JP5126134B2 - Side airbag device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a side collision airbag device that restricts a passenger sitting on the far side from a side collision position from moving toward a vehicle interior as a reaction of the impact when the vehicle receives an impact due to a side collision. .

  In the event of a side collision of a vehicle, generally abbreviated as a side collision, a side collision airbag is used to protect an occupant. The side impact airbag has a so-called near side airbag that is inflated and deployed between the occupant and a vehicle body component such as a door, and protects the occupant from the vehicle body component that protrudes inward due to the impact of the side impact. There is a far-side airbag that restricts the movement of an occupant who moves to the vehicle interior side due to a reaction of a side collision when the center portion in the left-right direction of the vehicle body is inflated and deployed.

  The “airbag device” disclosed in Patent Document 1 relates to an airbag that enables smooth inflation and deployment in a narrow space between a door trim and an occupant, and the interior of the airbag is used for protecting a chest. It is divided into one air chamber and a second air chamber for protecting the head. And the head is efficiently protected by the expansion of the second air chamber.

JP 2006-8016 A (see [Summary], paragraphs [0007], [0010], [0022] of the specification)

  According to the airbag of Patent Document 1, the thickness of the airbag when it is inflated is regulated in order to enable quick deployment in a narrow space with a relatively small amount of gas. The first tether that guides the gas flow from the rear to the front and the thickness of the shoulder protection region in the second air chamber are regulated in the flow direction of the gas ejected from the partition portion to the second air chamber. In order to provide the third tether, the front and back base fabrics that form the airbag are directly stitched so as to form an elliptical or circular stitch line. Further, the first air chamber and the second air chamber are divided by a suture line for directly sewing the front and back base fabrics.

  Therefore, even if this vehicle body side airbag device capable of protecting the chest and head by rapid inflation and deployment is used as a far side airbag device, the thickness of the airbag is suppressed, so that it is deformed by being broken. It is difficult to use as an airbag that restricts the movement of the occupant toward the passenger compartment. Further, the first tether in the gas flow direction prevents the gas from being ejected simultaneously upward and forward in the second air chamber. Furthermore, since the second air chamber for protecting the head is inflated after the pressure in the first air chamber for protecting the chest is increased, it should be used as an airbag giving priority to the protection of the head. Is difficult.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a problem. The object of the present invention is to be provided at one position on the top of the seat back, and inflated and deployed at the time of a side collision, toward the passenger compartment. An object of the present invention is to provide a side collision airbag device that restricts movement.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention of the side impact airbag device according to claim 1 is inflated and deployed from an airbag accommodating portion provided near the top of the seat back upon receiving an inflation gas supply from the inflator. In a side-impact airbag device that restricts movement of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat cushion to a vehicle interior side by an airbag that is supplied, an upper portion inside the airbag is supplied from the inflator through an inflow port. A rectifying cloth for rectifying the gas is provided, and a tether for limiting the thickness of the inflated airbag is provided inside the airbag, and the tether is inserted into the airbag from the outlet of the rectifying cloth. arranged avoiding the ejection direction of the gas supply position, said tether, two places of the peripheral wall of the tubular fabric member is sutured against the wings of the base fabric, high in the lower end of the rectifier cloth But it is characterized in that the same height position or a lower position with respect to the height of the upper end of the seam of the tether. The "near the top" shown here does not indicate only the top of the seat back, but includes a vehicle compartment member that is in the vicinity of the back of the seat back and is substantially the same height as the top of the seat back. Shall point to. In addition, the “side impact airbag device” specifically refers to a side impact airbag provided between a seating portion and a seating portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the tether for limiting the thickness of the airbag is arranged at a position that avoids the direction in which the gas supplied from the outlet of the rectifying cloth into the airbag is ejected. For this reason, since the gas supplied into the airbag from the outlet of the rectifying cloth is not obstructed, the airbag can be inflated and deployed upward and forward. Therefore, at the initial stage where the airbag is inflated and deployed, the movement of the head of the occupant sitting on the far side with respect to the side collision position can be appropriately restricted.

Also , the height of the lower end of the rectifying cloth is set to the same height position as the height of the upper end of the tether seam or a position below it. For this reason, the gas supplied into the airbag from the lower opening edge of the rectifying cloth does not easily flow upward between the tether and the rectifying cloth. The lower part of the can be expanded and deployed.

The invention according to claim 2, in the side airbag device according to claim 1, the extension direction of the front edge of the current regulating cloth, the angle between the array direction of the stitches of the tether, + 10 ° It is characterized by being in the range of -10 degrees.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the angle formed by the extending direction of the front edge of the rectifying cloth and the arrangement direction of the tether stitches is in the range of +10 degrees to -10 degrees. For this reason, when the gas supplied into the airbag from the outlet of the rectifying cloth flows downward between the tether and the rectifying cloth, it is smoothly guided and prevented from receiving resistance. Therefore, the gas that has passed between the tether and the rectifying cloth can be inflated and deployed in the lower part of the airbag together with the gas supplied from the lower opening edge of the rectifying cloth.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the airbag apparatus for a side collision according to the first or second aspect , the tether is configured to supply a gas supplied into the airbag from a lower opening edge of the rectifying cloth. In this case, the air bag is detoured forward in the airbag through the lower part of the tether.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the gas supplied into the airbag from the lower opening edge of the rectifying cloth is diverted to the front of the airbag through the lower part of the tether, and the flow is delayed. It is possible to contribute to the inflation and deployment of the front portion of the airbag without causing it.

Invention according to claim 4, in the side airbag apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tether is between stitches before and stitched respectively on both wings of the base fabric The upper and lower gas flows are guided downward by the gap.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the gas is guided downward by the gap between the stitches, and can be supplied to the lower side of the airbag without stagnation.

  According to the present invention, the gas supplied from the inflator is rectified by the rectifying cloth inside the airbag and supplied into the airbag, and the gas supplied from the outlet of the rectifying cloth into the airbag is ejected. A tether was provided at a position to avoid the direction. For this reason, it is possible to efficiently inflate and deploy the airbag upward and forward and to inflate and deploy downward in the middle of the inflation and deployment. Therefore, at the initial stage when the airbag is inflated and deployed, the occupant seated on the far side can first appropriately limit the movement of the head toward the passenger compartment, and then the movement of the upper body of the occupant can be restricted. Can be limited.

The perspective view which shows the vehicle seat with which the airbag apparatus of embodiment was mounted | worn. The top view which shows the state by which the airbag of embodiment was expand | deployed. (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, (b) shows a state where (a) is expanded, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. Indicates the state. Sectional drawing which shows typically the flow of the gas in the airbag expanded by the gas which injects from an inflator. The operation of the airbag device is shown in the manner in which the airbag is inflated and deployed in the order of (a) to (c), (a-1) to (c-1) are front views, and (a-2) to (c-2). ) Shows a side view.

(First embodiment)
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, for ease of understanding, a gap is provided between members except for a part. In this embodiment, the front-rear direction of the vehicle is the front-rear direction of the airbag, and the vertical direction of the vehicle is the upper-lower direction of the airbag.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag apparatus 1 for a side collision according to the present embodiment is mounted inside an invisible type airbag door 1a in a housing portion 1b at the center of the top of a seatback of a rear seat. A large center console 4 is provided as a console member between the seats 2 and 3 in which the seat cushions 2a and 3a and the seat backs 2b and 3b are integrally formed. The seat cushion refers to the seating portion of the seat, and the seat back refers to the backrest portion of the seat.

  An armrest 5 is placed on the center console 4. The armrest 5 is rotatable and is accommodated in the recess 5a between the seat backs 2b and 3b so as to become a part of the seat back when not in use. As shown in FIG. 1, when the armrest 5 is in use, the door of a storage box such as the refrigerator 6 is exposed in the recess 5a. The left and right headrests 7 can be adjusted in height as necessary, but the illustrated headrest 7 is at the lowest position.

  The airbag 20 in the deployed state shown in FIG. 2 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 1b in the folded state. The airbag 20 in the state of FIG. 2 shows a state in which the airbag 20 is mountain-folded along a line passing vertically through the center of the inlet 21 for supplying the gas of the inflator 1c (shown in FIG. 3) into the airbag 20. . As a result, both the wings 29c of the symmetrical base cloth 29 are superposed, and the outer peripheral end 28 excluding the mountain fold end portion 27 is stitched by the double stitch S1, so that the whole is formed in a bag shape. The inflator 1c is fixed to the center console 4. The mounting holes 19a around the inflow port 21 are holes through which fasteners such as screws for mounting the airbag 20 to the inflator 1c are inserted, and are arranged at four positions (only two positions on the front side in the drawing). Yes. The portion where the attachment hole 19a centering on the inflow port 21 is disposed becomes the attachment portion 19 for the inflator 1c. As the base fabric 29, a well-known synthetic resin fiber generally used as a base fabric of an airbag, for example, a woven fabric made of a polyamide or polyester fiber is suitably used.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 (a) and 3 (b), inside the airbag 20, a flow regulating cloth 22 provided with an inlet (not shown) is connected to the inlet and the inlet of the base cloth 29. 21 is aligned with the center of the inflow port 21 along the line passing vertically, and is stitched to the base fabric 29 at the stitches S2, S3, and S4 to form a tubular shape as a whole. Yes. In the unfolded state shown in FIG. 2, the straightening cloth 22 includes a right-end mountain fold line portion, upper and lower opening edge edges 22d and 22e, and upper and lower opening edge edges 22d and 22e opposite to the mountain fold line. It is located between the respective end portions, and is formed in a flat cylindrical shape having a substantially flat pentagonal shape from the front end edge 41 that is bent at the bent portion 42. In the present embodiment, the front end edge 41 above the bent portion 42 is gently curved, and the upper side is a curved end edge 41a that recedes toward the mountain fold end portion 27 side. Reference numeral 41 denotes an inclined end edge 41b that linearly inclines so that the lower side recedes toward the mountain folding end 27 side.

  And the outlet 23 for supplying gas to the front-end part 25 side in the airbag 20 is provided in two places in the baffle cloth 22. FIG. 2 is in a flat state, the pair of outlets 23 are drawn so as to be disposed at one place facing the side (the front side of the paper surface). And as shown in FIG.3 (b), at the time of the ejection of the gas from the inflator 1c, the rectification | straightening cloth 22 deform | transforms and it comes to face the front. The vent hole 26 formed in the base fabric 29 is for adjusting the gas pressure in the airbag 20.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3B, a tether 24 is provided inside the airbag 20 at the front lower side of the rectifying cloth 22. In the tether 24, two portions of the peripheral wall of the cylindrical cloth body 24a in which the front and rear ends of the two cloth bodies are stitched together at the seam S6 are respectively oval-shaped with respect to both wings 29c of the base cloth 29. The double stitches S5 are stitched together. For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 3C , 3D and 4, when the airbag 20 is inflated, the cylindrical cloth body 24a stitched to the both wings 29c of the base cloth 29 has a respective oval shape. It becomes a state of tension between the front and rear long side portions 43 and 44 in the seam S5, and limits the thickness of the airbag 20 in the tether 24 portion.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the space between the front and rear cylindrical cloth bodies 24 a that are in the tension state is a gap 47 that allows the gas to flow. Therefore, the tether 24 guides the upper and lower gas flows. Part. For example, the gas flowing in from the upper opening 45 is guided through the gap 47 between the front and rear cylindrical cloth bodies 24 a and flows out from the lower opening 45 to the lower portion of the airbag 20. For this reason, the gas flowing out from the lower opening 45 can efficiently inflate the lower portion of the airbag 20 together with the gas ejected from the opening edge 22e of the flow regulating cloth 22.

  In FIG. 2, the airbag 20 is in a flat state, and the gap length L1 between the center line C1 passing through the center of the inlet 21 and perpendicular to the mountain fold end 27 and the opening edge 22e. Is equal to or longer than the gap length L2 between the center line C1 and the upper end of the seam S5. In other words, the height of the opening edge 22e located at the lower end of the rectifying cloth 22 is equal to or less than the height of the stitch S5. Due to the arrangement of the rectifying cloth 22 and the seam S5 of the tether 24, the gas ejected from the opening edge 22e flows upward between the rectifying cloth 22 and the tether 24, as will be described later. Is suppressed.

  In addition, regarding the gap length L2 or the height of the stitch S5, the above-described stitch specifically refers to the outer stitch S5 of the double stitch S5. In the present embodiment, the opening edge 22e is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the mountain fold end portion 27. However, in the form in which the opening edge 22e is inclined with respect to the mountain fold end portion 27, the opening edge 22e Assume that the end 48 is the lower end of the rectifying cloth 22, and the height of the end 48 is the same position as or lower than the height of the seam S5.

  In the present embodiment, the angle formed between the direction line K1 of the inclined edge 41b of the rectifying cloth 22 and the direction line K2 of the long side portion 44 on the rear side of the oval stitch S5 is +10 degrees to − It arrange | positions so that it may become the range of 10 degree | times. By arranging in such a range of angles, the gas flow path formed by the inclined end edge 41b and its extended line and the long side portion 44 and its extended line is prevented from being narrowed in the middle. it can.

  Next, when the pressure of the gas supplied from the inflator 1c is received, the rectifying cloth 22 becomes a bulging rectifying cloth 40, and the bulging rectifying cloth 40 rectifies the gas and a part of the gas flows. A mode of bypassing the tether 24 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The deformation in which the rectifying cloth 22 becomes the bulging rectifying cloth 40 due to the gas pressure is caused by the position of the mounting portion 19 including the inflow port 21 being arranged above the upper and lower intermediate positions of the rectifying cloth 22. For this reason, substantially all of the upper opening edge 22d is closed by the inner wall of the accommodating portion 1b, and the outflow of the gas supplied from the inflator 1c from the upper opening edge 22d is limited to a very small amount. Further, when the airbag 20 is folded and accommodated in the accommodating portion 1b, the lower opening edge 22e of the rectifying cloth 22 is closed by folding, and when the gas pressure is received, the closed lower side of the rectifying cloth 22 is closed. Since the opening of the opening edge 22e is delayed, the amount of gas flowing out from the lower opening edge 22e is small at the beginning of the inflation of the airbag 20.

  Furthermore, the position of the inflow port 21 and the position of the outflow port 23 of the rectifying cloth 22 immediately after the airbag 20 is bulged from the accommodating portion 1b are shifted. For this reason, the gas acts to inflate the flow straightening cloth 22 before flowing out from the outlet 23. Then, the shape of the rectifying cloth 22 is changed to the bulging rectifying cloth 40. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the position of the inlet 21 and the position of the outlet 23 overlap, and the gas flows. The air flows out from the outlet 23 upward and forward in the airbag 20 at a stretch.

  Such a gas flow is caused by the relationship between the height of the opening edge 22e positioned at the lower end of the rectifying cloth 22 and the upper end of the stitch S5, the inclined edge 41b of the rectifying cloth 22 and the oval stitch S5. In relation to the angle formed by the long side portion 44, the above-described arrangement is provided.

For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 5 (a-1) and (a-2) , the airbag 20 is first inflated upward and forward in the vehicle interior by the gas at the beginning of the inflation of the airbag 20 from the housing portion 1b. expand. At this time, since the attachment portion 19 side of the airbag 20 is supported by the inner surface of the inflator 1c and the accommodating portion 1b, the movement of the occupant's head toward the vehicle interior side is restricted from the beginning of the inflation of the airbag 20. Can do. Then, after a slight time difference, the opening edge 22e on the lower side of the rectifying cloth 22 is opened and the gas flows out downward in the airbag 20, so that FIGS. 5 (b-1), (b-2), As shown in (c-1) and (c-2), the entire inflation and deployment of the airbag 20 proceeds at a stretch. For this reason, the movement of the far side occupant toward the vehicle interior side with respect to the side collision position is restricted.

  Further, the gas supplied into the airbag 20 from the lower opening edge 22 e of the rectifying cloth 22 is detoured forward from the lower portion of the airbag 20 by the tether 24. Accordingly, the tether 24 functions as a detour guide unit that detours the gas for efficiently performing the inflation from the lower part to the front part of the airbag 20.

  Next, the state in which the airbag 20 is inflated and deployed by the gas rectified by the bulging rectifying cloth 40 in which the rectifying cloth 22 is deformed from the state where the airbag 20 is folded and accommodated in the accommodating portion 1b will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. Explained.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A-1 and 5A-2, the airbag 20 accommodated in the accommodating portion 1b of the top portion 8 of the seat back 2b is brought into the airbag door by the jet gas supplied from the inflator 1c. The thin line (not shown) of 1a is broken, and the gas rectified by the bulging rectifying cloth 40 swells upward and forward, and immediately comes into contact with the ceiling 30. At this time, since the airbag 20 is supported at two points, that is, a portion connected to the inflator 1c and a frictional force that comes into contact with the ceiling 30, the airbag 20 moves toward the passenger compartment as a reaction of the impact force of the side collision. The movement of the head that is not restrained by the seat belt can be restricted. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 5B-1 and 5B-2, the airbag 20 is inflated and deployed forward. The gas supplied to the lower side of the airbag 20 passes from the lower side of the tether 24 to the front side of the tether 24 from below.

  Thus, as shown in FIGS. 5 (c-1) and (c-2), the airbag 20 is inflated and deployed downward, and the airbag 20 is connected to the ceiling 30 and the center console via the armrest 5. 4 between the vertical and vertical directions due to the gas pressure. Since the natural length in the vertical direction when the airbag is fully inflated and deployed is longer than the distance between the ceiling 30 and the center console 4, the inflation and deployment between the ceiling 30 and the center console 4 is restricted. The air bag 20 that has been developed will develop a tensile force in the vertical direction by the amount of the extra deployment length. Therefore, the airbag 20 supported at the three points of the portion connected to the inflator 1c, the ceiling 30, and the center console 4 receives the upper body of the occupant who moves to the vehicle interior side as a reaction of the impact force of the side collision. Can be protected.

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the tether 24 that limits the thickness of the airbag 20 is disposed at a position that avoids the ejection direction of the gas supplied into the airbag 20 from the outlet 23 of the rectifying cloth 22. For this reason, since the gas supplied into the airbag 20 from the outlet 23 of the rectifying cloth 22 has nothing to obstruct the path, the airbag 20 can be efficiently inflated and deployed upward and forward. . Therefore, at the initial stage where the airbag 20 is inflated and deployed, the movement of the head of the occupant sitting on the far side with respect to the side collision position can be appropriately restricted.

  (2) In the embodiment described above, in the airbag 20 formed in the flat bag shape shown in FIG. 2, the height of the opening edge 22 e serving as the lower end of the rectifying cloth 22 is the height of the upper end of the seam S <b> 5 of the tether 24. It is made to be the same height position or a position below it. For this reason, the gas supplied into the airbag 20 from the opening edge 22e on the lower side of the rectifying cloth 22 does not easily flow upward between the tether 24 and the rectifying cloth 22, and naturally goes downward. On the other hand, the lower part of the airbag 20 can be efficiently inflated and deployed.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the angle formed between the inclined end edge 41b below the bent portion 42 of the front end edge 41 of the rectifying cloth 22 and the long side portion 44 of the seam S5 sewn into the oval shape of the tether 24 is In the range of +10 degrees to -10 degrees. For this reason, when the gas previously supplied from the outlet 23 of the rectifying cloth 22 into the airbag 20 flows downward between the tether 24 and the rectifying cloth 22, the gas is smoothly guided and has a large resistance. It is prevented from receiving. Therefore, the gas that has passed between the tether 24 and the flow regulating cloth 22 can efficiently inflate and deploy the lower portion of the airbag 20 together with the gas supplied from the opening edge 22e on the lower side of the flow regulating cloth 22. .

  (4) In the above embodiment, the tether 24 sewn to the base fabric 29 with the oval seam S5 allows the gas supplied into the airbag 20 from the opening edge 22e on the lower side of the rectifying fabric 22 to be supplied. The air bag 20 is detoured forward through the lower portion of the tether 24. For this reason, the gas supplied from the opening edge 22e on the lower side of the flow regulating cloth 22 can contribute to inflating and deploying the front portion of the airbag 20 without delaying the flow.

  (5) In the above embodiment, gas flows vertically between the cylindrical fabric bodies 24a between the front and rear long side portions 43 and 44 of the oval stitch S5 respectively stitched to both wings 29c of the base fabric 29. It is a possible gap. For this reason, the gas is guided in the downward flow, and is supplied to the lower side of the airbag without stagnation.

(Example of change)
In addition, the said embodiment can also be changed and actualized as follows.
-Although the cylindrical fabric body 24a is stitched to the both wings 29c of the base fabric 29 by the oval stitches, the stitches should be square or elliptical.
・ Although there are two outlets 23 in the rectifying cloth 22, it should be provided in one or more places.
-The upper part of the rectifying cloth 22 is opened to be the upper opening part, but the upper part is closed by sewing.

  S1, S2, S5, S6 ... Stitch, 1 ... Side impact airbag device, 1b ... Housing, 1c ... Inflator, 2a ... Seat cushion, 2b ... Seat back, 8 ... Top, 20 ... Air bag, 21 ... Inlet, 22 ... Rectifier cloth, 22d, 22e ... Open edge, 23 ... Outlet, 24 ... Tether, 24a ... Tube cloth body, 29 ... Base cloth, 29c ... Wing, 41 ... Front edge, 41b ... Inclined edge Edge, 42 ... bent portion, 43, 44 ... long side portion, 47 ... gap, 48 ... end portion.

Claims (4)

A side that receives the supply of the inflation gas from the inflator and restricts the movement of an occupant seated on the seat cushion of the vehicle to the vehicle interior side by the airbag that is inflated and deployed from the airbag accommodating portion provided near the top of the seat back In a crash airbag device,
A rectifying cloth for rectifying the gas supplied from the inflator through the inflow port is provided in the upper portion of the airbag, and the thickness of the inflated airbag is limited in the airbag. A tether to be disposed, and the tether is disposed at a position that avoids the ejection direction of the gas supplied into the airbag from the outlet of the rectifying cloth ,
In the tether, two portions of the peripheral wall of the tubular cloth body are sewn to both wings of the base cloth, and the height of the lower end of the rectifying cloth is the same as the height of the upper end of the seam of the tether. A side-impact airbag device characterized by being at a position or a position below the position . And the extending direction of the front edge of the current regulating cloth, the angle between the array direction of the stitches of the tether, the side collision air according to claim 1, characterized in that the range of + 10 ° and -10 ° Bag device. The tether, the said from the lower opening edge of the current regulating cloth are supplied into the air bag gas, according to claim 1 or, characterized in that diverting forward in the airbag passes below the tether side airbag apparatus according to 2. The tether, the gaps between the groups before and after the stitched respectively on both wings of the fabric seam, in any one of the claims 1, characterized in that for guiding the upper and lower gas flow downward 3 The side airbag device according to the description.

Images