JPH1191473A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag device which can be reliably fastened by a rivet and whose assembling work can be efficiently performed even if a blind rivet is driven from the side wall part side by arranging a cover side wall part on the outside surface side of an outer wall part in a back holder installing wall part. SOLUTION: A side wall part 19 of a cover 17 is arranged on the outside surface side of an outer wall part 30 in an installing wall part 27 of a back holder 21, and the cover 17 is installed on the back holder 21 by using a blind rivet 32 fastened by penetrating through installing holes 19b and 30a of the side wall part 19 and the outer wall part 30 from the side wall part 19 side. A regulating rib 27a to prevent the approach of the outer wall part 30 to an inner wall part 28 is formed in the outer wall part 30 in the installing wall part 27 of the back holder 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device disposed on a steering wheel, an instrument panel, or the like of a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional airbag apparatus, a folded airbag, an inflator for supplying inflation gas to the folded airbag, a cover for covering the folded airbag, an airbag inflator cover And a bag holder for holding the

[0003] The cover includes a ceiling wall portion and a side wall portion extending downward from a peripheral edge of the ceiling wall portion and having a mounting hole. The bag holder has a bottom wall portion for mounting and holding an airbag or an inflator, and a mounting wall portion extending substantially vertically from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion for mounting a side wall portion of the cover. .

The mounting wall portion includes an inner wall portion extending vertically from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion, and an outer wall portion extending in a vertical direction by being inverted from an end of the inner wall portion via a connecting portion and having a mounting hole. There was a thing provided with.

When the cover is mounted and held on the bag holder, the side wall is disposed on the outer surface of the outer wall of the mounting wall, and the cover is fastened by passing through the mounting hole between the side wall and the outer wall from the side wall. This was done using blind rivets.

The reason why the mounting wall of the bag holder has a double structure of an inner wall and an outer wall is that an inner protruding end portion of the blind rivet secured to the outer wall protruding from the inner side surface of the outer wall is used. This is for covering with the inner wall portion so as not to interfere with the members of the above.

[0007] A blind rivet is a tension-expandable rivet that can fasten a plurality of predetermined members from one side, and a rivet shaft portion is applied from one side to a rivet flange on the periphery of a mounting hole. Into the mounting hole,
Then, by pulling out a withdrawal rod provided in the shaft portion, the tip portion of the shaft portion is bulged, and a bulged portion (corresponding to the above-described inner protruding end portion) which cannot be removed from the mounting hole. A predetermined member formed and clamped between the above-mentioned flange portion and the bulging portion is fastened.

[0008]

However, in the above-described airbag apparatus, when the blind rivet is fastened by using a rivet gun in the work of attaching the cover, it may not be possible to attach the blind rivet. .

That is, when the rivet is fastened, the rivet gun is brought into contact with the outer surface of the side wall of the cover,
Although the blind rivet is driven, when the rivet gun comes into contact with the side wall, the outer wall of the bag holder mounting wall is formed via the connecting portion that is inverted from the inner wall, so It is easy for stress concentration to occur, and the connecting portion may be deformed and the outer wall may move so as to contact the inner wall.In this case, the inner protruding end portion of the blind rivet is placed inside the outer wall. This is because there is no space to dispose, and it becomes impossible to fasten.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is also possible to arrange a cover side wall portion on the outer surface side of the outer wall portion in the bag holder mounting wall portion and drive a blind rivet from the side wall portion side. An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device that can be securely riveted and that can perform an assembling operation efficiently.

[0011]

According to the airbag device of the present invention, a cover for covering the folded airbag has a ceiling wall portion and a side wall having a mounting hole extending downward from a peripheral edge of the ceiling wall portion. A bag holder for holding the airbag, comprising: a bottom wall portion for holding the airbag; and a mounting wall portion extending substantially vertically from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion. An inner wall portion extending vertically from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion, and an outer wall portion having a mounting hole that extends in the vertical direction by being inverted from an end of the inner wall portion via a connecting portion and has a mounting hole. Utilizing a blind rivet configured to dispose the side wall portion on the outer surface side of the outer wall portion of the mounting wall portion and to penetrate the mounting hole between the side wall portion and the outer wall portion from the side wall portion side and fasten. The cover is attached to the bag holder An airbag device, wherein a regulating rib for preventing the outer wall from approaching the inner wall is formed on at least one of an outer wall and an inner wall of the mounting wall of the bag holder. Features.

It is preferable that a through-hole having substantially the same inner diameter as the mounting hole is formed in the inner wall in a direction corresponding to the extension direction of the mounting hole in the outer wall.

[0013] The blind rivet may fasten a support plate of a horn switch mechanism disposed on an outer surface side of a side wall of the cover.

[0014]

In the airbag device according to the present invention, at least one of the outer wall and the inner wall of the mounting wall of the bag holder is provided with a regulating rib for preventing the outer wall from approaching the inner wall. Therefore, while driving the blind rivet while the rivet gun is in contact with the outer surface side of the side wall portion of the cover, even if the connection portion of the bag holder mounting wall portion is deformed and the outer wall portion tries to contact the inner wall portion, The restricting rib restricts the movement of the outer wall.

Therefore, in the airbag device according to the present invention, the regulating rib provides a space for disposing the inner protruding end portion of the blind rivet inside the outer wall portion.
Since it can be ensured, even if a blind rivet is driven in from the side wall of the cover, it can be securely riveted and the assembling work can be performed efficiently.

By forming a through hole having substantially the same inner diameter as the mounting hole of the outer wall in the inner wall corresponding to the extending direction of the mounting hole of the outer wall, a part of the inner protruding end portion of the blind rivet can be formed. It can be inserted into the through hole in the inner wall. That is, even if the dimension between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion is reduced, the inner protruding end portion of the blind rivet can be prevented from interfering with the inner wall portion. The space in the device can be increased. By the way, even with such a configuration, when a part of the inner protruding end portion of the blind rivet is inserted into the through hole of the inner wall portion due to the thickness of the inner wall portion, the inner protruding end portion depends on the thickness of the inner wall portion. Can be prevented from protruding inward from the inner wall, the prevention of interference with other members on the inner protruding end portion, which is a function of the mounting wall of the double structure, is not excluded.

If the blind rivet is used so as to fasten the support plate of the horn switch mechanism disposed on the outer surface side of the side wall of the cover, the cover side wall can be moved without moving the outer wall of the bag holder. Not only the horn switch mechanism but also the support plate of the horn switch mechanism can be attached, so that the horn switch mechanism supported by the support plate is arranged without tilting etc., and the operation surface of the horn switch mechanism is securely set at a predetermined angle As a result, a smooth horn operation can be ensured.

[0018]

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

The airbag device 10 of the embodiment is used for a steering wheel W as shown in FIG. The steering wheel W is composed of an airbag device 10 and the other steering wheel body 1 in terms of components.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the airbag device 10 includes a folded airbag 11 and an inflator 1 for supplying an inflating gas to the folded airbag 11.
5 and a cover 17 for covering the folded airbag 11
And airbag 11, inflator 15, cover 17
And a bag holder 21 for holding the Further, the airbag device 10 is provided with two horn switch mechanisms 34.

The airbag 11 is made of a flexible cloth material and has a bag-like shape having a circular opening 11a at its lower part.
Attached to. The retainer 12 includes four bolts 12a (see FIG. 4) extending downward, and has an opening 11a.
From inside the airbag 11 and each bolt 12
a is projected from a through hole (not shown) in the periphery of the opening 11a, and after the airbag 11 is folded, each bolt 12a is
The airbag 11 is held by the bag holder 21 by passing through a through hole 22b (described later) of the bag holder 21 and a through hole (not shown) of a flange portion 15b (described later) of the inflator 15 and fixing the nut 13. When the nut 13 is fixed, the inflator 15 is also attached and held to the bag holder 21.

The inflator 15 has a substantially cylindrical main body 15a having a gas discharge port (not shown) for discharging gas for inflation of the airbag 11 at an upper part thereof, and a main body 15a.
and a flange portion 15b provided on the outer peripheral surface of FIG. The flange portion 15b has four through holes (not shown) through which the bolts 12a of the retainer 12 described above are inserted.

The cover 17 is made of a synthetic resin such as an olefin-based or styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer or the like, and has a ceiling wall 18 and a substantially rectangular cylindrical side wall 19 extending downward from the periphery of the ceiling wall 18. And is provided.

The ceiling wall 18 is provided with a thin-walled breakable portion 18c around the portion surrounded by the side wall portion 19, so that when the airbag 11 is inflated, the breakable portion 18c is broken and opened. Door portions 18a and 18b are provided. Further, two through holes 18d for disposing the horn switch mechanism 34 are provided in a portion of the ceiling wall 18 around the side wall 19.

In the side wall 19, three mounting holes 19a penetrating in the horizontal direction are formed in front and rear parts, and one mounting hole 19b penetrating in the horizontal direction is also formed in the left and right parts.
Are formed. An eave portion 19c is formed at a lower end on the front side of the side wall portion 19 so as to cover a lower end of a concave portion 25b which is recessed upward in an attachment wall portion 25 described later of the bag holder 21. This eave part 19c
Is provided to prevent the lead wire 41 connected to the horn switch mechanism from being damaged by interfering with the mounting wall 25 of the bag holder 21.

The bag holder 21 is made of sheet metal as shown in FIGS.
A bottom wall 22 having a substantially rectangular shape for mounting and holding the cover 5, and 3 extending from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 22 in a substantially vertical direction so as to be substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall 22, for attaching the side wall 19 of the cover. And mounting walls 25, 26, and 27 of different types.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, the bottom wall 22 has an insertion hole 22a at the center thereof into which the inflator body 15a can be inserted from below, and a retainer 12 around the insertion hole 22a. The four through holes 22b through which the respective bolts 12a are inserted are formed. Further, an assembling bracket 23 for assembling the airbag device 10 to the steering wheel body 1 is welded to a lower surface near the left and right edges of the bottom wall portion 22. A nut 23b is welded to each assembly bracket 23 to form an assembly hole 23a. The airbag device 10 is disposed on the steering wheel main body 1 and is assembled to the steering wheel main body 1 from below by bolts screwed into the respective mounting holes 23a.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the mounting walls 25 and 26 are formed to extend downward from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall 22, respectively. Also, the mounting walls 25 and 26
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, mounting holes 25a and 26a corresponding to the mounting holes 19a arranged at the front and rear portions of the cover side wall portion 19 are formed.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 7, the mounting walls 27 extending upward from the left and right edges of the bottom wall 22 are respectively provided with inner wall portions 28 extending upward from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 22.
And an outer wall portion 30 that is inverted from the end of the inner wall portion 28 and extends downward through the connecting portion 29.
Each outer wall portion 30 is formed with a mounting hole 30a corresponding to the mounting hole 19b arranged on the left and right portions of the cover side wall portion 19.

Each of the outer wall portions 30 is formed with a triangular plate-shaped regulating rib 27a for preventing the outer wall portion 30 from approaching the inner wall portion 28. In addition, these regulation ribs 27
In the embodiment, a is formed by bending both edges of the outer wall portion 30 in the front-rear direction when forming the bag holder 21 from sheet metal.

Further, in the case of the embodiment, each mounting wall 27
The inner wall portion 28 has a through hole 2 having an inside diameter substantially the same as that of the mounting hole 30a corresponding to the extension direction of the mounting hole 30a of each outer wall portion 30.
8a are formed.

The horn switch mechanism 34 used in the embodiment will be described.
Are two through holes 1 in the ceiling wall 18 of the cover 17.
8d, each horn switch mechanism 34 includes a support plate 35 made of sheet metal, a case 36 made of synthetic resin having insulation, a coil spring 37, a contact plate 38 made of sheet metal, And an operation button 40 made of resin. Incidentally, the components of the horn switch mechanism 34 arranged on the left and right are formed symmetrically to each other.

The support plate 35 includes a mounting wall 35a which is fastened to the cover side wall 19 and the mounting wall 27 of the bag holder 21, a support 35c for fixing the case 36 with screws 42 (see FIG. 4). The mounting wall 35a is formed with a mounting hole 35b through which the blind rivet 32 is inserted.
5c is provided with a contact 35d. Further, a plurality of engaging projections (not shown) corresponding to the cover side wall portion 19 are formed on the mounting wall portion 35a to prevent rotation around the mounting hole 35b. The cover side wall 19 has an engagement recess (not shown) for fitting the engagement protrusions.

The case 36 is screwed to a support portion 35c of the support plate 35, and the operation button 40 is screwed to the contact plate 38 and the locking claw (not shown) is set in a state where the coil spring 37 is interposed. By using this, it can be moved downward, and is locked to the case 36. The contact plate 38 has a contact 35
A contact 38a corresponding to d is provided, and a lead wire 41 connected to the positive electrode side of the horn operation circuit is connected. The contact 35d of the support plate 35 is formed by the support plate 35 using the rivet 32 and the bag holder 2.
1, the bag holder 21 is connected to the negative electrode side of the horn operation circuit by using a core metal (not shown) of the steering wheel body 1 when the bag holder 21 is attached to the steering wheel body 1.

The horn switch mechanisms 34 are assembled in advance, utilizing the engagement of the cover side walls 19 with the engagement recesses by the engagement projections (not shown) of the support plate 35, and It is inserted into each of the through holes 18 d and temporarily held on the cover 17.

Next, the airbag device 1 of this embodiment will be described.
First, the airbag 1 will be described.
The airbag 11 is folded by inserting the retainer 12 into the inside 1 and projecting each bolt 12a from the periphery of the opening 11a.

Next, the bolts 12a of the retainer 12 are passed through the through holes 22b of the bag holder 21.
Inserting the inflator body 15a from below into the insertion hole 22a of the bag holder 21 while threading each bolt 12a through a not-shown through hole of the flange portion 15b, and screwing the nut 13 to each bolt 12a. The airbag 11 and the inflator 15 can be attached to the bag holder 21.

Thereafter, the cover 17 holding the horn switch mechanisms 34, 34 is put on the airbag 11, and
Each mounting hole 19a / 19 of the side wall 19 in the cover 17
b and the mounting holes 35b in the support plate 34 of each horn switch mechanism 34 with the mounting holes 25a, 26a, 27a of the mounting wall portions 25, 26, 27 in the bag holder 21.
And correspond.

Next, the rivet gun is sequentially placed on the cover 1.
7, the outer peripheral surface of the mounting hole 19 a in the side wall portion 19, or the mounting plate 35 a of the support plate 35 is in contact with the outer periphery of the mounting hole 19 a, via the mounting holes 19 a and 25 a, or
Through the mounting holes 19a and 26a, and further to the mounting holes 35b
If the blind rivet 32 is driven through 19b / 30a, the cover 17 can be attached to the bag holder 21 and the airbag device 10 can be assembled.

In the airbag device 10 of the embodiment, the outer wall 3 of the mounting wall 27 of the bag holder 21 is formed.
0, there is formed a regulating rib 27a for preventing the outer wall 30 from approaching the inner wall 28.
When the blind rivet 32 is driven while the rivet gun is in contact with the periphery of the mounting hole 35b of the support plate mounting wall 35a on the outer surface side of the cover side wall 19, the connecting portion 29 of the bag holder mounting wall 27 is deformed. Outer wall 30
When the user tries to contact the inner wall 28, the restricting rib 27a restricts the movement of the outer wall 31.

Therefore, the airbag device 10 of the embodiment
Then, the blind rivet 3 is controlled by the regulating rib 27a.
Since the space S for arranging the second inner protruding end portion 32a inside the outer wall portion 30 can be reliably secured, even if the blind rivet 32 is driven in from the cover side wall portion 19 side, the rivet 32 can be securely fixed. The assembly work can be performed efficiently.

The other mounting wall 2 of the bag holder 21
5 and 26 merely extend vertically from the bottom wall 22 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall 22 and are not bent at an angle of about 180 ° where stress concentration is likely to occur. In addition, since it is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the bottom, the rigidity is high, and even if the rivet gun is brought into contact with the cover side wall 19 side, there is no possibility that the rivet gun may be deformed such that it falls down. .

In the embodiment, a through-hole 28a having an inner diameter substantially the same as that of the mounting hole 30a of the outer wall 30 is formed in the inner wall 28 so as to correspond to the extending direction of the mounting hole 30a of the outer wall 30. Inside protruding end portion 3 of blind rivet 32
Part of 2a can be inserted into the through hole 28a of the inner wall portion 28. That is, the outer wall portion 30 and the inner wall portion 28
The blind rivet 32
Can be prevented from interfering with the inner wall portion 28, the mounting wall portion 27 in the bag holder 21 can be made thinner, and the space in the airbag device 10 can be increased. By the way, even with such a configuration, the inner protruding end portion 3 of the blind rivet 32
When a part of the inner wall portion 2a is inserted into the through hole 28a of the inner wall portion 28, the inner protruding end portion 32a
Can be prevented from protruding inward from the inner wall portion 28, so that another member of the inner protruding end portion 30a (the airbag 1 in the case of the embodiment) is a function of the mounting wall portion 27 having the double structure.
1) is not alienated.

After the airbag device 10 is assembled, the airbag device 10 is placed on the steering wheel body 1 already mounted on the vehicle, and a predetermined bolt is screwed into the mounting hole 23a. The airbag device 10 can be mounted on a vehicle while being assembled. When the airbag device 10 is disposed on the steering wheel main body 1, the lead wires 41 are connected to the positive electrode side of the horn operation circuit on the steering wheel main body 1 side through the cover eaves portion 19c. To the connector 43 to be connected.

After the airbag device 10 is mounted on the vehicle, if the inflator 15 operates, the airbag 1
By the inflow of the gas for inflation, 1 breaks the to-be-broken portion 18c of the cover 17 and opens the door portions 18a and 18b, so that the inflatable gas expands greatly.

After the airbag device 10 is mounted on the vehicle, the operation buttons 40 of the horn switch mechanisms 34
Is pressed down against the urging force of the coil spring 37,
The contact 38a contacts the contact 35d to activate the horn.

When the operation button 40 is operated, in this embodiment, the blind rivet 32 fastens the mounting wall 35a of the support plate 35 of the horn switch mechanisms 34 arranged on the outer surface side of the cover side wall 19 together. Since the outer wall 30 of the bag holder 21 is not moved, not only the cover side wall 19 but also the mounting wall 35a of the support plate 35 of the horn switch mechanism 34 can be mounted. The horn switch mechanism 35 is disposed without being inclined or the like, and the operation surface 40a (the upper surface of the operation button 40) of the horn switch mechanism 34 is set at a predetermined angle (in the embodiment, substantially parallel to the ceiling wall 18 of the cover 17). (A certain angle), and a smooth horn operation can be ensured.

In the present embodiment, the regulating rib 27a is provided on the outer wall 30 itself. However, if the outer wall 30 can be prevented from approaching the inner wall 28, the regulating rib 27a is provided on the inner wall 28 side.
Or the regulating rib 27a may be provided on both the outer wall portion 30 and the inner wall portion 28. Further, instead of being provided so as to extend from the outer wall portion 30 and the inner wall portion 28, the outer wall portion A regulating rib 27a may be provided fixed between the inner wall 30 and the inner wall portion 28.

Further, in the case of the embodiment, the airbag device 10 used for the steering wheel W has been exemplified. However, the bag holder is provided with a double-walled mounting wall portion, and the mounting wall portion is provided with the side wall portion of the cover. The present invention can be applied to an airbag device for a passenger's seat as long as the device can be attached by a blind rivet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a use mode of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a bag holder used in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the bag holder used in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mounting wall portion of the bag holder according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Airbag apparatus, 17 ... Cover, 19 ... Side wall part, 19b ... Mounting hole, 21 ... Bag holder, 27 ... Mounting wall part, 27a ... Restriction rib, 28 ... Inner wall part, 28a ... Through-hole, 29 ... Connection part Reference numeral 30 denotes an outer wall portion, 30a denotes a mounting hole, 32 denotes a blind rivet, 32a denotes an inner protruding end portion, 34 denotes a horn switch mechanism, and 35 denotes a support plate.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A bag for holding the airbag, wherein the cover for covering the folded airbag includes a ceiling wall portion, and a side wall portion extending downward from a peripheral edge of the ceiling wall portion and having a mounting hole. The holder includes a bottom wall portion that holds the airbag, and a mounting wall portion extending substantially vertically from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion, and the mounting wall portion extends vertically from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion. An inner wall portion extending from the end portion of the inner wall portion, and an outer wall portion having a mounting hole extending in a vertical direction by inverting the end portion of the inner wall portion via a connecting portion; and an outer surface of the outer wall portion of the mounting wall portion. The cover is attached to the bag holder by using a blind rivet that fastens the side wall by arranging the side wall on the side and passing through a mounting hole between the side wall and the outer wall from the side wall. An airbag device, wherein the bag holder Airbag apparatus in at least one of the outer wall or the inner wall of the mounting wall portion, characterized in that the regulating rib for preventing access to the inner wall portion of the outer wall portion is formed of. 2. The air according to claim 1, wherein a through hole having substantially the same inner diameter as the mounting hole is formed in the inner wall portion in a direction corresponding to an extension direction of the mounting hole in the outer wall portion. Bag device. 3. The air according to claim 1, wherein the blind rivet fastens a support plate of a horn switch mechanism disposed on an outer surface of a side wall of the cover. Bag device.