JPH085075Y2 - Airbag device for passenger protection - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to an occupant protection airbag device for preventing a secondary collision of an occupant by inflating and deploying the airbag during a vehicle collision. In particular, the present invention relates to an airbag device having an exhaust mechanism for discharging gas inside the inflated and expanded airbag.

(Prior Art) An airbag device has come to be used as one of occupant protection devices for restraining an occupant at a sitting position in the event of a vehicle collision. This airbag device folds and stores the airbag in the storage part provided in the steering wheel, instrument panel, etc. in front of the occupant, and introduces high-pressure gas into the airbag when the vehicle collides. By doing so, the airbag is rapidly inflated and deployed toward the occupant, and the forward movement of the occupant is restricted. The airbag is a bag-shaped one made of an airtight and flexible base cloth such as rubberized cloth, and an opening peripheral edge of the base is fixed to a retainer. The gas for inflating the airbag is usually generated from a gas generator installed in the airbag storage portion.

In such an airbag device, when the occupant comes into contact with the inflated and expanded airbag, the inertial force of the occupant presses the airbag, so that the gas pressure inside the airbag rises. Therefore, at that time, an impact force or a repulsive force may be applied to the occupant. Therefore, the airbag device is usually provided with an exhaust mechanism for discharging the gas inside the inflated and deployed airbag. The exhaust mechanism is generally composed of a vent hole formed in the airbag.

However, in the case where the vent hole is provided in the airbag, the gas in which the airbag is inflated and deployed is released into the vehicle interior. Therefore, as the gas, a highly irritating substance such as a combustion gas of general explosive cannot be used, and the gas generating agent that generates the gas is limited and becomes expensive. Also, providing a vent hole in the airbag reduces the strength of that part,
It is necessary to reinforce with a reinforcing cloth or the like.

For this reason, it has been considered to provide an exhaust pipe that communicates between the inside of the airbag and the outside of the vehicle compartment, and exhaust the gas in the airbag to the outside of the vehicle compartment through the exhaust pipe. .

In that case, the exhaust pipe must open to the inside of the airbag. Moreover, the exhaust pipe must not interfere with the storage and inflation of the airbag.

Therefore, conventionally, the exhaust port, which is an opening of the exhaust pipe to the inside of the airbag, is provided at a position adjacent to the gas generator installation position.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, when the exhaust port is provided adjacent to the gas generator, the exhaust port is always exposed to the gas generator. Therefore, when the airbag is inflated and deployed, gas flows out through the exhaust pipe from the initial stage.

Therefore, it is necessary for the gas generator to generate a large amount of gas that allows the airbag to be inflated and deployed after anticipating the amount of gas that flows out. Since such a gas generator has a large size, it is inevitable that the entire airbag device becomes large.

Moreover, normally, one end of the airbag storage portion is closed by the lid, and the lid is pushed and opened by the inflation pressure when the airbag is inflated and deployed. It is desirable to make the internal pressure the highest, but it is also difficult to do so when the gas flows out from the beginning.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide an airbag device in which the gas inside the airbag is discharged to the outside of the vehicle compartment through an exhaust pipe. It is to prevent gas from leaking from the exhaust pipe at the initial stage of expansion and deployment.

(Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, an exhaust port provided in a container-shaped retainer having one end face opened and one end of an exhaust pipe is connected to a base portion of an airbag. Is arranged at a position slightly rearward of the peripheral edge of the opening of the retainer to which is fixed, and its exhaust port is closed by an airbag folded and stored in the retainer. The airbag is
During storage in the retainer, one surface near the base contacts the inner surface of the retainer portion provided with the exhaust port, and the exhaust port is folded so as to cover the exhaust port.

(Operation) With such a configuration, the exhaust port is blocked by the folded airbag at the initial stage of inflation and deployment of the airbag. Therefore, the gas is prevented from flowing out through the exhaust port, and the gas pressure inside the airbag is sufficiently increased. Then, as the expansion and deployment of the airbag progresses, the exhaust port is opened, so that the gas in the airbag is discharged to the outside of the vehicle compartment through the exhaust pipe, and an excessive increase in the pressure in the airbag is prevented.

In that case, since the exhaust port is provided in the vicinity of the fixed base portion of the airbag, the exhaust port will be opened only after the airbag is sufficiently inflated and deployed, and the outflow of gas is further suppressed, The time until the airbag is completely inflated and deployed is also shortened.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show an embodiment of an airbag device according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which an airbag of the airbag device is stored.
2 and 3 are longitudinal sectional views showing a state in which the airbag is inflated and deployed.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, this airbag device 1
Includes a container-shaped retainer 2 having one end opened, and a lid 3 that closes an open end surface of the retainer 2. A fragile portion is provided in the central portion of the lid 3, and the fragile portion is broken by being pressed from the back side, so that the lid 3 is divided into upper and lower parts. The upper and lower ends of the lid 3 are connected to the retainer 3 via hinges 4, 4.

A gas generator 5 is installed inside the retainer 2. The gas generator 5 contains a gas generating agent such as gunpowder inside, and is designed to eject a high-pressure gas by detecting the deceleration or the like at the time of a vehicle collision and igniting the gas generating agent. ing.

An airbag 6 is further housed inside the retainer 2. The airbag 6 is a bag-shaped one made of an airtight and flexible base cloth in which an inner surface of a nylon woven cloth is coated with silicon rubber or the like, and an opening peripheral edge portion at one end thereof, that is, a base portion 6a is an opening peripheral edge portion of the retainer 2. It is fixed airtightly on the inner surface. In this way, the space surrounded by the retainer 2 and the airbag 6 in an airtight manner is formed.
The airbag 6 is folded back from the base portion 6a and is stored in the retainer 2 in a folded state. That is, the inside of the retainer 2 serves as an airbag storage portion.

An exhaust port 7 is provided in the retainer 2 at a position slightly behind the opening peripheral edge, that is, in the vicinity of a position where the base 6a of the airbag 6 is fixed. Its exhaust port 7
An exhaust pipe 8 is connected to the. When the retainer 2 is made of resin, the exhaust pipe 8 is
It is integrally molded with.

In this way, the exhaust pipe 8 communicates with the space surrounded by the retainer 2 and the airbag 6 via the exhaust port 7. The exhaust port 7 is covered by the inner surface of the folded airbag 6 near the base 6a.

In other words, the airbag 6 is folded such that the inner surface of the retainer 2 portion provided with the exhaust port 7 is in contact with the inner surface near the base 6a.

The airbag device 1 thus configured is attached to a steering wheel, an instrument panel or the like located in front of an occupant such that the open end surface of the retainer 2 faces the interior of the vehicle. At that time, the other end of the exhaust pipe 8 is opened to the outside of the vehicle compartment.

Next, the operation of the airbag device 1 thus configured will be described.

When a vehicle collides, it is detected from the deceleration and the like, and the gas generating agent in the gas generator 5 is ignited. Then, high-pressure gas is ejected from the gas generator 5. And
The gas fills the retainer 2. Therefore, the airbag 6 is pressed toward the lid 3 by the gas pressure.

At this time, the airbag 6 is inflated from the center portion in the free state. Then, it abuts against the back surface of the lid 3 and pushes the lid 3 open. During this period, the exhaust port 7 is blocked by the portion near the base 6a of the airbag 6, so that gas does not flow out from the exhaust port 7 through the exhaust pipe 8. Therefore, a sufficiently high gas pressure is obtained and the lid 3 is easily opened.

When the lid 3 is opened, the airbag 6 expands and deploys toward the passenger compartment due to the gas pressure acting on the inner surface thereof. At this time also, as shown in FIG. 2, the exhaust port 7 is covered by the portion of the airbag 6 near the base portion 6a. The gas pressure also acts on the portion of the airbag 6 near the base 6a from the inside. Therefore, the exhaust port 7 is sealed by the airbag 6, and the outflow of gas is prevented.

In this way, the airbag 6 rapidly inflates and deploys until it contacts the occupant.

When the airbag 6 reaches a state immediately before it is completely inflated and deployed, the portion of the airbag 6 near the base portion 6a also has the exhaust port 7.
Move away from When the airbag 6 is completely inflated and deployed, the exhaust port 7 is completely opened, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the inside of the airbag 6 and the outside of the vehicle compartment communicate with each other via the exhaust pipe 8. As a result, the pressure inside the airbag 6 is prevented from being excessively increased by being discharged to the outside of the vehicle compartment through the gas exhaust pipe 8 inside the airbag 6.

In this way, the occupant can be softly received by the airbag 6, and the impact force and the repulsive force are not applied to the occupant. Since the gas inflating the airbag 6 is discharged to the outside of the vehicle compartment, even a highly irritating gas does not stimulate the occupant. Therefore, it is possible to use a gas generating agent that is inexpensive and has a strong gas generating power.

Although the exhaust port 7 is closed by the inner surface of the folded airbag 6 in the above embodiment, it may be closed by the outer surface of the airbag 6. For that purpose, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the end 6b of the airbag 6 on the base 6a side is extended, and the exhaust port 7 is covered by the extended free end 6b. , The free end portion 6b and a part of the airbag 6 that is inflated and deployed are appropriately connected by sewing or the like, and when the airbag is inflated and deployed, the end portion 6b of the airbag 6 that covers the exhaust port 7 is The exhaust port 7 may be opened by being rolled up as shown by the phantom line.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the gas generator 5 is installed inside the retainer 2, that is, in the air bag storage portion, but the present invention is also applicable to the case where the gas generator 5 is installed outside. Can be applied.

(Effects of the Invention) As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the exhaust port for discharging the gas inside the inflated and expanded airbag is provided from the opening peripheral portion of the retainer to which the airbag base is fixed. It is placed slightly behind and the inner surface of the retainer part where the exhaust port is provided is in contact with one surface near the base of the folded airbag, so when the airbag expands and deploys, the exhaust port The gas is prevented from flowing out from the exhaust port until the vicinity of the base portion of the airbag covering the airbag is deployed, that is, until the airbag is inflated and deployed almost completely. Therefore, the initial internal pressure at the time of inflation and deployment of the airbag can be increased, and the inflation and deployment can be smoothly performed. Further, since the outflow amount of gas is reduced, the gas generator can be made to have a small capacity, and the entire airbag device can be made compact.

Moreover, since the exhaust port is opened and closed by the airbag, it is not necessary to use a special valve or the like, and the structure can be simple and inexpensive.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of an occupant protection airbag device according to the present invention in a normal state in which an airbag is stored, and FIG. 2 is an intermediate process during inflation and deployment of the airbag. FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the state, FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to the state where the airbag is completely inflated and deployed, and FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the airbag device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Airbag device, 2 ... Retainer 3 ... Lid, 5 ... Gas generator 6 ... Airbag, 6a ... Base 7 ... Exhaust port, 8 ... Exhaust pipe

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A container-shaped retainer having an opening at one end, the base of which is fixed to the peripheral edge of the opening, and is normally stored in a folded state in the retainer. An airbag that expands and deploys, and an exhaust pipe that has one end connected to an exhaust port provided in the retainer and discharges gas inside the expanded airbag to the outside of the vehicle compartment, the exhaust port The one surface near the base of the airbag is disposed on the inner surface of the retainer portion, which is arranged at a position slightly deeper than the peripheral edge of the opening of the retainer to which the base of the airbag is fixed and whose exhaust port is provided. An airbag device for protecting an occupant, wherein the airbag is folded so as to come into contact with and cover the exhaust port.