JPH1081187A - Seat pad structure of seat having side air bag built-in - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To specify the bursting position of a seat pad and specify the projecting position from the seat back by forming a thin part having a substantially U-shaped section in a designated range of the front wall of a seat pad storing part including a part aligned with a gas nozzle of an inflator. SOLUTION: In the front wall 18a of a storing part 18 of a seat pad, in a region L aligned with a gas nozzle 26a of an inflator, a thin part 18a-1 having a substantially U-shaped section is formed to reduce the pad thickness T1 of a corresponding part. Thus, the tear strength of the thin part 18a-1 is lowered than the tear strength of the other part of the front wall. The expansion of a side air bag 16 is normally started from the periphery of a gas nozzle 26, and the expansion force is obtained large at the part aligned with the gas nozzle 26. Thus, the bursting of the seat pat 14 is caused in the front wall 18a of the seat pad storing part 18, taking the thin part 18a-1 as a starting point, so that the bursting position of the seat pad can be specified in the front wall of the storing part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seat pad structure for a side airbag built-in seat having a side airbag built in a side portion of a seat back.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, airbags, which reduce the impact on a occupant by inflating and projecting in the event of a collision or the like, have been widely provided as a protection device for automobiles and the like in recent years. As an airbag of this type, for example, it is built in the side portion of the seat back, and when a shock occurs, the occupant is inflated and projected forward from the side of the seat back, that is, to the side of the occupant. A so-called side airbag that protects from a wall surface such as the above is known.

[0003] Such side airbags are generally
An actuating device called an inflator is arranged inside and formed. When an impact caused by a collision of an automobile or the like is detected by an impact sensor, gas generation (injection) and ignition of the inflator cause the seated person to return from the seat back. It is configured to instantly expand and protrude between the upper body and a wall surface such as a door.

[0004] The side airbag is usually folded into a predetermined shape in a contracted state, and is incorporated in a side portion of the seatback by fixing a base portion to a bracket or the like of the seatback frame. The side airbag inflated when an impact such as a collision occurs, the stitching portion between the gusset located on the side surface of the trim cover of the seat back, the crouching portion, and the main portion including the squashing portion is defined as a protrusion, It can be ruptured by cutting a suture or the like, and can project outside, that is, forward of the seat back.

[0005]

Here, as such a seat with a built-in side airbag, for example, a configuration is known in which a side airbag is stored and arranged in a hollow storage portion of a seat pad that is opened rearward. ing. According to such a configuration, since the front and sides of the side airbag are covered with the seat pad, it is possible to prevent a reduction in cushioning of the seatback due to the incorporation of the side airbag.

In such a configuration, the front side of the side airbag in the projecting direction is covered by the front wall of the seat pad storage portion. Rupture of the front wall is required. However, in the known configuration, since the rupture position in the storage portion of the seat pad is not particularly specified, the rupture position of the seat pad may be changed depending on various conditions such as the folded state of the side airbag and the tear strength of the seat pad. There is a possibility that the initial position is deviated.

If the rupture position of the seat pad deviates from the predetermined position, it is not easy to transmit the force to the sewn portion between the gusset portion and the main portion of the trim cover. May not be easily obtained.

Here, by reducing the thickness of the pad on the front wall of the storage portion of the seat pad as a whole, the tear strength of the seat pad is reduced, whereby the rupture position of the seat pad can be specified. Is considered. However, if the thickness of the pad on the front wall of the storage portion of the seat pad is reduced as a whole, the cushioning properties of the seat cushion and its external appearance may be adversely affected, which is not preferable.

[0009] At the gas outlet of the inflator, the direction of gas ejection is usually regulated by a reflex plate or the like. However, since this reflex plate merely has directivity in the circumferential direction centering on the axis of the inflator, the side airbag inflates excessively on the gas ejection side of the inflator, and the projecting direction is changed. There is a possibility that the position is shifted in the vertical direction from the originally planned position.

An object of the present invention is to provide a seat pad structure of a seat with a built-in side airbag for specifying a rupture position of a seat pad due to inflation of a side airbag and specifying a protruding direction from a seatback. I have.

[0011]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the front wall of the storage portion of the seat pad located in the direction in which the side airbag protrudes is aligned with the gas outlet of the inflator. A thin portion having a substantially concave cross section is formed in a predetermined range in the vertical direction including a portion to be formed.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the seat pad structure 10 of the seat with a built-in side airbag according to the present invention, the seat pad 14 of the seat back 12 has a hollow shape in which the side airbag 16 is stored. Storage portions 18 are provided on the corresponding side portions, and are formed from an elastic material such as urethane foam. As can be seen from FIG. 3 in addition to FIG. 2, the side air bag 16 is disposed in the storage portion 18, stored, and the seat pad 14 is covered with the trim cover 20 made of a skin, etc. The seat back of the seat 24 with a built-in side airbag in which the bag is installed on the corresponding side, that is, on the side of the vehicle wall such as the door 22
12 are formed.

As shown in FIG.
Usually has an inflator 26 connected to an impact sensor (not shown) for detecting an impact at the time of a collision such as a rear-end collision and a rear-end collision, and is folded into a predetermined shape in a contracted state. The side airbag 16 is configured so that when a shock equal to or more than a predetermined amount is detected by the shock sensor, the inflator 26 is instantaneously inflated by generation (injection) of gas and ignition.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, in this embodiment, a bracket 32 fixedly attached to a seat back frame 28 forming the skeleton of the seat back 12 and its side frame 30 includes Seat pad storage 18
And with the base fixed to this bracket,
The side airbag 16 is housed in a seat pad storage section, that is, a seat back. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, a bolt 34 provided integrally with the inflator 26 is used, and the side airbag 16 is With the part where the inflator is arranged as the base,
It is fixed to a bracket 32.

The principle of operation of the side airbag 16 is well-known, and its structure and the operating device therefor are not the purpose of the present invention, and will not be described in detail here. As an operation principle of the side airbag 16 and a basic structure thereof, for example, the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 03-281455 can be exemplified.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inflator 26 has, for example, a gas outlet 26a at one end and a connecting coupler at the other end.
26b.
The inflator 26 is disposed with the reflex plate 26c disposed rearward of the seat back so as to regulate the gas ejection direction in front of the seat back 12 (see FIG. 2). In this embodiment, the gas ejection port 26
a is arranged downward, and the inflator 26 is arranged inside the side airbag 16.

And, such a side airbag 16
Is capable of projecting to the outside of the seat back 12 with continuous rupture of the front wall 18a of the seat pad storage portion 18 and the predetermined projection 38 of the trim cover 20 under the expansion. (See the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the trim cover 20
For example, the gusset 20a of the seat back and a gusset 20a continuously located on the top and side surfaces of the seat back 12,
It is formed as a combination with the main part 20b located at the stub. The projecting opening 38 of the side airbag 16 is defined, for example, at the front end of the side surface of the gusset 20a, at the seam between the gusset and the main portion 20b.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rear end of the rim portion 20a of the trim cover is, for example, an extended end of the bracket 32.
Using the hook 32a, the hook 40 is fixedly connected to the seat back frame 28 by locking the hook 40 to the extended end.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the seat pad structure 10 of the seat with a built-in airbag according to the present invention, the front wall of the seat pad storage portion 18 located in the direction in which the side airbag 16 protrudes. A thin portion 18a-1 having a substantially concave cross section is formed in a predetermined range L in the vertical direction including a portion aligned with the gas outlet 26a of the inflator. That is, as can be seen from FIG. 4 in addition to FIGS. 1 and 2, in this configuration, the gas ejection port of the inflator is used.
The pad thickness T1 of the thin portion 18a-1 in the range L aligned with 26a is
It is formed thinner than the pad thickness T2 of the other portion of the front wall 18a of the storage section.

In such a configuration, the tear strength of the thin portion 18a-1 of the front wall 18a of the seat pad storage portion 18 is lower than the tear strength of the other portions of the front wall. With the expansion of the slab, the thin portion ruptures first, followed by the other portions of the front wall rupture. Then, the trim cover town part 20a and the main part 20b
The protruding opening 38 defined in the sewn portion of the seat pad
The rupture follows the rupture of 14, whereby the side airbag 16 is projected forward of the seat back 12, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2.

As described above, in the seat pad structure 10 of the seat with a built-in side airbag according to the present invention, the front wall 18a of the seat pad storage portion 18 has a range L which is aligned with the gas outlet 26a of the inflator. A thin portion 18a-1 having a substantially concave cross section is formed to reduce the pad thickness T1 of the corresponding portion. The inflation of the side airbag 16 is usually
Starting from the periphery of the gas outlet 26 of the inflator, the inflation force is greatly obtained in the portion aligned with the gas outlet, and therefore, by reducing the thickness of the pad thickness T1 in the portion aligned with the gas outlet. Thus, the rupture of the seat pad 14 can be obtained smoothly and quickly at the relevant portion.

Since the rupture starting from the thin portion 18a-1 is obtained on the front wall 18a of the seat pad storage section 18, the rupture position of the seat pad 14 can be specified on the front wall of the storage section.

Further, by forming the thin portion 18a-1 having a substantially concave cross section, it is sufficient to partially reduce the thickness of the front wall 18a of the storage portion. The rupture position of the seat pad can be easily specified without causing deformation of the external shape.

The predetermined range L in the vertical direction of the thin portion 18a-1 is not particularly limited as long as it is a range including the entire effective length of the gas outlet 26a of the inflator. However, the downward expansion of the thin portion 18a-1 is not preferable in the sense of limiting the direction in which the side airbag 16 projects.

Further, by specifying the rupture position of the seat pad 14, the transmission position of the inflation force of the side airbag 16 to the trim cover 20 is limited, so that the area between the gusset portion 20a and the main portion 20b of the trim cover is limited. The spout 38 specified in
Can be easily ruptured.

By the way, as described above, the inflator
26 is formed with a reflex plate 26c for defining the gas ejection direction, but in the reflection plate, the gas in the circumferential direction centered on the axis of the inflator has directivity in the ejection direction. However, the definition of the ejection direction in the axial direction of the inflator is not usually made. Therefore, as can be seen from FIG. 1, according to the present invention, a substantially flat guide wall 42 along the projecting direction of the side airbag 16 is provided at a portion vertically adjacent to the gas outlet 26a of the inflator, that is, below. Is provided.

The guide wall 42 is provided integrally with the seat pad 14, for example, as a lower wall that defines a position below the storage portion 18.

According to such a configuration, the inflator 26
Excessive ejection of gas from below can be prevented,
The protrusion of the side airbag 16 along the guide wall 42 is obtained. In other words, excessive inflation of the side airbag 16 downward due to the ejection of gas is reliably prevented, and
Since the lower position in the projecting direction of the side airbag is defined, the projecting direction of the side airbag can be specified in the vertical direction.

Accordingly, by preventing the side airbag 16 which is displaced in the vertical direction, particularly downward, from protruding, the occupant can be properly protected at the time of protruding, and the protection effect of the side airbag can be sufficiently ensured.

Since the direction of gas ejection from the gas outlet 26a of the inflator is defined below, the direction of gas ejection is limited to the inflation and projection directions of the side airbag 16. That is, since the inflation of the side airbag 16 and the ejection of gas along the protruding direction can be reliably obtained, the quick protruding of the side airbag can be easily secured.

Further, since it is sufficient that the guide wall 42 is provided integrally with the seat pad 14 as a lower wall for defining the lower position of the seat pad storage portion 18, the shape of the seat pad and its configuration are surely complicated. Can be prevented.

In this configuration, the guide wall 42 is preferably provided continuously to the lower edge of the thin portion 18a-1. According to such a configuration, the inflated side airbag 16 is smoothly protruded from the guide wall 42 to the thin portion 18a-1, so that quick projection can be further ensured from this point.

In the above structure, the front wall 18a of the seat pad storage portion 18 is partially thinned to reduce the tear strength at that portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cloth body 44 is integrally disposed at least on the peripheral surface of the seat pad storage portion 18, and among the cloth bodies, the inflator A slit 44a having a predetermined length may be formed in a portion corresponding to the thin portion 18a-1 of the seat pad aligned with the gas outlet 26a.

According to this configuration, the storage portion of the seat pad
Since the peripheral surface of the 18 is covered with the cloth body 44, the overall tear strength of the peripheral surface of the storage section is increased. Further, since the slit 44a is provided in a portion of the cloth body 44 corresponding to the thin portion 18a-1 of the front wall 18a of the storage portion, the slit 44a is formed between the thin portion of the front wall and other portions of the peripheral surface of the storage portion. The strength of the tear strength is further clarified.

That is, the force acting on the seat pad 14 due to the inflation of the side airbag 16 concentrates on the slit 44a, that is, the thin portion 18a-1, so that the thin portion is ruptured due to the inflation of the side airbag. Can be performed more reliably.

Accordingly, the rupture of the seat pad 14 on the front wall 18a of the storage section 18 can be more reliably obtained, whereby the rupture position of the seat pad and the protruding direction of the side airbag 16 can be specified. , Can be further layered.

In addition, as shown in FIG.
It is preferable that the length of 44a in the vertical direction is, for example, equal to or less than the corresponding length of thin portion 18a-1.

Here, the cloth body 44 may be formed of a material having a friction coefficient smaller than the friction coefficient of the surface of the seat pad 14. In such a configuration, when the side airbag 16 is inflated, the frictional resistance generated between the side airbag 16 and the peripheral surface of the storage portion 18 of the seat pad is reliably reduced, so that the side airbag can be more smoothly inflated and projected. Can be secured. And
Under the inflation along the cloth body 44, the inflation and the protruding direction of the side airbag 16 are reliably guided to the thin portion 18a-1, and from this point also, the rupture position of the seat pad 14 is specified, and Further, the specification of the protruding direction of the side airbag 16 is further improved.

Here, in this embodiment, a configuration in which the gas outlet 26a of the inflator is disposed below is embodied. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the gas outlet may be disposed above. The present invention can be applied to a configuration in which the inflator 26 is disposed inside the side airbag 16. In this case, the guide wall 42 is provided integrally with the seat pad 14 as an upper wall that defines the position above the seat pad storage section 18.

Also, in this embodiment, the side airbag 16 is illustrated as being built in the right side as viewed from the front of the seat back 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which a side airbag is incorporated.

As the seat with a built-in side airbag, a driver seat serving as a front seat of an automobile,
Although an assistant seat can be generally exemplified, a seat mounted adjacent to a wall surface such as a door or the like is not limited to a front seat because the protection effect of the side airbag sufficiently functions, for example, The seat pad structure of the present invention may be applied to a seat back of a rear seat.

Although suitable for automobile seats,
The present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to, for example, seats of trains, airplanes, ships, and the like.

The embodiments of the present invention described above are intended to explain the present invention, and do not limit the present invention in any way. Modifications, alterations, and the like within the technical scope of the present invention may also be made. It goes without saying that all are included in the present invention.

[0046]

As described above, according to the seat pad structure of the seat with a built-in side airbag according to the present invention, the seat pad starts from the thin portion having a substantially concave cross section provided on the front wall of the seat pad storage section. Is ruptured, so that the rupture position of the seat pad can be specified on the front wall of the storage section.

Since it is sufficient to partially reduce the thickness of the front wall of the storage portion by forming the thin portion having a substantially concave cross section, the overall cushioning of the seat pad is reduced, and the external shape is deformed. The location of the rupture of the seat pad can be easily specified without causing the occurrence of the rupture.

Further, a substantially flat guide wall extending in the direction in which the side airbag protrudes is provided integrally with the seat pad in a portion vertically adjacent to the gas ejection port of the inflator, so that gas is ejected from the inflator. The direction can be defined in the vertical direction, which results in a side airbag protrusion along the guide wall. Therefore, by specifying the protruding direction of the side airbag in the vertical direction, the occupant can be properly protected at the time of protruding, and the protection effect of the side airbag can be sufficiently ensured.

Further, since it is sufficient to provide the guide wall integrally with the seat pad, it is possible to reliably prevent the shape and configuration of the seat pad from becoming complicated.

Further, if the guide wall is provided continuously to the corresponding edge of the thin portion, the inflated side airbag can be smoothly projected from the guide wall into the thin portion. More secure.

Further, a predetermined cloth is integrally disposed at least on the peripheral surface of the seat pad storage portion, and a portion of the cloth corresponding to the thin portion of the seat pad aligned with the gas outlet of the inflator. In the configuration in which the slit of a predetermined length is formed, the strength of the tearing strength between the thin portion of the front wall and the other portion of the peripheral surface of the storage portion is further clarified, and the force accompanying the inflation of the side airbag is reduced. Since it concentrates on the portion, the thin portion can be ruptured more reliably due to the inflation of the side airbag.

Accordingly, the rupture of the seat pad in the storage portion can be obtained more reliably, and thereby, the rupture position of the seat pad and the protruding direction of the side airbag can be further specified.

Further, if the cloth body is formed from a material having a coefficient of friction smaller than the coefficient of friction of the surface of the seat pad, the frictional resistance during inflation of the side airbag is reliably reduced. Projection can be secured. Then, under the inflation along the cloth, the inflation and the projecting direction of the side airbag are guided to the thin portion, so from this point also, the rupture position of the seat pad is specified, and
The protruding direction of the side airbag can be further specified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a seat pad in a seat pad structure of a seat with a built-in side airbag according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a seat with a built-in side airbag.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a seat pad similar to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a seat pad structure of a seat with a built-in side airbag similar to FIG. 2 in the modified example shown in FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Seat pad structure of seat with built-in side airbag 12 Seat back 14 Seat pad 16 Side airbag 18 Storage section 20 Trim cover 24 Seat with built-in side airbag 26 Inflator 26a Gas outlet of inflator 38 Projection opening 42 Guide wall 44 Cloth 44a Cloth slit

Claims (5)

[Claims] A side airbag which is inflated and protruded by gas injection and ignition from a gas outlet of an inflator is stored in a storage portion of a seat pad which is opened rearward.
Depending on the arrangement, in the side airbag built-in seat built in the corresponding side of the seatback, the part of the front wall of the storage part of the seat pad located in the direction in which the side airbag protrudes is aligned with the gas outlet of the inflator. A seat pad structure for a seat with a built-in side airbag, wherein a thin portion having a substantially concave cross section is formed in a predetermined range in the up-down direction. 2. A side airbag, which is inflated and protruded by gas injection and ignition from a gas outlet of an inflator, is stored in a storage portion of a seat pad which is opened rearward.
Depending on the arrangement, in the side airbag built-in seat built in the corresponding side of the seatback, the part of the front wall of the storage part of the seat pad located in the direction in which the side airbag protrudes is aligned with the gas outlet of the inflator. A thin portion having a substantially concave cross-section is formed in a predetermined range in the vertical direction, and a substantially flat guide wall along the projecting direction of the side airbag is formed in a portion vertically adjacent to the gas outlet of the inflator. A seat pad structure for a seat with a built-in side airbag, wherein the seat pad is provided integrally with the seat pad. 3. The seat pad structure for a seat with a built-in side airbag according to claim 2, wherein the guide wall is provided continuously at corresponding upper and lower edges of the thin portion. 4. A predetermined cloth body is integrally disposed on at least a peripheral surface of a storage portion of the seat pad, and a portion of the cloth body corresponding to a thin portion of the seat pad aligned with a gas outlet of an inflator. 4. A seat pad structure for a seat with a built-in side airbag according to claim 1, wherein a slit of a predetermined length is formed in the seat. 5. The seat pad structure for a seat with a built-in side airbag according to claim 4, wherein the cloth body is formed from a material having a friction coefficient smaller than a friction coefficient of the surface of the seat pad.