JPH05338512A - Air bag device for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an air bag device to reduce the cost and weight of a vehicle while functions to protect an occupant are maintained. CONSTITUTION:An air bag device for automobile is provided with a bracket device 3 supported by a steering member 2 mounted across the right and left sides of a vehicle body, inflator supported by it, and an air bag main body. The bracket device comprises a first bracket 6 with an engagement part 11 at the forward side of a vehicle and a second bracket 7 of which the right and left ends 13 are supported by a steering member, of which the hook 16 approximately at the center part 14 is locked to an engagement end of the first bracket, and of which the supporting parts 14a and 17 support the inflator. Then a slit part 15 is formed between the right and left ends and the center of the second bracket so that the right and left ends of the second bracket may be separated from approximately the center part between them by a load applied on the inflator from the rear side to the front side.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automobile airbag device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a technique of this kind, for example,
There is one such as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. -16555. That is, as an automobile airbag device, a bracket device supported by a steering member installed in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, an inflator supported via the bracket device, and an airbag body supported by the inflator. Have.

[0003]

However, in such an automobile airbag system, the upper half of the occupant of the vehicle moves forward due to a secondary collision at the time of a vehicle collision, and the bag body of the airbag system expands. It holds the upper half of the body of the occupant who has moved to the front side and absorbs impact energy. At this time, since the upper half of the occupant is held, the lower half of the occupant, especially the knee, will enter the glove box portion of the instrument panel. Therefore, a knee pad for holding the knees of an occupant is provided in the glove box portion or a lower portion of the glove box portion, but this is not only expensive but also increases the vehicle weight. Therefore,
An object of the present invention is to provide means for reducing the cost and the weight of a vehicle while maintaining the function of protecting an occupant.

[0004]

As an automobile airbag device of the present invention, a bracket device supported by a steering member installed in the left-right direction of a vehicle body, and an inflator supported through the bracket device, The bracket device includes an airbag main body supported by the inflator, the bracket device includes a first bracket supported by the steering member and having an engaging portion on a front side of the vehicle, and left and right end portions supported by the steering member. Further, the hooking portion at the substantially left-right center portion between the left and right end portions is the first
The second bracket includes a second bracket that is locked to the engaging end portion of the bracket and that supports the inflator by a support portion formed in the substantially right and left central portions. A slit portion is formed between the substantially central portion and the left and right end portions and the substantially right and left central portions by a load applied to the inflator from the rear to the front.

[0005]

[Operation] According to this structure, when the lower body of the occupant, especially the knee, hits against the airbag device during a vehicle collision, a crack is generated in the slit portion of the second bracket supporting the inflator and the airbag device reacts. While moving, the vehicle moves in a direction away from the occupant. As a result, the collision energy of the lower half of the occupant can be absorbed without the knee pad. Since there is no knee pad, the cost can be reduced and the weight can be reduced.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a passenger airbag device 1 for a vehicle includes a bracket device 3 supported by a steering member 2 that is installed on a side panel (not shown) in the "horizontal direction of the vehicle body", and the bracket. It has an inflator 4 supported via the device 3 and an airbag body 5 supported by the inflator 4.

The bracket device 3 comprises a first bracket 6 and a second bracket 7. The first bracket 6 is formed in a U-shape in a plan view with an opening 8 at the front, and is formed substantially vertically from the left and right of the flat portion 9 and extends over the upper portion of the steering member 2. And the left and right plate portions 10 and 10 which are disposed on the steering member 2 and are supported by the welding member GW. Engagement portions 11, 11 are provided at an end portion of the plane portion 9 on the front side of the vehicle, and a flange 12 is vertically provided on the rear side of the vehicle.

The second bracket 7 has left and right end portions 13,
13 and the left and right substantially central portion 14 are integrally formed, and the slit portion 1 is provided between the left and right end portions 13 and 13 and the left and right substantially central portion 14.
5, 15 are formed. The left and right end portions 13, 13
Has a substantially inverted V-shaped cross section, and its front end portion 13a,
13a is supported by the steering member 2 by the welding GW, and rear end portions 13b and 13b are substantially central portions 1 on the left and right sides.
It is arranged so as to ride on the flange 12 of the plane portion 9 of No. 4.

The left and right substantially central portion 14 has the first portion at the front end.
A hooking portion 16 that is engaged with the engaging portions 11, 11 of the bracket 6 is formed, a through hole 14a is formed substantially in the front and rear central portion, and a nut 17 is fixedly provided on the lower surface of the through hole 14a. A "supporting portion" is formed by the through hole 14a and the nut 17, and the bracket 4a of the inflator 4 is formed in the nut 17 via the bolt 18 and the washer 19.
To support.

The slit portions 15 and 15 are provided at the rear end portions 13b and 13b of the left and right end portions 13 and 13 by the load applied to the inflator 4 rearward, for example, when the knee portion 20a of the occupant 20 hits the front portion. 13b is lifted,
Twist is generated between the left and right substantially central portions 14, and then a split is formed between the left and right end portions 13 and 13 and the left and right substantially central portions 14.

According to this structure, as shown in FIG. 3, at the time of a vehicle collision, the occupant 20 starts idling forward and a collision sensor (not shown) is activated after 20 seconds, causing the inflator 4 to burn non-combustible gas. Occurs, the bag cover (not shown) of the airbag body 5 is broken, the bag is inflated, and the airbag bag is opened, as shown in FIG.
While holding the upper half body 20b, the knee portion 20a interferes with the glove box 22 of the instrument panel 21. When the lower body of the occupant 20, especially the knee 20a, hits the inflator 4 of the airbag device 1 through the glove box 22, a slit is formed in the slits 15, 15 of the second bracket 7 supporting the inflator 4. The airbag device 1 moves in a direction away from the occupant while generating a reaction force. As a result, as shown in FIG.
After the inflation of the airbag body 5 is completed, even if the inflator 4 moves, the restraint of the occupant 20 is not affected, and the collision energy of the lower body of the occupant can be absorbed even without the knee pad. Since there is no knee pad, the cost can be reduced and the weight can be reduced. And
As shown in FIG. 6, the upper half body 20b of the occupant 20 rotates backward.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be described in detail. In FIGS. 7 and 8, an automobile airbag device 1 includes a bracket device 30 supported by a steering member 2 installed on a side panel (not shown) in the “horizontal direction of the vehicle body”, and the bracket device 30. The inflator 4 is supported by the inflator 4, and the airbag body 5 is supported by the inflator 4. The bracket device 30 includes the first bracket 6
And the second bracket 31.

The second bracket 31 has left and right end portions 3
2, 32 and the left and right substantially central portion 14 are integrally formed, and the slit portions 15, 15 are formed between the left and right end portions 32, 32 and the left and right substantially central portion 14. The left and right end portions 32, 32 include a main body 32a having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and flanges 32b, 32c protruding substantially horizontally from the front and rear end portions of the main body 32a.
a is wound around the steering member 2, and a bolt 33a inserted into a through hole 32d formed in a rear flange 32c is fixed to a front flange 32b by a nut 3a.
It is screwed to 3b.

The left and right substantially central portion 14 has the first portion at the front end.
A hooking portion 16 that is engaged with the engaging portions 11, 11 of the bracket 6 is formed, a through hole 14a is formed substantially in the front and rear central portion, and a nut 17 is fixedly provided on the lower surface of the through hole 14a. A "supporting portion" is formed by the through hole 14a and the nut 17, and the bracket 4a of the inflator 4 is formed in the nut 17 via the bolt 18 and the washer 19.
To support.

The slit portions 15 and 15 are provided at the rear end portions 13b and 13b of the left and right end portions 13 and 13 by the load applied to the front side of the inflator 4 when the knee portion 20a of the occupant 20 hits the rear portion, for example. 13b is lifted,
Twist is generated between the left and right substantially central portion 14, and then a split is formed between the left and right end portions 32, 32 and the left and right substantially central portion 14.

According to this structure, when the lower body of the occupant 20, particularly the knee portion 20a, hits the inflator 4 of the airbag device 1 during a vehicle collision, the slit portions 15, 15 of the second bracket 31 supporting the inflator 4 are struck. While a crack is generated and the airbag device 1 generates a reaction force,
It moves in a direction away from the occupant 20. This allows
Even without the knee pad, the collision energy of the lower half of the occupant can be absorbed. Since there is no knee pad, the cost can be reduced and the weight can be reduced.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, as an automobile air bag device, a bracket device supported by a steering member installed in the lateral direction of the vehicle body,
An inflator supported via the bracket device;
The bracket device includes an airbag main body supported by the inflator, the bracket device includes a first bracket supported by the steering member and having an engaging portion on a front side of the vehicle, and left and right end portions supported by the steering member. Further, a hooking portion at a substantially left-right center portion between the left-right end portions is locked to an engaging end portion of the first bracket, and the inflator is supported by a support portion formed at the substantially left-right center portion. A slit that can be cut between the left and right end portions and the left and right substantially central portion by a load applied to the inflator from the rear to the front between the left and right end portions and the substantially left and right central portions of the second bracket. According to this structure, the lower body of the occupant, especially the knee, hits against the airbag device in the event of an automobile collision. When a slit is formed in the slit of the second bracket that supports the inflator, the airbag device generates a reaction force and moves in a direction away from the occupant, so that the lower body of the occupant can hold the knee pad even without the knee pad. The collision energy can be absorbed and the function of protecting the occupant can be maintained, and the cost can be reduced and the weight can be reduced because there is no knee pad.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the airbag device according to the first embodiment of the present invention before being inflated.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the airbag device according to the first embodiment of the present invention immediately after inflation.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the airbag device according to the first embodiment of the present invention after inflation.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which the airbag device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is deflated and the knees of an occupant are hit.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 7.

[Description of Reference Signs] 1 Automotive airbag device 2 Steering member 3 Bracket device 30 Bracket device 4 Inflator 5 Airbag body 6 First bracket 7 Second bracket 31 Second bracket 11 Engagement portion 13 Left and right end portions 32 Left and right end portions 14 Left and right substantially central part 14a Support part 17 Support part 15 Slit part 16 Hook part 20 Occupant 20a Knee

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A structure comprising: a bracket device supported by a steering member installed in the left-right direction of a vehicle body; an inflator supported via the bracket device; and an airbag body supported by the inflator. The bracket device includes a first bracket that is supported by the steering member and has an engaging end portion on the front side of the vehicle, and a left and right end portions that are supported by the steering member and is hooked at a substantially central portion between the left and right end portions. A second bracket which is locked to the engaging portion of the first bracket and supports the inflator by a support portion formed in the substantially left and right central portion. The left and right end portions and the left and right substantially central portions due to the load applied to the inflator from the rear to the front between the end portions and the substantially left and right central portions. There airbag device for a motor vehicle, wherein a slit portion that can be cleaved is formed.