JP4889622B2 - Vehicle seat and airbag device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle seat and an airbag device that can protect an occupant in a vehicle collision.

  When the vehicle collides forward, the occupant moves to the front in the collision direction due to inertia. Here, if it is left to inertia, the occupant will collide with the steering wheel or windshield in front of the vehicle. By wearing the seat belt in advance, the occupant can restrain his / her forward movement to some extent by the restraining action of the shoulder belt portion and the waist belt portion even if the vehicle collides.

In addition, a lumbar restraint device that restrains forward movement of the occupant's waist by instantaneously raising the front end of the seat cushion on which the occupant sits during sudden deceleration due to a forward collision in order to reliably suppress the occupant's forward movement. Proposed. For example, in Patent Document 1, a metal airbag is provided below the seat cushion, and when the vehicle collides, the front end of the seat cushion is instantaneously pushed up by the deployment of the airbag to restrain the forward movement of the lumbar portion such as the pelvis. Yes.
JP 2005-297580 A

  In order to support a comfortable ride for the passenger, the seat cushion has been devised in various ways to ensure comfort. Therefore, the seat cushion itself has an appropriate load. When the technique of Patent Document 1 described above is applied, the weight of the seat cushion and the hardness of the metal airbag itself become a load when the airbag is deployed, and the adverse effect of pushing up the occupant's thigh to a sufficient height Become. In addition, in order to secure a sufficient height to suppress the forward movement of the occupant, it is necessary to prepare an inflator with a high expansion capacity (a large amount of explosives), occupying a limited space under the seat The cost also increased. Furthermore, metal airbags have poor flexibility, and depending on the installation position, the passenger's sitting comfort may be impaired.

  In view of such a problem, the present invention is for a vehicle capable of further improving safety and reducing the size and cost of an inflator by directly suppressing the movement of a passenger forward by an airbag. An object is to provide a seat and an airbag device.

  In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of a vehicle seat according to the present invention includes a seat cushion on which an occupant is seated, a seat frame that supports the seat cushion, a lower side of the seat cushion, and a front side of the vehicle from the center. In addition, the airbag housed in a contracted state, a break portion provided on the seat cushion and rupturing in response to inflation and deployment upward of the airbag, and an inflator that is fixed to the seat frame and supplies inflation gas to the airbag And.

  According to such a configuration, the breakage portion is located above the airbag and breaks in accordance with the inflation and deployment of the airbag. Therefore, the airbag can be inflated while being exposed above the seat cushion, and the front portion of the occupant's waist Movement can be suppressed directly. Accordingly, even during a frontal collision, the thigh can be pushed up immediately without any delay caused by interposing the seat cushion, so that safety can be further improved.

  Also, from the viewpoint of operation, the weight of the seat cushion does not become a load when deploying the airbag, so the inflator can be reduced in size and cost can be reduced, and the limited space under the seat can be used effectively. it can.

  Furthermore, by configuring the airbag itself with a foldable fabric, it is possible to ensure the flexibility of the seat cushion for the part that accommodates the airbag, and to maintain a comfortable ride for the occupant. It becomes possible.

  The break portion may be formed at a joint portion of the surface member of the seat cushion. The seat cushion is covered with a surface member in order to reduce the influence of the weight and friction of the occupant. By providing the breakage portion at the joint portion of the surface member, the aesthetics can be maintained without making the occupant aware of the position of the breakage portion.

  The breaking portion may be formed in the recessed portion of the seat cushion. In the seat cushion, the elastic member is divided into predetermined regions in order to prevent the internal elastic member from being biased, and the gap is closed to form a concave portion. By providing a breakage portion in the concave portion of the surface member, the aesthetics can be maintained without making the occupant aware of the position of the breakage portion, as in the case of providing the breakage portion. Moreover, since the recessed part in a seat cushion is formed thinly, it has the advantage that it is easy to form a fracture | rupture part.

  The seat cushion may be configured so that a plurality of passengers can be seated in parallel, and the airbag may be provided continuously across the seating positions of the plurality of passengers. With this configuration, the forward movement of a plurality of passengers can be suppressed at the same time and at the same time without unnecessary addition of devices such as an inflator for inflating the airbag.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the configuration of the airbag device according to the present invention is accommodated in a contracted state from the lower side of the seat cushion on which an occupant is seated to the front side of the vehicle from the center, and the seat cushion is broken and inflated. An airbag that is deployed, and an inflator that is fixed to a seat frame that supports a seat cushion and supplies inflation gas to the airbag. Like the vehicle seat described above, the airbag is inflated in a state of being exposed above the seat cushion, and can directly suppress the forward movement of the occupant's waist. Therefore, even during a frontal collision, the thigh can be immediately pushed up higher, so that safety can be further improved.

  The above-described components based on the technical idea of the vehicle seat and the description thereof are also applicable to the airbag device.

  According to the present invention, the frontward movement of the occupant is directly restrained by the airbag, so that safety can be further improved by pushing up the thigh higher and faster, and the inflator can be reduced in size and cost. Is possible.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the embodiment are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated. To do.

  Further, in the following description, “up” or a term including the same expresses a portion or direction located in the direction of the ceiling of the vehicle relative to a certain part. “Lower” or the term including it expresses a portion or direction relative to such “upper”. The term “front” or a term including this expresses a portion or direction located in the traveling direction of the vehicle relative to a certain part. The term “rear” or a term including this expresses a portion or direction relative to such “front”.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle seat according to the present embodiment, particularly a front seat, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the vehicle seat viewed from the door side in a normal state (when the airbag is not activated). . In FIG. 1, the upper side of the drawing shows the front direction of the vehicle seat, and in FIG. 2, the left side of the drawing shows the front direction.

  The vehicle seat 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a seat cushion 110 (110a, 110b), a seat back 112, a seat frame 120 (120a, 120b, 120c, 120d), an airbag 130, and an inflator 140. Consists of including. Each component will be described in detail below.

  The seat cushion 110, along with a seat back 112 provided so as to be reclining on the seat cushion 110 rear surface, mainly supports the occupant's waist and back, and helps maintain the sitting posture. In particular, the seat cushion 110 includes a central seat cushion 110a and a side seat cushion 110b formed thicker than the central seat cushion 110a, and the seat cushion 110 as a whole according to the weight of the occupant. To improve the fit of the occupant to the seat cushion 110.

  The seat frame 120 includes, for example, two side frame members 120a and 120b, a front frame member 120c, and a rear frame member 120d, and supports the seat cushion 110 and the seat back 112. The side frame member 120 is composed of upper and lower members that are relatively slidable. The side frame member 120 can move the seat cushion 110 and the seat back 112 in the vertical and front-rear directions via the height adjuster mechanism and the slide adjuster mechanism.

  A seat pan 114 is further fastened to the side frame members 120a and 120b of the seat frame 120 by fastening members such as bolts. The sheet pan 114 is a metal plate-like member having a predetermined thickness, and is provided with irregularities to increase rigidity and to be fitted with other members. The seat cushion 110 is fixed to the seat pan 114 by hooking its own latching portion to the unevenness of the seat pan 114.

  Specifically, a holding member (housing) 116 which is a part of the seat pan 114 supports an inflator 140 and an airbag 130 which will be described later, and restricts the inflation of the airbag 130 in the direction of the holding member during inflation and deployment. The deployed state of the airbag 130 is maintained. The holding member 116 is formed as a flat surface for placing the contracted airbag 130, but a concave shape along the outer shape of the inflator 140 is provided at the center for fitting the inflator 140. The holding member 116 is not only configured as a part of the seat pan 114 but may be fixed to the seat pan 114 or the side frame members 120a and 120b via a bracket (not shown). When a plurality of bent spring members (not shown) are arranged in the vehicle traveling direction or the vehicle lateral direction instead of the seat pan 114, the inflator 140 and the airbag 130 are integrally formed with the holding member 116, and this holding member. The same function can be achieved by fixing 116 to the plurality of spring members described above.

  The airbag 130 is formed into a desired shape by sewing a fabric, in particular, an airbag base fabric, and is accommodated in a contracted state in a gap 132 provided below the seat cushion 110 and from the center to the vehicle front side. Is done. In the present embodiment, the airbag 130 is not folded in the lateral direction of the vehicle seat 100, and is accommodated in the gap 132 by folding in the front-rear direction. According to the accommodation state of the airbag 130, the gap 132 is also formed to be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped in the lateral direction of the vehicle seat 100. Similarly, the holding member 116 is also formed in a plate shape whose longitudinal direction is the lateral direction of the vehicle seat 100. However, the above-described accommodation form of the airbag 130 is one example, and various accommodation forms of the airbag 130 and various shapes of the gap 132 according to the accommodation form can be applied.

  The inflator 140 is fixed to the seat frame 120 via the seat pan 114, and supplies high-temperature inflation gas to the airbag 130 when the vehicle suddenly decelerates due to a forward collision. The airbag 130 receiving the supply of the inflation gas is inflated and deployed upward. A breaking portion 150 is provided above the gap 132 that accommodates the airbag 130, that is, above the seat cushion 110. When the airbag 130 is inflated and deployed upward, the rupture portion 150 is ruptured (expanded) and exposed on the seat cushion 110. Such a break portion 150 may be joined by a cloth or the like that is easily broken, or may be in contact with each other by the elastic force of the seat cushion 110 that has been split in advance. In the present embodiment, the airbag device is a concept including the inflator 140 and the airbag 130.

  Next, the operation at the time of inflating and deploying the airbag will be described. At normal time, that is, when no forward collision occurs, the airbag 130 is accommodated in the gap 132 in a contracted (folded) state as illustrated in FIG. When the vibration sensor or the acceleration sensor mounted on the vehicle detects a sudden deceleration due to a forward collision or the like, the inflator 140 is activated.

  FIG. 3 is a side view of the vehicle seat 100 viewed from the door side of the automobile when the airbag is activated. When the inflator 140 is actuated, the inner space of the airbag 130 is filled with the inflation gas from the inflator 140, and the airbag 130 is inflated. The air gap 132 that accommodates the airbag 130 allows the inflation only in the upward direction, and the airbag 130 breaks the breaking portion 150 and pushes up the thigh of the occupant on the seat cushion 110.

  The airbag 130 after inflating and deploying is formed in a substantially elliptic cylindrical shape on the seat cushion 110 as illustrated in FIG. Here, an elliptical cylindrical shape is cited as the deployed shape of the airbag 130, but the present invention is not limited to this case, and various shapes can be applied as long as, for example, the front thigh of the occupant can be pushed up.

  Here, the breakage portion 150 may be formed at a joint portion of the surface member of the seat cushion 110. The seat cushion 110 is covered with a surface member in order to reduce the influence of the weight and friction of the occupant. By providing the breakage portion 150 at the joint portion of the surface member, for example, perforation or tear line (expected tear line), the aesthetics can be maintained without making the occupant aware of the position of the breakage portion 150. .

  Furthermore, the fracture | rupture part 150 may be formed in the recessed part provided intentionally in the seat cushion 110 which is illustrated by FIG. 3, for example. The seat cushion 110 divides the elastic member into predetermined regions to prevent the bias of the internal elastic member, and closes the space to form a concave portion. By providing the rupture portion 150 in the concave portion of the surface member, the aesthetic appearance can be maintained without causing the occupant to be aware of the position of the rupture portion 150 as in the case of providing the rupture portion. Moreover, since the recessed part in the seat cushion 110 is formed thinly, it has the advantage that it is easy to form the fracture | rupture part 150. FIG.

  According to the configuration described above, the breakage portion 150 is located above the airbag 130 and breaks in accordance with the inflation and deployment of the airbag 130. Therefore, the airbag 130 can be inflated while being exposed above the seat cushion 110. Thus, the forward movement of the occupant's waist can be directly suppressed. Accordingly, even during a frontal collision, the thigh can be effectively pushed up immediately without any delay due to the seat cushion 110 being interposed therebetween, so that safety can be further improved. In particular, since the airbag 130 can be appropriately deformed according to the shape and weight balance of the thigh while being in direct contact with the thigh, it is possible to appropriately absorb the load on the waist due to the forward movement of the occupant. It becomes possible.

  Also, from the viewpoint of operation, the weight of the seat cushion 110 does not become a load when the airbag is deployed, and the airbag 130 is not made of metal, so that the inflator 140 can be reduced in size and cost, and the vehicle The limited space under the work sheet 100 can be used effectively.

  Furthermore, by configuring the airbag itself with a foldable cloth, it is possible to ensure the flexibility of the seat cushion 110 with respect to the portion accommodating the airbag 130, and to maintain a comfortable ride comfort for the occupant. Is possible.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram when the configuration of the vehicle seat described above is applied to the rear seat. The vehicle seat 200 for the rear seat includes a seat cushion 210 and a seat back 212. Since the function of the configuration for inflating and deploying the airbag already described in the front seat is substantially the same, the description thereof is omitted here, but it goes without saying that this configuration can also be applied to the rear seat.

  The seat cushion 210 of the vehicle seat 200 in FIG. 4 can move back and forth independently according to the seating position of the occupant. At this time, the seat back 212 operates following the seat cushion 210. In the rear seat as well as the front seat, independent airbags 230a and 230b are provided at the seating positions in order to suppress the forward movement of the vehicle due to the inertia of the occupant. The inflator that supplies the inflation gas to the airbags 230a and 230b may be provided for each airbag 230a and 230b, or may be provided in common. The airbags 230a and 230b alleviate the impact on the passengers at the respective boarding positions. With such a configuration, the so-called submarine phenomenon in which the seat belt cannot sufficiently restrain the occupant's waist and the occupant passes through the seat belt and is thrown forward can be prevented.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram when the configuration of the vehicle seat described above is applied to another example of the rear seat. The vehicle seat 300 includes a seat cushion 310 and a seat back 312. In FIG. 4, the seat cushion is freely movable back and forth depending on the seating position of the occupant, but in the example of FIG.

  As described above, when the seat cushion 310 is configured so that a plurality of passengers can be seated in parallel, the airbag 330 is continuously provided across the seating positions of the plurality of passengers. With such a configuration, the forward movement of a plurality of passengers can be suppressed at the same time and at the same time without unnecessary addition of each device such as an inflator for inflating the airbag 330.

  In this way, as in the description of FIG. 4, also in the rear seat of the example of FIG. 5, the forward movement of the vehicle due to inertia can be suppressed, and the impact on the occupant can be reduced.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments described above are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or performed in various ways. Can be carried out. The invention is not limited to the detailed shape, size, configuration, and the like of the components shown in the accompanying drawings unless otherwise specified in the present specification. In addition, expressions and terms used in the present specification are for the purpose of explanation, and are not limited thereto unless otherwise specified. Therefore, it is obvious for those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood.

  Moreover, although the example which applied the vehicle seat concerning this invention to the motor vehicle was demonstrated in the said embodiment, it is also possible to apply to an aircraft, a ship, etc. besides a motor vehicle, and can obtain the same effect. it can.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a vehicle seat and an airbag device that can protect an occupant during a vehicle collision.

It is a top view which illustrates the schematic structure of the vehicle seat concerning this embodiment especially a front seat. It is the side view seen from the door side of the vehicle seat in a normal state. It is the side view which looked at the vehicle seat at the time of the action | operation of an airbag from the door side of the motor vehicle. It is explanatory drawing at the time of applying the structure of the vehicle seat to a rear seat. It is explanatory drawing at the time of applying the structure of the vehicle seat to the other example of a rear seat.

Explanation of symbols

100, 200, 300 Vehicle seat 110, 210, 310 Seat cushion 112, 212, 312 Seat back 114 Seat pan 116 Holding member 120 Seat frame 130, 230a, 230b, 330 Air bag 132 Air gap 140 Inflator 150 Breaking portion

Claims (5)

A seat cushion on which an occupant sits,
A seat frame that supports the seat cushion;
An airbag housed in a folded or rolled state below the seat cushion and from the center to the vehicle front side;
A rupture portion provided on the seat cushion and ruptured in response to inflated and expanded upward of the airbag;
An inflator fixed to the seat frame and supplying inflation gas to the airbag;
Equipped with a,
The airbag during inflation and deployment by breaking the breaking portion exposed on the seat cushion, the vehicle seat, characterized in can der Rukoto to push the occupant thighs directly.   The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the fracture portion is formed at a joint portion of a surface member of the seat cushion.   The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the breaking portion is formed in a recessed portion of the seat cushion.   The said seat cushion is comprised so that a some passenger | crew can be seated in parallel, and the said airbag is provided in a row over the seating position of this some passenger | crew, The any one of Claim 1 to 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The vehicle seat described in 1. On the front side of the vehicle from the lower side and the center of the seat cushion occupant sits, is housed in a state of being folded or rolled, to break the seat cushion inflated and deployed so as to expose on the seat cushion, the passenger of the large An airbag that can push up the thigh directly ,
An inflator that is fixed to a seat frame that supports the seat cushion and that supplies inflation gas to the airbag;
An air bag device comprising:

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