce the deployed shape necessary for protecting the occupant regardless of the position of the attachment point 21b at the rear end of the airbag.
[0032]
In the above embodiment, the case where the rear protection inflating portion 16 is located behind the tension line T generated between the both end attachment points 21a and 21b is exemplified. However, the rear end attachment point 21b is further connected to the vehicle. When it is provided on the rear side or when the rear protection inflating portion 16 is formed to be small, the entire rear protection inflating portion 16 can be accommodated in the tension line T and arranged along the lower edge 18. Become. In this case, the rear protective inflating portion 16 exerts the action of contracting the length in the longitudinal direction of the lower edge 18 similar to that of the inflating dimension adjusting portion 15, and further generates tension between the both end attachment points 21a and 21b. This is preferable.
[0033]
In addition, the rear protective inflatable portion 16 disposed on the tension line T is adjusted by the gas pressure so that the contraction amount in the longitudinal direction of the lower edge 18 is autonomously adjusted. It is also possible to achieve an effect of further stabilizing the developed shape and the tension along the lower edge 18 necessary to absorb variations in position and the like and protect the occupant.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the airbag device of the present invention, the expansion of the rear protection inflating portion is started simultaneously with the sufficient expansion and extension of the cylindrical inflating portion, so that the folding to the folding or window during the deployment is started. There is no occurrence of interference or the like, and the required developed shape can be stably reproduced, and as a result, sufficient occupant protection performance can be exhibited.
[0035]
Further, by pleating the folded portion, this folding can be securely held, and the rear protective inflating portion can be prevented from flapping during the deployment of the airbag. Furthermore, this pleating process can also have the effect of facilitating the folding or winding of the airbag.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a view showing a state in which a curtain-like airbag of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention is removed from a vehicle and spread out alone.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a curtain-like airbag in the initial stage of inflation shown using a side view of the airbag device of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a curtain-like airbag at the time of maximum inflation shown using a side view of the airbag device of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which a curtain-like airbag in a conventional airbag device is removed from a vehicle and spread out alone.
FIG. 5 is a side view showing a storage state of a conventional airbag device.
FIG. 6 is a side view showing a natural attachment state of a conventional airbag device.
FIG. 7 is a side view showing a deployed state of a conventional airbag device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Curtain-shaped airbag 11, 12 Cylindrical expansion part 13 Front part protection expansion part 14 Lateral expansion part 15 Expansion dimension adjustment part 16 Rear part protection expansion part 16a Communication part 17 Upper edge 17a, 17b Attachment part 17c Pipe insertion port 18 Lower edge 18a Attachment part 19 Strip-like part 19a Attachment part 21 Roof rail 21a, 21b Attachment point 22 A pillar (front pillar)
22a Mounting point 23 B pillar 24 C pillar 25 D pillar (rear pillar)
31 Roof rail 32 Front pillar 33 Center pillar 34 Rear pillar 40 Pipe 41 Inflator 100 Curtain-like airbags 101, 102 Cylindrical inflating part 103 Front protecting inflating part 104 Lateral inflating part 105 Inflating dimension adjusting part 106 Rear protecting inflating part 107 Upper edge 108 Lower edge 109 Strip T Tension line

Claims (3)

A curtain-like airbag that inflates and deploys from the front pillar side to the rear pillar side along the roof rail of the vehicle inner wall by injecting gas from an inflator that operates when a high load is applied to the side of the vehicle,
The curtain-shaped airbag is inflated by the operation of the inflator to protect the occupant and communicates with the protective inflatable portion, and from the vicinity of the upper edge to the lower edge of the airbag by the operation of the inflator At least one tubular inflating portion that inflates into a tubular shape, wherein a plurality of locations of the upper edge are attached to a plurality of attachment points provided on the roof rail, and one of both end portions of the lower edge is At the attachment point provided on the front pillar side, the other is attached to the attachment point provided on the rear pillar side, and is folded or wound. When the cylinder expands due to gas injection, the cylinder expands so as to eliminate the slack. Between the color-side attachment point and the rear pillar side attachment point, the air bag device in which is configured to impart a tension along the lower edge of the curtain shape air bag,
The curtain airbag includes a rear protection inflatable portion communicating with the cylindrical inflatable portion on the rear side of the vehicle further than the cylindrical inflatable portion on the most rear pillar side of the cylindrical inflatable portion. An airbag device, wherein all or part of the inflatable part is folded or wound around after being folded inside the vehicle by a fold line applied to a part of the cylindrical inflatable part. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the rear protection inflating portion is disposed at a position along the lower edge. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fold line is pleated.

Images