JPH06298031A - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve assembling workability in an airbag device for automobile and the like, by tightening the peripheral part of an airbag cover with a band, and clamping the peripheral part of the airbag cover between a retainer and a band whose side peripheral parts are circular in the peripheral direction. CONSTITUTION:A retainer 22 which is mounted onto a vehicle body and onto which an airbag cover 32 is mounted is constituted of a circular main plate part 22a and a side peripheral wall 22b. The peripheral part 32a of an airbag 32 is fitted to the side peripheral wall 22b of the retainer 22 so that they may be overlapped each other, tightened from the outside of the peripheral part 32a with a tightening band 34, and clamped between the retainer peripheral wall 22b and the band 34. Tightening of the band 34 is held by a one-way clamp 36.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air bag device which is disposed in front of an occupant of an automobile or the like and absorbs the occupant's impact by inflating and deploying in the event of a vehicle collision. More specifically, the present invention relates to an air bag device having an improved connection structure between an air bag cover (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a cover) of an air bag device and a retainer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional air bag device of this type, there is one described in JP-A-1-160757.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a connecting structure of an air bag cover and a retainer according to JP-A-1-160757, and FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the assembled structure.

The air bag cover 1 has a substantially square shape, and a tongue piece portion (opening edge portion) 2 is provided on four sides of an opening edge portion thereof, and an outer edge 3a of the tongue piece portion 2 is provided. A concave portion 3 is provided around the entire circumference in the vicinity.

The retainer 4 is provided with a side peripheral wall 5 on its peripheral portion. The edge of the side wall 5 is bent outward to form a bent portion 5a. Further, the side peripheral wall 5 is provided with a concave portion 6 over the entire circumference. A ridge 7 formed on the back side of the recess 3 of the tongue piece 2 of the airbag cover 1 is engaged with the recess 6. A gas generating inflator 8 is mounted in a mounting hole 9 in the center of the retainer 4. A bolt insertion hole 10 for fixing an inflator is formed around the mounting hole 9.

The air bag 11 is housed in a folded state inside a cover surrounded by the retainer 4 and the air bag cover 1, and gas from the inflator 8 is introduced into the air bag 11. Is installed as follows. A ring 1 is provided in the recess 3 of the airbag cover 1.
2 is fitted. The ring 12 has a rectangular frame shape.

The tongue piece 2 of the air bag cover 1 is put on the outer peripheral surface of the side peripheral wall 5 of the retainer 4 as follows.
First, as shown in FIG. 14, the retainer 4 is once pushed deeply into the air bag cover 1 so that the opening edge of the tongue 2 can be freely bent inward, and the ring 12 is fitted into the recess 3. To do. Then, the retainer 4 is pulled in the direction of the arrow A, and the protrusion 7 is elastically contracted and deformed to be fitted and mounted in the recess 6. Then, as shown in FIG. 13, the tongue piece portion 2 is sandwiched between the side peripheral wall 5 and the ring 12, whereby the airbag cover 1 is connected to the retainer 4.

When the air bag 11 is deployed, the air bag cover 1 is urged in the direction of coming out of the retainer 4, but since the ring 12 clamps the tongue piece 2 with the side peripheral wall 5, the air bag cover 1 The state in which 1 is securely held by the retainer 4 is continued.

In this air bag device, the air bag cover 1 is connected to the retainer 4 as a connecting tool.
Since only one ring 12 is used, it is possible to provide an inexpensive structure for connecting the air bag cover and the retainer as compared with the case where a large number of rivets, bolts, washers, and the like are used.

[0010]

In the above conventional air bag device, if the length of each side of the ring 12 is as long as possible, the tightening of the tongue 2 by the ring 12 becomes loose. Therefore, it is necessary to use the ring 12 having high dimensional accuracy.

Further, in order to firmly fasten the tongue piece 2 with the ring 12, a large force A is required when the ring 12 is fitted into the side peripheral wall 5 together with the cover 1, and thus the air bag apparatus has a large force. Assembly workability was not good.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air bag device comprising a retainer attached to a vehicle body, an air bag cover attached to the retainer, and an air bag cover folded between the air bag cover and the retainer. It has an accommodated air bag and an inflator attached to the retainer, and the retainer has a side peripheral wall erected from a peripheral edge of the retainer, and the peripheral edge of the air bag cover is externally fitted to the side peripheral wall. In the airbag device described above, the peripheral portion of the airbag cover is tightened with a band, and the peripheral portion of the airbag cover is clamped and held between the band and the side peripheral wall of the retainer, and the side peripheral edge of the retainer is It is characterized in that it is substantially circular in the circumferential direction of the retainer.

The air bag device of claim 2 is the same as that of claim 1.
In, the side peripheral wall is a perfect circle or an ellipse in the circumferential direction of the retainer.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air bag device according to the first aspect.
In, the side peripheral wall, in the circumferential direction of the retainer,
It has an arcuate portion having a radius of curvature of 1 cm or more and a straight portion.

The airbag device of claim 4 is the same as that of claim 1.
3 to 3, the band is maintained in a tightened state by a one-way clamp that allows the band to pass in the tightening direction and prevents the band from passing in the loosening direction.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air bag device according to the first aspect.
1 to 4, a convex portion is provided on one of the peripheral portion of the airbag cover and the side peripheral wall, and an engaging portion that engages with the convex portion and prevents the airbag cover from coming off is provided on the other side. There is something.

[0017]

In the air bag device of the present invention, the air bag cover can be securely fastened to the retainer by covering the air bag cover on the retainer and then tightening the band.

In the air bag device of the second and third aspects, it is easy to uniformly tighten the band over the entire circumference of the retainer.

In the air bag device of claim 4,
The tightening force of the band can be easily increased and the airbag cover can be very firmly fixed to the retainer.

In the air bag device of claim 5,
The engagement between the convex portion and the engaging portion reliably prevents the airbag cover from coming out of the retainer.

[0021]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a main part of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention (a cross-sectional perspective view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 2), and FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the embodiment apparatus, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a retainer used in the embodiment apparatus, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an air bag cover used in the embodiment apparatus, and FIG. FIG.

First, the schematic construction of the airbag apparatus 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The retainer 22 has a circular main plate portion 22a and a side peripheral wall 22b standing upright from the peripheral edge of the main plate portion 22a, and an opening 22c for inserting the inflator 24 in the center of the main plate portion 22a. Has been drilled. Inflator 24
The front side is inserted into the opening 22c, and the flange portion 24a is fixed to the retainer 22 by the bolt 26. The air bag 28 is installed so that the opening on the rear side thereof is concentric with the opening 22c, the peripheral edge of the opening is pressed by the pressing ring 30, and is fixed to the retainer 22 by the bolt 26.

An air bag cover 32 is attached to the retainer 22 so as to cover the folded air bag 28. A peripheral edge portion 32 a of the airbag cover 32 extends along the outer surface side of the side peripheral wall 22 b of the retainer 22. A tightening band 34 is provided so as to surround the peripheral portion 32a.

As shown in FIG. 6, this tightening band 34
Has a one-way clamp 36 at its rear end, and the tip 34a is inserted into this clamp 36. Clamp 3
No. 6 allows the band tip side 34a to pass smoothly when it moves to the tightening side as shown by arrow A. Clamp 3
A ball (not shown) is provided inside 6 so as to contact the surface of the band 34, and the tip side of the band 34 is indicated by an arrow A.
When trying to pass the clamp 36 in the opposite direction, that is, in the loosening direction, the ball bites into the band 34 and prevents the band from retracting. As the tightening band 34, THE PAN-STEEL (trade name) manufactured by PANDUIT of TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS 60477 is suitable.

The back of the air bag cover 32 has a fifth
A tear line 37 is provided as shown in the figure. Also,
From the tip of the peripheral portion 32a of the airbag cover 32,
As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a convex portion 38 is provided so as to project inward, and the convex portion 38 engages with the tip of the retainer side peripheral wall 22b.

The air bag device 2 thus constructed
At 0, when the inflator 24 is actuated and gas is ejected, the airbag 28 is deployed, the airbag cover 32 is split along the tear line 37, and the airbag 28 is largely deployed in the vehicle compartment.

In this air bag device 20, the main plate portion 22a of the retainer 22 is circular and the side peripheral wall 2 thereof is provided.
2b has a circular shape in the circumferential direction of the retainer 22. Further, since the peripheral edge portion 32a of the airbag cover also has a circular shape following the side peripheral wall 22b, when the airbag apparatus 20 is assembled, the peripheral edge portion 32a.
Along the side wall 22b, and tightening band 34 from the outside.
Assembling the air bag device 20 can be performed very easily and quickly. In addition, the convex portion 3
Since 8 is engaged with the tip of the retainer side peripheral wall 22b,
The air bag cover 32 and the retainer 22 are firmly engaged with each other, and there is no possibility that the air bag cover 32 will be separated from the retainer 22 when the air bag 28 is deployed.

In the above-described embodiment, the peripheral portion 32a of the air bag cover 32 has an annular shape which is continuous over the circumferential direction, but in the present invention, like the air bag cover 32A in FIG. The cut 40 may be provided in some places. The cut 40
The air bag cover 32A peripheral portion 3
When the 2a is fitted into the retainer side peripheral wall 22b, the protrusion 3
Even when 8 is projected inward, the peripheral edge portion 32a can be pushed outward and easily engaged with the side peripheral wall 22b. The other configuration of FIG. 7 is exactly the same as that of FIG. 5, and the same reference numerals indicate the same parts.

Although the convex portion 38 is provided on the air bag cover peripheral portion 32a in the above embodiment, in the present invention, the retainer side peripheral wall 22 like the air bag cover 32B in FIG.
It is also possible to cut and raise the claw portion 42 in b and engage the claw portion 42 with the opening 44 provided in the peripheral edge portion 32a. The engagement of the claw portion 42 and the opening 44 can also reliably prevent the airbag cover 32B from coming off. The other reference numerals in FIG. 8 indicate the same parts as in the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the retainer 22 has a perfect circular plane shape as shown in FIG. 9, but in the present invention, the elliptical retainer 22A and the first retainer 22A shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a retainer 50 having an arcuate portion 46 and a linear portion 48 may be used. However, the radius of curvature R of the arc-shaped portion 46 is 1 cm or more, preferably 3 to 5
Should be cm. That is, if the radius of curvature R of the arcuate portion 46 is smaller than 1 cm, the tightening force of the arcuate portion 46 is eroded by the friction of the arcuate portion 46 when the tightening band 34 is tightened. This is because it is not possible to tighten the peripheral portion of the air bag cover uniformly over the circumference.

[0031]

As described above, in the air bag device of the present invention, the peripheral portion of the air bag cover is arranged along the side peripheral wall of the retainer, and the air bag cover is connected by tightening it with the tightening band from the outside. Is extremely easy, and the assembly cost of the air bag device can be significantly reduced.

In the air bag device of the second and third aspects, the tightening band can be tightened uniformly and strongly over the entire circumference of the retainer, and the air bag cover and the retainer should be strongly connected. Is possible.

In the air bag device of claim 4,
The tightening band can be tightened very easily.

In the air bag device of claim 5,
The engagement between the protrusion and the engagement part prevents the air bag cover from coming off the retainer, so the air bag cover can be securely fastened to the retainer even if the tightening force of the tightening band is somewhat small. It is possible to set.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a main part of an apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an example device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a retainer of the embodiment apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of an airbag cover of the embodiment apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part of a tightening band.

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of an airbag cover used in another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of main parts of a device according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a planar shape of a retainer 22.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a planar shape of a retainer 22A.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a planar shape of a retainer 50.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a conventional example.

FIG. 14 is an assembly explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 Airbag device 22, 22A Retainer 22b Side peripheral wall 24 Inflator 28 Airbag 32, 32A, 32B Airbag cover 34 Tightening band 38 Convex portion 42 Claw portion 44 Opening 50 Retainer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A retainer attached to a vehicle body, an air bag cover attached to the retainer, an air bag folded and stored between the air bag cover and the retainer, and attached to the retainer. An inflator, the retainer has a side peripheral wall provided upright from a peripheral edge of the inflator, and the peripheral edge of the airbag cover is externally fitted to the side peripheral wall. The air bag cover is clamped between the band and the side peripheral wall of the retainer, and the side peripheral edge of the retainer is substantially circular in the circumferential direction of the retainer. Air bag device to do. 2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the side peripheral wall is a perfect circle or an ellipse in the circumferential direction of the retainer. 3. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the side peripheral wall has an arcuate portion having a curvature radius of 1 cm or more and a straight portion in the circumferential direction of the retainer. 4. The tightened state according to claim 1, wherein the band is maintained by a one-way clamp that allows the band to pass in the tightening direction and prevents the band from passing in the loosening direction. Air bag device. 5. The air bag cover according to claim 1, wherein a convex portion is provided on one of the peripheral portion of the airbag cover and the side peripheral wall, and the other portion is engaged with the convex portion to prevent the airbag cover from coming off. An air bag device provided with an engaging portion to perform.