JPH10203289A - Side air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reduced weight and to easily assembling an air bag and an inflator. SOLUTION: A side air bag device M1 comprises an air bag 11 and an inflator 18. The air bag 11 is folded in an upper part than a belt line BL in the periphery of the door opening W of a car inside and formed to be a bag made of cloth developed to cover the door opening W during expansion. The inflator 18 is disposed in the lower side of the belt line BL in the periphery of the door opening W and supplies gas for expansion to the air bag 11. A gas flow-in part 14 roughly cylindrical in shape is formed in the lower part of the end side of the air bag 11. The gas flow-in part 14 is extended to the lower side of the belt line BL and connected by being exterior packaged on the outer peripheral surface of the inflator 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a side airbag device which is attached to the periphery of a door opening inside a vehicle body and covers the door opening when inflated and restrains the occupant's head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of side airbag device M
1, as shown in FIG. 1, an airbag 1 that is folded and attached to the periphery of the door opening W on the inside of the vehicle body and an inflator 7 that supplies an inflation gas for inflating the airbag 1, as shown in FIG. 1. , Was configured.

[0003] The airbag 1 is formed of a flexible cloth material, and is arranged on a plurality of cushion portions 2 which are inflated when inflated. And a pipe insertion part 5 for inserting a pipe 6 for supplying an inflation gas from an inflator 7.

The cushion portion 2 is defined by a sewn portion 3 in which the inner side wall portion and the outer side wall portion of the bag-shaped airbag 1 are sewn in a substantially vertical direction from the upper edge side to the lower edge side.

When the side airbag device M0 is operated, the inflation gas from the inflator 7 passes through the pipe 6, passes through a through hole (not shown) of the pipe 6, and the airbag 1 inflates.
, Each cushion portion 2 of the airbag 1 is inflated.

[0006] When each cushion portion 2 is inflated, tension is generated in a line LL extending from the lower side of the periphery of the door opening W of the airbag 1 to the upper side diagonally upward, and this tension line L- With L, the occupant's head can be reliably restrained even if the occupant's head comes into contact with the airbag 1.

The airbag 1 is attached to a substantially L-shaped portion which is a peripheral edge of the door opening W. If no tension is exerted on the tension line LL at the time of inflation, the head of the occupant may interfere. However, the movement of the airbag 1 alone makes it impossible to properly restrain the occupant's head.

[0008]

However, in the conventional side airbag device M0, the inflation gas from the inflator 7 is supplied to the airbag 1 using the pipe 6, and the inflator 7 is connected to the belt line ( Since the door D is fixed below the lower line (BL on the lower edge side) of the window frame F, the length of the pipe 6 increases, thereby increasing the weight of the airbag device M0.

Also, the pipe 6 itself needs rigidity because it guides the inflation gas, and the rigidity is
Accuracy in assembling to the inflator 7 and the airbag 1 is required, and assembling takes time.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a side airbag device which can reduce the weight and can easily assemble an airbag and an inflator. .

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a side airbag apparatus which is folded up above a belt line at a peripheral edge of a door opening on the inside of a vehicle and which is expanded so as to cover the door opening when inflated. A side airbag apparatus, comprising: an airbag, and an inflator disposed below the belt line at a periphery of the door opening and configured to supply an inflation gas to the airbag. A substantially cylindrical gas inflow portion is formed in a lower portion on the end side of the inflator, and the gas inflow portion extends to below the belt line, and is externally connected to the outer peripheral surface of the inflator. It is characterized by the following.

[0012]

In the side airbag device according to the present invention, a substantially cylindrical gas inflow portion provided at a lower portion on the end side of the airbag made of cloth is extended below the belt line and the inflator is provided. The airbag is directly connected to the inflator without using the conventional long pipe for supplying inflation gas, and the weight of the airbag device is reduced. Can be.

Further, the member connected to the inflator is a substantially cylindrical gas inflow portion formed in the airbag itself, and the airbag is formed from a flexible cloth material. On the other hand, the gas inflow portion can be easily covered and assembled.

Therefore, in the side airbag device according to the present invention, the weight can be reduced and the airbag and the inflator can be easily assembled.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The side airbag device M1 of the embodiment is
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the airbag 11 and the inflator 1 are arranged from below the front pillar around the periphery of the door opening W to the rear side of the roof side rail.
8 is provided.

The airbag 11 is folded from the front pillar above the belt line BL around the periphery of the door opening W on the inside of the vehicle to the roof side rail and stored.

As shown in FIG. 6, the airbag 11 has an inner side wall portion 12 and an outer side wall portion 13 and has a substantially square plate-like shape when inflated, and has an inflatable The apparatus is provided with a substantially cylindrical gas inflow section 14 through which gas flows.

The gas inflow portion 14 has a bottom portion 14a, and an insertion hole 14b through which a lead wire 18d of the inflator 18 is inserted is formed in the bottom portion 14a.

The airbag 11 of the embodiment is formed of a substantially arrow-blade-shaped cloth material having a lower edge side between the vehicle inner side wall portion 12 and the vehicle outer side wall portion 13 as a substantially center line. While being folded in two, a predetermined peripheral edge is sewn with a suture thread 10 such as a polyester thread to form a bag shape, and the upper edge side of the peripheral sewn portion is a vehicle inner side wall portion 12 and a vehicle outer side wall portion 13.
And an attachment portion 15 for attachment to the body 28 having an attachment hole 15a. The cloth material of the airbag 11 is formed of a flexible woven fabric such as polyamide or polyester.

In the case of the embodiment, the gas inflow portion 14
Is formed by suturing the bottom portion 14a, and before the suturing, the inflator 18 is inserted and the inflator 18 is inserted.
Suture 1 with lead wire 18d extending from
0, and the bottom portion 14a is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the suturing portion 16 forming the tension line LL in the airbag 11 at the time of inflation is inflated toward the gas inflow portion 14 by the suturing thread 10 such as a polyester thread. A projection 16a having a curved shape is provided, and a recess 16 is provided on the side opposite to the gas inflow section 14 side.
b, the inner side wall portion 12 and the outer side wall portion 13 are stitched in a closed loop shape. In the case of the embodiment, the four sewn portions 16 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle at a vertically intermediate portion of the airbag 11 when inflated.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the airbag 11 is accommodated in a bellows-folded manner at the periphery of the door opening W, covered with a garnish 30 on the front pillar side, and covered with a roof interior material on the roof side rail side. 32.

The garnish 30 is made of a synthetic resin such as ABS or polypropylene, and has a mounting base 30a, a base 30b,
A door portion 30d having an integral hinge 30e arranged so as to be pushed and opened by the airbag 11 when the airbag 11 is inflated is provided, and is fixed to the body 28 with a clip 24 or a bolt. Have been. The clip 24 and the like are attached to a mounting belt 26 described later.
At the same time, it also serves to attach the airbag 11 to the body 28 by passing through the predetermined attachment hole 15a of the airbag 11.

The roof interior material 32 is made of a synthetic resin such as urethane or polypropylene, and has a mounting base 32a and a base 32.
b. It is configured to include a skin 32c, is fixed to the body 28 by a clip 24 or a bolt, and locks a tip 32d to a door trim 33 connected to the body 28.
When the airbag 11 is inflated, the airbag 11
The leading end 32d comes off the door trim 33.

The folded airbag 11 is wrapped with a synthetic resin mounting belt 26 at a plurality of predetermined locations and covered with a garnish 30 and a rule interior material 32. The attachment belt 26 has a thin breakable portion 26 a that breaks when the airbag 11 is inflated, and is fastened together by a clip 24 or a bolt for attaching the airbag 11 to the body 28.

The mounting hole 1 on the rear end side of the airbag 11
5a is the body 2 without using the mounting belt 26.
8 is inserted into the airbag 11,
Is attached to the body 28.

At the front end side of the airbag 11, a substantially cylindrical gas inflow portion 14 surrounding an inflator 18 is provided.
The inflator 18 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the inflator 18 by a mounting bracket 19 mounted on the body 28, and is mounted on the body 28 using the mounting bracket 19.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the inflator 18 has a belt line BL below the front pillar.
And a substantially cylindrical main body 18a having a gas discharge port 18b at the upper end for discharging the inflation gas, and a cylindrical sheet metal diffuser 18c covering the periphery of the gas discharge port 18b. The airbag 11 is constructed around
Is attached to the body 28 using the mounting bracket 19 with the gas inflow portion 14 interposed therebetween.

The mounting bracket 19 is formed of a bent sheet metal, and as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the cylindrical portion 2 that covers the diffuser 18c with the gas inflow portion 14 interposed therebetween.
0, and a mounting portion 21 extending from the cylindrical portion 20 and having mounting holes 21a and 21a, and the inner diameter can be reduced via connecting portions 19a provided with slits 19b at both ends of the cylindrical portion 20. A substantially cylindrical holding portion 22 is formed and connected.

The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 20 depends on the inflator 1
The outer diameter of the gas inflow portion 14 obtained by bending the mounting portion 15 in a state in which the gas inflow portion 8 is wrapped is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the gas inflow portion 14.

The holding portion 22 has an end portion 22 bent to the outer peripheral side.
b and a substantially cylindrical belt-shaped pressing surface portion 2 having an end portion 22c overlapping the inside of the end portion 22b and having an inner peripheral surface as a substantially cylindrical surface.
2a and a connecting portion 22d made of sheet metal fixed so as to connect the outer peripheral surfaces of the ends 22b and 22c. The pressing portion 22a is plastically deformed so as to pinch the connecting portion 22d. The inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface is reduced. Note that, in the case of the embodiment, the end portions 22b and 22c are formed at positions facing the connecting portion 19a.

Pressing surface portion 22a before pinching connecting portion 22d
Is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the gas inflow portion 14 obtained by bending the mounting portion 15 with the inflator 18 wrapped, and the inner diameter when the connecting portion 22d is pinched is set with the inflator 18 wrapped. The length of the connecting portion 22d and the shape and dimensions of the end portions 22b and 22c are set so as to be smaller than the outer diameter of the gas inflow portion 14 in which the portion 15 is bent.

When the mounting bracket 19 is used, the cylindrical portion 20 of the mounting bracket 19 is inserted into the gas inflow portion 14 where the mounting portion 15 is bent with the inflator 18 wrapped.
And the holding portions 22 and 22 are pinched with pliers or the like so as to plastically deform the connecting portion 22d. Then, the pressing surface portion 22a is reduced in diameter to reduce the inner diameter, and the inner diameter is maintained by plastic deformation of the connecting portion 22d. The diffuser 18c is pressed against the outer peripheral surface with good sealing properties.

Thereafter, if the mounting bolt 37 is screwed into the body 28 through each mounting hole 21a of the mounting portion 21, the inflator 18 and the gas inflow portion 14 can be easily mounted and fixed to the body 28.

When the inflator 18 is attached to the body 28 together with the gas inlet portion 14 of the airbag 11 by the attachment bracket 19, the airbag 11 is folded and wrapped around each attachment belt 26, and at the same time, each Attachment belt 26 is clipped or bolted, and bolt 35 is screwed in, so that the portion of airbag 11 other than gas inflow portion 14 is attached to body 28.

In the airbag device M1 of the embodiment, when the inflation gas is discharged from the gas discharge port 18b of the inflator 18, the breakable portion 26a of each mounting belt 26 is broken, and the door portion 30d of the garnish 30 is closed. The airbag 11 is inflated so as to close the door opening W by pushing and opening the front end 32d side of the roof interior material 32 while pushing.

In the airbag device M1 of the embodiment, the substantially cylindrical gas inflow portion 14 provided at the lower portion on the front end side of the cloth airbag 11 is extended below the belt line BL. Since the airbag 14 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the inflator 18 and is connected directly to the inflator 18 without using a conventional long pipe for supplying inflation gas, the weight of the airbag device M1 is reduced. Can be made lighter.

Further, a member connected to the inflator 18 is a substantially cylindrical gas inflow portion 14 formed in the airbag 11 itself, and the airbag 11 is formed of a flexible cloth material. Therefore, the gas inflow section 14 can be easily externally attached to the inflator 18 and assembled.

Therefore, in the side airbag device M1 of the embodiment, the weight can be reduced, and the airbag 11 and the inflator 18 can be easily assembled.

Further, in the airbag device M1 of the embodiment, the gas inflow portion 14 wraps the entire outer peripheral surface of the inflator 18 with the lead wire 18d inserted therethrough. 22a
Even if the pressing force is not sufficient, the sealing property of the inflation gas can be improved.

As shown in FIG. 10, the gas inflow portion 14 may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that does not have the bottom portion 14a and covers only the outer peripheral surface of the diffuser 18c of the inflator 18. In this case, After the suturing of the airbag 11 is completed, the airbag 11 and the inflator 18 can be assembled, and the suturing operation of the airbag 11 becomes easy.

Further, in the embodiment, the airbag device M1 arranged from the front pillar inside the vehicle to the roof side rail has been described, but the airbag device M1 arranged from the quarter pillar or the center pillar on the rear side of the vehicle inside the vehicle to the roof side rail. A bag may be arranged, in which case, an inflator 18 is arranged below the belt line BL below the quarter pillar and the center pillar, and the gas inflow section 14 is extended to the inflator 18. The Rukoto.

Further, in the embodiment, the gas inflow portion 14 is attached to the body 28 together with the inflator 18 by using the mounting bracket 19 in which the gas inflow portion 14 is externally attached to and connected to the inflator 18. The portion 14 is configured as shown in FIG. 10 without the bottom portion 14a, and a ring-shaped clamp that can be reduced in diameter by a bolt and nut structure is used as a member that is externally attached to the inflator 18 and connected to the gas inflow portion 14. A portion of the inflator 18 protruding from the body 28 may be separately fixed to the body 28. Of course, gas inlet 1
4 is provided with a bottom portion 14a covering the inflator 18, and a member for connecting the gas inflow portion 14 to the inflator 18 by using an annular clamp that can be reduced in diameter by a bolt and nut structure is used. Gas inlet 14
The inflator 18 and the like are attached to the body 28 using a bracket for attaching and fixing the inflator 18 to the body 28.
You may be made to attach to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional airbag.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a side airbag device in which the airbag of one embodiment of the present invention is used.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along a line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state at the time of operation of a side airbag device using the airbag of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the airbag of the embodiment when inflated.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an inflator portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a mounting bracket used in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an inflator portion showing a modification of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1.1 airbag, 14 gas inlet, 18 inflator, W door opening, BL belt line, M0 / M1 side airbag device.

Continuing on the front page (72) Katsuhiro Okumura, 1 Ochiai Nagahata, Kasuga-cho, Nishi-Kasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinji Kondo 1, 1 Ochiai Ochiai, Kasuga-cho, Nishi-Kasugai-gun, Aichi 1 Toyota Gosei Co., Ltd. In-company (72) Inventor Toshinori Tanase 1 Ochiai Nagahata, Kasuga-cho, Nishi-Kasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An airbag which is folded above a belt line at a peripheral edge of a door opening on the inside of a vehicle and is deployed so as to cover the door opening when inflated, and a belt-like airbag formed at a peripheral edge of the door opening. An inflator disposed below and supplying an inflation gas to the airbag, comprising: a substantially cylindrical gas inflow into a lower portion on the end side of the airbag. A side airbag device, wherein the gas inflow portion extends to a position below the belt line and is externally connected to an outer peripheral surface of the inflator.