JPWO2020044793A1 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device capable of protecting each part of a occupant by a cushion which expands and expands when an occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle at the time of a collision. An airbag device 100 is housed in an inflator 114 that ejects gas and a storage portion 108 of a wound or folded steering wheel 106, and expands between the steering wheel and an occupant by using the gas from the inflator. The cushion 104 to be deployed and the cloth diffuser 116 for guiding the gas in the cushion are provided, and the diffuser is provided with a first base cloth 144 and a first base cloth 144 provided so as to surround the side surface of the inflator having at least the gas ejection hole 120. It has a slit 150 provided on the surface of the base cloth on the occupant side, and a bag-shaped second base cloth 146 including the first base cloth and provided with at least one gas guide port 168 and 170 on the side portion. , The second base cloth receives the gas from the slit and expands and expands toward the occupant to open the storage portion. [Selection diagram] Fig. 2

Description

The present invention relates to an airbag device provided with a cushion that expands and deploys for the purpose of protecting occupants in an emergency.

The airbag device is a safety device that operates in an emergency such as a vehicle collision, and includes, for example, a bag-shaped cushion. The cushion expands and expands with gas in an emergency to receive and protect the occupants. There are various types of airbag devices depending on the installation location and application. As an example, the driver's seat is equipped with a front airbag in the center of the steering wheel, mainly to protect the front seat occupants from the impact of a collision, and the instrument panel and its surrounding parts are located near the passenger seat. A passenger airbag is provided. In addition, side airbags that expand from the side of the vehicle seat to the immediate side of the occupant to protect the occupant from side collisions and subsequent rollovers, and the ceiling of the side wall of the vehicle interior. Curtain airbags that expand and expand along the side windows from the vicinity are known.

Patent Document 1 describes an airbag device mounted on a portion of an instrument panel in front of a passenger seat. This airbag device includes a case for storing and holding an airbag (cushion) and a disc-shaped inflator, an airbag cover for covering the folded airbag, and a retainer. The inflator discharges expansion gas from a gas discharge port provided on the side surface of the columnar main body.

An insertion hole into which the main body of the inflator is inserted is formed in the bottom wall of the case. The retainer is made of sheet metal and has a base and a guide wall. The base is formed with other insertion holes of substantially the same shape that overlap the insertion holes on the bottom wall of the case. The guide wall portion extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the base portion toward the airbag cover side. The retainer attaches the airbag and the inflator to the bottom wall of the case through the main body of the inflator through the insertion hole while being arranged in the airbag. At this time, the guide wall portion of the retainer is located at a position higher than the gas discharge port of the main body of the inflator, and receives the gas from the gas discharge port during expansion and deployment and directs it upward.

Further, inside the airbag, a rectifying cloth (diffuser) that changes the flow of gas from the inflator flowing into the airbag is arranged. The airbag receives gas and tears the airbag cover so that it protrudes out of the instrument panel. At a position in the airbag that projects out of the instrument panel, the rectifying cloth receives gas from the inside of the instrument panel to the outside and changes the gas flow in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

In Patent Document 1, gas is once received by the rectifying cloth at a portion of the airbag that protrudes to the outside of the instrument panel during expansion and deployment, and the flow is changed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the gas does not directly hit the inner peripheral surface of the airbag, and damage to the base cloth of the airbag can be prevented.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-1637

By the way, when the impact of a collision occurs on the vehicle and the occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle, a part of the occupant's body such as the abdomen and the head may collide with the steering wheel. For this reason, in the airbag device housed in the center of the steering wheel, it is important to protect a specific part of the occupant with a cushion that expands and expands.

In the airbag device of Patent Document 1, the guide wall portion of the retainer receives the gas and directs it upward, and after the airbag inflated by receiving the gas protrudes to the outside of the instrument panel, the gas flow is flowed with a rectifying cloth. It only modifies and protects the airbag base fabric. That is, the technique described in Patent Document 1 does not change the gas flow from the viewpoint of protecting a specific part of the occupant by the expanded and deployed airbag.

In view of such a problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide an airbag device capable of protecting each part of the occupant by a cushion that expands and expands when the occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle at the time of a collision.

In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the airbag device according to the present invention includes an inflator that ejects gas and a bag-shaped, wound or folded product that is housed in the central portion of the steering wheel of the vehicle. It is equipped with a cushion that expands and deploys between the steering wheel and the occupant using the gas from the inflator, and a cloth diffuser that guides the gas in the cushion, and the diffuser surrounds the side of the inflator that has at least the gas ejection hole. The first base cloth provided as described above, the opening provided on the occupant side surface of the first base cloth, and the bag-shaped second base cloth containing the first base cloth, at least on the side portion. It has a second base cloth provided with one gas guide port, and the second base cloth is characterized in that it receives gas from the opening and expands and expands toward the occupant to open the central portion.

If the impact of a collision occurs on the vehicle and the occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle, a part of the occupant's body may collide with the steering wheel. Therefore, in the present invention, we have realized a cushion that can protect each part of the occupant by expanding and deploying.

That is, according to the above configuration, when gas is ejected from the gas ejection holes on the side surface of the inflator during expansion and deployment, the opening provided in the first base cloth of the diffuser has a shape that expands to the left and right from the initial shape. Become. As a result, the end of the opening of the first base cloth is pulled and stands up toward the occupant. Therefore, the gas ejected from the widened opening is guided toward the occupant by the above-mentioned end.

On the other hand, the second base cloth expands by receiving the gas guided by the end portion of the first base cloth as described above, cleaves the central portion of the steering wheel, and reaches the outside thereof. In this way, the gas is guided toward the occupant by the first base cloth so that the behavior is quickly realized until the second base cloth cleaves the central part of the steering wheel and goes out. Will be.

After the second base cloth has cleaved the central part of the steering wheel and goes out, the gas is laterally transmitted from the side through at least one gas guide port provided on the side part of the second base cloth. It is guided toward and supplied into the cushion. The lateral direction includes, for example, a vertical direction or a horizontal direction, and refers to a direction in which the cushion spreads so as to cover the steering wheel when viewed from the occupant. In this way, the cushion is initially supplied with inflator gas laterally by the diffuser. Therefore, the cushion first expands rapidly in the lateral direction when viewed from the occupant during expansion and deployment. Regarding the position in the cushion, in the present invention, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are equivalent to the "vertical direction" from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock when the steering wheel is regarded as a clock while being set on the steering wheel. The meaning is that the 3 o'clock-9 o'clock direction is equivalent to the "left-right direction".

As described above, according to the present invention, when a collision impact occurs on a vehicle, as an example, when the cushion is preferentially deployed downward in the lateral direction, a cushion is formed between the abdomen of the occupant and the steering wheel. It can be expanded and deployed so that it slides in, and the abdomen of the occupant can be protected. Further, when the cushion is preferentially deployed in the upward direction, the cushion can be reliably expanded and deployed so that the cushion slides between the occupant's head and the steering wheel, and the occupant's head can be protected. It is also possible to preferentially deploy the cushion in the vertical direction to protect the occupant's head and abdomen. Further, it is also possible to preferentially deploy the cushion in the left-right direction, and in this case, since the cushion is rapidly deployed in the vehicle width direction, it is possible to preferentially protect other parts of the occupant. Therefore, according to the present invention, when the occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle at the time of a collision, each part of the occupant can be protected by the cushion that expands and expands.

The first base fabric described above may have at least two sides that are folded and held on one surface of the base cloth, and the opening may be formed by at least two sides. In this way, by folding back at least two sides of the first base cloth and holding them in an overlapping manner, the opening can be reliably formed. The opening of the first base cloth may have a polygonal shape as long as it can be formed using at least two sides.

It is preferable that the end portion of the first base fabric in the direction in which at least two sides extend is formed so that the opening is terminated by sewing at the first sewing line. In this way, the opening can be formed by a simple configuration in which the end portion of the first base cloth is sewn.

The above two sides may be two opposite sides. As described above, the opening of the first base cloth can be easily formed by using the two opposite sides even if the two sides are not so close to each other that they come into contact with each other.

The opening may be formed in a slit shape by two opposing sides. As a result, the slit-shaped opening of the first base cloth receives the gas from the gas ejection hole on the side surface of the inflator, and has a shape that expands to the left and right from the initial elongated shape. Then, in the first base cloth, the vicinity of both ends of the slit-shaped opening is pulled, and the occupant can surely stand up.

The openings formed by the two opposing sides may be provided in the vertical direction. As a result, the gas ejected from the widened opening is guided toward the occupant by the upper and lower ends of the opening. If at least one gas guide port provided on the side portion of the second base cloth is also provided in the vertical direction, the upper and lower ends of the opening stand up so as to block the gas guide port, and thus these gases. It has the effect of reducing gas leakage from the guide port and ejecting gas toward the occupant side without waste.

It is preferable that both ends of the first base cloth in the vertical direction are formed by sewing the first base cloth at two first sewing lines orthogonal to the two opposing sides and terminating the openings. As a result, both ends of the first base cloth in the vertical direction can be easily formed. Then, in the first base cloth, when the opening is widened by receiving the gas from the gas ejection hole, both ends in the vertical direction can surely stand up toward the occupant.

Each of the upper and lower ends of the first base cloth in the vertical direction draws a chevron-shaped part at the tip in an arrow shape with the opening as a straight line, and the first base cloth is formed by two second sewing lines. It may be formed by sewing and terminating the opening. As a result, when the gas ejected from the widened opening is received at both ends of the first base cloth in the vertical direction, the gas does not collect in the area between both ends of the opening and the second sewing line, so that the gas is directed toward the occupant. Can get up quickly.

It is preferable that the end portion of the second base cloth on the occupant side is formed in a convex shape toward the occupant side. Due to the convex shape of the end portion of the second base cloth, the gas guided by the end portion of the first base cloth is received and bounces toward the inflator side.

The occupant-side end of the second base cloth may be exposed to the outside of the central portion by cleaving the central portion when the cushion expands and expands. In this way, the gas guide port provided on the side portion of the second base cloth can be exposed to the outside of the central portion, and the cushion can be quickly deployed in the lateral direction.

The gas guide ports may be provided at at least two opposite locations in either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. When the gas guide port is provided in the vertical direction in this way, the cushion can be preferentially deployed in the vertical direction to protect the head and abdomen of the occupant. Further, if the gas guide port is provided in the left-right direction, the cushion can be preferentially deployed in the left-right direction to protect other parts of the occupant.

It is preferable that the gas guide port is provided so as to be closer to the front side than the end portion on the occupant side. As a result, the gas bounced off at the occupant-side end of the second base cloth is guided toward the front of the vehicle by the gas guide port. As a result, most of the gas behaves toward the rim surface of the steering wheel.

The gas guide port may guide the gas toward the rim surface side of the steering wheel. In this way, the gas guided from the diffuser into the cushion is directed toward the rim surface side of the steering wheel from a position higher than the central portion. Therefore, when the cushion is deployed more laterally at the initial stage of expansion and deployment, for example, when it is deployed in the vertical direction, the cushion can be reliably slid between the occupant's head and abdomen and the steering wheel.

The diffuser may have gas passage holes provided on both the left and right sides of the second base cloth. As a result, the gas received by the second base cloth during expansion and deployment is guided from the two gas passage holes in the vehicle width direction and supplied into the cushion. Therefore, the cushion can be deployed in the vehicle width direction by the gas from the diffuser.

The diffuser may have creases provided on both the left and right sides of the second base cloth. As a result, when the second base cloth receives the gas during expansion and deployment, the creases provided on both the left and right sides expand and expand in the vehicle width direction, so that the second base cloth can stand up more three-dimensionally. The second base cloth may be provided with pleats instead of the creases.

The above-mentioned inflator is a disk type and has a gas ejection hole on the outer peripheral side surface, the airbag device further includes a retainer for holding the inflator, and the retainer is arranged in the first base cloth and fixed to the central portion. It is preferable to have a flat plate-shaped base surface having a base surface having a hole for passing an inflator, and a vertical wall standing around the base surface and having a height lower than that of a gas ejection hole of the inflator.

In this way, the retainer can hold the inflator by fixing the flat plate-shaped base surface to the central portion and passing the inflator through the hole portion of the base surface. In addition, the vertical wall of the retainer is lower than the gas outlet. Therefore, the gas from the gas ejection hole is surely received by the upper and lower ends of the first base cloth of the diffuser without being blocked by the vertical wall.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an airbag device capable of protecting each part of the occupant by a cushion that expands and expands when the occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle at the time of a collision.

It is a figure which illustrates the outline of the airbag device in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the airbag device of FIG. 1A. It is a figure which illustrates the 1st base cloth of the diffuser of FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the 2nd base cloth of the diffuser of FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the whole diffuser of FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the behavior of the diffuser following FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the behavior at the time of expansion and development of the cushion of FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the diffuser in still another embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which illustrates the 1st base cloth of the diffuser of FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the behavior of the diffuser of FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the modification of the 1st base cloth of FIG. 3 and FIG.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in such an embodiment are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are designated by the same reference numerals to omit duplicate description, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown. To do.

In the present invention, when the occupant sits in the seat in a normal posture, the direction in which the occupant is facing is referred to as the front, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear, and when the axes of the coordinates are indicated, the direction is the front-rear direction. When the occupant sits in the seat in a normal posture, the right side of the occupant is referred to as the right direction, the left side of the occupant is referred to as the left direction, and the left and right directions are used to indicate the axes of the coordinates. Further, when the occupant is seated in a normal posture, the direction of the occupant's head is referred to as upward, the direction of the occupant's lumbar region is referred to as downward, and when the axes of coordinates are indicated, the direction is vertical. Then, in the drawings used in the following description, if necessary, the front-back, left-right, up-down directions with respect to the above-mentioned occupant are shown as Front, Back, Left, Right, Up, and Down.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an airbag device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1A, the airbag device 100 is implemented as a frontal airbag for the front row right seat 102, that is, the driver's seat in a right-hand drive vehicle. FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a vehicle after expansion and deployment of the cushion 104 of the airbag device 100. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the airbag device 100 of FIG. 1 (a).

As shown in FIG. 1B, the cushion 104 is formed as a bag that swells three-dimensionally toward the seat 102 when expanded and deployed. The bag-shaped cushion 104 is wound or folded and is housed in a central portion (storage portion 108) provided in the center of the steering wheel 106. The cushion 104 is formed by stacking and sewing or adhering a plurality of base fabrics constituting the surface thereof, or by spinning using OPW (One-Piece Woven).

The storage portion 108 includes a cover 110 shown in FIG. 2 and a housing 112 under the cover 110. In addition to the cushion 104, the inflator 114 and the diffuser 116 are also housed in the storage portion 108. Note that FIG. 2 schematically shows the diffuser 116.

The inflator 114 is a gas generator that operates due to an impact detection signal sent from a sensor (not shown) to supply gas to the cushion 104. The inflator 114 is a disk type and has a columnar main body 118 and a gas ejection hole 120 provided on the outer peripheral side surface of the main body 118. Further, a flange 124 is provided on the outer periphery of the main body 118 so as to be overlapped with the bottom wall 122 of the housing 112 from the front.

As shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 108 also houses the retainer 126 arranged in the cushion 104. The retainer 126 is a sheet metal member that holds the inflator 114, and has a flat base surface 128 and a vertical wall 130. The base surface 128 has a hole 132 through which the main body 118 of the inflator 114 passes. The vertical wall 130 is erected around the base surface 128, and its height position is lower than that of the gas ejection hole 120 of the inflator 114. Therefore, the gas ejected from the gas ejection hole 120 is not blocked by the vertical wall 130 of the retainer 126.

Bolts 134 are attached to the base surface 128 of the retainer 126. The retainer 126 fixes the cushion 104 and the diffuser 116 between the base surface 128 and the bottom wall 122 of the housing 112 by screwing the bolt 134 with the nut 136, and the inflator between the bottom wall 122 and the nut 136. The flange 124 of 114 is fixed.

An insertion hole 138 through which the inflator 114 is inserted is formed in the bottom wall 122 of the housing 112. The housing 112 also has a side wall 140 erected around the bottom wall 122. A cover 110 is attached to the side wall 140.

In the storage portion 108, the hole portion 132 and the insertion hole 138 are overlapped with each other in a state where the retainer 126 is fixed to the bottom wall 122 as shown in FIG. Further, the opening 142 of the cushion 104 and the through holes (described later) of the diffuser 116 are also overlapped. The main body 118 of the inflator 114 is passed through the stacked holes 132, insertion holes 138, openings 142, and through holes, and is arranged in the cushion 104.

The diffuser 116 is made of cloth for guiding the gas from the inflator 114 in the cushion 104, and is a bag-shaped second base cloth containing the first base cloth 144 (see FIG. 3) and the first base cloth 144. It has 146 (see FIG. 4).

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the first base cloth 144 of the diffuser 116 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3A seen from the occupant side, the first base cloth 144 has a bag shape that wraps the retainer 126, and more specifically, an envelope shape that is long in the vertical direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B viewed from the front side of the vehicle, the first base cloth 144 is formed with a first through hole 148 through which the main body 118 of the inflator 114 is passed, and around the first through hole 148. The bolt 134 of the base surface 128 of the retainer 126 is passed through.

The main body 118 (see FIG. 2) of the inflator 114 is passed through the hole 132 of the base surface 128 and the first through hole 148 of the first base cloth 144. Therefore, the first base cloth 144 has a bag shape that also wraps the main body 118 of the inflator 114. Further, the first base cloth 144 is also provided so as to surround the gas ejection hole 120 provided on the outer peripheral side surface of the main body 118 of the inflator 114.

Further, the first base cloth 144 has an opening (slit 150 in this case) provided on the surface on the occupant side and extending in the vertical direction. Further, the first base cloth 144 has an upper end portion 156 and a lower end portion 158 formed by being joined by the first sewing lines 152 and 154. The first sewing lines 152 and 154 extend linearly in the vehicle width direction. That is, at the upper end portions 156 and the lower end portions 158, which are both upper and lower ends of the first base cloth 144 in the vertical direction, the first base cloth 144 is sewn at the two first sewing lines 152 and 154 orthogonal to the slit 150, and the slit 150 is sewn. Is formed by terminating. Therefore, in the first base cloth 144, the upper end portion 156 and the lower end portion 158 including the vicinity of both ends of the slit 150 can be easily formed.

Here, when gas is ejected from the gas ejection hole 120 of the inflator 114 as shown by arrows B and C in FIG. 2, the slit 150 of the first base cloth 144 shown in FIG. 3A is formed from the initial elongated shape. As shown by arrows D and E, it is spread to the left and right by gas. As a result, the upper end portion 156 and the lower end portion 158 of the first base cloth 144 are pulled as shown by arrows F and G in FIG. 3A. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3C, the upper end portion 156 and the lower end portion 158 of the first base cloth 144 stand up toward the occupant. Therefore, in the first base cloth 144, the gas ejected from the widened slit 150 is guided toward the occupant by the upper end portion 156 and the lower end portion 158 as shown by arrows H and I in FIGS. 2 and 3 (c).

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the second base cloth 146 of the diffuser 116 of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the entire diffuser 116 of FIG.

The second base cloth 146 has a second through hole 160 as shown in FIG. The second base cloth 146 has a bag shape containing the first base cloth 144 shown by the dotted line in FIG. 5A in a state where the second through hole 160 and the first through hole 148 of the first base cloth 144 are overlapped with each other. It has become. The left and right edges 162 and 164 shown in FIG. 4 are sewn on top of each other on the second base cloth 146 to form the top portion 166 shown in FIG. 5 (a). Here, the top portion 166 is an end portion on the occupant side and is formed in a convex shape toward the occupant side. 5 (b) is a J-arrow view of the diffuser 116 of FIG. 5 (a).

Further, two predetermined gas guide ports 168 and 170 are provided on the side portion of the second base cloth 146 in the lateral direction (here, up and down). The lateral direction includes, for example, a vertical direction or a horizontal direction, and refers to a direction in which the cushion 104 spreads so as to cover the steering wheel 106 when viewed from the occupant as shown in FIG. 1 (b). Further, the two gas guide ports 168 and 170 are provided closer to the front direction (that is, the root side of the second base cloth 146) than the top portion 166, which is an end portion on the occupant side.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the upper end portion 156 and the lower end portion 158 of the first base cloth 144 stand up so as to block the two gas guide ports 168 and 170, so that gas leaks from these gas guide ports 168 and 170. Can be reduced and gas can be ejected toward the occupants without waste. As a result, the second base cloth 146 receives the gas guided by the upper end portion 156 and the lower end portion 158 of the first base cloth 144 at the top portion 166 and expands as shown by the arrow K in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the behavior of the diffuser 116 following FIG. In the diffuser 116, the top portion 166 of the second base cloth 146 that expands as shown by the arrow L in the figure, which is formed in a convex shape toward the occupant side, opens the cover 110 of the storage portion 108. The cover 110 is provided with a tear line 172 (see FIG. 2) having a thin cross section so that the cover 110 can be easily cleaved.

Further, the diffuser 116 reaches the outside of the storage portion 108, that is, the occupant side of the steering wheel 106 from the rim surface 173 after opening the cover 110 starting from the tear line 172 (see FIG. 7A). In this way, in the diffuser 116, the gas is guided toward the occupant by the first base cloth 144 so that the behavior is quickly realized until the second base cloth 146 cleaves the cover 110 and goes out. To.

After the second base cloth 146 goes out of the storage portion 108, the two gas guide ports 168 and 170 are exposed to the outside of the storage portion 108. As a result, the gas is received by the top 166 of the second base cloth 146 as shown by arrows M and N in FIG. 5 (a) and FIG. 6, and then two gases provided above and below the second base cloth 146. It is guided in the vertical direction through the guide ports 168 and 170 and supplied into the cushion 104.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the behavior of the cushion 104 of FIG. 2 when expanded and deployed. As shown in FIG. 7A, the gas of the inflator 114 is first supplied to the cushion 104 in the vertical direction by the gas guide ports 168 and 170 of the second base cloth 146 of the diffuser 116. Further, as shown by arrows M and N in FIG. 7A, the gas is vertically directed from the position on the occupant side of the storage portion 108 by the gas guide ports 168 and 170, and further, the side of the rim surface 173 of the steering wheel 106. You will be guided towards.

Therefore, the cushion 104 is first expanded in the vertical direction (see arrows O and P) as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), and then is shown by a solid line in FIG. 7 (b). As shown, it will be deployed in the vehicle width direction. Note that FIG. 7B illustrates the behavior of the cushion 104 as seen by the occupant during expansion and deployment.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7A, the cushion 104 has a trumpet-shaped rotating body shape, and is between the occupant's head 174 and the steering wheel 106, and between the abdomen 176 and the steering wheel 106. It expands and expands so that it slides in.

Therefore, according to the airbag device 100, when the impact of a collision occurs in the vehicle and the occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle, the cushion 104 preferentially expands in the vertical direction. The head 174 and the abdomen 176 can be protected.

Here, in the airbag device 100, in order to preferentially deploy the cushion 104 in the vertical direction, gas guide ports 168 and 170 are provided above and below the second base cloth 146 of the diffuser 116, but the present invention is not limited to this. As an example, if only the gas guide port 170 is provided on the second base cloth 146, the cushion 104 can be preferentially deployed downward to quickly protect the occupant's abdomen 176. Further, if only the gas guide port 168 is provided on the second base cloth 146, the cushion can be preferentially deployed upward to quickly protect the occupant's head 174. Further, gas guide ports may be provided on the left and right sides of the second base cloth 146. In this case, the cushion 104 can be preferentially deployed in the left-right direction to preferentially and quickly protect other parts of the occupant. .. As described above, in the airbag device 100, at least one gas guide port is provided on the side of the second base cloth 146 of the diffuser 116 to guide the gas in the lateral direction, so that the cushion 104 that expands and expands the occupant. Each part can be protected.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the diffuser 116A in still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the first base cloth 144A of the diffuser 116A of FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the behavior of the diffuser 116A of FIG.

The diffuser 116A includes a first base cloth 144A and a second base cloth 146A containing the first base cloth 144A. The first base cloth 114A is different from the first base cloth 144 of the diffuser 116 in that the upper end portion 156A and the lower end portion 158A are joined by the zigzag second sewing lines 152A and 154A.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the second sewing lines 152A and 154A have the most ends at the center of both ends 178 and 180 in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) of the opening (here, the slit 150A). It approaches 178 and 180, and as the distance from both ends 178 and 180 increases, it extends divergently and reaches the end in the left-right direction. That is, each of the upper end portion 156A and the lower end portion 158A, which are both upper and lower ends of the first base cloth 144A in the vertical direction, draws a chevron-shaped portion of the tip portion in an arrow shape having the slit 150A as a straight line portion. The first base cloth 144A is sewn on the second sewing line 152A and 154A, and the slit 150A is terminated to form the first base cloth 144A.

Therefore, when the upper end portion 156A and the lower end portion 158A of the first base cloth 144A receive the gas ejected from the widened slit 150A as shown in FIG. 9C, both ends 178, 180 and the second sewing of the slit 150A are sewn. No gas collects in the regions 182a, 182b, 182c, 182d between the lines 152A and 154A. Therefore, the upper end portion 156A and the lower end portion 158A of the first base cloth 144A can quickly rise toward the occupant and guide the gas toward the occupant as shown by arrows H and I in the drawing.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the second base cloth 146A is provided with gas passage holes 184 and 186 on both left and right sides, and two folds 188 and 190 and folds 192 and 194. It is different from the second base cloth 146 of. In the second base cloth 146A, pleats may be provided instead of these folds.

Therefore, the gas received by the second base cloth 144A during expansion and deployment is guided in the vertical direction from the two gas guide ports 168 and 170 in the vertical direction as shown by arrows M and N in FIG. 8 (a). Not only that, as shown by arrows S and T, the gas passage holes 184 and 186 are guided in the vehicle width direction and supplied into the cushion 104. Therefore, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 10B, the cushion 104 can be deployed not only in the vertical direction but also in the vehicle width direction by the gas from the diffuser 116A at the initial stage of deployment.

When the second base cloth 146A receives the gas during expansion and deployment, the folds 188, 190, 192, and 194 provided on both the left and right sides expand and expand in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the diffuser 116A can stand up more three-dimensionally as shown in FIG. 10 (a). The folds 188, 190, 192, and 194 can be easily formed by folding and sewing the second base cloth 146A with reference to the alignment portions 196 and 198 formed on the second base cloth 146A.

Even when such a diffuser 116A is applied to the airbag device 100, the cushion 104 is first expanded in the vertical direction (see arrows O and P) as shown by the chain line in FIG. 10 (b), and then the cushion 104 is expanded. , Will be deployed in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, according to the airbag device 100 to which the diffuser 116A is applied, when the occupant in the driver's seat moves to the front of the vehicle at the time of a collision, the cushion 104 preferentially expands in the vertical direction. The occupant's head 174 and abdomen 176 shown in the above can be protected.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the first base cloth 144 and 144A of FIGS. 3 and 9. In the first base cloths 144B, 144C, and 144D of each of the following modifications, since the retainer 126 is omitted, the first through hole 148 is exposed.

The first base cloth 144B shown in FIG. 11A has two sides 202 and 204. The two sides 202 and 204 are held by sewing in a state of being folded and overlapped on one surface of the first base cloth 144B, and further face each other to form an opening 150B. Since the two sides 202 and 204 are not so close to each other that they come into contact with each other, the opening 150B is not slit-shaped.

The ends 156B, 157B, 158B, and 159B in the direction in which the two sides 202 and 204 extend (here, up and down) are sewn along the sewing lines 152B, 153B, 154B, and 155B orthogonal to the two opposite sides 202 and 204. .. By such sewing, the opening 150B is terminated. That is, in the first base cloth 144B, the opening 150B having two sides can be formed by a simple structure in which the end portions 156B, 157B, 158B, and 159B are sewn.

Here, when gas is ejected from the gas ejection hole 120 of the inflator 114 (see FIG. 2), the opening 150B of the first base cloth 144B in FIG. 11A is left and right by the gas as shown by arrows D and E. Can be spread out. As a result, the end portions 156B, 157B, and end portions 158B and 159B of the first base cloth 144B are pulled as shown by arrows F and G in FIG. 11A and stand up toward the occupant. Therefore, in the first base cloth 144B, the gas ejected from the widened opening 150B can be guided toward the occupant side.

The first base cloth 144C shown in FIG. 11B has three sides 206, 208, 210. The three sides 206, 208, 210 are held by sewing in a state of being folded and overlapped on one surface of the first base cloth 144C to form an opening 150C.

The three ends 156C, 157C, and 158C formed by intersecting the three sides 206, 208, and 210 in the extending direction are the sewing lines 152C, so as to hold two of the three sides in an overlapping manner as shown in the figure. It is sewn at 153C and 154C. By such sewing, the opening 150C is terminated. That is, in the first base cloth 144C, the opening 150C having three sides can be formed by a simple configuration in which the three end portions 156C, 157C, and 158C are sewn.

Here, when gas is ejected from the gas ejection hole 120 of the inflator 114, the opening 150C of the first base cloth 144C in FIG. 11B is expanded by the gas as shown by arrows D, Ea, and Eb. As a result, the three ends 156C, 157C, and 158C of the first base cloth 144C are pulled as shown by arrows F, G, and U in FIG. 11B, and stand up toward the occupant. Therefore, in the first base cloth 144C, the gas ejected from the widened opening 150C can be guided toward the occupant side.

The first base cloth 144D shown in FIG. 11C has four sides 212 and 214 and sides 216 and 218. The four sides 212, 214, 216, and 218 are held by sewing in a state of being folded and overlapped on one surface of the first base cloth 144D, and further face each other to form an opening 150D. There is. Since the four sides 212 and 214 and the sides 216 and 218 are not close enough to come into contact with each other, the opening 150D is not slit-shaped.

The ends 156D, 157D, 158D, and 159D in the direction in which the four sides 212, 214, 216, and 218 extend (here, up, down, left, and right) are sewn so as to hold two of the four sides in an overlapping manner as shown in the figure. It is sewn on lines 152D, 153D, 154D, and 155D. By such sewing, the opening 150D is terminated. That is, in the first base cloth 144D, the opening 150D having four sides can be formed by a simple configuration in which the end portions 156D, 157D, 158D, and 159D are sewn.

Here, when gas is ejected from the gas ejection hole 120 of the inflator 114, the opening 150D of the first base cloth 144D in FIG. 11C is widened to the left and right by the gas as shown by arrows D and E. As a result, the ends 156D, 157D, 158D, and 159D of the first base cloth 144D are pulled as shown by arrows F and G in FIG. 11 (c) and stand up toward the occupant. Therefore, in the first base cloth 144D, the gas ejected from the widened opening 150D can be guided toward the occupant side.

As described above, the openings 150B, 150C, and 150D of the first base cloth 144B, 144C, and 144D have a shape having two sides, three sides, and four sides, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the opening of the first base cloth may have another polygonal shape as long as the gas from the gas ejection hole 120 of the inflator 114 can be guided toward the occupant side.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications or modifications within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that they also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Will be done.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the airbag device according to the present invention is applied to an automobile has been described, but it can also be applied to an aircraft, a ship, or the like other than the automobile, and the same effect can be obtained. it can.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for an airbag device provided with a cushion that expands and deploys for the purpose of protecting occupants in an emergency.

100 ... Air bag device, 102 ... Seat, 104 ... Cushion, 106 ... Steering wheel, 108 ... Storage, 110 ... Cover, 112 ... Housing, 114 ... Inflator, 116, 116A ... Diffuser, 118 ... Main body, 120 ... Gas Ejection hole, 122 ... Housing bottom wall, 124 ... Inflator flange, 126 ... Retainer, 128 ... Base surface, 130 ... Retainer vertical wall, 132 ... Base surface hole, 134 ... Bolt, 136 ... Nut, 140 ... Side wall of housing, 142 ... Cushion opening 144 ... 144A 144B, 144C, 144D ... 1st base cloth, 146, 146A ... 2nd base cloth, 148 ... 1st through hole, 150, 150A ... Slit, 150B, 150C, 150D ... Opening, 152, 154 ... First sewing line, 152A, 154A ... Second sewing line, 156, 156A ... Upper end of the first base cloth, 158, 158A ... Lower end of the first base cloth, 152B, 152C , 152D, 153B, 153C, 153D, 154B, 154C, 154D, 155B, 155D ... Sewing line, 156B, 156C, 156D, 157B, 157C, 157D, 158B, 158C, 158D, 159B, 159D ... End, 160 ... 2nd through hole, 162, 164 ... Edge of 2nd base cloth, 166 ... Top, 168, 170 ... Gas guide, 172 ... Tearline, 173 ... Rim surface, 174 ... Head, 176 ... Abdomen 178, 180 ... Both ends of the slit, 182a, 182b, 182c, 182d ... Region of the first base fabric, 184, 186 ... Gas passage holes, 188, 190, 192, 194 ... Folds, 196, 198 ... Alignment part, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218 ... Each side of the first base cloth

Claims (16)

An inflator that blows out gas and
A cushion that is bag-shaped and is wound or folded and stored in the center of the steering wheel of the vehicle and expands and expands between the steering wheel and the occupant using gas from the inflator.
It is equipped with a cloth diffuser that guides gas in the cushion.
The diffuser is
A first base cloth provided so as to surround at least a side surface of the inflator having a gas ejection hole,
An opening provided on the occupant side surface of the first base cloth and
It is a bag-shaped second base cloth containing the first base cloth, and has a second base cloth provided with at least one gas guide port on a side portion.
The second base cloth is an airbag device characterized in that it receives gas from the opening and expands and expands toward an occupant to cleave the central portion. The first base fabric has at least two sides that are folded and held on one surface of the base cloth, and the opening is formed by the at least two sides. The airbag device according to claim 1. 2. The second aspect of the first base cloth is characterized in that an end portion of the first base fabric in a direction in which at least two sides extend thereof is formed so that the opening is terminated by being sewn on the first sewing line. The airbag device described in. The airbag device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the two sides are two opposite sides. The airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the opening is formed in a slit shape by the two opposing sides. The airbag device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the openings formed by the two opposing sides are provided in the vertical direction. Both ends of the first base cloth in the vertical direction are formed by sewing the first base cloth at the two first sewing lines orthogonal to the two opposing sides and terminating the openings. The airbag device according to any one of claims 4 to 6. Each of both ends of the first base cloth in the vertical direction is formed by two second sewing lines so as to draw a chevron-shaped portion at the tip in an arrow shape having the opening as a straight line. The airbag device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the airbag is formed by sewing and terminating the opening. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the end portion of the second base cloth on the occupant side is formed in a convex shape toward the occupant side. The airbag device according to claim 9, wherein the end portion of the second base cloth on the occupant side is exposed to the outside of the central portion by cleaving the central portion when the cushion is expanded and deployed. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the gas guide ports are provided at at least two facing locations in either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. The airbag device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the gas guide port is provided closer to the front end of the occupant side. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the gas guide port guides gas toward the rim surface side of the steering wheel. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the diffuser has gas passage holes provided on both the left and right sides of the second base cloth, respectively. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the diffuser has creases provided on both the left and right sides of the second base cloth, respectively. The inflator is a disk type and has the gas ejection hole on the outer peripheral side surface.
The airbag device further comprises a retainer that holds the inflator.
The retainer
A flat plate-shaped base surface arranged in the first base cloth and fixed to the central portion, and a base surface having a hole for passing the inflator.
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, which is erected around the base surface and has a vertical wall having a height lower than that of the gas ejection hole of the inflator.

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