JPH11152007A - Occupant protective device in side impact of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To add an upward reaction from the upper surface of an arm rest to an air bag pressed to the lower side in expansion to enhance the expanding speed of the air bag by providing such a structure that the bottom surface of the air bag expanded forward makes contact with the upper surface of the arm rest. SOLUTION: An air bag 8 has a substantially L-shape, and it is provided with a bulkhead cloth 10 for partitioning the internal, space to a lower breast protecting part A and an upper head protecting part B. The form and mounting position of the air bag 8 are set so that the bottom surface 13 of the air bag 8 makes contact with the upper surface 5 of an arm rest 6, in the expansion of the air bag 8, in the state overlapped by a prescribed vertical width (d). Namely, since the capacity of the air bag 8 is not so much increased by setting the bottom surface 13 of the air bag 8 to a curved form swollen downward, the expanding speed of the air bag 8 is effectively improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an occupant protection system for a side collision of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an airbag device for an automobile, an airbag for a side collision in which an airbag is deployed forward from a side portion of a seat back at the time of a side collision of a vehicle so that an occupant is protected by the airbag. There is an apparatus (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-136598 as a similar technique).

[0003]

In such a conventional technique, an airbag is deployed forward while being inflated by gas ejected from an inflator.
Particularly, in the case of a side collision airbag, since the space between the occupant and the vehicle body side wall is narrow, the airbag is caught between the occupant and the vehicle body side wall during deployment, and the airbag is pushed downward. May be When the airbag is pushed downward, the deployment speed of the airbag is reduced by that amount, which is not preferable. Therefore, a proposal for a new airbag device that can further increase the deployment speed of the airbag is desired.

The present invention has been made in response to such a demand, and an object of the present invention is to provide an occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile, which can increase the deployment speed of an airbag.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
An armrest having a substantially horizontal upper surface is formed on the side wall of the vehicle body adjacent to the seatback, and an airbag is provided on a side portion of the seatback, and gas from an inflator is blown into the airbag at the time of a collision to remove the airbag. In the occupant protection device in the event of a side collision of an automobile deployed forward and above the armrest, the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is in contact with the top surface of the armrest.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is in contact with the upper surface of the armrest, the airbag pushed downward from the upper surface of the armrest with respect to the airbag pushed downward at the time of deployment. A reaction force can be exerted, and the deployment speed of the airbag can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the occupant protection device according to the first aspect, wherein the bottom surface of the deployed airbag is in contact with the upper surface of the armrest in an overlapping state. Features.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is not only in contact with the top surface of the armrest, but also the bottom surface of the airbag is overlapped with the top surface of the armrest. To contact with
A downward force is positively applied from the bottom surface of the airbag to the top surface of the armrest. Then, the upward reaction force acting on the airbag from the upper surface of the armrest is further increased, and the deployment speed can be further improved. In particular, the speed of deployment to the upper side is improved. If the bottom surface of the airbag is brought into contact with the upper surface of the armrest in an overlapping manner, if the airbag and the armrest are attached to each other in the vertical direction, the mounting error in the vertical direction, Even if the vertical position of the airbag fluctuates due to the reclining angle, the error or the fluctuation can be absorbed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile according to the first or second aspect, wherein the bottom surface of the deployed airbag has a curved shape bulging downward. It is characterized by having.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the bottom surface of the airbag has a curved shape that bulges downward, the airbag is lower than when the bottom surface of the airbag is kept flat. Contact with the upper surface of the armrest can be obtained without increasing the capacity of the armrest. Since the capacity of the airbag does not increase much, it is effective in improving the deployment speed of the airbag.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the airbag is substantially L-shaped and provided inside. It is characterized by being partitioned into an upper head protection part and a lower chest protection part by a partition wall cloth with ventilation holes, and gas from the inflator is blown out to the chest protection part side.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, first, the chest protection portion is deployed forward by the gas ejected from the inflator, so that the deployment speed of the airbag forward is improved.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the occupant protection device in the event of a side collision of the vehicle according to the fourth aspect, wherein an ejection port for ejecting gas is formed on a bottom side of a chest protection portion of the airbag. It is characterized by being.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the gas ejection port is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator, and the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protection portion along the inner surface.
The deployment of the chest protection unit gains momentum, and the deployment speed further increases.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the occupant protection device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, wherein the inflator is disposed along the seat back, and the gas outlet is located at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator. It is characterized by being formed in.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the gas outlet is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator.
Since the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protector along the inner surface, the deployment of the chest protector is accelerated, and the deployment speed can be further increased.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the occupant protection device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the bottom surface of the airbag in contact with the upper surface of the armrest receives an upward reaction force from the upper surface of the armrest. It is characterized by the following.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the upward reaction force acting on the airbag from the upper surface of the armrest is further increased, so that the airbag is sandwiched between the occupant and the door and pushed downward. The airbag can also be deployed forward without being pushed down. Since the airbag is not pushed down, the airbag reaches the final deployed state in a shorter time than before. That is, the deployment speed of the airbag is improved.

According to the present invention, an armrest having a substantially horizontal upper surface is provided on a side wall of the vehicle body adjacent to the seatback, and an airbag is provided on a side portion of the seatback located above the armrest facing the seatback. In an occupant protection system at the time of a side collision of an automobile in which a gas from an inflator is blown into an airbag at the time of a collision and the airbag is deployed forward and above the armrest, the airbag is provided with an armrest when deployed. An occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile, wherein the occupant protection device has a bottom surface which bulges toward an upper surface and is in contact with an upper surface of the armrest.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the airbag is pushed downward by being sandwiched between the occupant and the door by making the bottom surface of the airbag simply contact the upper surface of the armrest. Also, an upward reaction force can be exerted on the airbag pushed downward.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is in contact with the upper surface of the armrest.
An upward reaction force can be exerted from the upper surface of the armrest, and the deployment speed of the airbag can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is not only in contact with the top surface of the armrest, but also the bottom surface of the airbag is overlapped with the top surface of the armrest. To contact with
A downward force is positively applied from the bottom surface of the airbag to the top surface of the armrest. Then, the upward reaction force acting on the airbag from the upper surface of the armrest is further increased, and the deployment speed can be further improved. In particular, the speed of deployment to the upper side is improved. If the bottom surface of the airbag is brought into contact with the upper surface of the armrest in an overlapping manner, if the airbag and the armrest are attached to each other in the vertical direction, the mounting error in the vertical direction, Even if the vertical position of the airbag fluctuates due to the reclining angle, the error or the fluctuation can be absorbed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the bottom surface of the airbag has a curved shape swelling downward, the airbag is lower than when the bottom surface of the airbag is kept flat. Contact with the upper surface of the armrest can be obtained without increasing the capacity of the armrest. Since the capacity of the airbag does not increase much, it is effective in improving the deployment speed of the airbag.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, first, the chest protection portion is deployed forward by the gas ejected from the inflator, so that the deployment speed of the airbag forward is improved.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the gas ejection port is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator, and the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protector along the inner surface.
The deployment of the chest protection unit gains momentum, and the deployment speed further increases.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the gas outlet is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator.
Since the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protector along the inner surface, the deployment of the chest protector is accelerated, and the deployment speed can be further increased.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the upward reaction force acting on the airbag from the upper surface of the armrest is further increased, the airbag is sandwiched between the occupant and the door and pushed downward. The airbag can also be deployed forward without being pushed down. Since the airbag is not pushed down, the airbag reaches the final deployed state in a shorter time than before. That is, the deployment speed of the airbag is improved.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the airbag is pressed downward by being sandwiched between the occupant and the door by making the bottom surface of the airbag simply contact the upper surface of the armrest. Also, an upward reaction force can be exerted on the airbag pushed downward.

[0029]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 1 denotes a right front seat, which is formed by a seat back 2 and a seat cushion 3. At a position adjacent to the front seat 1, there is a door 4 as a "vehicle side wall", and an armrest 6 having a substantially horizontal upper surface 5 is formed on an inner surface thereof.

An airbag module 7 is built in the right end of the seat back 2. The airbag module 7 is disposed above the armrest 6, and the seatback 2 faces the armrest 6.
Is provided on the side of the. This airbag module 7
Inside, an inflator 9 and an airbag 8 arranged along the seat back 2 are housed. The airbag 8 is deployed between the occupant and the door 4 at the time of a vehicle side collision to protect the occupant.

The airbag 8 has a substantially L shape, and is provided with a partition cloth 10 for partitioning an internal space into a lower chest protection portion A and an upper head protection portion B. This partition cloth 10
A vent 11 is formed on the rear side.

A jet port 12 is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator 9. The gas G spouted from the spout 12 first enters the chest protection part A and deploys the chest protection part A forward. Thereafter, the gas G in the chest protection part A is transferred to the head through the ventilation hole 11. It is introduced into the protection part B, and the head protection part B is developed upward.

The shape and the mounting position of the airbag 8 are such that when the airbag 8 is deployed forward, the bottom surface 13 thereof overlaps the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 by a predetermined vertical width d. It is set to touch in a wrapped state.

Next, the behavior when the airbag 8 is actually deployed will be described. The airbag 8 that has been deployed forward and above the armrest 6 is inflated in the space between the occupant and the door 4 by the gas G ejected from the inflator 9. In the airbag 8, first, the chest protection part A is deployed forward, and then the head protection part B is deployed upward.

The airbag 8 deployed forward bulges toward the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6, and the bottom surface 13 thereof overlaps the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 by a predetermined vertical width d as described above. Touch with wrapped. Thus, the bottom surface 13 of the airbag 8 is
On the other hand, since the contact is made in an overlapping state, a downward force is positively applied to the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 from the bottom surface 13 of the airbag 8.

Then, the upward reaction force F acting on the airbag 8 from the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 further increases in accordance with the downward direction, so that the airbag 8 is sandwiched between the occupant and the door 4 and , The airbag 8 can resist the pushing force, and the airbag 8 is deployed forward without being pushed down. Since the airbag 8 is not pushed down, the airbag 8 reaches the final deployed state in a shorter time than before. That is, the deployment speed of the airbag 8 is improved.

Further, since the bottom surface 13 of the airbag 8 is brought into contact with the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 in an overlapping state, there is a temporary mounting error between the airbag 8 and the armrest 6 in the vertical direction. However, even if the vertical position of the airbag 8 fluctuates due to the reclining angle of the seat back 2, the error or fluctuation can be absorbed.

Further, since the bottom surface 13 of the airbag is formed in a curved shape bulging downward, the capacity of the airbag 8 does not increase so much, which is effective in improving the deployment speed of the airbag 8. Further, the airbag 8 is separated from the partition cloth 10.
To protect the chest protection section A and the head protection section B, and the gas G blown out from the inflator 9 allows the chest protection section A having a small air capacity to be deployed.
The speed of deployment of the front is improved. In addition, since the gas G ejection port 12 is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator 9, the gas G is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protection portion A along the inner surface, so that the deployment of the chest protection portion A is momentum. luck,
The deployment speed can be further increased.

In the above embodiment, the bottom surface 13 of the airbag 8 is configured to be in contact with the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 in a state of being overlapped. You may make contact (zero touch). Even if the airbag 8 is simply set so as to be in contact with, for example, the airbag 8 is sandwiched between the occupant and the door 4 and pushed downward, the upward reaction force F is applied to the airbag 8 pushed downward. Can be exerted.

Although the airbag device provided on the seat back 2 of the front seat has been described as an example, the present invention can be applied to an airbag device provided on the rear seat.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vehicle interior perspective view showing an occupant protection device during a side collision of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a contact state between an airbag and an armrest.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Seat back 4 Door (body side wall) 5 Top surface 6 Armrest 8 Airbag 9 Inflator 10 Partition cloth 12 Spout 13 Bottom surface G Gas A Chest protection part B Head protection part F Upward reaction force

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An armrest having a substantially horizontal upper surface is formed on a side wall of a vehicle body adjacent to a seatback, and an airbag is provided on a side portion of the seatback, so that gas from an inflator is blown into the airbag upon collision. An occupant protection device for a side collision of a vehicle in which the airbag is deployed forward and above the armrest, wherein a bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is in contact with an upper surface of the armrest; Occupant protection equipment. 2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the deployed airbag is in contact with the upper surface of the armrest in an overlapping state. Occupant protection device in the event of a side collision. 3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vehicle has a deployed airbag having a curved bottom surface with a bottom surface bulging downward. The occupant protection device in the event of a side collision of an automobile. 4. The occupant protection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has a substantially L-shape, and has a ventilation hole provided therein. Thus, an occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile is characterized by being divided into an upper head protection part and a lower chest protection part, and gas from an inflator is blown toward the chest protection part. 5. The occupant protection device according to claim 4, wherein an outlet for ejecting gas is formed on a bottom side of a chest protection portion of the airbag. Occupant protection system in the event of a side collision of a moving car. 6. The occupant protection device according to claim 5, wherein the inflator is disposed along a seatback, and a gas outlet is formed at a lower end of a side surface of the inflator. An occupant protection system in the event of a side collision of an automobile. 7. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the airbag in contact with the upper surface of the armrest receives an upward reaction force from the upper surface of the armrest. Occupant protection device in case of side collision. 8. An armrest having a substantially horizontal upper surface is provided on a side wall of the vehicle body adjacent to the seatback, and an airbag is provided on a side portion of the seatback located above the armrest facing the seatback. In an occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile in which gas from an inflator is blown out and the airbag is deployed forward and above the armrest, the airbag bulges toward the upper surface of the armrest when deployed. An occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile, wherein the occupant protection device has a bottom surface in contact with an upper surface of the armrest.