JPH05139232A - Side airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent any contact with an arm and the like and secure smooth expansion of an airbag. CONSTITUTION:A space 17 is formed along the upper part of a belt line L between both airbags 13, 16 by expanding the airbags 13, 16 while separating them upward and downward from the belt line l of a vehicle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a side airbag device which inflates and deploys during a side collision to protect an occupant from a secondary collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a side airbag device for inflating and deploying in a side collision of a vehicle to protect an occupant from a secondary collision, there is, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-96428. As shown in FIG. 7, this side airbag device generates an airbag 2 accommodated in a side door 1 of a vehicle when a collision sensor (not shown) detects a side collision and ignites an inflator. Is expanded in the space between the inner surface of the side door 1 and the side surfaces of the chest B and the head H of the occupant D due to the secondary collision with the inner surface of the side door 1 due to inertia, etc. Is designed to protect.

[0003]

However, in the case of the side airbag device described above, the airbag 2 housed in the side door 1 has the chest side surface and the head side surface of the occupant D whose protection is highly required. In order to protect each of them, it is necessary to expand them into a mat for gymnastics competition and to shield the window opening of the side door 1, so that a large-capacity airbag is required and a large amount of gas is also generated accordingly. In order to generate the inflator, there is a problem that the inflator becomes large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a side airbag device capable of reliably protecting the chest side surface and the head side surface of an occupant with an airbag having a minimum necessary capacity. The purpose is to do.

[0005]

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a side air bag device for inflating an air bag to the inside of a vehicle in a side collision to protect an occupant from a secondary collision. It is characterized in that the air bag has a structure in which the air bag is at least bisected into an upper side and a lower side so as to form a space of a predetermined height along an upper portion of a belt line of the vehicle.

[0006]

As described above, the airbag of the side airbag device is divided into at least the upper side and the lower side of the belt line of the vehicle to be inflated, and a space having a predetermined height is formed along the upper edge of the belt line. Since the bag is inflated so that the occupant is formed, the chest side surface and the head side surface of the occupant can be reliably protected even if the bag has a small capacity.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The side airbag device of the present invention is described below
An embodiment applied to a side airbag device that protects an occupant in a driver's seat from a secondary collision at the time of a side collision will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. This side air bag system has a belt line L on the vehicle interior side of the side door 11 (right side in FIG. 2).
The lower inflator 12 provided on the inner panel 11a of the side door 11 and the lower inflator 12 are filled with nitrogen gas that is generated when the lower inflator 12 is ignited at the time of a side collision and expands to inflate the occupant D. A lower airbag 13 for protecting the chest B is provided, and the upper inflator 1 is provided in the roof side rail above the door opening in the vehicle compartment.
5 and an upper airbag 16 for protecting the head H of the occupant D by being inflated by being filled with nitrogen gas generated by the upper inflator 15 being ignited during a side collision. The lower airbag 13 and the upper airbag 16 in the inflated state are separated from each other by a predetermined dimension larger than the thickness of the occupant's D arm, and a space 17 is formed therebetween.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained. When the collision sensor detects a side collision while the vehicle is traveling, the lower inflator 15 on the side on which the occupant D makes a secondary collision will be described. Ignition signals are sent to the upper inflator 12 and the inflators 12 and 15 which are ignited.
The upper airbag 16 and the lower airbag 13 are respectively inflated by the nitrogen gas generated in 1., and the upper airbag 16 is inflated downward along the inner surface of the side door 11 to the side of the head H of the occupant D. expand. Further, the lower airbag 13 flatly inflates inside the side door 11 and deploys to the side of the chest B. The chest side surface of the occupant D is protected by the lower airbag 13, and the head side surface of the occupant D is protected by the upper airbag 16, while the lower end of the upper airbag 16 and the upper end of the lower airbag 13 are protected. Since a predetermined space 17 is formed substantially parallel to the lower side of the window frame of the side door 1, the capacity of the airbag can be reduced corresponding to this space 17.

Further, in this embodiment, since the space 17 is formed between the lower airbag 13 and the upper airbag 16, the total volume of the airbag can be reduced and the amount of nitrogen gas generated can be reduced. Can be significantly reduced, and the size of the inflator can be reduced. In this embodiment, the installation positions of the inflators 12 and 15 are set to the inside of the side door 11 and the roof side rail above the door opening, but the installation positions thereof may be set to the inside of the center pillar 14.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In contrast to the first embodiment, two airbags are inflated and deployed by two inflators, but this embodiment is implemented. In the example, one inflator inflates and deploys two airbags, and the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and will be described below.

This side airbag device is provided with a lower airbag 13 and an upper airbag 16 inside the side door 11 inside the vehicle so that a space 17 having a predetermined height is formed between them when inflated. Has been. An inflator 22 is attached to the inner panel of the side door 11. The inflator 22 directly inflates the lower airbag 13 by the generated nitrogen gas, and a part of the generated nitrogen gas is removed from the side door 11. The air is supplied to the upper airbag 16 and inflated via a first duct 22a provided inside and a second duct 22b provided inside the front pillar 28. The first duct 22a and the second duct 22b communicate with each other with the side door 11 that can be opened and closed being in a closed state so that nitrogen gas can be supplied to the upper airbag 16.

When the collision sensor detects a side collision while the vehicle is traveling,
An ignition signal is sent to the inflator 22, and the lower airbag 13 and the upper airbag 16 are respectively inflated by the nitrogen gas generated by one inflator 22, so that the upper airbag 16 moves along the inner surface of the side door 11. Inflate downward and deploy to the side of the head H of the occupant D, and the lower airbag 13 inflates flatly inside the side door 11 and deploys to the side of the chest B. As in the case of the example, the occupant D can be protected from the secondary collision. Also,
Since a space 17 is formed between the airbags 12 and 16 as in the case of the first embodiment, for example, even if the occupant D puts an elbow or an arm on the window frame, the occupant D should not come into contact with the airbags 13 and 16. It is possible to smoothly expand and deploy without. Therefore, the side airbag device of this embodiment has two airbags 1.
Since the inflators 3 and 16 can be inflated by the single inflator 22, it is not necessary to install the inflator on the roof side rail portion that is difficult to store.

Further, FIGS. 4 and 5 show a third embodiment of the present invention. The airbag 33 of this side airbag device has an airbag upper portion 33a and an airbag lower portion 33b in an inflated state. It has a U-shape that communicates with the rear side (right side in FIG. 4) and is folded and stored in the center pillar 34.
In the inside, by the nitrogen gas generated from one inflator 32 arranged at a position close to the airbag 33,
It expands toward the vehicle front side along the inner surface of the side door 31 and expands in a U shape, so that a space 37 wider than the thickness of the occupant D's arm is formed between the airbag upper portion 33a and the airbag lower portion 33b. It is provided in.

The side airbag device of this embodiment sends an ignition signal to the inflator 32 when the collision sensor detects a side collision while the vehicle is running, and the nitrogen gas generated by the inflator 32 causes the airbag to inflate. The upper part 33a and the lower part 33b of the airbag are the side doors 3.
Along the inner surface of No. 1 and inflating in a substantially horizontal direction toward the front of the vehicle, the air bag upper portion 33a has a head portion H of the occupant D.
And the lower part of the airbag 33b are respectively deployed to the sides of the chest B to protect the occupant from a secondary collision, and a space 37 is formed above the belt line L of the vehicle. Capacity becomes smaller. Further, in this embodiment, since only one inflator 32 is required to inflate and deploy the airbag 33, the weight and cost of the device can be reduced. Although the inflator 32 is provided in the center pillar 34 in this embodiment, it may be installed in the roof side rail above the door opening, for example.

FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the case of the third embodiment, the upper airbag and the lower airbag of one airbag communicate with each other on the rear side of the vehicle body. In contrast, the U-shape is formed, and the U-shape is formed by communicating with the front side of the vehicle body, which will be described below with reference to the drawings.

On the vehicle interior side of the side door 41, an airbag 43 formed in a U shape by connecting an airbag upper portion 43a and an airbag lower portion 43b to each other on the vehicle front side is folded, The airbag 4 is housed inside the side door 41 slightly forward of the side of the occupant D, and the airbag 4
An inflator 42 for inflating 3 is installed in the side door 41 at a position close to the airbag 43.

This side airbag device detects that a side collision is detected by the collision sensor while the vehicle is traveling.
An ignition signal is sent to the inflator 42, and the generated nitrogen gas causes the lower part of the airbag 43b to inflate substantially below the belt line L of the vehicle toward the rear in the horizontal direction and to the side of the chest B of the occupant D. At the same time, the airbag upper portion 43a is inflated to the upper side of the belt line L, and then inflated substantially horizontally rearward to be deployed to the side of the head H of the occupant D, in the case of the third embodiment. Similarly, the occupant D can be protected from the secondary collision. In addition, the airbag 4
Since the space 47 is formed between the airbag upper part 43a and the airbag lower part 43b of No. 3, the capacity of the airbag becomes small. Therefore, in this embodiment, since the part that communicates the upper part of the airbag 43a and the lower part of the airbag 43b is provided on the front side of the vehicle body, the occupant D who is side-collised during traveling and moves diagonally forward is effectively protected. can do. Although the inflator 42 is provided in the side door on the vehicle front side in this embodiment, it may be installed in the roof side rail above the door opening.

[0019]

As described above, in the side airbag device of the present invention, at least the upper and lower sides of the side airbag device form a space of a predetermined height along the upper part of the belt line of the vehicle. Since the air bag has a structure of being expanded and deployed, the capacity of the airbag can be reduced, and the chest side surface and the head side surface of the occupant can be reliably protected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an arrangement of airbags of a side airbag device according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the inside of a vehicle compartment.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the arrangement of the airbag of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the arrangement of the airbag according to the second embodiment as viewed from the vehicle interior side.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the arrangement of the airbag according to the third embodiment as viewed from the vehicle interior side.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the arrangement of the airbag of the third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the arrangement of the airbag according to the fourth embodiment as viewed from the inside of the vehicle compartment.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing an outline of a bag deployment state of a conventional side airbag device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Side Door 12 Lower Inflator 13 Lower Airbag 15 Upper Inflator 16 Upper Airbag 17 Space 22 Inflator 22a First Duct 22b Second Duct 32 Inflator 33 U-shaped Airbag 37 Space 42 Inflator 43 U-shaped Airbag 47 Space D Crew B Chest H Head

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A side airbag device for protecting an occupant from a secondary collision by inflating the airbag toward a vehicle interior in a side collision, wherein the airbag has a predetermined height along an upper portion of a belt line of the vehicle. A side airbag device having a structure in which at least two parts are deployed so as to form a space and are divided into an upper part and a lower part.