JPH08164813A - Air bag device for front passenger's seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the damage of an air bag at the edge part of a case in a system of storing an air bag in the state of being folded in an inverted U- shape and corrugated shape. CONSTITUTION: In an air bag module 12, an air bag 16 communicated with an inflator 14 is enclosed in the folded state inside a retainer case 13 with the upper part opened, so as to form a base end side initial swelling part 16b and a tip side extended part 16c in the state of being overlapped vertically flat. L-shape protector cloth 20 is fitted to the opening part 13a of the retainer case 13 so that the air bag 16 is normally kept in the stored state by a horizontal part 20a and that the horizontal part 20a is reversed backward and bent downward at the edge 13b of the opening part 13a of the retainer case 13 to retreat by the expansion of the bag. A low friction sheet 21 is sewn on the inside of the protector cloth 20, near an angular part reversed backward and bent downward at the time of bag expansion.

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 which is provided in a passenger seat of a vehicle and which prevents a secondary collision of an occupant's face with a windshield, an instrument panel or the like during a frontal collision. Specifically, it relates to measures for preventing airbag damage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in vehicles such as passenger cars, there is a tendency to install an airbag device not only in the driver's seat but also in the passenger seat next to it. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG.
In the instrument panel 3 of the passenger compartment 2, the front passenger seat airbag device 10 is provided with a lid 11 that opens upward in a flat portion in front of the glove box 6 that faces the front passenger seat 4. In order to protect the occupant's face with the inflated and expanded airbag, it is necessary to securely support the side of the airbag opposite to the occupant, that is, the front of the airbag. Therefore, since the windshield 5 is arranged in front of the instrument panel 3 in the passenger compartment 2,
A method has been proposed in which the front of the airbag in the passenger seat 4 is deployed so as to be surely supported by a wide windshield 5.

This type of passenger airbag device 10
For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, a lid 11 is attached to a substantially horizontal upper surface 3a of the instrument panel 3 so as to open rearwardly opposite to the windshield 5, and the instrument panel under the lid 11 is attached. The airbag module 12 is mounted inside the device 3. In the airbag module 12, a retainer case 13 formed in an elongated box shape having an upper opening is mounted substantially vertically just below the lid 11, and a cylindrical inflator 14 serving as a gas generator is installed in a lower portion of the retainer case 13. Accommodated, top opening 13a
The airbag 16 is folded and stored in the airbag storage chamber 15 between the inflator 14 and the inflator 14.

The airbag 16 is made of a soft sheet material and has a base end portion 16a having an opening, and has a shape as shown in FIG. 6C when inflated and deployed. That is, the left and right side seats 17b are formed in a substantially L shape with the width gradually wider than the base end portion 16a.
The front and rear seats 17a are sewn on the entire circumference between them, and are formed so as to be bent into an L shape with a predetermined width and inflated and deployed. The airbag 16 has its base end portion 16a fixed to the inner circumference of the case directly above the inflator 14 by a fixing member 18 so that the airbag 16 communicates with the inflator 14 and the gas ejection holes 19 in the entire region, and the retainer case 13 is caused by gas pressure. Mounted to expand out of.

The folded state of the airbag 16 will be described. The airbag 16 is folded into two types in a state where the entire length is flatly piled up and down and divided into a base end side and a front end side. That is, the proximal half is folded from the lower front portion to the lower rear portion through the upper end opening in an inverted U-shape and is folded so as to form a linear initial bulge portion 16b. In addition, the tip side half is bent inside the bulging portion 16b in a corrugated manner to form the extended portion 16c after bulging. Then, the two types of folded state are stored in the airbag storage chamber 15.

An L-shaped protector cloth 20 is attached to the retainer case 13 so that the vertical part 20c is fixed to the rear part of the case and the horizontal part 20a covers the opening 13a to keep the airbag 16 in a stored state. It In this case, in the protector cloth 20, when the bag is inflated, the horizontal portion 20a is easily inverted backward and bent downward at the edge 13b of the opening 13a of the retainer case 13 so as to be retracted.

As a result, in the instrument panel 3, the lid 1 of the passenger seat airbag device 10 is normally provided.
1 is closed as shown in FIG. 6A, and the airbag module 1
2, the horizontal portion 20a of the protector cloth 20 covers the opening 13a of the retainer case 13. Therefore, the airbag 16 comes into contact with the horizontal portion 20a in the folded state including the initial bulge portion 16b and the extension portion 16c, and is reliably stored in the airbag storage chamber 15.

When the vehicle 1 collides forward and the gas generating agent of the inflator 14 is ignited, the high-pressure gas emits gas.
Thus, the airbag 16 is immediately introduced into the airbag 16 from its base end portion 16a and inflated. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the gas is first introduced into the initial bulging portion 16b on the base end side of the airbag 16 and swells, and this gas pressure causes the horizontal portion 20a of the protector cloth 20 to invert and bend backward. The opening 13a of the retainer case 13 is fully opened, and at the same time, the lid 11 is also lifted and opened. So airbag 1
6, the initial bulging portion 16b linearly and quickly bulges, and at this time, the initial bulging portion 16b includes the front half-open lid 11 and the rearwardly bent corner portion 20b of the protector cloth 20.
, And bends above the instrument panel 3 in a V shape and swells.

After that, the extension portion 16 on the tip side is caused by gas pressure.
c is sequentially pulled out from the retainer case 13 and extends, whereby the capacity of the airbag 16 suddenly increases and inflates upward. Then, the inflated airbag 16 hits the windshield 5, is guided by the windshield 5 and inflates toward the passenger seat 4 as well, and is expanded into one large bag as shown in FIG. 6C. As a result, the occupant's face is properly protected by being received by the airbag 16 supported by the windshield 5.

According to the above-mentioned conventional example, the corner portion 20b of the protector cloth 20 is in the early stage of inflation of the airbag 16.
However, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the corner portion 2 is bent at an acute angle.
The inside of the initial bulging portion 16b of the airbag 16 is strongly pressed against the 0b by the high pressure gas in a single state. Therefore, when the strength of the airbag 16 is reduced particularly under severe conditions of high temperature, the corners 20b of the protector cloth 20 may damage and damage the airbag 16.

In the conventional example shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, the reinforcing cloth 25 is sewn to the front and rear seats 17a of the airbag 16. In this case, if the reinforcing cloth 25 is made large, the bag deployment is delayed and the occupant restraint performance is deteriorated. Therefore, the reinforcing cloth 25 is locally provided only in the portions of the front and rear seats 17a that come into contact with the windshield 5. As a result, when the airbag 16 is folded, the reinforcing cloth 25 is arranged outside the initial bulging portion 16b as shown in (a), and the rigidity of the reinforcing cloth 25 allows the airbag 16 to be stored in a folded state. , Therefore, the protector cloth is unnecessary. Other than this,
The configuration is exactly the same as that of FIG. 1, and the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

Therefore, in this conventional example, when the bag is inflated, first, the initial bulging portion 16b having the reinforcing cloth 25 as shown in FIG.
And the case edge 13b on the rear side, and bends upward in the shape of a dogleg to the instrument panel 3 to bulge, and then the extension portion 16c is pulled out and further bulges. And airbag 1
The reinforcing cloth 25 of 6 contacts the windshield 5 and is supported so as not to be damaged.

By the way, according to this conventional example, at the initial stage of inflation of the airbag 16, the weak portion of the extending portion 16c detached from the reinforcing cloth 25 on the edge 13b of the retainer case 13 is in a single state as shown in FIG. 7B. Pressed strongly by high pressure gas. For this reason, the airbag 16 is subjected to severe conditions especially at high temperatures.
Edge of the retainer case 13 when the strength of
3b may also damage the airbag 16. Therefore, in the system in which the airbag is folded and stored in the inverted U shape and the corrugated shape like the above-mentioned two conventional examples, it is required to take measures to prevent the airbag from being damaged at the edge of the case at the initial stage of inflation. It

Conventionally, as to the prevention of damage to the airbag of the passenger airbag device, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-2086 is used.
There is a prior art of Japanese Patent Publication No. 49. In this prior art,
The door is connected to the other end of the case via a joint,
The joint is provided with a neck portion, and a convex portion is provided so as to surround the neck portion. Then, when the airbag is activated, the joint ruptures from the neck, and at this time the rupture tip is hidden by the convex portion, which indicates that the airbag does not contact the rupture tip and damage is prevented. Has been done.

[0015]

By the way, in the above-mentioned prior art, the upper portion of the air bag advancing into the vehicle compartment is guided by the convex portion, while the lower portion bent in a dogleg shape is opened in the case. Since it slides on the edge, the airbag may be damaged at this portion. Further, since the case and the door are connected by the joint having the neck portion, the rupture tip portion, and the convex portion, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps at this portion are increased.

In view of the above, the present invention has an object to prevent the airbag from being damaged at the edge of the case in a system in which the airbag is folded and housed in an inverted U shape and a wave shape.

[0017]

In order to achieve this object, in a passenger airbag device according to a first aspect of the present invention, a lid is provided on a substantially horizontal upper surface of an instrument panel facing a passenger seat. An airbag module is provided under the lid, and the airbag module communicates with the inflator inside the retainer case with an open upper part. It is folded and stored so as to form a bulge and an extension on the tip side, and an L-shaped protector cloth is usually placed in the opening of the retainer case to keep the airbag in a stored state by the horizontal part and the horizontal part due to bag inflation. In the airbag device for a passenger seat, which is mounted so as to be reversed backward and bent downward at the edge of the opening of the retainer case to be retracted, Inside the Takurosu, characterized by depositing a low-friction sheet in the vicinity of the corner portion that is bent downward inverted backward upon bag inflation.

In the passenger seat airbag apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, a lid is provided on a substantially horizontal upper surface of the instrument panel facing the passenger seat, and an airbag module is arranged under the lid. In the airbag module, an airbag that communicates with the inflator is formed inside a retainer case with an opening at the top, forming an initial bulge portion on the proximal end side and an extended portion that folds into a wavy shape on the distal end side in a state of being flatly stacked vertically. In the airbag device for a passenger seat, which is folded and stored as described above, and the reinforcing cloth is sewn to the initial bulging portion of the airbag, the airbag has an initial bulging portion provided with a reinforcing cloth on the base end side and a tip end. It is characterized in that it is folded and housed so as to form a linear extension between the extension and the side-folded extension.

[0019]

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the airbag is normally folded and accommodated in the retainer case of the airbag module, and is retained in the accommodated state by the horizontal portion of the protector cloth. When the vehicle collides forward, high-pressure gas is introduced into the airbag from the inflator and inflates, and this gas pressure causes the horizontal portion of the protector cloth to flip backward and bend downward at the edge of the case to evacuate, while the lid also rises upward. Lift up and open. Therefore, in the airbag, first, the initial bulging portion on the base end side is guided by the corners of the front half-open lid and the rearwardly bent protector cross, and is bent and bulged in a dogleg shape above the instrument panel. Put out.

Therefore, the initial bulging portion is pressed by the gas pressure to the corner portion of the protector cloth that is bent at an acute angle, but at this time, the corner portion is reversed and the low friction sheet that comes out to the outside is easily contacted to easily come out easily. Become. Therefore, even under particularly severe conditions of high temperature, the airbag is prevented from coming out smoothly from the retainer case, which prevents the corners of the protector cloth from being damaged.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the airbag is normally folded and stored inside the retainer case of the airbag module, and is held in the stored state by the initial bulging portion provided with the reinforcing cloth. When the vehicle collides forward, high-pressure gas is introduced from the inflator into the airbag and inflates, and the gas pressure causes the lid to rise upward and open. Therefore, first of all, the airbag has an initial bulge with a reinforcing cloth.
Guided by the front half-open lid and the rear edge of the retainer case, it bends and bulges above the instrument panel in a V shape.

At this time, the linear extension part which is separated from the reinforcing cloth is slightly pulled out, and the extension part only touches the edge of the retainer case in a two-ply state in which no gas pressure is applied.
Therefore, the portion of the airbag without the reinforcing cloth is not pressed against the edge of the case by the high pressure gas, and the damage is prevented.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a passenger seat airbag device having a protector cloth will be described.
In the passenger airbag device 10, the lid 11 is provided on the substantially horizontal upper surface of the instrument panel 3, and the windshield 5 is attached.
The airbag module 12 is attached to the side of the passenger seat opposite to the above so as to be opened, and the airbag module 12 is mounted inside the instrument panel 3 below the lid 11. In the airbag module 12, a retainer case 13 formed in a slender box shape having an opening at the top is mounted substantially vertically just below the lid 11, and a cylindrical inflator 14 serving as a gas generator is installed in a lower portion inside the retainer case 13. Is accommodated in the air bag storage chamber 15 between the opening 13a at the upper end and the inflator 14.
The airbag 16 is folded and stored.

The air bag 16 is made of a soft sheet material and has a bag-like shape with an opening at the base end portion 16a, and is formed to bend and expand in an L shape with a predetermined width as in the conventional case. The airbag 16 has its base end portion 16a fixed to the inner circumference of the case directly above the inflator 14 by a fixing member 18 so that the airbag 16 communicates with the inflator 14 and the gas ejection holes 19 in the entire region, and the retainer case 13 is caused by gas pressure. Mounted to expand out of.

The folded state of the airbag 16 will be described. The airbag 16 is folded into two types in a state where the entire length is flatly piled up and down and divided into a proximal end side and a distal end side. That is, the proximal half is folded from the lower front portion to the lower rear portion through the upper end opening in an inverted U-shape and is folded so as to form a linear initial bulge portion 16b. In addition, the tip side half is bent inside the bulging portion 16b in a corrugated manner to form the extended portion 16c after bulging. Then, the two types of folded state are stored in the airbag storage chamber 15.

An L-shaped protector cloth 20 is attached to the retainer case 13 so that the vertical part 20c is fixed to the rear part of the case and the horizontal part 20a covers the opening 13a to keep the airbag 16 in a stored state. It In this case, in the protector cloth 20, when the bag is inflated, the horizontal portion 20a is easily inverted backward and bent downward at the edge 13b of the opening 13a of the retainer case 13 so as to be retracted.

Further, the corner portion 20 of the protector cloth 20
Explaining the airbag damage prevention means by b,
As shown in FIG. 1, a slippery low-friction sheet 21 such as a Teflon sheet is sewn on a part of the horizontal portion 20a from the vertical portion 20c on the inner side of the protector cloth 20 through the corner portion 20b. In addition, the extra length portion 21a of the low-friction sheet 21 includes the base end portion 16a and the extension portion 16 of the folded airbag 16.
It is also installed between c and.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. Normally, in the instrument panel 3, the lid 11 of the passenger airbag device 10 is closed as shown in FIG.
The horizontal portion 20a of 0 is the opening 13a of the retainer case 13.
Covers. For this reason, the airbag 16 is provided with the initial bulge portion 16b and the extension portion 16c, and the horizontal portion 2 in the folded state.
It comes into contact with 0a and is reliably stored in the airbag storage chamber 15.

When the vehicle 1 collides forward and the gas generating agent of the inflator 14 is ignited, the high-pressure gas emits gas.
Thus, the airbag 16 is immediately introduced into the airbag 16 from its base end portion 16a and inflated. At this time, the gas is first introduced into the initial bulging portion 16b on the base end side of the airbag 16 and inflates as shown in FIG. 2, and this gas pressure causes the horizontal portion 2 of the protector cloth 20 to swell.
0a reversely bends backward and retracts, whereby the opening 13a of the retainer case 13 is fully opened, and at the same time, the lid 11 is opened.
Also lifts up and opens. Then, the initial bulging portion 16b of the airbag 16 bulges linearly and quickly, and at this time, the initial bulging portion 16b is guided by the front half-open lid 11 and the corner portion 20b of the rearwardly bent protector cloth 20. Then, it bends in a V shape and bulges above the instrument panel 3.

Therefore, the inside of the initial bulging portion 16b is pressed against the corner portion 20b of the protector cloth 20 which is bent at an acute angle by the gas pressure, but before this, the corner portion 20b is reversed and the low friction sheet 21 is placed outside. coming out. Therefore, the initial bulging portion 16b comes into contact with the low-friction sheet 21, easily slips and easily comes out of the retainer case 13. In addition, the extension portion 16c
Also, the low-friction sheet 21 and the extra-length portion 21a thereof easily come out of the retainer case 13. Therefore, even under severe conditions, especially at high temperatures, the airbag 16 comes out smoothly from the retainer case 13, which causes the protector cloth 2
The zero corners 20b prevent damage.

After that, the extension portion 16 on the tip side is caused by gas pressure.
c is sequentially pulled out from the retainer case 13 and extends, whereby the capacity of the airbag 16 suddenly increases and inflates upward. Then, the inflated airbag 16 hits the windshield 5, and is guided by the windshield 5 to inflate toward the front passenger seat 4 and is expanded into one large bag.
As a result, the occupant's face is properly protected by being received by the airbag 16 supported by the windshield 5.

3 and 4, another embodiment of the passenger seat airbag device having a reinforcing cloth will be described. In the passenger airbag device 10 of this embodiment, the reinforcing cloth 2 is provided only on the portion of the airbag 16 that contacts the windshield 5.
5 is locally sewn on. As a result, when the airbag 16 is folded, the reinforcing cloth 25 is arranged outside the initial bulging portion 16b, and the rigidity of the reinforcing cloth 25 causes the airbag 16 to fold.
Can be stored in a folded state, which eliminates the need for a protector cloth.

Further, the airbag damage preventing means by the case edge 13b will be described. The folding method of the airbag 16 is changed as shown in FIG. In other words, the airbag 16 has its entire length laid flat in the vertical direction on the base end side,
It is divided into two types, divided into the tip side and the middle of both. Then, the base end side portion is folded from the lower front portion to the lower rear portion through the upper end opening in an inverted U-shape so as to form a linear initial bulge portion 16b. In addition, the middle portion is similarly folded into an inverted U shape inside the bulging portion 16b to form a linear extension portion 16b.
The reinforcing cloth 25 is sewn to the initial inflating portion 16b and a part of the extending portion 16d so that the reinforcing cloth 25 is sewn. Then, it is folded further inside the linear extending portion 16d so as to form a corrugated extending portion 16c by the tip side portion, and the folded state is stored in the airbag storage chamber 15. Other than this, the configuration is exactly the same as in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

According to this embodiment, the airbag 16 is normally held in the retainer case 13 by the rigidity of the initial bulging portion 16b provided with the outermost reinforcing cloth 25. When the bag is inflated, first, as shown in FIG. 4, the initial bulging portion 16b of the airbag 16 is guided by the front half-open lid 11 and the rear case edge 13b in the same manner as described above, and is positioned above the instrument panel 3. Bends in a V shape and swells. At this time, the linear extension 16d is slightly pulled out,
The portion of the extended portion 16d that is disengaged from the reinforcing cloth 25 only touches the edge 13b of the retainer case 13 in a two-layered state in which no gas pressure is applied. Therefore, the airbag 16
The part without the reinforcing cloth 25 of the case is edge 1 of the case due to the high pressure gas.
It is not pressed by 3b and its damage is prevented.

After that, the linear extension portion 16 is formed by the gas pressure.
d, and then the corrugated extension 16c is attached to the retainer case 13.
The airbag 16 is pulled out from the bag and then extended.
Rapidly expands in capacity and expands upward. Then, the inflated airbag 16 hits the windshield 5, and at this time, the reinforcing cloth 25 contacts the windshield 5 and is supported so as not to be damaged.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the low-friction sheet may be sewn on at least the corners of the protector cloth.

[0037]

As described above, in the passenger airbag apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the airbag is stored by folding it into an inverted U-shape and a corrugated shape, and the airbag is held in the stored state. In the method with the protector cloth, the airbag is inflated because the low friction seat is sewn inside the protector cloth near the corners that turn backward and bend downward when the bag inflates. The retainer case can easily come out from the initial stage, and damage to the protector cloth due to the corners can be prevented. Since no means such as adding a reinforcing cloth is applied to the airbag, it does not affect the inflation and deployment of the bag.

In the airbag apparatus for a passenger seat according to a second aspect, the airbag is stored by folding it in an inverted U-shape and a corrugated shape, and a reinforcing cloth is sewn to the airbag. The airbag is inflated because it is folded and stored so as to form a linear extension between the initial bulge with the reinforcing cloth At the beginning, the edge of the retainer case is not strongly pressed, and the damage can be prevented. Because it changes the folding method of the airbag, it does not affect the performance of bag inflation and deployment,
High cost does not occur.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an airbag device for a passenger seat according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an operating state of the airbag at an initial stage of inflation.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of an airbag device for a passenger seat according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an operating state of the airbag at an initial stage of inflation.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a mounted state of a passenger airbag device.

6A is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example including a protector cloth, FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view showing an operating state of an airbag in an initial stage of inflation, and FIG. 6C is a perspective view showing an airbag deployed state. is there.

7A is a sectional view showing a conventional example in which a reinforcing cloth is sewn, FIG. 7B is a sectional view showing an operating state of an airbag in an initial stage of inflation, and FIG. 7C is a perspective view showing an airbag deployed state. Is.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Instrument panel 3a Upper surface 4 Passenger seat 10 Passenger seat airbag device 11 Lid 12 Airbag module 13 Retainer case 13a Opening 13b Edge 14 Inflator 16 Airbag 16b Initial bulge 16c Extension 20 Protector cross 20a Horizontal 20b Corner 21 Low friction sheet

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A lid is provided on a substantially horizontal upper surface of an instrument panel facing a passenger seat, an airbag module is arranged under the lid, and the airbag module is provided in a retainer case having an upper opening. An airbag that communicates with the inflator is folded and stored so as to form an initial bulge on the base end side and an extension on the tip end side in a state of being flatly piled up and down, and is L-shaped at the opening of the retainer case. For the passenger seat, the protector cloth is usually installed so that the horizontal part keeps the airbag in a stored state, the horizontal part is inverted by the bag expansion, and is bent downward at the edge of the retainer case opening to retract. In the airbag system, low friction is applied to the inside of the protector cloth near the corners that turn backward and bend downward when the bag is inflated. Passenger airbag apparatus, which comprises adhering the over bets. 2. A lid is provided on a substantially horizontal upper surface of the instrument panel facing the front passenger seat, and an airbag module is arranged under the lid. The airbag module is provided in a retainer case having an upper opening. An airbag that communicates with the inflator is folded and stored so as to form an initial bulge portion on the base end side and an extended portion that is folded in a corrugated shape on the tip end side in a state of being flatly piled up and down. In an airbag device for a passenger seat in which a reinforcing cloth is sewn to an initial bulging portion, an airbag is provided between an initial bulging portion having a reinforcing cloth on a proximal end side and an extending portion bent into a wavy shape on a distal end side. An airbag device for a passenger seat, characterized in that it is folded and stored so as to form a linear extension.