JPH06144137A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent cover fragments from being scattered to the occupant side and prevent a deployed air bag cover from interfering with the occupant by breaking and deploying the air bag cover in two side directions different from the inflation and deployment direction of a bag main body. CONSTITUTION:An air bag device is provided with a thin breakable section 16 disrupting an air bag 4 into two from the vertex section 4a of a box-like air bag cover 4 made of a resin material and covering an inflator 2 and a bag main body 3 to the periphery side 4b and a cover deploying means 17 guiding the gas pressure generated by the inflator 2 astride the periphery side of the inflator 2 and the periphery side 4b of the air bag cover 4 and applying the tearing load to the air bag cover 4 in the direction to disrupt it across the breakable section 16.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device for use in a vehicle such as an automobile, which restrains an occupant by inflating and expanding a bag body when the vehicle collides to prevent a secondary collision of the occupant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, an air bag device operates an inflator based on a sensing action of a collision sensor when a vehicle collides, and inflates the bag body by the gas pressure generated by the inflator to inflate the bag body into a vehicle compartment. The bag body that is rapidly inflated and receives the occupant inertially moved by the inflated and deployed bag body to prevent a secondary collision.

By the way, in such an airbag device, a thin easily tearable portion is formed at the zenith portion of the airbag cover which covers the inflator and the bag body folded and stored to cover the inflator. When the inflator is actuated, the zenith portion of the airbag cover is expanded in the same direction as the inflation and deployment direction of the bag body from the easily tearable portion by receiving the inflation pressure of the bag body, so that the bag body can be quickly moved. It can be deployed indoors.

On the other hand, among vehicles, for example, US Pat.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 072,966, as a countermeasure against a side collision of a vehicle, an airbag device is provided on a side wall portion of the vehicle interior such as a side surface of the front door on the vehicle interior side. In an emergency such as an emergency, the bag body is inflated and expanded laterally along the side of the passenger compartment in a flat shape, and the bag body restrains the lateral movement of the passenger to prevent a secondary collision. It has been known.

[0005]

As described above, an easily tearable portion is provided on the zenith portion of the airbag cover so that the zenith portion is in the same direction as the inflation and deployment directions of the bag body when the bag body is inflated and deployed. In particular, when the airbag device is provided on the side wall portion of the vehicle compartment as a measure against a side collision, the airbag cover has a small clearance between the side wall portion and the occupant. The airbag cover interferes with an occupant when deployed together with the main body into the passenger compartment.

Therefore, the present invention provides an airbag device capable of tearing and deploying the airbag cover in two lateral directions different from the inflation and deployment directions of the bag body, thereby further improving safety. To do.

[0007]

An airbag cover that covers an inflator and a bag body that is folded and stored to cover the inflator is divided into two parts from the zenith portion to the circumferential side. A direction in which the easily tearable portion is formed and a gas pressure generated by the inflator is introduced across the circumferential side of the inflator and the circumferential side of the airbag cover to divide into the airbag cover with the easily tearable portion as a boundary. A cover deploying means for applying a tearing load is provided.

[0008]

When the inflator is actuated to generate gas, the generated gas pressure causes the bag main body to expand, and at the same time, the generated gas pressure of the inflator is also introduced to the cover expanding means, and the cover expanding means causes the airbag to expand. A tearing load acts on the cover in the direction of dividing the cover at the easily tearable portion.

As a result, the airbag cover is torn in two directions laterally from the easily tearable portion, and the bag body is rapidly inflated and deployed from within the airbag cover.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a case where the airbag device 1 is provided on a side wall portion of the vehicle compartment, for example, on a side surface of the front door 22 on the vehicle interior side, as a countermeasure against a side collision of the vehicle.

The inner panel 23 of the front door 22 is covered with a door trim 24, and the air bag device 1 is disposed in a space formed between the inner panel 23 and the door trim 24.

The door trim 24 is formed with a window opening 25 for arranging the airbag apparatus 1 in a temporary manner, and the periphery of the window opening 25 is decorated with an escutcheon 26 so as to face the window opening 25. Airbag device 1 and door trim 2
It is arranged so as to be substantially flush with the four surfaces.

The airbag device 1 includes an inflator 2 and a bag body 3 that covers the inflator 2 and is folded and stored.
And a resin-made box-shaped airbag cover 4 that covers the inflator 2 and the bag body 3.

The inflator 2 is provided with a flange 5 on the circumferential side, and the gas filling port edge of the bag body 3 is sandwiched between the retainer 6 and the bracket 7 on the flange 5 so that a bolt,
The nut 8 is fixed so that the gas discharge port 9 of the inflator 2 faces the inside of the bag body 3, and the bolt / nut 27 is fixed to the inner panel 23 via the bracket 7.

In the inflator 2, the casing 10 is divided from the center side into an arrangement portion for the igniter 11 and the ignition agent 12, an arrangement portion for the gas generating agent 13, and an arrangement portion for the diffuser 14. When the vehicle collides, the igniter 11 is ignited by an electric signal from a collision sensor (not shown),
Instantly burn the gas generating agent 13 with the igniting agent 12,
Dust generated and diffused through the diffuser 14,
The gas is discharged from the gas outlet 9 into the bag body 3.

The airbag cover 4 is divided into two parts from the zenith part 4a to the peripheral side 4b to divide the airbag cover 4 into two parts to form a thin easily tearable part 16.

Then, the inflator 2 is straddled over the peripheral side of the inflator 2 and the peripheral side 4b of the airbag cover 4.
The air bag cover 4 is provided with a cover deploying means 17 for applying a tear load in a direction of dividing the easy-breakable portion 16 as a boundary by introducing the generated gas pressure.

The cover deploying means 17 comprises a cylinder 18 penetrating the casing 10 of the inflator 2 and communicating with a compartment in which the diffuser 14 is arranged, and a piston 19 slidably fitted in the cylinder 18. , The end of the operating rod 20 of the piston 19 on the circumferential side 4 of the airbag cover 4
The screw 21 is fixed to b and connected.

In this embodiment, the cylinder 18 is provided with a slight inclination toward the inner panel 23 side so that it can easily enter the back side of the door trim 24 when the airbag cover 4 is torn in two directions.

In the figure, 15 is a lead wire of the igniter 11, 2
Reference numeral 8 indicates a center pillar, and 29 indicates a front seat.

According to the structure of the above embodiment, when the inflator 2 is activated by an electric signal from a collision sensor (not shown) in an emergency such as a side collision of a vehicle, the inflator 2 is activated.
At the same time that the bag body 3 starts to expand due to the generated gas pressure of the cover inflator 1,
It is also introduced into the cylinder 18 of No. 7 and pushes the piston 19 outward to advance the operating rod 20 to apply a tearing load to the airbag cover 4 in a direction of dividing the airbag cover 4 with the easily tearable portion 16 as a boundary.

By the operation of the cover expanding means 17, the airbag cover 4 is torn in two directions laterally from the easily tearable portion 16 and is expanded to enter the back side of the door trim 24, so that the bag body 3 is covered with the airbag cover 4. 4 rapidly expands into the passenger compartment through the deployed portion of 4 and the window opening 25 of the door trim 24,
expand.

As a result, the expanded airbag cover 4 never interferes with an occupant (not shown) seated on the front seat 29, and the occupant can be reliably restrained by the bag body 3 to prevent a secondary collision. Can be prevented.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the airbag device 1 is provided on the side surface of the front door 22 on the passenger compartment side is shown as a countermeasure against the side collision of the vehicle. Of course, it may be arranged in front of the passenger in the room.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, simultaneously with the start of the inflation of the bag body when the inflator is actuated, the airbag cover is laterally moved from the easily tearable portion by the cover deploying means.
Since it can be torn and expanded in the same direction, the airbag cover expands in the same direction as the inflation and expansion of the bag body, and debris scatters toward the occupant and the expanded airbag cover interferes with the occupant. The safety can be further improved without any trouble.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2 showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an automobile door that employs an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the passenger compartment side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Airbag device 2 ... Inflator 3 ... Bag main body 4 ... Airbag cover 4a ... Zenith part of an air bag cover 4b ... Circumferential side of an air bag cover 16 ... Easy tearing part 17 ... Cover deployment means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An airbag cover covering an inflator and a bag main body that is folded and stored to cover the inflator, and the airbag cover is divided into two parts from the zenith part to the circumferential side to form an easily tearable part. On the other hand, while straddling the peripheral side of the inflator and the peripheral side of the airbag cover, the generated gas pressure of the inflator is introduced and the tear load is applied to the airbag cover in the direction of dividing at the easy tearing portion. An airbag device comprising a cover deploying means for applying the airbag.