JP4963430B2 - Lumbar restraint airbag device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag apparatus having a waist restraint function that restrains passengers in a vehicle by restraining them in a seat in the event of a vehicle collision.

  When the vehicle collides forward, the occupant tries to move forward due to inertia. When the occupant is wearing the seat belt, the forward movement of the occupant can be suppressed to some extent by the restraining action of the shoulder belt and the waist belt of the seat belt device. In order to make this more reliable, or when the vehicle is suddenly decelerated due to a forward collision because the seat belt is not securely attached, the front end of the seat cushion is instantly raised, and the occupant There has been proposed a waist restraint device to which a technique for restricting the forward movement of the body is applied (for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3, and Patent Document 4).

JP-A-5-229378 JP-A-10-217818 British patent GB2357466 International patent application WO 01 / 45978A1

  In such a waist restraint device, it is important to improve the restraining force of the occupant by rapid deployment of the inflatable bag and to avoid the obstacle to the occupant due to excessive pressure. However, in the conventional waist restraint device, if the capacity of the inflator is increased, rapid deployment of the inflatable bag can be secured, but an obstacle to the occupant may be a problem. Conversely, when the ability of the inflator is reduced, the obstacle to the occupant can be reduced, but the deployment of the inflatable bag is delayed and the occupant restraining force may be reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the situation as described above, and provides a waist restraint airbag device capable of reducing the possibility of obstacles to the occupant while maintaining the restraint force of the occupant due to the rapid deployment of the inflatable bag. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a waist restraining airbag device that restrains the waist of an occupant in a vehicle when an emergency occurs. An inflatable bag that can be inflated and deployed; an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the inflatable bag when an emergency occurs; and a regulating member that regulates the flow of inflation gas output from the inflator. The regulating member shields the inflation gas in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inflatable bag.

  According to the waist restraining airbag device according to the present invention having the above-described configuration, the inflation gas that collides with the inflatable bag at the shortest distance is partially blocked, and the inflation gas is guided obliquely or laterally. For this reason, it is possible to avoid an excessive impact from being applied to the occupant due to the sudden rise of only the portion immediately above the inflator of the inflatable bag when the airbag device is activated. Such an action is particularly effective in a situation where, for example, a child has a face close to the seat seat surface.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a use state (installation state) of a waist restraining airbag device according to the present invention, and shows a state before deployment. FIG. 2 shows the state after deployment. The waist restraining airbag device 10 is installed inside or below the seat cushion 12 and restrains the waist of the occupant M seated on the seat cushion 12 in an emergency (such as a frontal collision). It has a structure that restricts forward movement. The airbag device 10 has an air bag (inflatable bag) 14 that is fixed to the vehicle by a mount bracket and accommodated in an inflatable and deployable state; and a gas supply device that supplies inflation gas into the airbag 14. The inflator 18 is provided. As a material of the airbag 14, a metal sheet having a thickness of about 0.4 mm or a molded body of a resin sheet thicker than that can be used. The airbag 14 can be configured to be deployed in a state inclined toward the vehicle traveling direction or in a substantially horizontal state.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the accommodated state of the airbag 14 according to the embodiment. As shown in the figure, the airbag 14 is folded up and down in an asymmetrical state. At this time, a part of the folded portion of the airbag 14 is located immediately above the inflator 18. Inside the airbag 14, a restricting portion 20 that restricts the gas blowing direction of the inflator 18 is provided. The restricting portion 20 can be a separate member from the airbag 14 and can be formed integrally with the airbag 14. The position of the restricting portion 20 is directly above the inflator 18 and is on a line where the gas output from the inflator 18 reaches the airbag at the shortest distance.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the entire structure of the inner plate 22 having the restricting portion 20 according to the embodiment. For example, when the inflator 18 is cylindrical, the gas outlets 26 are formed at equal intervals on the entire outer periphery. A part thereof is shielded by the restriction unit 20. In the case of the present embodiment, two openings 28 are formed in the inner plate 22, and the restricting portion 20 is formed between the two openings 28. The inner plate 22 is formed with an arcuate convex portion 24 that matches the shape of the upper half of the cylindrical inflator 18. The opening 28 and the restricting portion 20 are formed in the convex portion 24. The inner plate 22 can be formed of a metal sheet that is thicker than the airbag 14.

  The shape of the inflator 18 is not limited to a cylindrical shape. Further, the shape of the gas outlet 26 of the inflator 18 is not limited to the elliptical shape as shown in FIG. 4, and a slit shape, a rectangular shape, a dot shape, or the like can be adopted.

  FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the airbag apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a gas flow in the airbag in the airbag apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the expansion gas output from the inflator 18 is guided obliquely upward and horizontally from the opening 28 of the inner plate 22. In addition, the lower half of the inflator 18 is completely shielded by the other shielding member 30 so that the inflation gas does not jet downward.

  In the conventional case, the restricting portion 20 is not formed, and the entire upper half of the inflator 18 is open. In the present invention, the range of the gas outlet of the inflator 18 shielded by the restricting portion 20 is preferably about 60% with respect to the entire upper half of the inflator 18. When it is smaller than 60%, the rectification effect by the restricting portion 20 is reduced, and when it is larger than 60%, the deployment speed of the airbag 14 is reduced. According to the present embodiment, the upward deployment speed of the airbag 14 becomes slow, and the airbag 14 is inflated as a whole from the initial stage, so that it is possible to prevent the pressure from being locally increased.

  FIG. 5 (B) is an explanatory view showing the structure and operation of an airbag apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the case of this figure, the inner plate 122 is formed with a restricting portion 120 that completely shields the upper portion of the inflator 18 and the left and right sides, and the remaining portion becomes the opening 128. In the case of this example, the expanded gas output from the inflator 18 is in a state of being guided only in the right direction in the figure.

The position and range of the restricting portion 20 (120) that restricts the flow direction of the inflation gas output from the inflator 18 can be appropriately changed according to how the airbag 14 is folded.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these Examples at all, It can change in the category of the technical idea shown by the claim.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a use state (installation state) of a waist restraint airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state before deployment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a use state (installation state) of the waist restraint airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state after deployment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the airbag according to the embodiment is accommodated. FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the regulating member according to the embodiment. FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the airbag apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 (B) is an explanatory view showing the structure and operation of an airbag apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a gas flow in the airbag in the airbag apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

14 Airbag (Inflatable Bag)
18 Inflator 20, 120 Restricting part 22, 122 Inner plate 26 Gas outlet 28, 128 Opening

Claims (4)

In the airbag device for restraining the lumbar region that restrains the lumbar region of the occupant in the vehicle when the emergency occurs,
Housed in a collapsed state Oite vertically lower portion of the seat cushion, an inflatable expandable inflatable bag during emergencies;
An inflator disposed at the bottom of the inflatable bag near the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and supplying inflation gas to the inflatable bag when an emergency occurs;
A regulating member that regulates the flow of the expansion gas output from the inflator,
The regulating member shields the inflation gas in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the folded inflatable bag , guides the inflation gas in the vehicle front-rear direction, and avoids a sudden rise of only the portion directly above the inflator. An air bag device for restraining the lumbar region. 2. The waist restraint airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable bag is folded in a plurality of layers immediately above the inflator. The regulating member, lumbar-restraint airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is formed integrally with the inflatable bag. 4. The waist restraint airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member guides the inflation gas in an oblique lateral direction shifted from a substantially vertical direction with respect to the inflatable bag.

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