JPH0872657A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an air bag device for the front passenger seat where the volume is small, an air bag is rapidly unfolded, the waist of an occupant is restrained, and the load to be applied to a windshield is small. CONSTITUTION: A lower panel 34 is lapped on an upper panel, and the peripheral parts are sewn together to constitute an air bag 18. An opening 38 for an inflator is provided in the lower panel 34. Flaps 46, 48 extended from the edge part of the opening 38 are connected to a container 16. A guide seat to guide the air bag 18 to be unfolded rearward of a vehicle is provided on the upper part of the container 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 protecting a passenger in a passenger seat in a vehicle collision. More specifically, the present invention relates to an airbag device installed on the upper surface of an instrument panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art No. 1 of the conventional passenger airbag
This will be described with reference to FIG.

This passenger seat airbag 1 has an opening 2 at its rear portion for receiving gas from an inflator (not shown). The airbag 1 is made of cloth, and a flap portion 3 is provided on the peripheral portion of the opening 2 by impregnating a synthetic resin or by stitching a reinforcing cloth. The flap portion 3 is provided with a plurality of bolt or rivet insertion holes 4 so that the airbag 1 can be connected to a container (not shown) of the airbag device by the bolts or rivets.

As shown in FIG. 16, the airbag 1 is manufactured by sewing a peripheral edge of a side panel 7 to a side edge of a long center panel 6.

The vent hole 5 is provided in the side panel 7 in advance. When the occupant plunges into the deployed airbag 1, the gas inside the airbag flows out from the vent hole 5, and the impact given to the occupant is reduced.

[0006]

As shown in FIG. 17, when the air bag device 8 having the above-mentioned conventional air bag is installed on the upper surface of the instrument panel 9, the air bag 1 is operated in the vehicle interior when the air bag device is operated. (In the cabin)
Is deployed toward the upper portion of the vehicle as indicated by reference numeral 1A, and thereafter, is deployed downward and toward the rear of the vehicle as indicated by reference numeral 1B. In this type of airbag device 8,
Since the airbag 1 has a large volume, it is necessary to use a large-capacity inflator having a large gas generation amount.

Further, when the conventional passenger side airbag device operates, the lid 8A and the airbag 1 strongly hit the windshield 9A, and a large load is applied to the windshield 9A.

The conventional passenger airbag is extremely troublesome because the work of sewing the side panel 7 to the center panel 6 cut into a specified size requires three-dimensional sewing.

That is, in order to sew the side panel 7 to the center panel 6, those edges are overlapped and sewn with a sewing machine, but to overlap both edges, the center panel 6 is attached to the side panel 7. Since it is necessary to bend along the edges of the panels, it is difficult to stack the panels 6 and 7. Further, since the center panel 6 is curved and the edges of both panels are sewn together, the sewing operation is difficult and time-consuming.

Particularly, when one side panel is sewn to the center panel and then the other side panel is sewn to the center panel, the sewn side panel becomes bulky and becomes a hindrance to the sewing work. Is hard to do.

[0011]

An airbag device according to claim 1 is an airbag device for a passenger seat installed on an upper surface of an instrument panel, which is a container and an airbag accommodated in the container. And an inflator for deploying the airbag, and a lid for covering the container, the inflator opening for receiving gas from the inflator is provided in the airbag, and an edge portion of the opening is provided in the container. In the connected passenger airbag device, the inflator opening is located on the vehicle front side of the airbag, and an airbag for guiding the airbag to the vehicle rear side when the airbag is deployed. It is characterized in that a guide means for use is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the air bag system according to the first aspect, the guide means is a guide seat that opens toward the rear of the vehicle, and the guide seat has a front side of the vehicle and both sides in the width direction of the vehicle. It is characterized by being connected to a container.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the airbag device, the airbag is formed by stacking two panels and joining their peripheral portions.

[0014]

In the airbag device of the present invention, the inflator opening of the airbag is arranged on the vehicle front side of the airbag, and when the airbag is deployed, the airbag is largely deployed on the vehicle rear side. . Moreover,
The airbag is guided by the container guide means and deployed toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the airbag can be quickly deployed in front of the waist of the occupant, and the airbag can be deployed only in the front region of the waist of the occupant.

In the air bag system of the second aspect, the air bag is guided by the guide sheet and deployed toward the rear of the vehicle.

The airbag of the apparatus according to claim 3 is manufactured by superposing two panels made of cloth or the like and joining the peripheral edges thereof by stitching or the like. is there.

[0017]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 7 are explanatory views of an airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 8 to 10 are side views showing the inside of an automobile equipped with an airbag device.

As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, a passenger airbag device 14 is installed on an instrument panel 12 of an automobile 10. Reference numeral 15 indicates a windshield.

This passenger seat airbag device 14 includes a container 16, an airbag 18 folded and stored in the container 16, an inflator 20 for generating gas for deploying the airbag 18, and a container. 16
And a lid 22 for covering.

The side edge of the lid 22 on the front side of the vehicle is connected to the container 16 via a lid connecting piece 23. The lid connecting piece 23 is deformable so as to allow the lid 22 to rotate toward the vehicle compartment 24 when the airbag 18 is deployed.

The side portion of the lid 22 on the vehicle rear side is attached to the container 16 so that it can be pushed away from the container 16 by the airbag 18 when the inflator 20 is activated and the airbag 18 is deployed. It is connected.

The airbag 18 used in this embodiment.
Is the lower lower panel 3 as shown in FIGS.
4 and the upper upper panel 36 are sewn together to form a bag. This airbag 18 is
The seat 26 of the automobile 10 is configured to be deployed toward the vicinity 32 of the intersection of the seat cushion 28 and the seat back 30.

The lower panel 34 includes an inflator 20.
An opening 38 is provided for receiving gas from. The flap 4 extending from the peripheral edge of the opening 38
2, 44, 46 and 48 are connected to the container 16.

The panels 34 and 36 are respectively for the automobile 10
Has a shape extending long in the front-back direction of the opening 38.
Is provided at a position near the front of the automobile of the airbag 18. A vent hole 40 is provided in the panel 34.

The flaps 42, 44, 46, 48 are sewn to the lower panel 34 with threads.

The flap 44 on the front side of the vehicle is longer than the flap 48 on the rear side of the vehicle.

The flaps 42 to 48 are provided with openings (circular holes or slits) 50 for passing rivets or bolts. The tips of the flaps 42 to 48 are folded back and sewn so that the reinforcing rod 52 is held.

The panels 34 and 36 are superposed on the workbench of the sewing machine, and the peripheral edges of the panels 34 and 36 are firmly sewn together with the thread 58 (FIG. 3). In addition, the flaps 42 to 48 are previously sewn to the panel 34, and the side edges of the flaps 42 to 48 are sewn together.

As described above, since the two panels 34 and 36 are sewn on the flat work table in a state of being overlapped with each other, the sewing operation is extremely easy.

A guide sheet 56 is provided on the upper edge of the container 16.
Are connected. As shown in FIG. 7, the guide sheet 56 is a sewn sheet formed by extending side sheet portions 56b, 56c, 56d from three sides of a rectangular main sheet portion 56a. As shown in FIG. 6, the short side portions of the side seat portions 56b, 56c, 56d are connected to the upper edge portion of the container 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the guide sheet 56
The airbag 18 is fixed to the container 16 of the airbag device 14 by the plate 57 and the rivets 59.
The rivet 59 is inserted through the openings of the flaps 42 to 48, the opening of the plate 57, the opening of the container 16, and the openings 56A of the side seat portions 56b, 56c, 56d.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the guide sheet 56
Is open toward the rear of the vehicle, and the front of the vehicle and both side portions in the vehicle width direction are connected to the container 16.

The air bag device 14 thus constructed
When a vehicle 10 equipped with a vehicle collides, the inflator 20
Ejects gas and the airbag 18 is deployed. The lid 22 is pressed by being pushed by the expanding airbag 18.
Opens toward the vehicle interior 24, and the airbag 18 is delivered to the vehicle interior 24 as shown in FIG. And
Guided by the guide seat 56, the airbag 18 rapidly deploys toward the rear of the vehicle. Since the flap 44 is longer than the flap 48, the airbag 18 is deployed so that the vehicle rear side becomes lower.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the airbag 18 is deployed toward the vicinity of the intersection 32 between the seat cushion and the seat back. Finally, as shown in FIG. 10, the airbag 18 hits the occupant's waist 60 and restrains the occupant's waist 60.

When the waist portion 60 is restrained by the airbag 18 in this manner, the occupant can be sufficiently protected in the same manner as when the airbag is largely deployed from the occupant's chest to the front of the upper body such as the head. It was confirmed as a result of the experiment. In addition, the effect of suppressing the lower half of the occupant not wearing the seat belt from moving forward in a collision can be expected.

The airbag 18 of the airbag device 14
Has a smaller volume than a conventional airbag that is largely deployed in front of the upper body of the occupant. Therefore, the airbag 18
However, the time to complete deployment will be short. Also,
As mentioned above, it is rapidly deployed toward the rear side of the vehicle. Therefore, even if the output of the inflator 20 is reduced, the expansion can be completed sufficiently quickly.

Further, since the airbag 18 is deployed toward the rear of the vehicle, the airbag 18 does not hit the windshield 15 at all or almost at all. Further, the lid 22 also does not hit the windshield 15 at all or almost at all. Therefore, the load applied to the windshield 15 becomes small.

By adjusting the lengths of the flaps 44 and 48, the deployment direction of the airbag 18 can be adjusted. For example, if the flap 48 is made shorter than that shown in the figure, the end portion of the airbag 18 on the vehicle rear side will deploy further downward than in FIG.

11 to 14 are a perspective view and a developed view showing another guide sheet used in the airbag device of the present invention.

The guide sheet 62 of FIGS. 11 and 12 is constructed such that the main sheet portion 62a is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the container. Side seat portions 62b, 62
An opening 62A for passing a bolt or a rivet is provided in each of c and 62d.

The guide seat 64 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 is formed by bending the edge of the main seat portion 64a on the rear side of the vehicle obliquely downward. The side seat portion 64b of FIG. 14,
The creases 66 and 67 of the vehicle rear side edge of 64c are mountain-folded and valley-folded, and the folded-back portion is sewn with a thread 68 as shown in FIG. Turns diagonally downward. According to the guide sheet 64, the airbag is deployed further downward toward the rear of the vehicle than the guide sheet 62. Reference numeral 64A denotes a bolt or rivet insertion opening provided in the side seat portions 64b, 64c, 64d.

In the above embodiment, the airbag 18 is composed of the two separate panels 34 and 36, but in the present invention, one panel 69 is folded back to form the two panels 34 and 36 as shown in FIG.
The airbag 18A may be configured by stacking the panels 69a and 69b and stitching the peripheral portions thereof.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the air bag is composed of two panels, but the present invention, as shown in FIG.
The same can be applied to the airbag 70 including the panels 72, 74, and 76. An inflator opening 78 is provided on the lower surface of the airbag 70 on the vehicle front side, and flaps 80, 82, 84, 86 extend from the edge of the opening 78. The flap 84 on the front side of the vehicle is longer than the flap 80 on the rear side of the vehicle. Vent holes 90 are provided in the panels 72 and 74.

Although the panel and the guide sheet are cloth in the above embodiment, they may be synthetic resin sheets.

In the above embodiment, the upper panel and the lower panel are joined by stitching, but they may be joined by adhesion or welding.

[0045]

As described above, in the airbag device of the present invention, the airbag is rapidly deployed from the upper surface of the instrument panel toward the vehicle rear side. Therefore, in the event of a vehicle collision, the airbag is quickly deployed to the front part of the waist of the passenger in the passenger seat. Further, even if the volume of the airbag is reduced, the airbag can be deployed in front of the passenger in the passenger seat, and the passenger is sufficiently protected. When the volume of the airbag is reduced, the airbag can be deployed sufficiently quickly even if an inflator with a small output is adopted.

In the present invention, since the airbag deploys toward the rear of the vehicle, the load applied to the windshield by the airbag and the lid becomes small.

According to the airbag device of the second aspect, the airbag is deployed toward the rear of the vehicle by being guided by the guide seat. In this case, the airbag can be deployed obliquely downward toward the rear of the vehicle to sufficiently protect the waist of the occupant.

The airbag of the airbag device according to the third aspect is easy to manufacture, and the manufacturing cost of the passenger airbag device can be significantly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an airbag device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the airbag device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the airbag of the embodiment apparatus.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a guide sheet and a container of the airbag apparatus according to the embodiment.

7 is a development view of a guide sheet 56. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the inside of an automobile equipped with the airbag device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the inside of an automobile equipped with the airbag device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the inside of an automobile equipped with the airbag apparatus according to the embodiment.

11 is a perspective view of a guide sheet 62. FIG.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a guide sheet 62.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a guide sheet 64.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a guide sheet 64.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a conventional passenger seat airbag.

FIG. 16 is an exploded view showing the structure of a conventional passenger airbag.

FIG. 17 is a side view of the inside of an automobile equipped with a conventional airbag device.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing an airbag used in another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an airbag 70 according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Automobile 12 Instrument Panel 14 Airbag Device for Passenger Seat 16 Container 18,70 Airbag 20 Inflator 22 Lid 28 Seat Cushion 30 Seatback 32 Cross Corner 34 Lower Panel 36 Upper Panel 38 Inflator Opening 40,90 Venthole 42, 44,46,48,80,82,84,86 flap 56,62,64 guide sheet

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An airbag device for a passenger seat, which is installed on an upper surface of an instrument panel, comprising: a container; and an airbag housed in the container.
An inflator for deploying the airbag and a lid for covering the container are provided, an inflator opening for receiving gas from the inflator is provided in the airbag, and an edge portion of the opening is connected to the container. In the airbag device for the passenger seat, the opening for the inflator is located on the vehicle front side of the airbag, and an airbag guide for guiding the airbag to the vehicle rear side when the airbag is deployed. An airbag device for a passenger seat, characterized in that a means is provided. 2. The guide means according to claim 1,
An airbag device, which is a guide seat that opens toward the rear of the vehicle, and the guide seat has a front side of the vehicle and both sides in the vehicle width direction connected to a container. 3. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is formed by stacking two panels and joining their peripheral portions.