JP5943767B2 - Curtain airbag for vehicle and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention can adjust the inflated form of the curtain airbag with a small number of parts and with a simple assembling work, and in particular, ensure a sufficient thickness when inflated at the end position in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In addition, the present invention relates to a curtain airbag for a vehicle that can appropriately set the position and can restrain an occupant, and a manufacturing method thereof.

  Various types of airbags are known for use as an occupant protection device for automobiles. For example, the “airbag” of Patent Document 1 has an object to provide an airbag that can increase the thickness of a desired portion and increase the deployment width of the portion. The two panels are overlapped in a plane, and the periphery is sealed with an outer peripheral seam to form a bag. Inside the airbag, the base end of the tether is joined to the upper end portion of the outer peripheral seam, and the tip end of the tether is joined to the thickness regulating portion. In the airbag in an inflated and deployed state, a deployment surface extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle is formed by tensioning a tether therein. And the shoulder restraint part is formed in the airbag as a thickness increase area | region which encourages the expansion | swelling of a vehicle lateral direction by the part which the deployment surface was formed.

JP 2006-224817 A

  In Patent Document 1, in order to adjust the inflation form of the airbag, such as increasing the deployment width of the airbag, tethers are provided on the two panels, and the number of parts is large. There was a problem that the work was also complicated.

  Further, in the vehicle curtain airbag, it is desired to appropriately set a position where the deployment width is increased so that the occupant can be reliably restrained.

The present invention was devised in view of the above-described conventional problems, and it is possible to adjust the inflated form of the curtain airbag with a small number of parts and by a simple assembling operation, particularly in the vehicle longitudinal direction. the thickness when inflated at the end position with it is possible to sufficiently secure, is possible to set the position appropriately, the vehicle curtain airbag and a manufacturing method thereof can be suitably restrain the occupant The purpose is to provide.

  The following description is described in a shape when the vehicle curtain airbag attached to the vehicle is deployed.

A vehicle curtain airbag according to the present invention includes a first panel and a second panel having substantially the same outer peripheral shape in a vehicle curtain airbag that is deployed and inflated downward from the periphery of the roof side rail of the vehicle. A bag-shaped bag main body formed by joining these panels is provided, and the bag main body has a pair of peaks set on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the bag forming reference line at the end of the panel in the vehicle front-rear direction. The vehicle includes a folding line, the bag forming reference line that is valley-folded between the mountain folding lines, and a bent portion formed by joining the outer peripheral edges of the bag body except for the pair of mountain folding lines. tip is supported, in a valley fold has been the bent portion or the bag shaped reference line position, comprising a strap proximal to the bag body is joined And wherein the door.

  The bag molding reference line is preferably a joining line that joins a plurality of the panels forming the bag body.

A method for manufacturing a curtain airbag for a vehicle according to the present invention is the same as the method for manufacturing a curtain airbag for a vehicle that expands and inflates downward from the periphery of the roof side rail of the vehicle. Including a panel and a bag-shaped bag body formed by joining both of the panels, and the bag body is set on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the bag molding reference line at the end of the panel in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The bent portion is bent at the pair of mountain fold lines and is valley-folded at the bag forming reference line, and the bent portions are joined at the outer peripheral edge of the bag body except for the pair of the mountain fold lines. The base end of the strap whose front end is supported by the vehicle is joined to the bag body at the bent portion of the valley or the bag forming reference line position. And features.

  The bag molding reference line is preferably a joining line that joins a plurality of the panels forming the bag body.

In the curtain airbag for a vehicle and the method for manufacturing the same according to the present invention, the expansion form of the curtain airbag can be adjusted with a small number of parts and by a simple assembling operation. The thickness at the time of inflation can be sufficiently secured at the position, and the position can be appropriately set while appropriately applying tension to the curtain airbag in the vehicle front-rear direction, so that the occupant can be appropriately restrained.

1 is a front view showing a preferred embodiment of a vehicle curtain airbag and a method for manufacturing the same according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, it is an AA arrow directional cross-sectional view. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG. 2 which shows the expansion | deployment inflation state of the curtain airbag for vehicles shown in FIG. It is a principal part side view of the vehicle interior which shows suitable embodiment of the curtain airbag for vehicles which concerns on this invention. In FIG. 4, it is a BB arrow directional cross-sectional view. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG. 5 which shows other embodiment of the curtain airbag for vehicles which concerns on this invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a curtain airbag for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing the same according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 3 show a curtain airbag for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing the same according to the present embodiment.

  1 is a front view of a curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. In addition, the attachment state to the vehicle 2 of the curtain airbag 1 for vehicles is demonstrated with reference to FIG.4 and FIG.5.

  As is generally known, the vehicular curtain airbag 1 is formed in the vehicle front-rear direction from the front seat 4 to the rear seat 5 so as to cover the entire side window 3 and its periphery in a deployed state in a deployed and inflated state. The curtain airbag 1 is disposed around the roof side rail 6 of the vehicle 2 in a retracted state in which the curtain airbag 1 is wound or folded.

  When the inflator gas is introduced into the retracted curtain airbag 1, the curtain airbag 1 is deployed and inflated downward from the periphery of the roof side rail 6. The deployed and inflated curtain airbag 1 is located between the occupant seated in the front seat 4 and the rear seat 5 and the side of the vehicle interior such as the side window 3, B pillar 7, and door facing the occupant. In order to protect the passengers.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle curtain airbag 1 and the manufacturing method thereof according to the present embodiment are configured to include at least a first panel 9 and a second panel 10. The curtain airbag 1 is configured to include a bag-shaped bag main body 11 manufactured using these two panels 9 and 10 and a strap 12 attached to the bag main body 11. The panels 9 and 10 and the strap 12 are formed of various materials conventionally known in the technical field of airbags.

  Roughly speaking, the bag body 11 is formed into a bag shape by overlapping two panels 9 and 10 having substantially the same outer peripheral shape and joining them at the outer peripheral edge or the non-inflated portion. The reference line when the joining line (front end joining line P, upper edge joining line Q, and lower edge joining line R) of the outer peripheral edge of the bag-like part that joins the overlapped panels 9 and 10 forms the curtain airbag 1. (Bag molding reference line).

  The bag-like portion includes a chamber portion that is divided by a seam C, a non-inflatable portion D, and the like to serve as an occupant protection portion, a gas duct portion that guides gas from the inflator to each chamber portion, and the like. The outer peripheral edge of the bag body refers to the periphery of the bag-shaped portion that constitutes the aforementioned chamber portion and gas duct portion.

  The front end joining line P (back molding) in the vertical direction that defines the outer shape of the front end portion of the bag body 11 (curtain airbag 1) in the vehicle front-rear direction end portion (left front end portion in the illustrated example). A pair of mountain fold lines S are set in the vertical direction on both sides of the reference line) in the vehicle width direction. The separation distance Z between the front end joining line P and each mountain fold line S is set substantially equal.

  By folding the mountain with a pair of mountain folding lines S, the front end joining line P (bag forming reference line) sandwiched between these mountain folding lines S is valley-folded. The bag body 11 is recessed from the mountain fold line S toward the front end joint line P by performing a mountain fold and a valley fold and partially folding between the mountain fold line S and the front end joint line P. A bent portion 13 having a V shape is formed.

  The separation distance Z, that is, the depth at which the bag body 11 is partially recessed, is appropriately set according to the capacity to be secured in the bent portion 13 as shown in FIG. The larger the capacity of the bent portion 13, the wider the bag body 11 can be spread in the vehicle compartment width direction around the bent portion 13. The bent portion 13 extending in the vehicle interior width direction is set at a position extending from the side of the front seat 4 to the front.

  Panels 9 and 10 have projecting portions 9a and 10a projecting rearward of the vehicle at the upper part of the rear end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction. An inflator mounting portion 14 is formed on the bag body 11 by the protruding portions 9a and 10a.

  The outer peripheral edges of the two panels 9 and 10 are joined except for the pair of mountain fold lines S and the rear ends of the protruding portions 9a and 10a. That is, the bag-shaped bag body 11 has a pair of mountain fold lines P set on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the bag forming reference line at the ends of the panels 9 and 10 in the vehicle front-rear direction (front end in the illustrated example). Are bent at the bag forming reference line and are bent at the bag forming reference line. The outer peripheral edge of the bent portion 13 excluding the pair of mountain fold lines P and the remaining portions of the panels 9 and 10 excluding the inflator mounting portion 14 are provided. It can be said that it is formed by joining outer peripheral edges. Regarding the joining at this stage, there are at least two assembled states of the panels 9 and 10.

  In the first case, two panels 9 and 10 are overlapped, and their outer peripheral edges are joined together by joining lines P, Q, and R to form a bag-like bag body 11. The bent portion 13 is formed by folding the front end portion of the bag-shaped bag body 11 as described above.

  In the second case, the two panels 9 and 10 are overlapped, only the front end portions thereof are joined by the front end joining line P, the front end portion is folded as described above, and the bent portion 13 is formed. deep. In the second case, the bent end 13 is merely formed by folding the front end, and the bag-shaped bag body 11 is not yet formed.

  In other cases, the two panels 9 and 10 may be integrally formed of a single large panel sheet, and any one of the joining lines P, Q, and R may not be joined.

  In any case, the two panels 9 and 10 are joined at the front end joining line P position. The upper end edges of the two stacked panels 9 and 10 are joined together in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the upper edge joining line Q. Further, the lower end edges of the panels 9 and 10 are joined in series in the vehicle front-rear direction along the lower edge joining line R across the lower end edges of the protruding portions 9a and 10a.

  In the first case, at least the bent portion 13 is sewn twice at the upper edge and lower edge joining lines Q and R. In the second case, the bag-shaped bag body 11 is formed at this stage by joining at the upper and lower edge joining lines Q and R.

  Except for the pair of mountain fold lines S, the panels 9 and 10 constituting the bag body 11 are joined by the upper edge and lower edge joint lines Q and R, so that the pair of mountain fold lines S are formed at the bent portion 13. It is possible to contact and separate from each other. By providing the pair of mountain fold lines S that can be contacted and separated, the V-shaped bent portion 13 can be narrowed or widened.

  The upper edge and the lower edge of the bent portion 13 are joined by upper and lower edge joining lines Q and R. Therefore, when the inflator gas is introduced into the bag body 11 and inflated, the periphery of the front end joint line P that is folded down is constrained by the upper and lower edges of the bent portion 13 and forward from the inside of the bent portion 13. Squeeze outward.

  Due to this protrusion, the pair of mountain fold lines S are separated from each other at the front end portion of the bag body 11 and the curtain airbag 1 is inflated wide as shown in FIG. The inflator mounting portion 14 is formed in a sleeve shape by the protruding portions 9a and 10a whose rear ends are not joined.

  The illustrated bag body 11 is formed with a substantially rectangular outer contour, but the outer contour is merely an example, and may be formed with various outer contours. As described above, the shape may include a plurality of chamber portions and gas duct portions.

  The strap-like or belt-like strap 12 is incorporated in the bent portion 13. The base end 12a of the strap 12 is joined to the bag main body 11 at the front end joining line P position serving as the bag forming reference line at the front end portion of the bag main body 11, that is, at the front end joining line P position located behind the bent portion 13. . The base end 12 a of the strap 12 may be joined at any position as long as it is relative to the bent portion 13.

  Specifically, the base end 12 a of the strap 12 is sandwiched between the two panels 9 and 10 and is integrally joined to the panels 9 and 10. The base end 12a of the strap 12 is joined to the bag body 11 by the bent portion 13 that is folded between the front end joining line P and the mountain fold line S without being sandwiched between the two panels 9 and 10. It may be. In this case, the joining portion may be joined on any side of the inner side, the outer side of the vehicle, or the folded portion as long as it is the bent portion 13 of the bag body 11. The strap 12 is formed with a length L that extends outward from the bent portion 13. The front end 12 b of the strap 12 is connected to and supported by the vehicle 2, for example, the A pillar 15.

  Next, a mounting structure for attaching the vehicle curtain airbag 1 according to this embodiment to the vehicle 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. 4 is a side view of the main part of the vehicle interior, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

  The vehicle curtain airbag 1 is arranged around the roof side rail 6 of the vehicle 2 along the vehicle front-rear direction in a retracted state such as winding. The bag body 11 is provided with tabs 19 at appropriate places. The curtain airbag 1 is supported by the vehicle 2 by attaching and fixing the tab 19 to the vehicle 2. The strap 12 extends outward from the front end portion of the curtain airbag 1 in the retracted state.

  The front end 12b of the strap 12 is fixed to the A pillar 20 of the vehicle 2 with a bolt 21 and is thereby connected to and supported by the vehicle 2. The position where the base end 12a of the strap 12 is joined to the bag body 11 is set as follows.

  The strap 12 of the curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle according to the present embodiment is in a free state before the tip 12b is connected and supported to the vehicle 2 in the retracted state of the curtain airbag 1. The tip 12 b is connected to the vehicle 2 using the length L of the strap 12.

  Considering only attaching and supporting the curtain airbag 1 to the vehicle 2, the base end 12 a of the strap 12 can be freely joined to any position of the front end joining line P position of the bag body 11. On the other hand, when the curtain airbag 1 is deployed and inflated while the front end 12b of the strap 12 is supported by the vehicle 2, the base end 12a of the strap 12 joined to the bag main body 11 maintains the length L of the strap 12 and the front end 12b. Move downward relative to 12b.

  When the joining position of the base end 12a of the strap 12 is set to a position where the distance from the distal end 12b is farther than the length L of the strap 12 when the base 12a is deployed and inflated, tension is generated in the strap 12. In other words, if the distance between the position of the base end 12a of the strap 12 moved by the expansion and expansion and the position of the tip 12b is equal to or less than the length L of the strap 12, the strap 12 is in a loose state or is almost in tension. The vehicle 2 and the bag body 11 are connected with each other without the vehicle.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the base end 12 a of the strap 12 is supported by the vehicle 2 under the restriction of the length L of the strap 12 when expanding and expanding downward from the retracted state. It can be moved on an arc centered on the tip 12b or in an inner range thereof. When the joining position of the base end 12a is set on the arc and in the inner range, no tension is generated in the strap 12.

  When the joining position of the base end 12a is set so as to be outside the arc when it expands and expands (indicated by X in the figure), tension is generated in the strap 12. The strap 12 in which the tension is generated appropriately controls the position of the front end portion of the bag body 11 to be positioned. When the joining position of the base end 12a is set at a position sufficiently far from the length L of the strap 12, the bag body 11 is pulled toward the front of the vehicle by the tension generated in the strap 12 (in the figure, the arrow The curtain airbag 1 can cover the periphery of the steering wheel 22.

  When the strap 12 is attached to the vehicle 2, the tip 12b of the strap 12 protruding from the curtain airbag 1 is in a free state as described above, and the base end 12a of the strap 12 is positioned at any position of the bag body 11. Even if it joins to the position of the front end joining line P, the curtain airbag 1 can be installed in the vehicle 2 by connecting and supporting the strap 12 to the vehicle 2 without any trouble.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the joining position of the base end 12a of the strap 12 to the bag main body 11 is set on the vehicle outer side of the bag main body 11, the bent portion 13 is pushed closer to the vehicle inner side and expands and expands. It becomes possible.

In short, in the curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle according to the present embodiment, the joining position of the base end 12a of the strap 12 to the bag body 11 is such that tension is generated in the strap 12 when the curtain airbag 1 is deployed and inflated. The distance from the tip 12b of the strap 12 (supporting position in the vehicle 2) when expanded and inflated is set to a position that allows for a dimension T that is further away from the length L of the strap 12. That is, the vehicle curtain airbag 1 according to the present embodiment includes a strap 12 that is supported by being connected to the vehicle 2 at the front end 12b. When the curtain airbag 1 is expanded and inflated, tension is generated in the strap 12, and the tension is increased. In order to pull and position the bag body 11 with the strap 12 where the occurrence of the strap 12 occurs, a connection position in the vehicle 2 where the tip 12b of the strap 12 is supported and a joint position in the bag body 11 where the base end 12a of the strap 12 is joined (L + T) is set to be larger than the length L of the strap 12.

  Thus, when the curtain airbag 1 is deployed and inflated, the strap 12 is surely tensioned to prevent the curtain airbag 1 from causing unstable behavior and the inflated position from being uncertain. The deployment and inflation action and the inflation position of the airbag 1 can be appropriately controlled.

  When the inflator gas flows in from the inflator 23 attached to the inflator attachment portion 14, the vehicle curtain airbag 1 according to the present embodiment is configured so that the entire side window 3 and its periphery are covered like a curtain so as to cover the entire side window 4 and the rear seat. 5 expands and expands.

  The position of the bent portion 13 of the bag body 11 is set so that the bent portion 13 is deployed and inflated on the side or front of the occupant seated on the front seat 4. The bag body 11 of the curtain airbag 1 that is deployed and inflated is located between the front seat 4 and the rear seat 5 and the vehicle interior surface, and protects the vehicle from the vehicle interior width direction.

  The vehicle curtain airbag 1 includes a bag body 11 having a V-shaped bent portion 13 formed by a pair of mountain fold lines S and a front end joining line P that folds the valleys. In the V-shaped bent portion 13, the front end joint line P that has been valley-folded moves from the inside of the bent portion 13 toward the front of the vehicle 2 due to the pressure of the inflator gas, and urges outward. By this protrusion, the bent portion 13 can expand in a wide manner so that the pair of mountain fold lines S are separated from each other.

  The inflated form of the bent portion 13 can be adjusted by appropriately setting the separation distance Z (volume of the bent portion 13) between the pair of mountain fold lines S and the front end joining line P, whereby the curtain airbag 1 is inflated. And the expansion width can be easily adjusted.

As described above, in the vehicle curtain airbag 1 and the manufacturing method thereof according to the present embodiment, the bag body 11 is formed with the V-shaped bent portion 13 by the front end joining line P and the pair of mountain fold lines S, and the bag. Since the main body 11 is formed by joining the upper and lower edge joining lines Q and R except for the mountain fold line S, the local swelling of the bag body 11 can be adjusted appropriately. The expansion form of the curtain airbag 1 can be adjusted with a small number of parts and a simple assembling operation such as folding without using parts such as a tether.

  By appropriately setting the separation distance Z between the front end joining line P and the pair of mountain folding lines S, in other words, by appropriately setting the folding amount, the volume of the bent portion 13 can be adjusted arbitrarily and freely. Therefore, the degree of swelling of the bag body 11 can be freely adjusted within an arbitrary range.

  Since the volume of the V-shaped bent portion 13 can be set, it is possible to sufficiently secure the thickness of the curtain airbag 1 at the time of inflation at the front end portion in the vehicle front-rear direction. Thus, by ensuring the thickness of the front end portion sufficiently, the occupant of the front seat 4 can be suitably and sufficiently restrained, and excellent occupant protection performance can be exhibited.

  Since the base end 12a of the strap 12 with the front end 12b supported by the vehicle 2 is joined to the bag body 11 at the position of the front end joining line P, the expansion position of the curtain airbag 1 and the bent portion 13 is appropriately and stably secured by the strap 12. The side window 3 and the like can be reliably covered, and the passenger's ability to prevent release from the vehicle can be enhanced.

  When the curtain airbag 1 for a vehicle is attached to the vehicle 2, when the position of the base 12 a of the strap 12 joined to the bag body 11 is expanded and inflated with respect to the tip 12 b of the strap 12 connected and supported to the vehicle 2. Since the distance from the tip 12b of the strap 12 is set at a position farther from the length L of the strap 12, tension can be reliably generated in the strap 12 at the time of expansion.

  With this tension, the positions of the curtain airbag 1 and the bent portion 13 can be set and held appropriately and stably, and the occupant's ability to prevent release from the vehicle and the occupant restraint performance can be more reliably exhibited.

  On the other hand, when the joining position of the base end 12a of the strap 12 to the bag body 11 is set on the vehicle exterior side of the bag body 11 as in the other embodiment shown in FIG. In a situation where an occupant such as a driver thrusts between the steering wheel 22 and the side window 3 such as a small overlap collision, excellent occupant protection performance can be exhibited.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the bent portion 13 is formed at the front end portion in the vehicle front-rear direction has been described, but it may be formed at the rear end portion instead of the front end portion, and further formed at both the front end portion and the rear end portion. You may do it. When the bent portion 13 is formed on both the front and rear sides, the inflator mounting portion 14 is formed on the middle portion of the bag body 11 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The joining in the above embodiment may be any technique such as stitching, adhesion, fusion, knitting, and the like, and the parts such as the panels 9 and 10 and the strap 12 are originally joined together. It may be formed by.

The above-described curtain airbag for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing the same are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or performed by various methods. In particular, the present invention is not limited to the detailed shape, size, configuration, and the like of the components shown in the accompanying drawings unless otherwise stated 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.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle curtain airbag 2 Vehicle 6 Roof side rail 9 1st panel 10 2nd panel 11 Bag main body 12 Strap 12a Strap base 12b Strap tip 13 Bending part L Strap length P Front end joining line Q Upper edge joining Line R Lower edge joint line S Mountain fold line

Claims (4)

In a vehicle curtain airbag that expands and inflates downward from around the roof side rail of the vehicle,
Including a first panel and a second panel having substantially the same outer peripheral shape, comprising a bag-shaped bag body formed by joining both of these panels;
The bag body includes a pair of mountain fold lines set on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the bag molding reference line at the end of the panel in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the bag molding that is valley-folded between the mountain fold lines. Excluding the reference line and the pair of mountain fold lines, a bent portion formed by joining the outer peripheral edge of the bag body ,
A vehicular curtain airbag, comprising: a bent portion that is supported at the tip by the vehicle, and a valley-folded portion or a strap having a base end joined to the bag body at the bag forming reference line position.   2. The vehicle curtain airbag according to claim 1, wherein the bag forming reference line is a joining line that joins the plurality of panels forming the bag body.   In the method of manufacturing a curtain airbag for a vehicle that expands and inflates downward from the periphery of the roof side rail of the vehicle,
  Including a first panel and a second panel having substantially the same outer peripheral shape, comprising a bag-shaped bag body formed by joining both of these panels;
  The bag body is folded at a pair of mountain fold lines set on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the bag forming reference line at the end of the panel in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is bent at the bag forming reference line. With
  The bent portion is joined at the outer peripheral edge of the bag body except for the pair of mountain fold lines,
  A method for producing a curtain airbag for a vehicle, wherein a base end of a strap whose tip is supported by the vehicle is joined to the bag main body at the bent portion or the bag forming reference line position.   The said bag shaping | molding reference line is a joining line which joins the said some panel which forms the said bag main body, The manufacturing method of the curtain airbag for vehicles of Claim 3 characterized by the above-mentioned.

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