JP5030806B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technical field of an airbag device for inflating and deploying to the outside of a vehicle by a gas from an inflator or the like in an emergency such as when the vehicle collides with a collision target, and to mitigate the impact on the collision target or the vehicle. It belongs to.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a vehicle collides with a pedestrian or the like, an airbag is inflated to the outside of the pillar portion of the vehicle to reduce the impact of the pedestrian or the like recollising with the vehicle.

  For example, in a pillar airbag device that absorbs and reduces shock when a pedestrian collides with a front pillar of a vehicle body when a traveling vehicle collides with a pedestrian, the inflator is installed in the front pillar. An airbag device is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).

  Further, there is disclosed an airbag device that has an airbag cover that covers an airbag during storage and sets the deployment characteristics of the airbag by changing the diameter dimension of the airbag cover depending on the position (see Patent Document 2). ).

JP-A-7-108903 JP 2007-253812 A

  However, in the airbag device described in Patent Document 1, since the inflator is installed in the front pillar, the structure of the front pillar is complicated, the strength is difficult to maintain, and the cost is high.

  Further, in the airbag device described in Patent Document 2, the flow of gas from the small diameter portion to the large diameter portion of the airbag cover, the position of the gas suction port from the inflator, and the like are not taken into consideration. Unfolding characteristics could not be obtained.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, The objective is to provide the airbag apparatus which expand | deploys rapidly and catches a pedestrian etc. appropriately.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the invention of claim 1 is directed to an airbag, an inflator for injecting gas into the airbag, a pipe connecting the airbag and the inflator, and detection for detecting a collision. And an air bag device for inflating the air bag disposed along the front pillar outside the vehicle, wherein the air at the time of folding and storing is provided. A bag case covering the bag and deploying with the inflation of the airbag; the bag case having a first deploying portion that is easily deployed and a second deploying portion that is more difficult to deploy than the first deploying portion; The bag case has a slit through which a locking portion for locking the airbag to the vehicle body is inserted, and the first deploying portion is in front of the slit. Characterized in that it is arranged on the pipe side.

The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that the bag case has a closing portion at an end portion opposite to the pipe side.

The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that the bag case covers a pipe connecting portion for connecting the airbag to the pipe.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the bag case is held at the lower part of the airbag by the locking portion after the airbag is inflated, and is deployed between the vehicle body and the airbag. .

  According to the airbag apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above, an airbag, an inflator that ejects gas into the airbag, a pipe that connects the airbag and the inflator, and a collision are detected. An airbag device for inflating the airbag disposed along the front pillar outside the vehicle, wherein the airbag device is in a state of being folded and stored. A bag case that covers the airbag and is deployed with the inflation of the airbag; the bag case includes a first deployment portion that is easily deployed; and a second deployment portion that is more difficult to deploy than the first deployment portion. Therefore, the cut line triggers the breakage of the sewing portion, and the bag case can be quickly and easily deployed. As a result, it is possible to provide an airbag device that quickly deploys an airbag and appropriately receives a pedestrian or the like.

  In addition, the bag case has a slit through which a locking portion for fixing the airbag to the vehicle body is inserted, and the cut is arranged on the pipe side from the slit, so that the case is accidentally broken from the slit. Can be reduced.

  Further, since the bag case has a closed portion at the end opposite to the pipe side, it is possible to prevent water, sand, dust, or the like from entering the bag case.

  Further, since the bag case covers a pipe connecting portion that connects the airbag to the pipe, it is possible to prevent water, sand, dust, or the like from entering the airbag portion.

  Further, since the bag case is held at the lower part of the airbag by the locking portion after the airbag is inflated and is deployed between the vehicle body and the airbag, the bag case is not scattered. And it has a role as a protector cross with respect to another member.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an airbag 20 of the present embodiment. The airbag 20 of the present embodiment is formed by folding and sewing a single base fabric, and includes an inflating portion 20a, a pipe connecting portion 20b, a first locking portion 20c, and a second locking portion 20d. The inflating part 20a has a substantially elliptical shape, and is a part that alleviates an impact with a collision target such as a pedestrian during expansion. The pipe connection part 20b protrudes in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the expansion part 20a, and is a part where the pipe 16 is inserted and crimped. The 1st latching | locking part 20c protrudes and is provided in the vicinity of the pipe connection part 20b in the area | region of the expansion part 20a, and is a part which latches the airbag 20 to a vehicle body. 20 d of 2nd latching | locking parts are parts provided in the one end side of the expansion | swelling part 20a of the airbag 20, and latch the airbag 20 to a vehicle body.

  Next, a state where the airbag device 10 including the airbag 20 is mounted on the vehicle 1 will be described.

  2 is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with the airbag device of the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the front pillar of the vehicle of the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line aa in FIG. It is.

  In the figure, 1 is a vehicle, 2 is a front pillar, 3 is a fender, 4 is a hood, 5 is a roof, 6 is a windshield, 7 is a seal, 10 is an airbag device, 11 is a cover, 12 is a bag case, 14 is an anchor, 15 is an inflator, 16 is a pipe, and 20 is an airbag.

  The vehicle 1 has a front pillar 2 that connects a member (not shown) or an engine room frame and a roof 5. The windshield 6 is surrounded by the hood 4, the roof 5, and the front pillar 2 and is attached via a seal 7.

  An airbag device 10 is housed on the windshield 6 side of the front pillar 2 and the fender 3. The front pillar 2 has a first surface 2a facing the outside of the vehicle 1 and a second surface 2b facing the windshield side. The airbag 20 is folded on the second surface 2b side, and the bag case 12 is housed in the cover 11.

  The cover 11 is formed of a member having a substantially L-shaped cross section having an upper cover 11a and a first side cover 11b on the windshield 6 side, and covers the airbag 20 folded to the second surface 2b side of the front pillar 2. Are arranged as follows.

  The cover 11 is provided with a first folded portion 11c on the windshield 6 side and a second folded portion 11d on the front pillar 2 side, and a cover scattering prevention member 17 such as a wire is inserted into the second folded portion 11d. The second folded portion 11d is squeezed in several places so as not to damage the design surface. As will be described later, one end 17 a of the cover scattering prevention member 17 is locked to the anchor 14, and the other end 17 b is locked to the vehicle body side such as the front pillar 2 root portion or member by the anchor 13 or the bag expansion direction regulating member 22. Is done.

  A seal 11e is attached in the vicinity of the second folded portion 11d of the upper cover 11a to cover the gap between the front pillar 2 and the cover 11 and enhance the design.

  Under the fender 3 or the hood 4, as will be described later, a long inflator 15 that generates gas for inflating the airbag 20, a pipe 16 that supplies the gas generated by the inflator 15 to the airbag 20, and the like are stored. Has been.

  The airbag 20, the inflator 15, the pipe 16, and the cover 11 are preferably modularized.

  Next, the bag case 12 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a view showing the bag case 12 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a view showing a part of the bag case 12 when the airbag is stored. The bag case 12 is a case for storing the airbag 20 before operation in a state in which the airbag 20 is folded and protecting the airbag 20 from abrasion or the like during transportation or mounting.

  As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the bag case 12 uses a single base fabric coated with silicon, like the airbag 20, and is more difficult and slower to deploy than the first deployment part. 2. By sewing with the sewing part 12a as an unfolding part, it is formed in a long shape so as to match the stored state of the airbag 20. The sewn portion 12a is provided with a cut 12b as a first unfolded portion that is easily and quickly deployed, and a slit 12c through which the first locking portion 20c of the airbag 20 is inserted is provided in the vicinity of the cut 12b. It has been. The cut 12b is provided on the end 12A side closer to the pipe 16 that is the initial inflation position of the airbag 20 than the slit 12c.

  In addition, a 1st expansion | deployment part and a 2nd expansion | deployment part are not limited to the cut | interruption 12b and the sewing part 12a, but use a sewing part with weak intensity | strength for the 1st expansion | deployment part, and a strong sewing part for the 2nd expansion | deployment part. Also good. Moreover, you may provide the hole opened with the punch etc. in the 1st expansion | deployment part.

  Next, storage of the airbag 20 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the folded airbag 20 is inserted from one end 12 </ b> A of the bag case 12. As shown in FIG. 6B, the bag case 12 of the present embodiment is configured to cover up to the pipe connecting portion 20b seen in FIG. After the airbag 20 is stored in the bag case 12, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), a closed portion 12d that is closed by sewing the other end 12B of the bag case 12 is provided. The blocking portion 12d significantly reduces the entry of water, sand, dust, or the like into the airbag 20. Note that the first locking portion 20 c of the airbag 20 protrudes from the slit 12 c of the bag case 12.

  7 is a view showing the bag inflation direction regulating member 22, FIG. 8 is a view of a part of the front pillar 2 as viewed from the windshield 6, and FIG. 9 is a front view in which the cover 11, the airbag 20, and the fender 3 are omitted. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line bb in FIG. 9.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the bag inflating direction regulating member 22 has a substantially L-shaped cross section, and includes a fixing portion 22 </ b> A made of a plate-like member, and a concealing portion 22 </ b> B that conceals the gap between the fender 3 and the windshield 6. Become. The fixing portion 22A includes a vehicle body fixing portion 22a that is fixed to the vehicle 1 with a screw or the like, a bag fixing portion 22b that fixes the airbag 20, a side wall guide portion 22c that rises substantially perpendicular to the windshield 6, and a side wall guide portion 22c. An extension 22d extending substantially parallel to the upper cover 11a from the end is provided. Further, the side wall guide portion 22c is provided with a latching portion 22e that is latched in the latching hole 2c provided in the front pillar 2 shown in FIG. The concealing portion 22B has a communicating portion 22f that communicates with the fixing portion 22A with a smooth curved surface along the front pillar 2, and a curved portion 22g that is provided at the end opposite to the fixing portion 22A and through which the pipe 16 passes.

  9 and 10 show a state in which the bag expansion direction regulating member 22 is attached to the vehicle 1. The bag inflation direction regulating member 22 latches the latching portion 22e shown in FIG. 7 in the locking hole 2c of the front pillar 2 shown in FIG. 8, and fixes the vehicle body fixing portion 22a to the vehicle 1 with screws or the like. . At this time, the fixing portion 22A is firmly attached so as to be fitted along the front pillar 2. The concealing part 22B can conceal the gap between the fender 3 and the windshield 6 so that the airbag 20 does not sink under the fender 3, and the pipe 16 can be guided by the curved part 22g.

  Thus, after attaching the bag expansion direction regulating member 22 to the vehicle 1, the airbag apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is fixed, and the cover 11 is closed as shown in FIG.

  Next, the operation of the airbag device 10 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the airbag device 10 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the deployment of the bag case 12 from which the airbag 20 is omitted, and FIG. 13 is the airbag. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a bag expansion direction regulating member 22 when the device 10 is operated. FIG.

  The airbag apparatus 10 in the storage state as shown in FIG. 3 is based on the detection signal when the vehicle 1 collides with a collision target (not shown) and an impact force generated on the vehicle 1 is detected by a detection means (not shown). Operated by control means or the like.

  FIG. 11A shows an initial stage of inflation when the airbag apparatus 10 starts operating, gas flows into the airbag 20 through the pipe 16 from the inflator 15 housed in the fender 3, and the airbag 20 begins to expand. ing. In the initial stage of inflation, the airbag 20 starts to inflate from the fender 3 side, and the cover 11 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is opened by the inflation pressure.

  At this time, the bag case 12 that accommodates the airbag 20 shown in FIG. 12 (a) has the sewing portion 12a from the cut 12b arranged in the deployment direction of the airbag 20, as shown in FIG. 12 (b). Break and start unfolding. Thus, by providing the cut line 12b near the pipe 16 that is the initial inflation position of the airbag 20 rather than the slit 12c, the sewing part 12a is easily broken, and the base fabric of the bag case 12 is torn from the slit 12c. Can be suppressed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the airbag 20 is regulated in the direction of inflation toward the vehicle center by the side wall guide portion 22 c and the extension portion 22 d of the bag inflation direction regulating member 22. As a result, the gap S between the cover 11 and the front pillar 2 is concealed, and the airbag 20 does not protrude from the gap S, and a stable operation can be performed.

  FIG. 11B shows a middle stage of inflation where gas flows from the inflator 15 through the pipe 16 into the airbag 20 and the airbag 20 continues to inflate. In the middle stage of inflation, the entire airbag 20 is completely exposed from the folded state.

  FIG. 11C shows an expansion completion stage in which the airbag 20 has been expanded. In the inflation completion stage, the airbag 20 is completely inflated. Further, as shown in FIG. 12C, the breaking of the sewing part 12a of the bag case 12 reaches the vicinity of the closing part 12d and is completed. The state of the airbag device 10 at the stage of completion of inflation will be described below. In addition, the bag case 12 is arrange | positioned in the airbag 20 lower part by the 1st latching | locking part 20c and the 2nd latching | locking part 20d of the airbag 20 in the expanded state, without scattering.

  14 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the front pillar 2 at the stage of completion of inflation, FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line cc in FIG. 14, FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along line dd in FIG. It is a perspective view of the front pillar 2 vicinity of the expansion completion stage which abbreviate | omitted.

  At the stage of completion of inflation, the airbag 20 is deployed in a direction along the front pillar 2 above a part of the fender 3 and the hood 4 and in front of the front pillar 2.

  As shown in FIG. 15, in the expansion completion stage, the cover 11 is separated from the front pillar 2 by the pressure during expansion. The airbag 20 is inflated so as to be pulled toward the front pillar 2 by a first locking portion 20c locked to the bracket 8 by a rivet 9 or the like on the front pillar 2. Therefore, the airbag 20 can be stably inflated with reduced movement during inflation. Further, the bag case 12 is deployed between the airbag 20 and the vehicle body, particularly the front pillar 2 and the windshield 6. With such a configuration, the bag case 12 has a role as a protector cross with respect to other members, particularly the glass edge at the corner of the windshield 6.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 16, at the stage where inflation is completed, the airbag 20 is highly likely to collide with a collision target such as a pedestrian by the side wall guide portion 22 c and the extension portion 22 d of the bag inflation direction regulating member 22. The expansion direction is regulated in front of the pillar 2 and in the vehicle center direction.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 17, since the cover 11 is locked to the vehicle body side by the cover scattering prevention member 17 via the anchors 13 and 14, the cover 11 is not scattered from the vehicle 1. The cover scattering prevention member 17 may be divided into a first cover scattering prevention member 17 a that connects the anchor 14 and the cover 11, and a second cover scattering prevention member 17 b that connects the anchor 13 and the cover 11.

  As described above, the cover 11 is separated from the vehicle 1 while being connected to the vehicle 1 via the cover scattering prevention member 17 when the airbag 20 is inflated. Breaking and scattering can be prevented.

  In this embodiment, the cover scattering prevention member 17 is locked to the anchors 13 and 14 that lock the airbag 20, but may be configured to be locked to the vehicle body via other members.

  According to the airbag device 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the airbag 20, the inflator 15 that ejects gas into the airbag 20, the pipe 16 that connects the airbag 20 and the inflator 15, Folding is performed in an airbag device 10 that includes a detection unit that detects a collision and a control unit that activates an inflator in response to a signal from the detection unit, and inflates an airbag 20 disposed along the front pillar 2 outside the vehicle. Since it has a bag case 12 that covers the airbag 20 at the time of storage and expands when the airbag 20 is inflated, the bag case 12 has a cut 12b that is easily deployed, and a sewing portion 12a that is more difficult to deploy than the cut 12b. The cut line 12b triggers the breaking of the sewing part 12a, and the bag case 12 can be quickly and easily deployed. It can be.

  Moreover, since the bag case 12 has the slit 12c which penetrates the latching | locking part 20c which fixes the airbag 20 to a vehicle body, and the cut | interruption 12b is arrange | positioned at the pipe 16 side rather than the slit 12c, from the slit 12c accidentally, The case where it breaks can be reduced.

  Further, since the bag case 12 has the closed portion 12d at the end opposite to the pipe 16 side, it is possible to prevent water, sand, dust, or the like from entering the bag case 12.

  Moreover, since the bag case 12 covers the pipe connection part 20b which connects the airbag 20 to the pipe 16, it can suppress that water, sand, dust, etc. approach into the airbag 20 part.

  Moreover, since the bag case 12 is hold | maintained at the lower part of the airbag 20 by the latching | locking part 20c, 20d after expansion | swelling of the airbag 20, and it expand | deploys between the vehicle body and the airbag 20, a bag case will scatter. And has a role as a protector cross for other members.

  According to the airbag device according to the present invention configured as described above, the airbag device includes the first deployment portion that is easily deployed and the second deployment portion that is more difficult to deploy than the first deployment portion. 1 deployment part becomes a trigger of a fracture | rupture, and a bag case can be expand | deployed quickly and easily.

It is a figure which shows embodiment of the airbag concerning this invention. It is a perspective view of the vehicle carrying the airbag apparatus of this embodiment. It is a perspective view near the front pillar of the vehicle of the present embodiment. It is sectional drawing in the aa line of FIG. It is a figure which shows the bag case of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows a part of bag case at the time of accommodation of an airbag. It is a figure which shows the bag expansion direction control member of this embodiment. It is the figure which looked at a part of front pillar from the windshield side. It is a perspective view of the front pillar vicinity which abbreviate | omitted the cover, the airbag, and the fender. It is sectional drawing in the bb line of FIG. It is a figure which shows the action | operation of the airbag apparatus of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the action | operation of the bag case of this embodiment. It is sectional drawing at the time of the action | operation of an airbag apparatus. It is a perspective view of the vicinity of the front pillar at the stage of expansion completion. It is sectional drawing in the cc line of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the dd line of FIG. It is an enlarged view near a through anchor.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle, 2 ... Front pillar, 3 ... Fender, 4 ... Hood, 5 ... Roof, 6 ... Windshield, 7 ... Seal, 8 ... Bracket, 9 ... Rivet, 10 ... Airbag device, 11 ... Cover, 12 ... Bag case, 13, 14 ... Anchor, 15 ... Inflator, 16 ... Pipe, 17 ... Cover scattering prevention member, 20 ... Air bag, 22 ... Bag inflation direction regulating member

Claims (4)

An airbag, an inflator that ejects gas into the airbag, a pipe that connects the airbag and the inflator, a detection unit that detects a collision, and a control that operates the inflator based on a signal from the detection unit An airbag device that inflates the airbag disposed along the front pillar outside the vehicle,
Covering the airbag at the time of folding and storing, and having a bag case that expands with expansion of the airbag,
It said bag case is easily possess the first expansion unit to expand, and the second expansion part is difficult deployment than the first expansion portion,
The bag case has a slit through which a locking portion for locking the airbag to the vehicle body is inserted,
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the first deployment portion is disposed closer to the pipe than the slit . The airbag device according to claim 1 , wherein the bag case has a closed portion at an end portion opposite to the pipe side. Said bag case, an air bag device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that covering the pipe connection portion for connecting the airbag to the pipe. Said bag case, after inflation of the air bag, by the locking portion, is held in the lower air bag, according to claim 1 to claim 3, characterized in that it is deployed between the vehicle body and the air bag The airbag device according to any one of the above.

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