JPH05147488A - Air bag device for assistant driver's seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an air bag device for an assistant driver's seat which can adjust the lid opening load within a prescribed range easily and surely. CONSTITUTION:An air bag device for an assistant driver's seat of an automobile is equipped with a bag holding case 1 having an unwardly opened port, inflator 2 installed on the holding case 1, air bag 10 which is held over the inflator 2 10 the holding case 1, and an one-sided opened lid 7 which closes a bag spring- out port 5 formed on an instrument panel 3, and the lid 7 is equipped with a free edge engaging means which can be opened by the bulging-out action of the air bag 10 when the air bag device operates, and the lid 10 has a bendable predetermined part B in the intermediate part, and the free edge engaging means consists of an engagement part 21 and an engagement receiving part, and the distance on the bag spring-out hole 5 surface of the lid 7 is reduced by the bulging-out action of the air bag, and the engagement between the engagement part 21 and the engagement receiving part is released.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a passenger airbag device for a vehicle. In particular, the invention is characterized by the free end locking means of the one-sided lid which is arranged above the opening of the bag holding case and closes the air bag protruding hole formed in the instrument panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The general basic structure of a passenger airbag device is as follows.

A single-sided lid 7 that is arranged above the opening of the bag holding case 1 and closes an airbag pop-out hole 5 formed in an instrument panel (hereinafter, simply referred to as "panel") is in a normally closed state. It is provided with a free end locking means that can maintain the above-mentioned characteristics and can be opened by the bulging action of the airbag 10 when the airbag device is activated (see FIG. 1).

Conventionally, the lid free end locking means has been as follows.

(1) Conventional Example 1 (FIGS. 8 to 9): The free end side of the lid 7C is left on the free end skin 7a (usually, the lid is formed of integral skin foam) 7a. Bolts 1 formed by forming U-shaped cutouts 7b at predetermined intervals and pre-embedded on the rear surface of the panel in the U-shaped cutouts 7b.
1 is inserted, and it is clamped by the nut bearing surface 4 and the nut 13 on the rear surface of the panel and stopped. Then, due to the swelling action (lifting force) of the airbag, the skin 7a slips out between the nut seat surface 4 and the nut 13, and the locking of the free end is released.
Opens.

(2) Conventional example 2 (Fig. 10, actual exploitation 63-11
(Refer to the microfilm of No. 1353): A plastic eyeball locking portion 15 protruding from the rear surface of the lid 7D on the free end side.
Then, a locking pin 16 having an internal thread 17 formed corresponding to the inner wall surface of the bag holding case 1A is fitted to the bolt 18
Stop with. Then, due to the swelling action of the airbag 10, the shaft portion 15a of the eyeball locking portion 15 is broken, the locking of the free end is released, and the lid 7D is opened.

The lid free end locking means maintains the open load of the lid in the closed state in the normal state and surely opens it by the bulging action of the airbag when the airbag apparatus is activated.
It is necessary to set the lid opening load within a predetermined range.

[0008]

However, in the case of the conventional example 1, the fastening force of the bolt is used, and in the case of the conventional example 2, the breaking strength of the material (plastic materials are generally large in temperature dependence). Since it is necessary to adjust the lid opening load for each, it is troublesome to set the strict bolt tightening load or to select the shape and material in order to adjust the lid opening load within the predetermined range.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device for a passenger seat, which can easily and surely adjust a lid opening load within a predetermined range.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above problems by
This is solved by the following configuration.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a bag holding case having an upper opening, an inflator mounted on a bottom portion of the bag holding case, an airbag held in a folded state in the bag holding case above the inflator, and a bag. The lid is provided above the opening of the holding case and has a one-sided lid that closes the bag pop-out hole formed in the instrument panel. In an airbag device for a passenger seat of an automobile, which is provided with a locking means at a free end that can be opened by a bulging action, a lid has a planned bending portion at an intermediate portion, and the locking means at the free end is a locking portion. It is composed of a lock receiving part, and by the bulging action of the airbag, the distance on the bag pop-out hole surface of the lid is reduced and the lock receiving part of the lock part is locked. It characterized in that as dividing.

According to the second aspect of the invention, instead of the lid having the intermediate bending planned portion in the first aspect, the lid has a bending planned portion in the middle and a locking portion or a locking receiving portion at the tip. The end release lever is hinged to the rear side of the base of the lid, and the bulging action of the airbag reduces the projection distance of the free end lock release lever on the bag pop-out hole surface to lock the lock part. It is characterized in that the engagement with the receiving portion is released.

[0013]

EXAMPLES Next, description will be given based on examples of the present invention. The same parts as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted in whole or part.

A. Embodiment 1 (FIGS. 1 to 3) (1) In the same manner as described above, the bag holding case 1, the inflator 2, the airbag 10, and the lid 7 having a one-sided opening are provided. Further, there is provided a free end locking means that can maintain a closed state in a normal state and can be opened by the bulging action of the airbag 10 when the airbag device is activated.

(2) In this embodiment, the lid 7 has the planned bending portion B in the middle portion, and the free end locking means is composed of the locking portion 21 and the locking receiving portion 23. By the swelling action, the distance of the lid 7 on the surface of the bag pop-out hole 5 is reduced, so that the locking of the locking portion 21 with the locking receiving portion 23 is released. A specific description will be given.

The lid 7 has a structure in which a pad 9 with a skin made of soft urethane or the like is formed on the upper surface of an insert 8 made of metal. The insert 8 has a second hinge H2 at an intermediate portion (center position in the illustrated example) in addition to the first hinge H1 formed at the base portion for single-opening. This second
As the hinge H2, a hinge that can be bent only upward, that is, can be bent in a mountain shape is used. This is to prevent valley bending when a load is applied to the lid 7 from above. In addition,
The number of hinges in the middle portion of the insert 8 may be two or more if necessary.

In the illustrated example, the free end locking means includes a pin (locking part) 2 on the upper end flange 1a of the bag holding case 1.
A rail portion (lock receiving portion) 2 which is formed on the free end side of the insert 8 and which is fitted into the pin 21 and slides relative to each other.
3 is formed.

(3) Next, the operation of the lid free end locking means will be described.

When the airbag device is activated, the airbag 10 is inflated by the gas generated from the inflator 2. The lid 7 is pushed up by the bulging action of the airbag. At this time, the lid 7 is bent and deformed into a mountain shape because the insert 8 has the hinge H2 in the middle portion.
Further, at the free end portion of the insert 8, the rail portion 23 slides on the pin 21 and the distance on the surface of the bag pop-out hole 5 is reduced (FIG. 2).

After the above state, when the lid 7 is further bent and deformed by the airbag bulging action, the locking with the pin 21 of the rail portion 23 on the free end side of the lid is released, and the lid 7 is opened to open the airbag. 10 pops out (Fig. 3).

B. Example 2 (FIG. 4) Example 2 is basically the same as Example 1. Only the differences will be described below.

(1) First, the insert 8A in the lid 7A is molded with a hard resin such as polypropylene,
The hinges H1 and H2 are integral hinges.

Secondly, the locking portion and the locking receiving portion formed at the free end of the lid are an L-shaped hook portion 21A and a hook receiving portion 23A, respectively.

(2) The operation of the free end locking means of this embodiment is as follows.

As in the above-described embodiment, the swelling action of the airbag 10 pushes up the lid 7A, so that the lid 7A
Bends and deforms into a mountain shape. In this way, the tip of the lid 7A is pivotally moved to the base side, that is, the distance of the lid 7A on the bag ejection hole 5 surface is reduced,
The free end side hook portion 21A and the bag case side hook receiving portion 23A are unlocked, the lid 7A is opened, and the airbag pops out.

In the normal state of each of the above embodiments,
Although a force such as vibration acts on the lid, the lid is not bent and deformed into a mountain shape, and the locking between the locking portion and the locking receiving portion is not released. Therefore, the closed state of the lid is maintained. Further, if the lid insert is formed at the intermediate portion with a portion that is easily bent and deformed by the bulging action of the airbag, it is not always necessary to have the hinge portion at the insert intermediate portion.

C. Example 3 (FIGS. 5 to 7) Example 3 corresponds to claim 2, and Examples 1 and 2 are as follows.
In (corresponding to claim 1), the free end locking release lever 26 having the locking portion (lock pin) 22 at the tip thereof is provided at the base portion of the lid 7B, instead of the lid having the intermediate bending portion. A hinge connection 27 is formed on the back surface side, and by the bulging action of the airbag 10, the projection distance of the free end lock release lever (hereinafter referred to as “lock release lever”) 26 on the surface of the bag pop-out hole 5 is reduced, Lock receiving portion 24 of the locking portion 22
It is designed to release the lock with. The details will be described below.

A locking means storage space 20 is formed by bending the center portion of the upper end flange 1a of the bag holding case 1 with which the free end portion of the lid 7B abuts, into a groove shape. A hook-shaped portion (lock receiving portion) that protrudes into the storage space at an intermediate height position on the front side (the vertical opening side) of the locking means storage space 20.
24 is facing. The hook-shaped portion 24 is fixed to the outer surface of the bag holding case 1 by screwing or the like, and is formed on the upper end of the bracket 25 that is bent in two steps along the bottom wall 20b of the locking means storage space 20. ..

The lid 7B is a resin insert 8B.
A pad 9B with a skin made of soft urethane or the like is formed on the upper surface of the. A pair of plate-shaped ribs 29 are formed on the back surface of the free end of the lid 7B. The shape of the plate-shaped rib 29 corresponds to the inner shape of both the upright walls 20a in the locking means storage space 20.

The lock release lever 26 is used for the airbag 10.
And a pair of lock levers 26b each having a lock pin (locking portion) 22 that is coupled to the tip end in a rotating pair, both of which are coupled by a shaft pin (hinge) 28. .. Both ends of the lock pin 22 are slidably held in guide grooves (long holes) 29a formed in a pair of plate-shaped ribs 29 protruding on the back surface of the lid 7B. Further, a spacer arm 30 made of a spring plate is formed on the upper side of the drive lever 26a to ensure the locking of the lock pin 22 and the hook-shaped portion 24 in the normal state.

Next, the operation of the lid free end locking means will be described.

When the airbag device operates, the airbag 10 is inflated by the gas generated from the inflator 2. Due to the swelling action of the airbag, the drive lever 26a is first pushed up. Then, the drive lever 26a
Rotates in the direction of the lid 7B while tilting the spacer arm 30 toward the lid 7B (see FIG. 6). Then,
At the same time when the lock lever 26b stands up via the shaft pin 28, the lock pin 22 at its tip moves inward along the guide groove 29a formed in the plate-like rib 29. That is, the projection distance of the lock release lever 26 on the surface of the bag pop-out hole 5 is reduced. Then, the locking of the lock pin 22 with respect to the hook-shaped portion 24 is released, the lid 7B is opened, and the airbag 10 is popped out.

[0033]

As described above, according to the airbag device of the present invention, the lid or the locking release lever formed on the back surface of the lid has the planned bending portion at the intermediate portion and the free end locking. The means includes a locking portion and a locking receiving portion, and the projection of the lid or the locking release lever on the bag pop-out hole surface is reduced by the bulging action of the airbag, so that the locking portion is locked. With the configuration in which the engagement with the receiving portion is released, the following actions and effects are achieved. In the normal state, the lid is kept closed by the engagement between the engagement portion and the engagement receiving portion, and when the airbag device is activated, the lid or the engagement release lever is pushed up by the bulging action of the airbag. , The lid or the unlocking lever is bent and deformed into a chevron shape. In this way, the distance of the lid on the surface where the bag pops out is reduced, the locking between the free end side locking portion and the vehicle body side locking receiving portion such as the bag case is released, the lid opens, and the airbag pops out.

Therefore, it is possible to easily and surely adjust the lid opening load within a predetermined range, as compared with the conventional case where the lid is opened one side by slipping through or breaking of the material.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic cross-sectional view showing a lid closed state according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of an essential part showing a state immediately before opening the lid,

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an essential part showing a state immediately after the lid is opened,

FIG. 4 is an overall schematic sectional view showing a lid closed state according to a second embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a lid closed state according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a state immediately before the lid is opened,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a notched main part showing a storage portion of the free end locking means,

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional example of a lid free end locking means in an airbag device,

9 is a partial perspective view of the lid in FIG. 5,

FIG. 10 is an exploded partial perspective view showing another conventional example of the lid free end locking means in the airbag device;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Bag Holding Case 2 Inflator 3 Instrument Panel 5 Airbag Ejection Port 7, 7A, 7B Lid 10 Airbag 21, 21A, 22 Locking part 23, 23A, 24 Locking receiving part 26 Free end locking release lever 28 Shaft Pin (planned bend of lock release lever) B Planed bend of lid H1 1st hinge H2 2nd hinge

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bag holding case having an upper opening, an inflator mounted on a bottom portion of the bag holding case, an airbag held in a folded state in the bag holding case above the inflator, and the bag holding case. The lid is provided above the opening of the instrument panel and has a single-sided lid that closes the bag pop-out hole formed in the instrument panel. In an airbag device for a passenger seat of an automobile, which is provided with a locking means at a free end that can be released by an ejecting action, the lid has a planned bending portion at an intermediate portion, and the locking means at the free end is a locking portion. And a lock receiving portion, and by the bulging action of the airbag, the projection distance of the lid on the bag pop-out hole surface is reduced, An airbag device for a passenger seat, characterized in that the engagement of the engagement portion with the engagement receiving portion is released. 2. A bag holding case having an upper opening, an inflator mounted on a bottom portion of the bag holding case, an airbag which is held in a folded state in the bag holding case above the inflator, and the bag holding case. The lid is provided above the opening of the instrument panel and has a single-sided lid that closes the bag pop-out hole formed in the instrument panel. In an airbag device for a passenger seat of an automobile, which is provided with a locking means at a free end that can be released by an ejecting action, the locking means at the free end of the lid includes a locking part and a locking receiving part A free end locking release lever having a planned bending portion and the locking portion or locking receiving portion at the tip is hinged to the rear surface side of the base portion of the lid, Due to the bulging action of the airbag, the projection distance of the free end locking release lever on the bag pop-out hole surface is reduced, so that the locking with the locking receiving portion of the locking portion is released. The airbag device for the passenger seat, which is characterized in that