JPH11165606A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the structure of a side air bag device. SOLUTION: An inflator, retainer, and air bag are accommodated in a cover 11 to constitute an air bag device 4 for lateral collision. The cover 11 is formed as a single piece construction of resin consisting of a first body part 21, a second body part 22, and a hinge part 23 to couple the body parts 21 and 22 with each other. The hinge part 23 is formed with a small wall thickness so that it can be flexible. In continuity to the end part of a dividing line A, a slit 25 is formed which comprises a horizontal part 25a perpendicularly intersecting the hinge part 23 and extension parts 25b which are extended along the two sides of the hinge part 23 from the two ends of the horizontal part 25a. When the air bag device 4 is actuated, the force applied to the hinge part 23 from the dividing line A is dispersed to the two ends of the sllit extension part 25b so that the hinge part 23 is prevented from breakage and the second body part 22 is held without breakage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device which inflates and deploys, for example, on the side of a car seat to protect the side of an occupant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-164894
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-209, there is known an airbag device that inflates and deploys an airbag between an occupant and a door panel to protect the occupant's chest (torso) and head at the time of an automobile collision. In this configuration, the inflator that injects the gas and the airbag that is inflated and deployed by the gas are housed in the cover body and arranged in the seat back of the seat. The cover body is integrally formed of a thermoplastic material, and is opened with the hinge portion as a fulcrum due to the pressure of inflation of the airbag when the airbag device is operated.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional configuration,
Since a large force is applied to the hinge during operation of the airbag device, the structure of the hinge must be complicated or a strong material must be used to prevent breakage of the hinge. Has the problem of rising.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device which can protect a hinge portion with a simple structure and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0005]

The airbag device according to the present invention comprises an inflator for injecting gas, an airbag inflated and deployed by the gas, and a cover for accommodating the inflator and the airbag. The cover body is provided with a first and second main body part which are provided so as to be separated from each other via a dividing line; a bendable hinge part integrally connected to the first and second main body parts; A break prevention portion is provided between the dividing line and the hinge portion and deflects a force applied from the dividing line toward the hinge portion.

In this configuration, when the airbag device is operated, the airbag is inflated by the gas injected from the inflator, and the pressure of the inflation opens the cover from the dividing line with the hinge portion as a fulcrum, and the airbag is opened. Expands and expands. The hinge part is formed to be more fragile than other parts to be bendable, but between the dividing line and the hinge part,
Since the break prevention portion for deflecting the force applied to the hinge portion from the dividing line is provided, the break of the hinge portion is suppressed. For this reason, there is no need to complicate the structure of the hinge portion or to use a special material or the like, so that the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the airbag device of the first aspect, the break prevention portion is a through hole.

[0008] In this configuration, the structure of the break prevention portion is simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the airbag apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein a plurality of break prevention portions are formed at intervals from each other.

In this configuration, the breakage of the hinge portion is more reliably prevented by the plurality of breakage prevention portions.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the break prevention portion is formed such that a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the hinge portion is a longitudinal direction. It is.

In this structure, the stress applied to the hinge is guided in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the hinge,
Breakage of the hinge portion is more reliably prevented.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the airbag device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes an automobile seat;
An airbag device (airbag module) 4 is built in a side portion of the seatback 2 of the seat 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the airbag device 4 includes a substantially cylindrical inflator 6 for injecting gas, a retainer 7 for fixing the inflator 6, and an airbag 8 inflated and deployed by the gas. And a cover body 11 that covers these components to form a side collision airbag, that is, a side airbag. The retainer 7 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a metal plate or a resin, and has an opening (not shown) for fixing the inflator 6 and guiding the gas injected from the inflator 6 in a predetermined direction. . Further, a stud bolt 7a protrudes from the retainer 7, and a nut is screwed into the stud bolt 7a so that a seat frame of the seat back 2 is formed.
Fixed to 2a. Further, the airbag 8 is formed in a flat, substantially L-shaped bag shape that is deployed between the occupant and the door panel, and includes a partition wall provided therein, and a chest protection portion 14 located on the inflator 6 side; Located on the side, chest protection
It is divided into a head protection part 15 which is deployed after the head.

The cover body 11 is integrally formed of a resin into a shell shape, and the first main body part 21 and the second main body part 22 which are separated from each other by a dividing line A can be bent at a hinge part 23. Are connected to each other. And this cover body 11,
It is embedded in the seat back 2, and a surface material 2 b of the seat back 2 is covered on the surface side of the second main body 22.

The first main body 21 has a stepped portion 21 at an intermediate portion.
a is formed, and the front side is formed slightly wider. The second main body 22 can be called a lid, a lid, a door, or the like. The cover 11 is in a state where the second main body 22 is separated from the first main body 21, that is, the dividing line. It is molded in the state where it is expanded at A.

The hinge portion 23 is formed simply and thinly in a straight line substantially along the extension of the dividing line A.

Further, slits 25 are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the hinge portion 23 and continuous with the ends of the dividing line A, as slit prevention portions. Each slit 25 is a through hole that penetrates the cover body 11 and is continuous with the end of the dividing line A that is slightly inclined near the hinge 23,
A horizontal portion 25a orthogonal to the hinge portion 23, and an extension portion 25b extending at a predetermined length from both ends of the horizontal portion 25a along both sides of the hinge portion 23 are formed.

When an impact such as a side impact is received,
The control device activates the inflator 6, and gas is injected into the chest protection portion 14 of the airbag 8. Then, Figure 2
As shown in FIG.
The first body 21 rotates in the direction of arrow B and the second body 22 rotates in the direction of arrow C together with a part of the seat back 2, and the case body 11 opens from the dividing line A, and the seat back The seat back is opened from the dividing line D, and a projecting opening of the airbag 8 is formed. Then, when the gas is injected,
The chest protection section 14 partitioned by the partition wall expands and deploys between the door panel and the occupant, and then gas flows into the head protection section 15 and, as shown in FIG. Expands between the door panel and the occupant.

At this time, a load is applied from the parting line A side to the hinge portion 23 which is a fulcrum of relative rotation of the main body portions 21 and 22, but the slit 25 acts as a relief so as to be applied to the hinge portion 23. The stress is distributed and guided to both ends of the extended portion 25b of the slit 25 to prevent the hinge portion 23 from being broken,
Can be held without breaking.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the slit 25 which is weaker than the hinge portion 23 is formed at the end of the thin hinge portion 23 and the horizontal portion 25 of the slit 25 is formed.
Since the longitudinal direction of a intersects the longitudinal direction of the hinge part 23, the stress applied to the hinge part 23 is dispersed, and the breakage of the hinge part 23 can be prevented. Therefore, there is no need to complicate the structure of the hinge portion 23 or use a special material or the like, so that the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

The slit 25, which is a break prevention portion, is simply formed as a through hole, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing the manufacturing cost.

In the above embodiment, the slit 25, which is a break prevention portion, extends from both ends of the horizontal portion 25a to the extension portion 25b.
Is formed in a substantially U-shape.
Various other shapes can be used as long as the force applied to the 23 side is deflected by dispersing or the like. Also,
The break prevention portion may be provided at one location between the dividing line A and the hinge portion 23, or may be provided at a plurality of locations.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, at the end of the dividing line A, a simply linear first slit as a break prevention portion is provided.
While forming the first slit 31, a second slit 32 as a break prevention portion can be formed at a distance from the hinge portion 23 side of the first slit 31. In addition, these slits 3
1 and 32 are formed flat with the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the dividing line A and the hinge part 23 as the longitudinal direction. Therefore, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
The stress applied to the first slit 31 is distributed to both ends of the first slit 31 to prevent the hinge 23 from breaking, and the second main body 22 can be held without breaking. Further, since the second slit 32 is formed inside the first slit 31, even if a break occurs beyond the first slit 31, as shown in FIG.
The second slit 32 formed at an interval in the slit 31 of
Disperses the stress in the second main body,
22 can be securely held.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, first and second slits 34 and 35 as break prevention portions having a substantially U-shaped bent end portion in a direction along the hinge portion 23. May be provided in plurality.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, similarly to FIG. 1, the dividing line A and the hinge portion 23 are formed so as to be shifted from each other, and the dividing line A is formed at one end of the first slit 37 as a break prevention portion. And the second slit 38 as a break prevention portion can be formed in a wedge shape expanding toward the hinge portion 23 from the division line A side.

Also, each slit is not made a complete through hole,
It can also be a thin part thinner than the general part.

Further, the present invention is applicable not only to a side airbag for side collision but also to an airbag device attached to another portion.

[0029]

According to the airbag device of the first aspect, when the airbag device is operated, the first and second main body portions are relatively rotated about the hinge portion by the pressure at which the airbag inflates. Then, the cover body is opened from the dividing line,
The airbag is inflated and deployed. The hinge portion is formed to be more fragile than the other portions in order to be bendable, but a break prevention portion is provided between the dividing line and the hinge portion to deflect a force applied to the hinge portion from the dividing line. Therefore, the force applied to the hinge part can be suppressed, and the breakage of the hinge part can be suppressed. Therefore, there is no need to complicate the structure of the hinge portion or use a special material or the like, so that the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the airbag device of the second aspect,
In addition to the effects described in the first aspect, by forming the break prevention portion as a through hole, the structure of the break prevention portion can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the airbag device of the third aspect,
In addition to the effect of claim 1 or 2, in addition, since a plurality of break prevention portions are formed at intervals from each other, breakage of the hinge portion can be more reliably prevented by the plurality of break prevention portions.

According to the airbag device of the fourth aspect,
In addition to the effect of any one of claims 1 to 3, the break prevention portion is formed so that the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the hinge portion is defined as the longitudinal direction, so that the stress applied to the hinge portion is applied to the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the hinge portion. And the hinge portion can be more reliably prevented from breaking.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an airbag device of the present invention, as viewed from the rear of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view at a position corresponding to II in FIG. 1 showing a state where the airbag device is mounted on a seat.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an operation state of the airbag device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation state of a hinge portion of the airbag device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation state of a hinge portion of the airbag device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a hinge portion showing another embodiment of the airbag device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a hinge portion showing still another embodiment of the airbag device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 4 airbag device 6 inflator 8 airbag 11 cover body 21 first main body 22 second main body 23 hinge part 25 slits 31, 34, 37 as break prevention parts first slit 32, as break prevention part 32, 35, 38 Second slit as break prevention part A Dividing line

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An inflator for injecting gas, an airbag inflated and deployed by the gas, and a cover housing the inflator and the airbag, wherein the cover can be separated from each other via a dividing line. A first and a second main body provided in the first and the second main body, a bendable hinge integrally connected to the first and the second main body, and provided between the dividing line and the hinge; An airbag device, comprising: a break prevention portion for deflecting a force applied to the hinge portion from a dividing line. 2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the break prevention portion is a through hole. 3. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of break prevention portions are formed at intervals from each other. 4. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the break prevention portion is formed such that a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the hinge portion is a longitudinal direction.