JPH08230592A - Air bag - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an air bag having a stable quality without any folds generated, wherein even in the case of an air bag with a bag-like three-dimensional capacity section formed after joining, automatic joining is sufficiently performed even on a flat plate by means of a general automatic joining machine without using any special large joining machines and a joining time is reduced. CONSTITUTION: In an air bag with a bag-like three dimensional capacity section and an inflater opening 10 into which a gas from an inflater flows formed after joining a front panel 3 and a pair of side panels 1 and 2 having different development forms from the front panel 3, the panels 1, 2 and 3 are arranged almost on the same plane and formed in development shapes such that these are joined together on the flat plate with the joined edge sections thereof 1S, 2S, 3S, 1L, 2L and 3L flatly superposed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air bag suitable for being housed and used in an instrument panel or the like for protecting an occupant in an automobile or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a so-called drum type airbag shown in FIG. 5 as an airbag suitable for being used by being housed in an instrument panel of this type. Figure 5
FIG. 5A shows the airbag in use, and FIG.
Shows the inside-out state after completion of suturing. FIG. 5C is an exploded view of the airbag in a developed shape before suturing. As shown in FIG. 5C, the main body cloth 23 corresponding to the drum body is arranged in a cylindrical shape so as to form the upper surface portion 23A, the front surface portion 23B and the lower surface portion 23C, and the right side surface is formed along both side edges thereof. The cloth 21 and the left side cloth 22 are brought into contact with each other, and as shown in FIG. 5B, the side portions thereof are sewn to form the first sewn portion 24 and the second sewn portion 25, and a bag-shaped 3 is formed after the sewn portion.
A three-dimensional volume and an inflator opening 30 into which gas from the inflator flows are formed and then turned upside down to obtain an airbag as shown in FIG. 5 (A). Reference numeral 27 in FIG. 5 (C) is a reinforcing cloth that is sewn to the edge portion of each cloth that serves as an opening for the inflator.

Usually, since the developed shapes of the cloth pieces constituting the airbag in which a bag-shaped three-dimensional volume portion is formed after such stitching are different, the peripheral portions of the cloth pieces are brought into contact with each other. In order to sew it, it was necessary to manually sew it (the piece of cloth is manually moved while using a sewing machine or the like). Further, in the drum type airbag as shown in FIG. 5, the main body cloth 23 disposed between the left and right side cloths 21 and 22 is formed at a substantially right angle with the side portions of the side cloths like a drum body. They must be abutted and sewn together, and when they are sewn, they must be sewn by causing wrinkles at the edges on the body cloth 23 side, and the discrepancy due to "wrinkling" increases at the end of the suture. It could have been done.
For this reason, when attempting to automatically sew such an airbag, for example, JP-A-6-99783 and JP-A-6-9 are used.
It is necessary to sew with a very large-scale sewing machine such as the one described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 9784, whereby at least a part of the plurality of airbag base fabrics shown in FIG. Even if it came to have a shape capable of being automatically sewn by, the sewing took a lot of time. Moreover, even with such a sewing machine,
As long as the cloth piece forming the airbag has the above-mentioned shape, "wrinkling" during sewing was not completely removed, and the quality was not stable.

Therefore, as an airbag which can be easily sewn by an ordinary automatic sewing machine on a flat plate without using a complicated sewing machine, as shown in FIG. What was described in the 186448 gazette was proposed. An airbag is formed from circular base cloths 23 and 24 and fan-shaped base cloth 27 as shown in FIGS. 6B, 6C and 6D, and straight edges 27B and 27C of the fan-shaped base cloth 27. The conical airbag bases are sewn together to form an arc-shaped outer edge 27A of the base cloth 27 and the circular base cloth 2
The outer peripheral edge 24B of the circular base cloth 24 and the outer peripheral edge 23B of the base cloth 23 are sewn together with the edge 23A of the hole 30 of FIG.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned base cloth 2
When the circular outer edge 27A of No. 7 and the edge 23A of the hole 30 of the circular base cloth 23 are sewn together, the conical surface of the airbag base and the base cloth 23 are polymerized at an acute angle. When they were not flatly polymerized and tried to be sewn on a flat plate, "wrinkling" during sewing was not completely removed, and the quality was not stable.
Further, even in such a conventional example, the arc-shaped outer edge 27A of the fan-shaped base cloth 27 and the hole 30 of the circular base cloth 23 are provided.
In stitching the edge 23A of the base cloth 27, the arcuate outer edge 27A of the base cloth 27 and the edge 23A of the hole 30 of the circular base cloth 23 are superposed in such a manner that their edges face each other and must be stitched together. Therefore, it was difficult to align the edges of each other. Moreover, since the edge is the inwardly sewn hole and the arcuate outer edge, not only the automatic sewing machine becomes complicated, but also the hole side of the base cloth where the distance between the hole and the outer peripheral edge is large is increased. Since it is necessary to sew, the position of the suturing needle in the sewing machine may be restricted, and the automatic sewing machine may be upsized.
Therefore, the present invention solves the problems in the conventional airbag as described above, and even in the airbag in which the bag-shaped three-dimensional volume portion is formed after the joining, the joining is particularly large. A general-purpose automatic joining machine enables automatic joining even on flat plates without using a machine, shortens the joining time, and provides a stable air bag with no wrinkles and stable quality.

[0006]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a front panel and a pair of side panels having different developed shapes are joined to each other, and after joining, a bag-shaped three-dimensional volume portion and an inflator. In an airbag in which an inflator opening into which gas from is introduced is formed, the respective panels are arranged on substantially the same plane, and in a developed shape that can be joined on a flat plate in a state where their joint edges are flatly overlapped. It is characterized in that it is formed, and this is used as a means for solving the problem. Further, the present invention deploys a pair of upper and lower side panels having a narrow deployment shape for the inflator opening side, and halves substantially congruent with the deployment shapes of the side halves of the upper and lower side panels where the inflator opening is not formed, on both sides of the reference line. The front side of the front panel having the above-mentioned shape, and the bottom side of each side panel is joined to the corresponding upper and lower sides of the front panel on a flat plate with their joint edges being flatly overlapped. It is characterized in that it is formed by joining on a flat plate in a state where a predetermined joint edge portion which is superposed by being bent at a line portion is superposed flat. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the bottom side of each of the side panels to be overlapped and the top and bottom sides of the front panel are formed in an arc. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the front edges of the front panels and the upper and lower side panels, which are superposed by bending the front panel at the reference line portion, are joined at once by straight stitching. . Further, the present invention, when joining the joining edges of the front panels and the upper and lower side panels at once by straight stitching, ends the joining lines between the bottom side of each side panel and the upper and lower sides of the front panel. It is characterized by being crossed and joined. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the front panel is preliminarily formed in a three-dimensional shape by folding and joining both side ends of the reference line of the front panel. Further, in the present invention, in the side panel, a reinforcing cloth portion is preliminarily applied to a portion which becomes an opening edge for an inflator and a vent hole portion which becomes a gas exhaust port after joining, and the reinforcing cloth portion is It may be formed by folding back and joining the edge portion of the side panel. Further, in the present invention, in the side panel, a reinforcing cloth may be integrally formed for a portion that becomes an opening edge for an inflator and a vent hole portion that serves as a gas exhaust port after joining. Is the means of.

[0007]

A pair of upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 having a narrow deployment shape for the inflator opening side, and half halves which are substantially congruent with the deployment shapes of the side halves 1A and 2A of the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 where the inflator opening is not formed. Consisting of a front panel 3 with a shape that is expanded on both sides of the reference line,
The bottom edges 1S, 2S of the respective side panels 1, 2 are joined to the corresponding upper and lower edges 3S, 3S of the front panel 3 with the joining edges thereof flatly joined together so that the joining portions 4, 4 are joined on a flat plate. At the same time, by bending the front panel 3 at the reference line L, a predetermined overlap (in the example of FIG. 1, the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 and the front panel 3) is formed.
(Between) the joining edges 1L, 2L and 3L, 3L are flatly overlapped, and the joining portions 5 and 6 are joined on a flat plate, and automatic joining can be easily performed without worrying about "wrinkling". . Therefore, according to the present invention, even in an airbag in which a bag-shaped three-dimensional volume portion is formed after joining, each panel is provided without using a specially large sewing machine unlike the conventional one. Since the joining edges can be joined in a state where they are aligned in the same direction, it is easy to align the joining edges, and since the joining line is slightly inside the joining edges, for example, automatic joining by high-frequency joining or the like is performed. When the joining machine is adopted, the distance from the fulcrum of the pole portion of the connector or the like may be small, and the device does not become large. As described above, even a general-purpose flat plate joining type automatic joining machine can sufficiently perform automatic joining, and since it is automatic joining by simple joining on a flat plate, the joining time is shortened, and moreover, when joining Almost no "wrinkling" occurs, and an airbag with stable quality can be obtained.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 (A), a deployment shape in which the opening side for the inflator is narrow (in this embodiment, the shape is almost trapezoidal, various shapes are adopted. A pair of first and second upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 (in the present embodiment, the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 are shown to have substantially the same shape, but depending on the deployment shape of the airbag, Not necessarily equal to each other.) And the half halves 3A and 3B that are substantially congruent with the half halves 3A and 3B that are substantially the same as the half halves 1A and 2A of the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 in which the inflator opening is not formed. It consists of the front panel 3 and
As shown in (B), the bases 1S and 2S of the trapezoidal side panels 1 and 2 are flattened on the corresponding upper and lower sides 3S and 3S of the front panel 3 with their joint edges flatly overlapped. The first joint parts 4 and 4 are sewn together, and as shown in FIG.
1 is bent at the line-symmetrical reference line L, and as shown in FIG. 1 (D), the side joint edges 1L, 2L and 3L, 3L of the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 and the front panel 3 are overlapped with each other. The second and third joint portions 5 and 6 are joined and formed at a stretch by straight stitching on a flat plate in a state where the joint edge portions are flatly overlapped, and an airbag shape as shown in FIG. 1 (E) is obtained. Although not shown in the figure, this is turned over and completed. Also,
The bottom sides 1S, 2S of the trapezoidal side panels 1, 2 and the upper and lower sides 3S, 3S corresponding to these of the front panel 3
The first joint portions 4 and 4 are formed so as to have an arc shape. The arc shape is not limited to a circle and may be an elliptical arc.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described automatic sewing machine for sewing on a general-purpose flat plate, and a method for joining the joining edges by an automatic joining machine such as a high-frequency joining machine. A machine may be employed. Therefore, according to the present invention, even in an airbag in which a bag-shaped three-dimensional volume portion is formed after joining, each panel is provided without using a specially large sewing machine unlike the conventional one. Since the joining edge portion of can be joined in a state where the joining edge portion is flatly polymerized, wrinkles do not occur at all in the joining portion, so not only a high-quality airbag can be obtained,
Since it is easy to align the joining edges and the joining line is slightly inside the joining edges, when an automatic joining machine such as high-frequency joining is adopted, for example, from the fulcrum of the pole portion of the joining element, etc. The distance is small and the device does not become large. In addition, the bottom sides 1S of the side panels 1 and 2,
Since the first joint portions 4 and 4 between the 2S and the corresponding upper and lower sides 3S and 3S of the front panel 3 are formed so as to have an arc shape, they can be joined by continuous stitching or the like, which simplifies the device. And work process time can be shortened. In this way, even a general-purpose joining type automatic joining machine is capable of sufficiently automatic joining, and adopts a simple joining line consisting only of arcs and straight lines and is an automatic joining by joining on a flat plate. Therefore, the joining time is significantly shortened, and there is no "wrinkling" at the time of joining, so that an airbag with stable quality can be obtained. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 (F), 1 (G), and 1 (H), which are AA cross sections of FIG. 1 (B), the side panels 1 and 2 are for inflators after joining. Reinforcing cloth portions 1R and 2R are preliminarily applied to the edge portion of the opening 10. Taking the reinforcing cloth portion 1R as an example, as shown in FIG. 1C, a plurality of reinforcing cloths 1R may be laminated and joined to the edge portion or the folded edge portion of the side panel 1, or may be formed. As shown in FIG. 1 (D) and FIG. 1 (E), the edge portion of the side panel 1 may be folded back and joined. Further, in the side panel 1, a reinforcing cloth portion 8 is preliminarily provided on a portion of the vent hole 7 which becomes a gas exhaust port after joining. As the reinforcing cloth portion 8, the edge portion of the side panel 1 may be folded back as described later, or a plurality of reinforcing cloths may be laminated and joined together.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2 (A), a pair of first and second upper and lower side panels 1, 1 having a developed shape with a narrow opening for an inflator, 2 and a front panel 3 having a shape in which halves 3A and 3B, which are substantially congruent with the respective deployed shapes of the side halves 1A and 2A in which the inflator openings are not formed in the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2, are deployed on both sides of the reference line L. 2 consists of
As shown in (B), in the present embodiment, the bottom side 1S and the side joint edges 1L and 1L of the side panel 1 are connected to the corresponding upper side 3S and the side joint edges 3L and 3L of the front panel 3. In the state where the joint edges of the above are flatly sewn as the first joints 4 on the flat plates, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2C, the side panel 2 is positioned on the flat plate. Half 1B of the upper and lower side panels 1, 2 on the side where the inflator opening 10 is formed,
The second and third joining edges 1L and 2L of the two B's, and the half joining portions 3B of the front panel 3 and the half joining 2A of the side panel 2 are flatly overlapped with each other. The parts 5 and 6 are sewn together. Similar to the above-mentioned embodiment, these second and third joint portions 5 and 6 can be formed so as to have an arcuate shape and can be joined by continuous stitching or the like. And FIG. 2 (D)
Although not shown in the drawings, the air bag shape as shown in FIG. In addition, in the present embodiment, in the upper side panel 1, the inflator opening 1 is formed after joining.
In addition to the reinforcing cloth 1R at the 0 edge portion, the reinforcing cloth portion 8 formed at the edge portion of the side panel 1 is folded back in order to preliminarily provide the reinforcing cloth portion at the vent holes 7 and 7 portions which become the gas exhaust ports. However, as shown in FIG. 2 (E), the reinforcing cloth 8 is integrally formed on the portion that becomes the edge of the opening 10 for the inflator and the portion that becomes the vent hole 7 that becomes the gas exhaust port after joining. You can do it.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3A corresponding to FIG. 1D, the bottom side 1S of the trapezoidal side panel 1 corresponds to the front panel 3. The upper edge 3S is sewn at the arc-shaped first joint 4 on the flat plate in a state where the joint edges are flatly overlapped (the same applies to the bottom side of the side panel 2 and the lower side of the front panel 3), and then the front panel 3 is bent at the line-symmetrical reference line L, and the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 and the side joining edges 1L, 2L and 3 of the front panels 3 are overlapped with each other.
The second and third joint portions 5 and 6 of L and 3L are joined at once by straight stitching on a flat plate in a state where the joint edges are flatly overlapped to form the second and third joint lines 5 and 6. In doing so, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, the first joining lines 4, 4 between the bottom sides 1S, 2S of the side panels 1, 2 and the upper and lower sides 3S, 3S of the front panel 3 are formed. The end is crossed and joined. As a result, even though a simple joining line is adopted, the first joining line as shown in FIG.
It is possible to completely prevent the formation of "stitching fray" or "hole" that tends to occur when the ends of the joining line 34 and the second and third joining portions 36 do not intersect. Therefore, the gas does not flow out at the portion B (see FIG. 3D) where the respective joining lines 4 and 6 intersect, so that the high-pressure gas is secured more reliably.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As with the embodiment of FIG. 1, the airbag of the present embodiment has a narrow inflator opening side as shown in FIG. 4 (A). A pair of first and second upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 having a substantially trapezoidal expanded shape (cutting shape), and substantially the same as the expanded shapes of the side halves of the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 where the inflator opening is not formed. The front panel 3 has a shape in which each half is expanded on both sides of the reference line L. The front panel 3 of the present embodiment has a substantially elliptical shape, and its upper and lower sides 3S, 3S are formed in an elliptic arc, and the corresponding bottom edges 1S, 2S of the side panels 1, 2 are joined at their joint edges. In a state where they are flatly overlapped, they are sewn together on the flat plates at the first joint portions 4 and 4, and the front panel 3 is bent at the line symmetrical reference line L portion, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the side edges 1L, 2L and 3L, 3L of the upper and lower side panels 1 and 2 and the front panel 3 are flattened at the side edges of the second and third joints 5 and 6. In the superposed state, they are formed by joining them at a stretch by straight stitching on a flat plate to obtain an airbag shape as shown in FIG. 1 (E), and as shown in FIG. 4 (D), this is turned over and completed.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 (B) and 4 (C), the front panel is preliminarily formed into a three-dimensional shape by folding and joining both side ends 11 and 12 of the reference line L of the front panel 3 in a substantially fan shape. Can be formed. Since the front panel 3 can be preliminarily formed into a three-dimensional shape by folding and joining both side ends 11 and 12 of the reference line L of the front panel 3, the three-dimensional shape can be easily formed when the airbag is inflated and deployed. can do. Moreover, both side ends 11 and 12 of the reference line L are folded and joined together, and the second and third joining portions 5 and 6 can be formed at once in a flat plate shape by joining such as straight stitching. Also in this embodiment, as in the embodiment of FIG. 3,
The bottoms 1S, 2S of the side panels 1, 2 and the upper and lower sides 3S, 3S of the front panel 3 can be joined by crossing the ends of the first joining lines 4, 4.

The air bag according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail. The air bag device using the air bag is adopted in an air bag device arranged in a passenger seat, a door, a rear seat or the like. Within the scope of the present invention, the shape of each side panel, the front panel and the shape of the folded portion at both ends of the reference line, the position of the reference line for folding back the front panel, the side panel and the front panel. It goes without saying that the joining shape between them, the shape of the reinforcing cloth portion, the number of laminated reinforcing cloths, the width, and the like can be appropriately selected.

[0014]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the front panel and the pair of side panels having different developed shapes from each other are joined together, and after the joining, the bag-like three-dimensional volume is formed. In an airbag in which an opening for an inflator through which gas from the inflator and the inflator flows is formed,
Since the respective panels are arranged on substantially the same plane and are formed into a developed shape which can be joined on a flat plate in a state where their joint edges are flatly overlapped with each other, a bag-shaped three-dimensional volume is formed after joining. Even airbags can be joined together without the need for a specially large sewing machine like the conventional ones, with the joint edges of the panels being flatly overlapped, and there are no wrinkles at the joints. Not only does it occur, but it is easy to align the joining edges and the joining line is slightly inside the joining edges. The distance from the fulcrum of the pole of the child or the like may be small, and the device does not become large. Further, since the side joint edges of the side panels are formed in two rows at substantially equal intervals, it is possible to effectively prevent the side panels from expanding excessively to the side when the airbag is activated, thus making the occupant safer. Can be protected.
As described above, even a general-purpose flat plate joining type automatic joining machine can sufficiently perform automatic joining, and since it is automatic joining by simple joining on a flat plate, the joining time is shortened, and moreover, when joining An air bag with stable quality can be obtained without any wrinkling. Moreover, if the bottom side of each of the side panels and the upper and lower sides of the front panel are joined by crossing the ends of the first joining line, the end of the first joining line can be achieved even though a simple joining line is adopted. Division and second and third
It is possible to completely prevent the occurrence of "stitching fraying" and "holes" at the intersection with the joint, and it is possible to more reliably secure high-pressure gas when the airbag is inflated and deployed. Furthermore, if the front panel is previously formed into a three-dimensional shape by folding and joining both side ends of the reference line of the front panel, the airbag can be inflated into a three-dimensional shape without difficulty during inflation and deployment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of an airbag of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of an airbag of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a whole and a main part of a third embodiment of an airbag of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an entire and a main part of a fourth embodiment of an airbag of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first conventional example of an airbag.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second conventional example of an airbag.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st side panel 2 2nd side panel 3 Front panel 4 1st joint part 5 2nd joint part 6 3rd joint part 10 Inflator opening 11 End part of a reference line (folding part) 12 End part of a reference line ( Folded portion) 1L joining edge portion 1S joining edge portion 2L joining edge portion 2S joining edge portion 3S joining edge portion

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A front panel and a pair of side panels having a developed shape different from that of the front panel are joined to each other, and after joining, a bag-shaped three-dimensional volume and an inflator opening through which gas from the inflator flows. In the airbag to be formed, the respective panels are arranged on substantially the same plane, and are formed in a developed shape which can be joined on a flat plate in a state where their joint edges are flatly overlapped. 2. A pair of upper and lower side panels in a deployment shape having a narrow opening for an inflator, and respective halves substantially congruent with respective deployment shapes of side halves of the upper and lower side panels where the inflator opening is not formed are deployed on both sides of the reference line. The front side of the front panel having the above-mentioned shape, and the bottom side of each side panel is joined to the corresponding upper and lower sides of the front panel on a flat plate with their joint edges being flatly overlapped. An airbag, which is formed by joining on a flat plate in a state where a predetermined joint edge portion that is superposed by being bent at a line portion is superposed flat. 3. The airbag according to claim 2, wherein a bottom edge of each of the side panels to be overlapped and an upper edge and a lower edge of the front panel are formed in an arc. 4. The front edge of the front panel and the upper edge of the upper side panel, which are superposed by bending the front panel at the reference line portion, are joined at a stretch by straight stitching. Or the airbag according to item 3. 5. When the joining edges of the front panels and the upper and lower side panels are joined at once by straight stitching, the end of the joining line between the bottom side of each side panel and the upper and lower sides of the front panel is joined. The airbag according to claim 4, wherein the airbag is crossed and joined. 6. The airbag according to claim 5, wherein the front panel is preliminarily formed in a three-dimensional shape by folding and joining both side ends of the reference line of the front panel. 7. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing cloth portion is preliminarily provided on a portion of the side panel that becomes an opening edge for the inflator after joining. 8. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein in the side panel, a reinforcing cloth portion is preliminarily applied to a vent hole portion which becomes a gas exhaust port after joining. 9. The airbag according to claim 7, wherein the reinforcing cloth portion is formed by folding back and joining an edge portion of the side panel. 10. The side panel is integrally formed with a reinforcing cloth for a portion which becomes an opening edge for an inflator and a vent hole portion which becomes a gas exhaust port after joining. Airbag.