JP5262842B2 - Crew protection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an occupant protection device that includes an airbag unit that is positioned between a vehicle body side member constituting a side portion of a vehicle body and a seat and is attached to the seat.

  Conventionally, it is known that the load input to the side of the vehicle body from the outside in the vehicle width direction is transmitted to the inner seat and further transmitted to the bottom member of the vehicle body to suppress deformation of the vehicle body side member due to external force. (See Patent Document 1 below).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-2222088

  By the way, in the conventional technique described above, a part of the sheet skeleton member that forms the skeleton of the seat is protruded in the direction of the vehicle body side member, and the vehicle body side member is brought into contact with the protruding portion, thereby transmitting external force. Done.

  However, in the conventional technology described above, in order to protect the occupant, when the airbag unit is set on the vehicle body side member side on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the seat skeleton member, a part of the seat skeleton member is used as the vehicle body side member. Since it protrudes in the direction, there is a possibility that a space for disposing the airbag unit cannot be secured between the seat and the vehicle body side member.

  Therefore, the present invention secures an arrangement space for the airbag unit between the vehicle body side member and the seat, and transmits the load input to the vehicle body side member from the vehicle width direction outside to the inside seat. The purpose is to distribute the load efficiently.

In the present invention, a seat is disposed on the vehicle width direction inner side of the vehicle body side member constituting the side portion of the vehicle body, and the vehicle width direction outer side and the vehicle width direction inner side of the seat frame member forming the frame of the seat are connected. a connecting member extending in the vehicle width direction, and an air bag unit which is provided on the seat positioned between the vehicle body side member and the coupling member Te, the vehicle width direction to the vehicle body side member An occupant protection device configured to transmit a load input from outside to the connecting member via the airbag unit, wherein the airbag unit is fixed to the seat and the fixed portion. A case having a rotatable movable portion; and an airbag main body accommodated in the case. The movable portion is rotationally displaced so as to be separated from the fixed portion under pressure due to expansion of the airbag main body. Above It causes opening the over scan, characterized in that to transfer loads input from outside in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle body side member located between the vehicle body side member and the connecting member to the connecting member.

  According to the present invention, since the load input to the vehicle body side member from the outside in the vehicle width direction is transmitted to the connecting member provided on the seat via the airbag unit, the load between the seat and the vehicle body side member is reduced. A space for arranging the airbag unit can be secured, and a load input to the vehicle body side member from the outer side in the vehicle width direction can be transmitted to the inner seat to efficiently disperse the input load.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a passenger compartment around a seat in an automobile provided with an occupant protection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a perspective view of the airbag unit used with the passenger | crew protection apparatus of FIG. 1, (b) is a perspective view which shows the state which the rotation lid rotated with respect to (a). It is the perspective view which looked at the state which attached the airbag unit to the seat back frame from the vehicle body front side, and has shown the state opened from the state where a rotation lid was closed in order of (a), (b), and (c). The top view at the time of normal use in which the airbag bag body was accommodated in the case is a top view. It is the top view seen from the upper part in the state which the airbag bag body expanded and expand | deployed. It is sectional drawing in the planar view of the passenger | crew protection apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and has shown the state opened from a closed state in the order of (a), (b), (c). It is a perspective view corresponding to Drawing 2 (b) of an occupant protection device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention.

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

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration in a passenger compartment 3 around a seat 1 for an automobile equipped with an occupant protection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle body 5 includes a roof portion 7, a floor portion 9, and a body side portion 11 between the roof portion 7 and the floor portion 9. The body side portion 11 is, for example, a door or a pillar, and serves as a vehicle body side member that constitutes a side portion of the vehicle body.

  FIG. 1 described above corresponds to a view seen from the rear of the vehicle body, and the seat 1 mainly shows a metal seat back frame 15 that serves as a seat skeleton member in the seat back 13, such as a cloth or a leather that serves as an exterior thereof. The skin material made of is omitted.

  In the seat 1, a seat cushion 17 located at a lower portion of the seat back 13 is attached to the floor portion 9 via a slide rail mechanism 21. In the slide rail mechanism 21, the movable body 25 attached to the lower portion of the seat cushion 17 slides together with the seat 1 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body with respect to the guide rail 23 attached to the floor portion 9.

  Further, the seat back 13 has a lower end portion that is rotatable with respect to the seat cushion 17 in a vehicle longitudinal direction by a reclining mechanism 27. Reference numeral 29 denotes a rod that serves as a rotation center of the reclining mechanism 27.

  The seat back frame 15 includes a frame upper portion 15a extending in the vehicle width direction at the upper portion, and a headrest 31 is attached to the frame upper portion 15a. The seat back frame 15 includes a frame exterior 15b extending downward from the vehicle width direction outer end of the frame upper portion 15a and a frame interior 15c extending downward from the vehicle width direction inner end of the frame upper portion 15a.

  The airbag unit 33 is attached to the outside of the frame exterior 15b in the vehicle width direction. That is, the airbag unit 33 is disposed in a region (space) 35 between the seat back 13 and the body side portion 11.

  The airbag unit 33 shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail later, but a case 39 in which the airbag bag body 37 in the interior shown in FIG. Is open.

  Further, the vicinity of the lower ends of the frame exterior 15b and the frame interior 15b to which the airbag unit 33 is attached are connected to each other by a reinforcing beam 41 as a connecting member. The reinforcing beam 41 is inclined so that the outer side in the vehicle width direction is positioned above the inner side as a whole, and the end 41a on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is opposed to the lower part of the airbag unit 33. An end 41b on the inner side in the vehicle width direction is opposed to an upper portion of the side wall 43a of the floor tunnel 43 that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction at the center of the floor 9 in the vehicle width direction.

  Next, the airbag unit 33 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2A, the airbag unit 33 accommodates an airbag bag body 37 as an airbag main body in a rectangular box-shaped case 39. The airbag unit 33 operates an igniter (ignition device) 45 based on an output from a collision detection sensor (not shown), and the airbag bag body 37 is instantaneously caused by the pressure of gas generated from the inflator (gas generator) 47. It expand | swells and expand | deploys to the area | region (space) 35 between the passenger | crew 67 (refer FIG. 5) and the body side part 11. FIG.

  The case 39 receives the pressure when the airbag bag body 37 is inflated and is in an open state as shown in FIG. In FIG. 2B, a state where the airbag bag body 37 is not inflated is indicated by a two-dot chain line. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the state in which the airbag unit 33 is attached to the frame exterior 15b of the seat back frame 15 as viewed from the front side of the vehicle body.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the case 39 has a flat plate-shaped fixing plate 51 as a fixing portion that is fixed to the frame exterior 15 b via a pair of upper and lower stays 49. ), (B), and (c), a rotation lid 53 is provided as a movable portion that rotates as the airbag bag body 37 inflates.

  The inflator 47 has a cylindrical shape and is shown in a state before the case 39 shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a) is opened, together with the igniter 45, on the vehicle body rear side in the case 39. Housed in the end. The stay 49 is attached to the inflator 47 so as to be integrated. For example, a stud bolt attached to the stay 49 is passed through the fixing plate 51 and the frame exterior 15b and fixed from the back side of the frame exterior 15b with a nut.

  The fixing plate 51 of the case 39 has a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction, and is attached so as to be in close contact with the frame exterior 15b. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3C, the rotating lid 53 has a box shape having an opening 55 on the front side of the vehicle with the case 39 opened.

  That is, the rotating lid 53 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the vertical direction as a whole corresponding to the shape of the fixed plate 51, and is a bottom surface portion 53 a that serves as a pressure receiving surface that mainly receives pressure when the airbag bag body 37 is inflated. And upper and lower short side parts 53b and 53c and a long side part 53d that rise from the periphery of the bottom part 53a.

  Such a case 39 inserts and locks the three locking projections 51 a provided on the fixed plate 51 into the three locking holes 53 e provided on the long side surface portion 53 d of the rotary lid 53, so that FIG. The closed state shown in a) is secured.

  At the upper and lower ends of the center portion of the inflator 47 described above, there are provided center shafts 57 that serve as the center of rotation of the rotary lid 53. These center shafts 57 are rotatably supported by the short side surface portions 53b and 53c of the case 39. It is. Therefore, the rotation lid 53 when the case 39 is opened rotates around the central axis 57.

  Further, a reverse rotation restricting gear 59 as a reverse rotation restricting member for restricting the reverse rotation of the rotation lid 53 is provided at the upper end portion of the inflator 47. For example, a latch claw (not shown) is projected on the inner surface of the rotation lid 53, and the latch claw is engaged with the reverse rotation restricting gear 59 so as to allow the rotation of the rotation lid 53 in the opening direction and prevent the rotation in the closing direction. Thus, the reverse rotation of the rotation lid 53 is restricted.

  Further, a torsion coil spring 61 is provided between the lower end portion of the inflator 47 and the short side surface portion 53 c below the case 39 as elastic means for pressing the rotary lid 53 toward the opening direction. The torsion coil spring 61 has one end pressed against the fixed plate 51 and the other end pressed against the rotary lid 53.

  Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in plan view as seen from above during normal use in which the airbag bag body 37 is housed in the case 39, and FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the airbag bag body 37. It is sectional drawing similar to FIG. 4 in a state.

  4 and 5, the seat back cushion 63 that covers the outside of the seat back frame 15 opens a portion that covers the outside of the airbag unit 33 to the rear side when the airbag bag body 37 is deployed. It is provided as a separating portion 65 that separates in this manner.

  In the normal use of FIG. 4, the case 39 is in a closed state. In this state, the case 39 is a rectangle that is long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body in plan view. The state of the airbag unit 33 in FIG. 4 corresponds to FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a).

  When the collision detection sensor mounted on the vehicle detects a collision (in this case, a collision from the side of the vehicle), the igniter 45 is activated, and the airbag bag body 37 is instantly inflated by the pressure of the gas generated from the inflator 47. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, it is developed in a region (space) 35 between the occupant 67 and the body side portion 11. The occupant 67 is protected by the deployed airbag bag body 37.

  At this time, in this embodiment, when the pressure due to the expansion of the airbag bag body 37 is received by the rotating lid 53, particularly the bottom surface portion 53 a, the locking protrusion 51 a of the fixing plate 51 is removed from the locking hole 53 e of the rotating lid 53. At the same time, the rotary lid 53 rotates about the central axis 57 so as to gradually open as shown in FIGS. At this time, since the rotation lid 53 has the latch claw engaged with the reverse rotation restricting gear 59, the reverse rotation in which the case 39 is closed is restricted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the state where the airbag bag body 37 has been deployed, the rotating lid 53 is rotated approximately 90 degrees with respect to the normal use of FIG. Thus, the long side surface portion 53 d is in a state of being close to the body side portion 11. At this time, the rotation lid 53 is quickly rotated from the state of FIG. 4 to the state of FIG. 5 by the action of the torsion coil spring 61.

  Therefore, in this state, when the body side portion 11 is pressed against the vehicle compartment 3 side due to a collision from the side of the vehicle and moves, the rotating lid 53 of the case 39 receives the load input to the body side portion 11. This is transmitted to the seat back frame 15 of the seat 1.

  The load received by the rotary lid 53 is further transmitted to the reinforcing beam 41 whose end 41a on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is close to the case 39, as shown in FIG. The load is transmitted to the upper portion of the side wall 43a of the floor tunnel 43 through the end 41b.

  As described above, the load input to the body side portion 11 is transmitted to the seat 1 through the rotary lid 53 and is transmitted from the reinforcing beam 41 to the floor tunnel 43 through the rotary lid 53. For this reason, the load input to the body side part 11 can be efficiently distributed throughout the vehicle body, and the amount of entry of the body side part 11 into the passenger compartment 3 can be reduced.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the load input to the body side portion 11 from the outside in the vehicle width direction is transmitted to the reinforcing beam 41 provided on the seat 1 through the rotating lid 53 of the airbag unit 33, particularly in the open state. Therefore, the space for arranging the airbag unit 33 between the seat 1 and the body side portion 11 can be secured, and the load input to the body side portion 11 from the outer side in the vehicle width direction is transmitted to the inner seat 1 for input. The load can be dispersed efficiently.

  In the present embodiment, the rotary lid 53 that receives an input load from the body side portion 11 has a box shape having an opening 55 on the front side of the vehicle body, so that rigidity can be secured and the input load from the body side portion 11 can be secured. Can be transmitted to the sheet 1 more efficiently.

  In the present embodiment, a torsion coil spring 61 is provided that presses the rotary lid 53 in a direction in which it is rotationally displaced so as to open away from the fixed plate 51. For this reason, the rotating lid 53 receives the input load from the body side portion 11 by the torsion coil spring 61 after the locking projection 51a is removed from the locking hole 53e when the airbag bag body 37 is deployed, as shown in FIG. Can be displaced quickly.

  In the present embodiment, the reverse rotation restricting gear 59 is provided to prevent the rotation of the rotation lid 53 from rotating in the direction opposite to the direction of separation from the fixed plate 51. Therefore, the airbag bag body 37 is deployed. In this case, it is possible to prevent the rotating lid 53 from rotating in the closing direction opposite to the opening direction due to the reaction, and to surely displace it according to the state shown in FIG. 5 that receives the input load from the body side portion 11.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the long side surface portion 53 d that is the outer surface in the vehicle width direction of the rotating lid 53 with the case 39 opened is a reclining mechanism 27 provided at the lower portion of the seat 1. The vehicle width direction outer side surface 27a of the (rod 29) and the vehicle width direction position are set to the same position.

  For this reason, the timing at which the input load from the body side portion 11 is transmitted from the rotary lid 53 to the rod 29 is almost the same as the timing at which the input load from the body side portion 11 is transmitted from the rotary lid 53 to the reinforcing beam 41. It will match. Thereby, the load input from the body side portion 11 to the seat back frame 15 can be efficiently transmitted to the floor tunnel 43 by the rod 29 and the reinforcing beam 41.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a portion of the case 39 that may be contacted when the airbag bag body 37 is inflated, that is, the inner edges of the fixed plate 51 and the rotating lid 53 are curved as R-shaped portions 51r and 53r. It has a shape. Thereby, when the airbag bag body 37 is inflated and deployed, damage due to contact with the edges of the fixed plate 51 and the rotating lid 53 can be suppressed.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view in plan view of an occupant protection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the airbag bag body 37A is inflated as shown in FIG. 6 (b) from the state of FIG. 6 (a) and pressed against the bottom surface portion 53a of the rotary lid 53, while being deployed as shown in FIG. 6 (c). Even in the finished state, as indicated by the arrow F, the rear portion 37A1 of the vehicle body maintains the state where the bottom surface portion 53a of the rotary lid 53 is pressed toward the rear of the vehicle body.

  Thereby, the rotation lid 53 can more reliably maintain the state in which the case 29 shown in FIG. 6C is opened.

  Further, the rotary lid 53 of the second embodiment is used for forming a locking hole in the vicinity of the upper and lower short side surfaces 53b and 53c on the opposite side (the lower side in FIG. 6A) from the long side surface 53d. A wall 53f is provided, and a locking hole 53g is formed in the wall 53f. On the other hand, a locking claw 67 protruding toward the vehicle width direction outside (left side in FIG. 6A) is provided on the frame exterior 15b of the seat back frame 15 corresponding to the locking hole 53g. These locking holes 53g and locking claws 67 constitute a locking portion.

  In this case, the airbag bag body 37A is inflated as shown in FIG. 6B, and the rotating lid 53 of the case 39 is rotated. Further, as shown in FIG. 6C, the long side surface portion 53d of the rotating lid 53 is As in FIG. 5, when the body side portion 11 is approached and opposed, the locking claw 67 is inserted into the locking hole 53 g and locked. Thereby, it can suppress that the rotation lid 53 rotates in the closing direction from the state of FIG.6 (c).

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2B of an occupant protection device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a central axis 57A instead of the central axis 57 in the first embodiment is separated from the inflator 47, and the inflator 47 is disposed adjacent to the central axis 57A.

  In this case, both the upper and lower ends of the central shaft 57A are supported by flange portions 51b protruding from the upper and lower ends on the vehicle body rear side of the fixed plate 51 toward the vehicle width direction outer side, and on both upper and lower sides of the upper and lower flange portions 51b. Upper and lower short side surfaces 53b and 53c of the arranged rotation lid 53 are rotatably supported by the central shaft 57A. The inflator 47 is attached to the bottom surface portion 53 a of the rotary lid 53, and the fixing plate 51 is fixed to the frame exterior 15 b of the seat back frame 15. Therefore, the rotation lid 53 rotates around the central axis 57 </ b> A together with the inflator 47.

  Also in the third embodiment, due to the inflation and deployment of the airbag bag body 37, the rotation lid 53 rotates about the central axis 57A and becomes the same state as in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6C.

  At this time, in this embodiment, since the central shaft 57A and the inflator 47 are separated, for example, it is possible to cope with a case where the inflator 47 cannot be integrated with the central shaft 57A for some reason. The degree of freedom is improved in the placement.

 In the third embodiment, the reverse rotation restricting gear 59 and the torsion coil spring 61 are provided on the central shaft 57A.

1 seat 11 body side part (vehicle body side part member)
15 Seat back frame (seat frame member)
27 Reclining mechanism 33 Airbag unit 37 Airbag body (airbag body)
39 Case 41 Reinforcement beam (connection member)
51 Fixing plate (fixing part)
51r, 53r R-shaped part 53 Rotating lid (movable part)
53g Locking hole (locking part)
55 opening 59 reverse rotation restricting gear (reverse rotation restricting member)
61 Torsion coil spring (elastic means)
67 Locking claw (locking part)

Claims (8)

A seat is arranged on the vehicle width direction inner side of the vehicle body side member constituting the side portion of the vehicle body, and the vehicle width direction outer side and the vehicle width direction inner side of the seat frame member forming the frame of the seat are connected to each other in the vehicle width direction. A connecting member extending to the vehicle body, and an airbag unit provided on the seat positioned between the connecting member and the vehicle body side member, and the vehicle body side member is input from the outside in the vehicle width direction. An occupant protection device configured to transmit a load to the connecting member via the airbag unit ,
The airbag unit includes a case having a fixed portion that is fixed to the seat and a movable portion that is rotatable with respect to the fixed portion, and an airbag body that is accommodated in the case, and the movable portion includes the airbag. The case is opened by receiving a pressure due to the expansion of the main body so as to be separated from the fixed portion, and is positioned between the connecting member and the vehicle body side member. An occupant protection device , wherein a load input from the outside in the width direction is transmitted to the connecting member . The occupant protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the movable portion has a box shape having an opening on a front side of a vehicle body in a state where the case is opened. The occupant protection device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the airbag body presses the movable portion in the rotational displacement direction in a state where the case is opened by inflation. Wherein in a state where air bag body was opened the case by the expansion, the occupant protection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a resilient means for pressing the movable part in the rotational displacement direction. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising a reverse rotation restricting member that restricts rotation of the movable portion in a direction opposite to the rotational displacement direction. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , further comprising a locking portion for locking the movable portion to the seat side in a state where the case is opened. The vehicle width direction outer side surface of the movable part with the case opened and the vehicle width direction outer side surface of the reclining mechanism provided at the lower part of the seat are set at the same position in the vehicle width direction. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The edge part of the said fixed part and movable part which the outer surface of the expanded airbag main body contacted in the state which the said case opened is made into curved-surface shape, The one of Claim 1 thru | or 7 characterized by the above-mentioned. Crew protection device.

Images