JP4727529B2 - Head protection airbag device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a head protection airbag device that deploys an airbag toward a vehicle lower side on a side portion on the vehicle interior side at the time of a side collision or rollover of a vehicle, and in particular, an occupant's head and a vehicle body side portion. The present invention relates to a head protecting airbag device including an inflating portion that is deployed between the two.

  In recent years, a head protection airbag device that deploys an airbag in a curtain shape below a roof side rail portion at the time of a side collision or rollover has been mounted as an occupant protection auxiliary device. Further, a head protection airbag device that can be deployed between the head of the occupant seated on the seat and the side of the vehicle body to protect the occupant's head has already been known.

Here, Patent Document 1 below discloses this type of head protection airbag device. Briefly, in this head protection airbag device, a protrusion as a deployment direction restricting means is provided on the boarding assist grip to prevent the head protection airbag from being caught on the slip joint.
Japanese Patent No. 3460636

  However, in the case of the head protection airbag device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the expansion chamber of the airbag overlaps with the assist grip for getting on and off in a vehicle side view. As a result, when the expansion chamber is expanded from the upper side of the vehicle toward the lower side of the vehicle by the gas from the inflator, the lower end of the expansion chamber is caught on the upper end of the assisting grip for getting on and off, and a slight difference between the passenger head and the door glass or the pillar It is difficult to deploy the airbag in the gap. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a protruding portion as a deployment direction restricting means also above the boarding / alighting assist grip, resulting in an increase in cost and weight.

  In view of the above facts, the present invention has an object to obtain a head protection airbag device that can quickly deploy an airbag between an occupant head and a vehicle body side without being caught by an assist grip for getting on and off. It is.

The head protection airbag device of the present invention according to claim 1 is disposed at a predetermined position of the vehicle and operates when a side collision of the vehicle or a rollover occurs to inject gas, and a vehicle interior side above the pillar. An assist grip for getting on and off provided on the side of the vehicle, a gas supply passage connected to the inflator, and an inflating portion connected to the gas supply passage and protecting the head of the occupant. An airbag that is stored along the roof side rail portion of the vehicle in a state of being folded in a direction and that is inflated by supply of gas from the inflator and that is deployed toward the vehicle lower side toward the vehicle interior side. The airbag has a cylindrical shape that extends in the vehicle vertical direction constituting the inflatable portion, and when viewed from the side of the vehicle in a deployed state, the airbag for getting on and off the vehicle is provided. A gas introduction part extending from a position above the upper end position of the vehicle to at least the upper end position of the boarding / alighting assist grip is provided at a position where it does not overlap with the upper part of the boarding / alighting assist grip in the vehicle front-rear direction. A lower part has a cell which overlaps with the boarding / alighting assist grip.

  When a vehicle side collision or rollover occurs, the inflator is activated, and gas is supplied into the airbag stored in a folded state in the vehicle vertical direction along the roof side rail portion of the vehicle. For this reason, the airbag is deployed toward the vehicle lower side on the side portion on the vehicle interior side. Since the airbag includes a gas supply passage connected to the inflator and an inflating portion that is connected to the gas supply passage and protects the head of the occupant, the occupant's head is protected by the inflating portion. The

Here, in the present invention, since the boarding / alighting assist grips are provided on the side of the upper part of the pillar on the vehicle interior side, there is a possibility that the inflating part of the airbag being deployed is caught by the boarding / alighting assist grips.

  However, in the present invention, the cylindrical cell extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle constitutes the inflating portion, and at least from a position above the position of the upper end of the on / off assist grip in a side view of the vehicle in the unfolded state. The cell gas introduction part extending to the position of the upper end of the boarding / alighting assist grip is provided at a position that does not overlap the upper part of the boarding / alighting assist grip in the vehicle front-rear direction. Moreover, the site | part below the gas introduction part in this cell has overlapped with the assist grip for boarding / alighting in the side view. In other words, when the gas introduction part of the cell is deployed, the position of the cell in the vehicle front-rear direction is shifted to the position behind or in front of the vehicle with respect to the entry / exit assist grip. It does not get caught on the upper end of the assist grip. In addition, the part below the gas introduction part of the cell is deployed below the upper end position of the boarding assist grip following the gas introduction part of the cell, and in the deployed state, overlaps with the passenger compartment side of the boarding assist grip, Protect passengers.

  Thus, according to the present invention, the deployed cell is not caught on the boarding / alighting assist grip, and the airbag is rapidly deployed between the passenger's head and the vehicle body side.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the head protection airbag device according to the first aspect, the gas introduction portion of the cell is disposed on the vehicle rear side above the assist grip for getting on and off, and the gas introduction portion of the cell. The lower part is an inclined portion that extends obliquely from the vehicle rear upper side toward the vehicle front lower side.

In the present invention, the gas introduction part of the cell is arranged on the vehicle rear side above the boarding assist grip, and the part below the gas introduction part of the cell extends obliquely from the vehicle rear upper side to the vehicle front lower side. Since it is an inclined part, when the gas introduction part of the cell is deployed, the position of the cell in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is shifted to the position behind the vehicle with respect to the boarding assist grip. It won't get caught on the top edge. In addition, the inclined portion of the cell is located on the side of the vehicle interior at the upper portion of the pillar more smoothly from the upper rear side of the vehicle to the lower front side of the vehicle below the upper end position of the assist grip for getting on and off following the gas introduction portion of the cell. Deploy on the passenger compartment side of the passenger grip for getting on and off.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the head protection airbag device according to the second aspect, in the vehicle side view in a deployed state, the upper portion has a front cell that overlaps with the upper portion of the assist grip for getting on and off, The lower end of the inclined part is a gas introduction part of the front cell.

  In the present invention, after the inclined portion of the cell is deployed, gas is sent from the gas introduction portion at the lower end of the inclined portion to the front cell where the upper portion overlaps the upper portion of the assist grip for getting on and off, and the upper portion of the front cell is the assist grip for getting on and off It expands on the vehicle interior side. As a result, the front cell is surely deployed between the occupant head and the vehicle body side.

  The head protection airbag device according to the first aspect of the present invention can quickly deploy the airbag between the occupant head and the vehicle body side without being caught by the assist grip for getting on and off.

  In the head protection airbag device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the cell can be reliably deployed on the vehicle interior side of the passenger grip for getting on and off.

  In the head protection airbag device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the inflatable portion can be reliably deployed between the occupant head and the vehicle body side portion.

  A head protection airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In these drawings, an arrow FR appropriately shown indicates the vehicle front side, and an arrow UP indicates the vehicle upper side.

  1 and 2 show a state in which the head protection airbag device 10 according to the present embodiment is activated and the airbag 16 is deployed in a side view. As shown in FIG. 1, a head protection airbag device 10 is connected to a columnar inflator 12 that ejects gas when activated, and a gas ejection part of the inflator 12, and is normally folded in the vehicle vertical direction. And an airbag 16 that is elongated along the vehicle front-rear direction and is stored along the roof side rail portion 14.

  The inflator 12 is used when a side collision state is detected by a side collision sensor (not shown) arranged at a predetermined position on the side of the vehicle body or when a vehicle rollover is detected by a rollover sensor (not shown) arranged near the center of the vehicle body. When the state is detected, it is actuated by an airbag control device (not shown).

  Fixed points 18 are set at predetermined intervals on the outer peripheral upper edge of the airbag 16. At these fixed points 18, the airbag 16 has a front pillar (A pillar) 20, a roof side rail portion 14, and a D pillar. 22 is supported by a body side component.

  The airbag 16 also protects the front side inflating portion (front seat inflating portion) 28 that protects the head portion 27A of the occupant 27 seated on the front seat 26 and the head portion 31A of the occupant 31 seated on the rear seat 30. Along the rear side inflatable part (rear seat inflatable part) 36, a trapezoidal planar non-inflatable part 42 disposed between the front side inflatable part 28 and the rear side inflatable part 36, and the upper part of the airbag 16. An upper end side inflating portion 46 as a gas supply passage that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and communicates the front side inflating portion 28 and the rear side inflating portion 36 at the upper end side, and a triangle disposed on the front side of the front side inflating portion 28 The flat non-expandable portion 43 and the triangular flat non-expandable portion 45 disposed on the rear side of the rear side expandable portion 36 are configured.

  Further, a gas introduction part 47 connected to the gas ejection part of the inflator 12 is provided at the middle part in the front-rear direction of the upper end side inflating part 46 of the airbag 16. The gas introduction part 47 is fixed to the vehicle body side by a pair of mounting brackets 49 in a state where the gas ejection part of the inflator 12 is inserted. That is, in the head protection airbag device 10 of the present embodiment, an inflator center arrangement type in which the inflator 12 is disposed near the upper edge side center of the airbag 16 is employed.

  The front-side inflating portion 28 is configured by arranging four cylindrical cells 50, 52, 54, and 56 extending substantially in the vehicle vertical direction adjacent to each other in the vehicle front-rear direction.

  The cell is an inflated portion that is inflated by the gas from the inflator, and does not include a non-inflatable portion that constitutes the outer peripheral edge of the inflated portion.

  The two cells 50 and 52 on the front side are each opened at the upper end portion and are connected to the front portion 46A of the upper end side expansion portion 46. The rear end cell 56 is open at the upper end and is connected to the rear side of the gas introduction portion 47 in the upper end side expansion portion 46. On the other hand, the cell 54 as the front cell of the cell 56 has a lower end front side connected to the lower end rear side of the cell 52 by a connecting portion 62, and a lower end rear side connected to the lower end front side of the cell 56 by a connecting portion 64.

  In the state in which the airbag 16 is deployed, the cell 54 is on the vehicle interior side of the B pillar garnish 60, and the gas introduction portion 47 of the airbag 16 is formed above the cell 54.

  Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2, a part W1 of the gas ejected from the inflator 12 passes through the upper end side inflating portion 46 and enters the two cells 50 and 52 on the front side and the cell 56 on the rear end from the upper side of the vehicle. While flowing in, it flows into the cell 54 from the connecting part 62 on the lower rear side of the cell 52 and the connecting part 64 on the lower front side of the cell 56.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the rear-side inflating portion 36 is configured by arranging three cylindrical cells 68, 70, 72 extending substantially in the vehicle vertical direction adjacent to each other in the vehicle front-rear direction. The two front and rear cells 68 and 72 each have an upper end opened and are connected to a rear portion 46B of the upper end side expansion portion 46. The center cell 70 is connected to the lower end front side of the cell 68 by the connecting portion 74 on the lower end rear side of the cell 68.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, a part W2 of the gas ejected from the inflator 12 passes through the upper end side inflating portion 46 and flows into the two front and rear cells 68 and 72 from the upper side of the vehicle and at the lower end of the cell 68. It flows into the cell 70 from a connecting portion 74 between the rear side and the lower end front side of the cell 70.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, a boarding opening 63 is formed on the vehicle rear side of the B pillar 61 to which the B pillar garnish 60 is attached. The boarding opening 63 is opened and closed by a slide side door 65. It is possible.

  Further, a boarding / alighting assist grip 76 is attached to the vehicle interior side wall 60A of the B pillar garnish 60 in the upper part of the B pillar 61 (in the deployment region of the airbag 16).

  In addition, the vehicle interior side surface of the assist grip 76 for getting on and off is substantially flush with the vehicle interior side wall portion 60 </ b> A of the B pillar garnish 60, and the cell 56 can be smoothly expanded downward along the vehicle interior side surface. It is like that.

  The boarding / alighting assist grip 76 is a grip part that can support the body by being caught when getting on and off the vehicle.

  The getting-on / off assist grip 76 is located below the folded airbag 16, and the airbag 16 is deployed on the passenger compartment side of the getting-on / off assist grip 76. Further, the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 has a U-shape with the opening facing the front of the vehicle in a side view, and the front end portions of the mounting portions 76A and 76B formed at both the upper and lower ends are not shown in the drawings. It is fixed to the B pillar 61 by the fastening member. Furthermore, a gripping portion 76 </ b> C connecting the rear ends of the mounting portions 76 </ b> A and 76 </ b> B in the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 projects from the B-pillar garnish 60 to the inside of the boarding / alighting opening 63.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the gas introduction portion 56 </ b> A formed at the upper portion of the cell 56 is a boarding assist grip 76 in a side view of the vehicle with the airbag 16 deployed (when the vehicle is viewed from the vehicle width direction). The inclined portion 56B, which is a portion below the gas introducing portion 56A, overlaps the lower portion of the boarding / assist assist grip 76 in a side view.

  More specifically, the gas introduction portion 56A of the cell 56 is at least a boarding / alighting assist from a position above the position of the upper end 76D of the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 (for example, the position of the height H1 from the vehicle body floor). It extends to the position of the upper end 76D of the grip 76 (in this embodiment, it extends downward from the position of the upper end 76D of the assisting grip 76 for getting on and off). Further, the gas introduction part 56A of the cell 56 is disposed on the vehicle rear side above the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 in a side view of the vehicle with the airbag 16 deployed, and from the gas introduction part 56A of the cell 56. The lower inclined portion 56 </ b> B extends from the upper rear side of the vehicle toward the lower front side of the vehicle, and a part of the lower inclined portion 56 </ b> B overlaps with the lower part of the on / off assist grip 76. Furthermore, the lower end of the inclined portion 56B of the cell 56 is a connecting portion 64 (a gas introducing portion of the front cell 54).

  Therefore, the gas introduction part 56A of the cell 56 is not caught on the upper end of the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 during deployment. In addition, an inclined portion 56B of the cell 56 that is deployed following the gas introduction portion 56A of the cell 56 is formed at a position lower than the front of the vehicle from the lower end of the gas introduction portion 56A of the cell 56 that is deployed on the vehicle rear side on the upper part of the assist grip 76 for getting on and off. It is designed to expand toward the side. For this reason, the inclined portion 56 </ b> B of the cell 56 is quickly deployed to the vehicle interior side below the getting-on / off assist grip 76 without being caught by the upper end of the getting-on / off assist grip 76.

  Further, after the inclined portion 56B of the cell 56 is deployed, gas is sent to the cell 54 via the connecting portion 64 at the lower end of the inclined portion 56B, and gas is sent from the cell 52 to the cell 54 via the connecting portion 62. It is like that. For this reason, the front cell 54 is inserted into the vehicle rear side above the boarding assist grip 76 and then expands from the vehicle lower side to the vehicle interior side above the boarding assist grip 76.

  Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  When the side collision or rollover of the vehicle occurs, the state is detected by the side collision sensor or rollover sensor and input to the airbag control device. When the airbag control device determines that a side collision or rollover has occurred, the inflator 12 is activated and gas is supplied into the airbag 16 stored in a folded state along the roof side rail portion 14 of the vehicle.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the gas W1 and W2 are supplied from the gas introduction part 47 of the airbag 16 by the inflator 12, and the upper end side inflating part 46, the front side inflating part 28, and the rear side inflating part 36 are moved. While inflating, the airbag 16 is deployed in a curtain shape toward the vehicle lower side on the side portion on the vehicle interior side. Accordingly, the head portion 27A of the occupant 27 seated on the front seat 26 is protected by the front side expansion portion 28, and the head portion 31A of the occupant 31 seated on the rear seat 30 is protected by the rear side expansion portion 36.

  Here, in the head protection airbag device 10 according to the present embodiment, the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 attached to the vehicle interior side wall 60A in the upper part of the B-pillar garnish 60 is located below the folded airbag 16. Yes, the airbag 16 is deployed on the passenger compartment side of the assist grip 76 for getting on and off.

  For this reason, there is a possibility that the front-side inflating portion 28 of the airbag 16 being deployed is caught on the upper end of the boarding / alighting assist grip 76.

  However, in the present embodiment, the gas introduction portion 56A of the cell 56 is at least at the position (at the height H1) of the upper end 76D from the position above the upper end 76D of the on / off assist grip 76 in the vehicle side view in the unfolded state. It is provided at a position on the rear side of the vehicle that does not overlap with the upper part of the on / off assist grip 76 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

  That is, when the gas introduction portion 56A of the cell 56 is deployed, the position of the gas introduction portion 56A in the cell 56 in the vehicle front-rear direction is shifted to the position behind the vehicle with respect to the boarding assist grip 76. Is not caught by the upper end of the assist grip 76 for getting on and off.

  On the other hand, the inclined portion 56B of the cell 56 that is deployed following the gas introduction portion 56A of the cell 56 is deployed on the vehicle rear side above the boarding assist grip 76 and is located above the upper end 76D of the boarding assist grip 76. From the lower end of the gas introduction part 56A of the cell 56 that extends to at least the position of the upper end 76D (position of the height H1), the vehicle 56 extends toward the lower front side of the vehicle, and part of the inclined part 56B in the cell 56 is used for getting on and off It overlaps the vehicle interior side below the assist grip 76. For this reason, the inclined portion 56 </ b> B of the cell 56 is quickly deployed on the passenger compartment side of the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 without being caught by the upper end of the boarding / alighting assist grip 76.

  Further, after the inclined portion 56B of the cell 56 is deployed, gas is sent to the cell 54 via the connecting portion 64 at the lower end of the inclined portion 56B, and gas is sent from the cell 52 to the cell 54 via the connecting portion 62. . For this reason, the front cell 54 is inserted on the vehicle rear side above the boarding / assist assist grip 76 and then expands from the vehicle lower side to the vehicle interior side above the boarding / assist assist grip 76.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the front-side inflating portion 28 of the airbag 16 is not caught by the assisting grip 76 for getting on and off, so that the airbag 16 is connected to the head portion 27A of the occupant 27 and the vehicle body side portion (the wind glass 80 and the B pillar). It can be quickly deployed between the garnish 60).

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle interior side surface of the boarding / alighting assist grip 76 is substantially flush with the vehicle interior side wall portion 60A of the B pillar garnish 60, and the cell 56 is further smoothly lowered along the vehicle interior side surface. Can be deployed.

  It should be noted that even if the side surface of the passenger compartment of the getting-on / off assist grip 76 is not substantially flush with the side wall portion 60A of the B-pillar garnish 60, 60, the portion below the gas introduction portion 56A of the cell 56 is an inclined portion 56B extending obliquely from the vehicle rear upper side to the vehicle front lower side. Therefore, the cells 56 can be smoothly deployed toward the passenger compartment side of the boarding / alighting assist grip 76.

While the present invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a vehicle in which the on / off assist grip 76 is attached to the vehicle interior side wall 60A of the B pillar garnish 60 in the upper part of the B pillar 61. For a vehicle having an entrance for getting on and off behind other pillars such as pillars, and an assist grip 76 for getting on and off mounted on the side of the interior of the pillar garnish in the upper part of the other pillars such as C pillars The present invention may be applied.

  In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the two-row seat vehicle including the front seat 26 and the rear seat 30. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention is applied to other seat row vehicles such as a three-row seat. May be applied.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the structure which inserts and fixes the gas ejection part of the inflator 12 directly to the gas introduction part 47 of the airbag 16 was taken, it does not restrict to this but introduce | transduces gas through a diffuser (pipe) etc. A configuration in which the portion 47 and the inflator 12 are connected may be employed. Further supplementally, in the above embodiment, the inflator 12 is disposed in the center of the inflator in the vicinity of the middle portion in the front-rear direction on the upper edge side of the airbag 16, but the inflator 12 is provided with the garnish of the D pillar 22. You may take the structure arrange | positioned in other positions, such as a position.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the structure which ejects gas from the one inflator 12 to the airbag 16 was taken, not only this but the structure which ejects gas from the two or more inflators 12 to the airbag 16 is taken. May be.

It is a side view which shows the state which the head protection airbag apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention act | operates, and the airbag was expand | deployed. It is a side view which shows the flow of the gas at the time of the head protection airbag apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention act | operates. It is a side view which shows the assist grip for boarding / alighting of the head protection airbag apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Head protection airbag apparatus 12 Inflator 14 Roof side rail part 16 Air bag 28 The front side expansion | swelling part 36 of an airbag 36 The back side expansion | swelling part 46 of an airbag 46 The upper end side expansion part (gas supply passage) of an airbag
47 Gas introduction part of air bag 54 cell (front cell)
56 cell 56A gas introduction part of cell 56B inclined part of cell 60 B pillar garnish 61 B pillar 64 connection part (gas introduction part of front cell)
76 Assist grip for getting on and off

Claims (3)

An inflator that is disposed at a predetermined position of the vehicle and that is activated at the time of a side collision or rollover of the vehicle and ejects gas;
An entry / exit assist grip provided on the side of the passenger compartment at the top of the pillar ;
A roof side rail portion of the vehicle in a state of being folded in the vehicle vertical direction, including a gas supply passage connected to the inflator, and an inflating portion connected to the gas supply passage and protecting the head of the occupant And an airbag that is inflated by supply of gas from the inflator and is deployed toward the vehicle lower side on the side portion on the vehicle interior side, and
With
The airbag has a cylindrical shape that extends in the vehicle up-and-down direction constituting the inflatable portion, and at least from the position above the upper end position of the boarding / alighting assist grip in a side view of the vehicle in the deployed state. A gas introduction portion extending to the position of the upper end of the assist grip is provided at a position where it does not overlap with the upper portion of the assist grip for getting on and off in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a portion below the gas introduction portion has a cell overlapping the assist grip for getting on and off. A head protection airbag device characterized by the above.   The gas introduction part of the cell is arranged on the vehicle rear side above the assisting grip for getting on and off, and the part below the gas introduction part of the cell is an inclined part extending obliquely from the vehicle rear upper side toward the vehicle front lower side. The head protecting airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the head protecting airbag device is provided.   The vehicle has a front cell that overlaps with an upper portion of the boarding / alighting assist grip in a side view of the vehicle in the unfolded state, and a lower end of the inclined portion is a gas introduction portion of the front cell. Item 3. The head protection airbag device according to Item 2.

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