JP4179335B2 - Vehicle occupant protection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device including an airbag that is stored and arranged along a roof side rail and a rear pillar and that expands and deploys along a side wall surface of a passenger compartment by operation of an inflator.

Conventionally, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below, an airbag that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is stored and arranged in a state of being folded along the upper edge of the door opening of the vehicle body, that is, along the roof side rail. A passenger's head by expanding and deploying the airbag in a curtain shape along the side wall surface (side surface inner surface) of the passenger compartment with high-pressure gas generated by the operation of an inflator at the time of a side collision of the vehicle It has been done to protect.
Patent Publication No. 3082140 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-34787

  As disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the occupant protection configured to expand and deploy the airbag, which is stored and arranged in a folded state along the roof side rail, in a curtain shape along the side wall surface of the passenger compartment. In the device (occupant restraint device), only the upper side portion of the airbag is supported by the roof side rail, and the airbag is only held in a suspended state from the roof side rail. When the head is pressed, there is a problem that it is difficult to sufficiently secure the supporting force against the pressing force.

  On the other hand, in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, the front and rear end portions of the airbag are stored and arranged along the center pillar and the rear pillar (quarter pillar), and the front and rear ends of the airbag are respectively disposed on the center pillar and the rear pillar. By fixing the portion, when the head of the occupant is pressed against the airbag, the supporting force against the pressing force can be secured.

  However, in the occupant protection device configured to fix the rear end of the airbag to the rear pillar by storing and arranging the rear end of the airbag along the front side of the rear pillar as described above, There has been a problem that it is difficult to provide an airbag device that can achieve both securing of the supporting force against the pressing force and smooth deployment from the rear pillar.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and ensures both the support of the occupant pressed against the airbag and the smooth deployment from the rear pillar in the event of a side collision of the vehicle. An object of the present invention is to provide an occupant protection device for a vehicle that can be effectively protected.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag that is housed and disposed along a roof side rail and a rear pillar, and that expands and deploys along a side wall surface of a passenger compartment by an operation of an inflator at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. A vehicle occupant protection device having a roof trim and a rear pillar trim covering a wall on the vehicle interior side of the rail and the rear pillar, wherein the roof trim includes an extending portion extending downward from the upper end of the rear pillar in the vertical direction. And a rear edge continuously extending rearward from the lower edge of the front edge and the rear edge of the front end of the roof trim. A substantially L-shaped notch is formed which includes a rear pillar trim side rear edge corresponding to the edge and a rear pillar trim side lower edge continuously extending rearward from the lower end of the rear edge. Thus, the rear pillar trim side rear edge is superposed on the front edge of the extension part, and the rear pillar trim side lower edge is superposed on the rear edge of the extension part to form a substantially L-shaped superposition part. The airbag has a front end fixed to the front pillar, a rear portion of the airbag is stored and disposed along the vertical direction of the extension portion, and a rear end portion of the airbag is a lower end of the extension portion. Fixed to the wall surface of the rear pillar in the vicinity of the part, and when the airbag is expanded and deployed, the air is so covered as to cover the front side of the extension part from the front edge and the lower side of the extension part from the overlapping part to the vehicle interior side from the overlapping part. The rear part of the bag bulges out.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect, the inflator is fixed to the rear pillar below the rear pillar trim side lower edge.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect, the extension portion is deformed with the rear end portion of the extension portion as a fulcrum when the airbag is expanded and deployed. It is something to be developed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the airbag is expanded, from the overlapping portion of the extended portion of the roof trim and the upper portion of the rear pillar trim on the vehicle interior side. The rear portion of the airbag bulges so as to cover the rear pillar trim below the rear edge of the extending portion.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect, a fixing member for fixing the front end portion of the airbag to the front pillar is provided, and the front end portion of the airbag with respect to the front pillar of the fixing member is provided. The fixed position is set at substantially the same height as the fixed position of the rear end portion of the airbag with respect to the rear pillar.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has a front end portion fixed to the vehicle body lower side of the front pillar and a rear end portion of the rear pillar lower side of the vehicle body. In the expanded and deployed state, the vehicle body is connected to the side wall surface on the lower side of the vehicle body connecting the front end portion and the rear end portion of the airbag.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect of the present invention, an engaging portion that engages the rear pillar trim at the lower end portion of the extending portion provided at the rear end portion of the roof trim is provided. It is a thing.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the inflator is actuated at the time of a side collision of the vehicle or the like, the airbag stored and arranged along the roof side rail is expanded and deployed downward, and the rear pillar is The rear part of the airbag stored and arranged along the side part easily deforms the extended part of the roof trim and swells smoothly into the vehicle interior. At this time, since the front end portion of the airbag is fixed to the front pillar and the rear end portion is fixed to the wall surface of the rear pillar in the vicinity of the lower end portion of the extending portion, the airbag is held in a stable deployed state. The occupant can be effectively protected when the occupant's head is pressed against the rear portion of the airbag. Further, the rear portion of the airbag is expanded and deployed so as to cover the front side from the front edge of the extension portion and the lower side from the lower end of the extension portion on the vehicle interior side from the substantially L-shaped overlapping portion. The occupant protection performance can be improved effectively.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the inflator is actuated at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the rear portion of the airbag stored and arranged along the rear side portion of the rear pillar is effectively inflated and expanded. In order to deploy, the side wall surface of the vehicle interior including the rear side portion of the rear pillar is covered with the airbag, so that the passenger's head and the like are effectively protected.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the rear portion of the airbag stored and arranged along the rear side portion of the rear pillar is overlapped with the extended portion and the upper rear edge of the rear pillar trim in the event of a side collision of the vehicle. When it bulges from the front part to the front side of the vehicle body, the extension part is easily elastically deformed with the rear end part of the extension part as a fulcrum, so that it swells smoothly into the vehicle compartment.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the inflator is actuated at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, and the rear portion of the airbag is inflated and expanded, thereby the vehicle interior side including the rear side portion of the rear pillar. The wall surface is covered with the airbag over a wider area, and the head of the occupant and the like are further effectively protected.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the case of a side collision of the vehicle, the front end portion and the rear end portion of the airbag are fixed to the wall surfaces of the front pillar and the rear pillar on the lower side of the vehicle body, respectively. Since it expands and deploys along the side wall surface, the occupant's head pressed against the airbag is stably supported.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the airbag is held in a stable expanded state, when the occupant's head or the like is pressed against the airbag during a side collision of the vehicle, the pressing is performed. It becomes possible to further increase the supporting force against the force.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the rear portion of the airbag that is housed and disposed along the rear side portion of the rear pillar at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the front edge of the extended portion of the roof trim and the rear pillar trim When the protruding portion of the roof trim bulges from the overlapping portion with the rear edge of the upper portion to the front side of the vehicle body, the rising portion of the roof trim is effectively restricted at the engaging portion.

  1 to 3 show an embodiment of a vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention. The occupant protection device includes an inflator 1 that operates according to a detection signal of a collision detection sensor (not shown) that detects a side collision of the vehicle, and the roof side rail 3 and the rear pillar 4 from the upper end of the front pillar 2 of the vehicle. And a gas supply pipe 6 that expands and deploys the airbag by supplying the airbag 5 with the gas generated during the operation of the inflator 1. And a roof side trim 7 and a rear pillar trim 8 that cover the vehicle interior side walls of the roof side rail 3 and the rear pillar 4.

  The airbag 5 is stored and disposed so as to extend from the upper end portion of the front pillar 2 to the rear side of the vehicle body along the side wall surface of the roof side rail 3. The roof trim 7 is covered with a side portion 7a. The side edge 7a of the roof trim 7 is engaged with the weather strip 9 attached to the flange 3a of the roof side rail 3 so that the edge (outer edge) is detachable (see FIG. (See FIG. 2).

  The rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 is housed and disposed so as to extend to the lower side of the vehicle body along the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4, and the inflator 1 is disposed on the lower side thereof. The rear end portion of the airbag 5 is fixed to the vehicle inner wall surface of the rear pillar 4, that is, the inner panel 4a of the rear pillar 4 together with the gas supply pipe 6 by a fixing bolt 11 or the like (see FIG. 3). In FIG. 3, reference numeral 20 denotes a rear side door.

  Further, a substantially parallelogram-shaped extending portion 7b covering the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 housed and disposed so as to extend downward of the vehicle body along the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4 is provided at the rear end of the roof trim 7. It is connected to the department. A substantially L-shaped cutout portion corresponding to the extending portion 7b of the roof trim 7 is formed on the upper portion of the rear pillar trim 8, and a portion excluding the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4, that is, the front side of the rear pillar 4 is formed. The portion is covered with the upper portion 8 a of the rear pillar trim 8. Further, a flange portion 7c that is inclined obliquely outward is formed at the front edge of the extended portion 7b of the roof trim 7. Normally, the flange portion 7c is provided behind the upper portion 8a of the rear pillar trim 8. It is comprised so that both members may be in the state which overlap | superposed when the edge contacts line.

  When the airbag 5 is expanded and deployed, the vehicle interior side wall surface of the rear pillar 4 has a vehicle compartment from the overlapping portion of the front edge of the extended portion 7b of the roof trim 7 and the rear edge of the upper portion 8a of the rear pillar trim 8. The position of the guide member 12 for guiding the airbag 5 so as to inflate inside corresponds to the overlapping portion of the front edge of the extended portion 7b of the roof trim 7 and the rear edge of the upper portion 8a of the rear pillar trim 8. It is fixed to.

  The extension of the roof trim 7 is between the lower edge of the extension 7b of the roof trim 7 and the lower edge of the notch formed in the rear pillar trim 8 corresponding to the extension 7b. An overlapping portion similar to the overlapping portion formed between the front edge of the portion 7 b and the rear edge of the upper portion 8 a of the rear pillar trim 8 is provided. A similar overlap portion is also provided between the upper edge of the upper portion 8a of the rear pillar trim 8 and the lower edge of the roof trim 7 corresponding thereto.

  Further, the rear lower end portion of the extended portion 7b of the roof trim 7 is provided with a locking tool 13 for fixing the rear end portion of the rear pillar trim 8 to the inner panel 3a of the rear pillar 4 as shown in FIGS. A locking piece 14 to be locked is provided so as to project the rear lower end portion of the extended portion 7 b provided at the rear end portion of the roof trim 7 by the locking tool 13 and the locking piece 14. An engaging portion that engages with is formed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a front pillar trim 15 is installed on the vehicle interior side of the front pillar 2. Between the front pillar trim 15 and the front pillar 2, one end is locked to the front pillar 2 by a locking tool 19 described later, and the other end is sewn to the front end of the airbag 5. A fixing member 16 composed of a belt-like member fixed by a means such as is provided. In FIG. 7, 17 is a windshield, and 21 is a front side door.

  When the airbag 5 described below is expanded and deployed, as shown in FIG. 8, the fixing position of the front end portion of the airbag 5 fixed to the front pillar 2 by the fixing member 16 is set to the rear pillar 4 by the fixing bolt 11 or the like. The fixing position of one end of the fixing member 16, that is, the fixing that is locked to the front pillar 2 by the locking tool 19 so that the height is substantially the same as the fixing position of the rear end of the airbag 5 that is fixed to the airbag 5. The locking position of the member 16 is set.

  In the above configuration, when it is detected by the collision detection sensor that a side collision or the like has occurred in the vehicle, the gas generated when the inflator 1 is in an operating state enters the airbag 5 through the gas supply pipe 6. Supplied. As a result, the airbag 5 stored and arranged along the roof side rail 3 bulges downward, and as shown in FIG. 8, it is expanded and deployed so as to cover the side wall surface of the passenger compartment in a curtain shape.

  Further, when the rear portion 5 a of the airbag 5 disposed along the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4 is inflated, the rear portion 5 a of the airbag 5 is guided by the guide member 12 to the extended portion 7 b of the roof trim 7. It abuts and presses the extended portion 7b toward the inward side of the vehicle body. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the overlapping portion between the front edge of the extending portion 7b and the rear edge of the upper portion 8a of the rear pillar trim 8 is separated, and the airbag 5 is moved outwardly from the separated portion. The rear portion 5a bulges out.

  Further, in the deployed state of the airbag 5, the front end portion is fixed to the substantially intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the front pillar 2 by the fixing member 16. In the illustrated example, the bulging portion of the airbag 5 includes a front seat front portion 5b covering a range including the installation portion of the center pillar 10 from the front pillar 2 and a range including the installation portion of the rear pillar 4. The airbag 5 is divided into a rear portion 5a for covering the rear seat, and the front portion 5b and the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 are connected by a sheet-like connecting portion 5c. You may comprise so that the whole may bulge.

  As described above, the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 is stored and disposed along the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4, and the roof trim 7 is provided with the extending portion 7b extending downward from the upper end of the rear pillar 4 in the vertical direction. A rear edge continuously extending rearward from the front edge of the extended portion 7a of the roof trim 7 and the lower end of the front edge is provided, and the rear pillar trim 8 is provided with a front edge and a rear edge of the extended portion 7b. The rear pillar trim side rear edge extends by forming a substantially L-shaped notch portion comprising a corresponding rear pillar trim side rear edge and a rear pillar trim lower edge continuously extending rearward from the lower end of the rear edge. Overlapping the front edge of the portion 7b, the rear pillar trim side lower edge forms a substantially L-shaped overlapping portion overlapping the rear edge of the extended portion 7b, and the front end of the airbag 5 is fixed to the front pillar Then The rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 is stored and arranged along the vertical direction of the extension portion 7b, and the rear end portion of the airbag 5 is fixed to the wall surface of the rear pillar 4 in the vicinity of the lower end portion of the extension portion 7b. When the airbag 5 is expanded and deployed, the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 is inflated so as to cover the front side from the front edge of the extending portion 7b and the lower side from the lower end of the extending portion 7b on the vehicle interior side from the overlapping portion. Since the vehicle 5 is configured to be extended, the airbag 5 stored and arranged along the roof side rail 3 is expanded and deployed downward and the storage and arrangement is arranged along the rear side of the rear pillar 4 when the vehicle collides. The rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 is smoothly moved from the overlapping portion of the front edge (flange portion 7c) of the extending portion 7b of the roof trim 7 and the rear edge of the upper portion 8a of the rear pillar trim 8 to the vehicle interior side. Expand and expand It is possible.

  Therefore, the side wall surface of the vehicle interior including the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4 can be covered over the wide range by the airbag 5 at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, and the occupant is urged to the side. When the head is pressed toward the installation portion of the rear pillar 4, the occupant can be effectively protected by the airbag 5. Moreover, since the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 is retracted and disposed along the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4 as described above, the airbag 5 can be locked by locking the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 to the side wall surface of the rear pillar 4. Since the deployed state can be stably maintained, the supporting force for the head of the occupant pressed against the airbag as in the case where only the upper side of the airbag is supported and suspended from the roof side rail 3 is supported. There is an advantage that the head of the occupant can be stably supported without causing a problem such as lack of.

  In particular, since the rear end portion of the airbag 5 is fixed to the wall surface of the rear pillar 4 located near the lower end portion of the extending portion 7b provided at the rear end portion of the roof trim 7 with a fixing bolt 11 or the like, the vehicle When the rear end of the airbag 5 is fixed to the wall surface (inner panel 4a) of the rear pillar 4 on the lower side of the vehicle body, the deployed state of the airbag 5 is stably maintained. When the head of the occupant is pressed against the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5, it is possible to ensure a sufficient supporting force against the pressing force.

  Further, as shown in the above embodiment, a fixing member 16 for fixing the front end portion of the airbag 5 to the front pillar 2 is provided, and the fixing position of the front end portion of the airbag 5 with respect to the front pillar 2 of the fixing member 16, that is, The position of the front end portion of the fixing member 16 locked by the locking device 19 and the fixing position of the rear end portion of the airbag 5 with respect to the rear pillar 4, that is, the fixing of the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 by the fixing bolt 11 or the like. When the positions are set to substantially the same height, the front end and the rear end of the airbag 5 are fixed to the wall surfaces of the front pillar 2 and the rear pillar 4 on the lower side of the vehicle body, respectively, at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. In this state, it can be expanded and deployed along the side wall surface of the passenger compartment. Therefore, when a passenger | crew's head etc. are pressed on the rear part 5a of the said airbag 5, the support force with respect to this pressing force can be increased more.

  In the above embodiment, the locking piece 14 projecting from the lower end of the extension 7 b provided at the rear end of the roof trim 7, and the locking piece 14 are attached to the inner panel 3 a of the rear pillar 4. Since the lower end portion of the extending portion 7b is engaged with the rear pillar trim 8 by the engaging portion including the locking tool 13 to be fixed, the rear side of the rear pillar 4 is caused when the vehicle collides. When the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 stored and disposed along the portion bulges from the overlapping portion of the front edge of the extension portion 7b and the rear edge of the upper portion 8a of the rear pillar trim 8 to the front side of the vehicle body In addition, it is possible to effectively prevent the situation in which the extended portion 7b of the roof trim 7 is rolled up.

  In addition, a substantially L-shaped notch corresponding to the substantially parallelogram-shaped extension 7 b provided at the rear end of the roof trim 7 is formed in the upper rear portion of the rear pillar trim 8. Since the rear edge and lower edge of the portion and the front edge and lower edge of the extension portion 7b are overlapped with each other, the storage arrangement is provided along the rear side portion of the rear pillar 4 at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. When the rear portion 5a of the airbag 5 is inflated to the front side of the vehicle body from the overlapping portion of the extended portion 7b and the upper rear edge of the rear pillar trim 8, the rear end portion of the extended portion 7b is a fulcrum. Moreover, there is an advantage that the rear end portion 5a of the airbag 5 can be smoothly inflated into the vehicle interior by easily elastically deforming the extending portion 7b.

It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of the passenger | crew protection device of the vehicle which concerns on this invention. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the upper part of a rear pillar. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the rear side part of a rear pillar. It is a top sectional view showing the locked state of the lower end part of the extension part. It is the VII-VII sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the expansion | deployment state of an airbag. FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing the airbag in a deployed state.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inflator 3 Roof side rail 4 Rear pillar 5 Air bag 5a Air bag rear part 7 Roof trim 7b Extension part 8 Rear pillar trim 13 Locking tool (engagement part)
14 Locking piece (engagement part)
16 Fixing member

Claims (7)

An airbag that is stored and arranged along the roof side rail and the rear pillar, and that expands and deploys along the side wall surface of the passenger compartment by the operation of an inflator, for example, when the vehicle side impacts
A vehicle occupant protection device comprising a roof trim and a rear pillar trim covering a vehicle interior side wall surface of a roof side rail and a rear pillar,
The roof trim is provided with an extending portion extending downward from the upper end of the rear pillar along the vertical direction, and the rear end extending continuously rearward from the front edge of the extending portion of the roof trim and the lower end of the front edge. An edge is provided,
The rear pillar trim has a substantially L-shaped notch comprising a rear pillar trim side rear edge corresponding to the front edge and rear edge of the extending portion, and a rear pillar trim side lower edge continuously extending rearward from the lower end of the rear edge. By forming the portion, the rear pillar trim side rear edge is superposed on the front edge of the extension portion, and the rear pillar trim side lower edge is superposed on the rear edge of the extension portion to form a substantially L-shaped superposition portion. And
The airbag has a front end fixed to the front pillar, a rear portion of the airbag is stored and disposed along the vertical direction of the extension portion, and a rear end portion of the airbag is the extension portion of the extension portion. Fixed to the wall of the rear pillar in the vicinity of the lower end, and covers the front side from the front edge of the extension part and the lower side from the lower end of the extension part on the vehicle interior side from the overlapping part when the airbag is expanded and deployed. An occupant protection device for a vehicle, characterized in that a rear portion of the airbag is inflated.   2. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the inflator is fixed to the rear pillar below a lower edge on the rear pillar trim side.   The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the extension portion deforms the rear end portion of the extension portion as a fulcrum when the airbag is expanded and deployed to deploy the airbag. Crew protection device.   2. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein, when the airbag is expanded, the rear edge of the extended portion on the vehicle interior side from the overlapping portion of the extended portion of the roof trim and the upper portion of the rear pillar trim. An occupant protection device for a vehicle, wherein a rear portion of an airbag bulges so as to cover a lower rear pillar trim.   The occupant protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a fixing member for fixing the front end portion of the airbag to the front pillar is provided, and the fixing position of the front end portion of the airbag with respect to the front pillar of the fixing member is defined as an airbag for the rear pillar. An occupant protection device for a vehicle, wherein the occupant protection device is set at substantially the same height as the fixed position of the rear end of the vehicle.   In the vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, the airbag has a front end portion fixed to the vehicle body lower side of the front pillar and a rear end portion fixed to the vehicle body lower side of the rear pillar. An occupant protection device for a vehicle configured to be along a side wall of a passenger compartment on a vehicle body lower side connecting a front end portion and a rear end portion of an airbag.   2. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein a lower end portion of an extension portion provided at a rear end portion of the roof trim is provided with an engagement portion that engages with the rear pillar trim. Protective device.

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