WO2014162955A1

WO2014162955A1 - Airbag device

Info

Publication number: WO2014162955A1
Application number: PCT/JP2014/058614
Authority: WO
Inventors: 浩野間; 和晃小林; 貴士村山
Original assignee: オートリブディベロップメントエービー
Priority date: 2013-04-01
Filing date: 2014-03-26
Publication date: 2014-10-09
Also published as: JPWO2014162955A1; CN105307905A; CN105307905B; JP6009655B2

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an airbag device which is configured so that an inflator can be mounted using a simple structure and so that the amount of flow of gas to the outside can be reduced. [Solution] A curtain airbag (100) is provided with a cushion section (102), an inflator (106), and a deflector (154). The inflator (106) is cylindrical in shape and has: gas discharge openings (156) which are formed in portions of the side surface of the inflator (106), the portions being located on the front end side of the inflator (106); and a connector (158) which is provided at the rear end of the inflator (106) and which is electrically connected to the outside. The deflector (154) is mounted along the side surface of the inflator (106). The cushion section (102) has an inflator insertion opening (130) having an inner diameter which is less than or equal to the maximum outer dimensions of the deflector (154) in a state in which the deflector (154) is mounted to the side surface of the inflator (106). The front end side of the inflator (106), on which the gas discharge openings (156) are provided, is inserted through the inflator insertion opening (130) into the cushion section (102), and the inflator (106) is mounted to the cushion section (102) while the rear end of the inflator (106), at which the connector (158) is provided, is exposed to the outside of the cushion section (102).

Description

Airbag device

The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus to which a cylinder type inflator such as a curtain airbag is applied.

Modern vehicles are almost equipped with airbags as standard. An airbag is a safety device that operates in an emergency such as a vehicle collision, and inflates and deploys with gas pressure to receive and protect an occupant. There are various types of airbags depending on the installation location and application. For example, in order to protect an occupant from a collision from the front-rear direction, a front airbag is provided in the center of the steering. A curtain airbag that inflates and deploys along the side window is provided near the ceiling of the wall to protect the occupant from side collisions and subsequent rollover (rollover). A side airbag that inflates and deploys to the side of the vehicle is provided.

The air bag is equipped with a gas generator called an inflator as a gas supply source. There are various types of inflators depending on the type of air bag and its installation location. For example, a disc type (disc type) inflator is mainly used for the front airbag, and a cylinder type (tubular type) inflator is mainly used for the curtain airbag and the side airbag.

In order for the airbag to keep its internal pressure high, it is necessary to efficiently keep the gas ejected from the inflator in the airbag. For example, in the curtain airbag described in Patent Document 1, an elastic adhesive is applied to the inside of the gas inlet into which the inflator is inserted, and the inflator is further inserted therein and then tightened with a band-shaped fastening member. Therefore, the airtightness near the gas inlet is improved.

JP 2005-178612 A

Although not specified in Patent Document 1, the fastening members appearing in Patent Document 1 have been conventionally mainly made of metal and are often clamped. However, nowadays, vehicles are becoming more compact, and a simpler and cheaper vehicle including the above-described curtain airbag is desired. In this regard, a configuration in which an elastic adhesive is applied as in Patent Document 1 or caulking with a metal band or the like as in the prior art leads to an increase in the amount of work, so there is room for improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device capable of assembling an inflator with a simple structure and suppressing an outflow amount of gas to the outside.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a typical configuration of an airbag device according to the present invention includes a cushion portion formed in a bag shape having at least a vehicle interior base fabric and a vehicle exterior base fabric, and a cylinder. An inflator having a plurality of gas jets provided on the side surface on the front end side and a connector provided on the rear end and electrically connected to the outside, and attached along the side surface of the inflator, A deflector that covers at least the gas outlet and a base fabric on either the inside or outside of the cushion, and has an inner diameter that is less than the maximum outer dimension of the deflector attached to the inflator and penetrates the base fabric The inflator is inserted into the cushion part through the inflator insertion port and the rear end provided with the connector is inserted into the cushion. Characterized in that it is attached to the cushion portion being exposed to the outside of the ® emission portion. The inflator insertion port is a circular opening, and the inner diameter thereof corresponds to the inner diameter of the cushion portion placed on a flat surface.

The air bag device has improved airtightness with the inflator by setting the inflator insertion port to the above size. Therefore, various additional members that have been adopted to improve airtightness in the conventional configuration, such as a metal band, a protruding portion of a base fabric that protrudes along the shape of the inflator to insert the inflator, an inflator insertion It has a simple configuration that does not require the use of an inner bag, an inflator introduction base fabric or the like provided near or inside the entrance. Therefore, the amount of work at the time of assembly can be reduced, which can contribute to cost reduction.

The cushion portion has a shape that extends along the side surface of the vehicle interior, and extends to the front and rear direction of the vehicle above the plurality of chamber portions for receiving the occupant and distributes gas to the plurality of chamber portions. The duct portion may include a plurality of chamber portions and a non-inflatable portion that goes around the outer edge of the duct portion when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and the inflator insertion port may be provided in the duct portion. With this configuration, it is possible to preferably realize an inflator insertion port having high airtightness with the inflator. In addition, the non-expanding portion makes a round without continuously interrupting the outer edges of the plurality of chambers and the duct portion, and is closed so as to isolate each chamber and the duct portion from the outside.

The cushion portion has a shape that extends along the side surface of the vehicle interior, and extends to the front and rear direction of the vehicle above the plurality of chamber portions for receiving the occupant and distributes gas to the plurality of chamber portions. A duct portion, a duct extension portion that protrudes upward from a predetermined portion of the duct portion, and a plurality of chamber portions, a duct portion, and a non-inflatable portion that goes around the outer edge of the duct extension portion when viewed from the vehicle width direction, The inflator insertion port may be provided in the duct extension. Also with this configuration, it is possible to preferably realize an inflator insertion port having high airtightness with the inflator. Also in this configuration, the non-expanding portion makes a round without continuously interrupting the outer edges of the plurality of chambers, the duct portion, and the duct extension portion, and isolates these chambers and the like from the outside.

The duct extension part may have a shape that is longer in the vehicle front-rear direction than in the up-down direction and spreads from the upper side to the duct part side. With this configuration, the duct extension described above can be suitably realized.

The inflator described above preferably has a larger gas generation amount than the capacity of the cushion part after inflated and deployed. According to this configuration, even if gas flows out from the inflator insertion port, it can be replenished, and an appropriate deployment behavior of the cushion portion can be obtained. The gas generation amount is preferably limited to + 20% of the capacity of the cushion portion in order to prevent damage at the time of inflation and deployment of the cushion portion.

The above-described deflector is provided with a cylindrical portion formed by winding a metal plate along a side surface of the inflator in a cylindrical shape and a length from one end of the inflator on the cylindrical portion toward the other end. The cylindrical portion is in contact with the side surface of the inflator before the operation of the inflator, and the opening is preferably expanded by the gas pressure from the gas outlet after the operation of the inflator.

The above-described deflector has a simple cylindrical configuration, and the inflator to which the deflector is attached also has a simple configuration, so that the assembling work to these cushion portions becomes easy. Further, when the inflator is activated, the deflector receives the gas on the inner surface, and the opening on the tip side is enlarged, so that the gas can flow smoothly into the cushion portion. Furthermore, the deflector also functions as a protection member from heat, and can protect the cushion portion from high-temperature and high-pressure gas during operation of the inflator.

The cushion portion further includes a first sewing portion that is sewn so as to circulate around the inflator insertion port, and a region between the first sewing portion and the inflator insertion port is formed in the inflator insertion port. In a state where the inflator is inserted, it is preferable that the inflator can be bent into the cushion portion.

According to the above configuration, the vicinity of the inflator insertion port can be reinforced by providing the first sewing portion. Further, the inner region of the first sewing portion is bent into the cushion portion, so that it can function even as a “barbage” against the gas, and the outflow of gas can be further suppressed.

The inflator may further include a stud bolt inserted into the cushion portion along with the gas outlet on the side surface, and the cushion portion may further include a bolt insertion port for exposing the stud bolt to the outside. According to this configuration, not only the fastening of the stud bolt can be suitably performed, but also the cushion portion and the inflator can be connected by passing the stud bolt through the bolt insertion port.

It is preferable that the cushion part further includes a second sewing part that is sewn so as to go around the bolt insertion port. The cushion portion may further include a third sewing portion that connects the first sewing portion and the second sewing portion. According to these, the region from the inflator insertion port to the bolt insertion port can be efficiently reinforced.

The airbag device further includes a bracket for fixing the cushion portion to the vehicle. The bracket has a bolt hole through which the stud bolt of the inflator passes, and is connected to the inflator via the stud bolt that passes through the bolt hole. It is better to sandwich a part of the cushion part between them. With this configuration, the inflator, the cushion portion, and the bracket can be assembled to the vehicle so that the outflow of gas from the cushion portion during inflation and deployment is further reduced.

The above-mentioned cushion part is for a curtain airbag and may have a shape that extends along the side surface of the passenger compartment. Further, the inflator to which the deflector is attached may be installed at the upper portion of the cushion portion with its longitudinal direction facing the front and rear of the vehicle and the opening of the deflector facing the vehicle lower side. According to this configuration, it is possible to realize a curtain airbag in which gas smoothly flows in and rapidly expands and deploys.

The above-mentioned cushion part is wound or folded and installed in the vehicle in a storage form that is long in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the airbag device further extends in the width direction of the cushion part in the storage form. A cloth belt portion that is wrapped around and fastened to the cushion portion and the bracket in the housed state may be provided. The belt portion can hold the storage form of the cushion portion, and the air bag apparatus according to the present invention can be suitably realized by these configurations.

The belt portion may have a fragile portion that causes the belt portion to break when the cushion portion is inflated and deployed. With this configuration, the belt portion normally wraps around the cushion portion and maintains the storage form, but can be broken in an emergency to quickly release the cushion portion. The belt portion may be formed of a non-woven cloth such as a nonwoven fabric. Since the nonwoven fabric has a lower strength than the woven fabric, it can be broken at the time of expansion and deployment without providing a fragile portion.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an airbag device capable of assembling an inflator with a simple structure and suppressing an outflow amount of gas to the outside.

It is the figure which illustrated the curtain airbag as embodiment of the airbag apparatus of this invention. It is the figure which illustrated the expansion state at the time of the non-expansion of the cushion part of Drawing 1 (b). FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the inflator of FIG. It is an expansion perspective view of brackets, such as Drawing 3 (b). It is a figure which illustrates the inflator and deflector of FIG.3 (c). It is the figure illustrated in the state which expanded the cushion part of FIG.3 (c). It is the figure which illustrated the outline of one item of the performance test of the curtain airbag of this embodiment. It is the figure which illustrated the result of the performance test of FIG. It is the figure which illustrated the modification of the cushion part of FIG.

100 ... Curtain airbag, 102 ... Cushion, 104 、 ... Roof side rail, 105 ... Front pillar, 106 ... Inflator, 108 ... Vehicle, 110 車両 ... Side window, 114 ... Front seat, 116, 118, 120, 122 ... Chamber , 121 後: rear seat, 123 非: non-inflated portion of the cushion portion, 124: upper edge of the cushion portion, 126 ... tab, 128 ... strap, 130 ... inflator insertion port, 132 ... duct portion, 133 ... duct extension portion, 134 ... Belt part, 136 ... Bracket, 138 ... Belt part, 140 ... Claw part, 142a ... Stud bolt, 144a, 144b ... Bolt hole in the upper part of the bracket, 146a, 146b ... Bolt hole in the lower part of the bracket 148 ... bolt, 150 ... L-shaped hook portion, 152 ... different shaped hook portion, 153 ... cylindrical portion of the deflector, 153a ... one end of the cylindrical portion, 153b ... other end of the cylindrical portion, 154 ... deflector, 156 ... gas Ejection hole, 158 ... Connector, 160a, 160b ... Deflector bolt hole, 162a, 162b ... Swelling part, 164 ... Bolt insertion port, 170 ... Impactor, D1 ... Inner diameter of inflator insertion port, D2 ... Inflator equipped with deflector E1: Inflator insertion edge region, L1: First sewing portion, L2: Second sewing portion, L3: Third sewing portion, S1: Gap between the deflector and the inflator

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating 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 denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated. To do.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a curtain airbag 100 as an embodiment of the airbag apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a view of the interior of the vehicle as viewed from the vehicle inner side in the vehicle width direction, and illustrates a storage form of the cushion portion 102 of the curtain airbag 100. The cushion portion 102 is a portion that is inflated and deployed to protect the occupant in an emergency, and FIG. 1B illustrates the time when the cushion portion 102 is inflated and deployed. In the present application, the expression “up” indicates the vehicle ceiling direction as viewed from the point of interest, and the expression “down” indicates the vehicle floor direction as viewed from the point of interest.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the cushion portion 102 is wound to form a roll-shaped storage configuration that is long in the front and rear of the vehicle, and is attached to the upper portion of the side wall (the roof side rail 104) in the vehicle interior. Installed. Normally, since the roof side rail 104 is covered with a roof trim (not shown), the installed cushion portion 102 is not visible from the vehicle interior. The storage form of the cushion part 102 can also be realized by folding.

The curtain airbag 100 includes an inflator 106, which is a gas generator, on the upper portion of the cushion portion 102. The cushion portion 102 is inflated by the pressure of gas supplied from the inflator 106 to restrain the occupant. The inflator 106 employed in this embodiment is a cylinder type (tubular type). Inflators that are currently popular are types that are filled with a gas generating agent and burn it to generate gas, types that are filled with compressed gas and supply gas without generating heat, and There are types including both a gas generating agent and a compressed gas. Any type of inflator 106 can be used.

In the state of FIG. 1 (a), when a side collision or rollover (rollover) occurs in the vehicle 108, a sensor (not shown) provided in the vehicle 108 first detects an impact, which causes the inflator. A signal is sent to 106. Upon receiving this signal, the inflator 106 operates and supplies gas to the cushion portion 102. When the gas from the inflator 106 is received, the cushion portion 102 expands downward along the side wall of the passenger compartment (such as the side window 110 in FIG. 1A) as illustrated in FIG. 1B. Deploy and protect passengers.

In the inflator 106 of the present embodiment, the amount of gas generated is set slightly larger than the capacity (internal volume) after the cushion part 102 is inflated and deployed. This is an output setting that takes into account the outflow of gas to the outside during expansion and deployment. For example, the output of the inflator 106 is set to be about several percent up to about 20% larger than the capacity of the cushion portion 102. The reason why the upper limit is + 20% is to prevent damage of the cushion portion 102 when it is inflated and deployed. According to this configuration, even if gas flows out from an inflator insertion port 130 described later, it can be replenished, and an appropriate deployment behavior of the cushion portion 102 can be obtained.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an expanded state when the cushion portion 102 of FIG. 1B is not inflated. Since the cushion part 102 is for curtain airbags, it has a large shape that can be expanded along the side surface of the vehicle interior. The cushion portion 102 is formed in a bag shape by overlapping two base fabrics constituting the surface thereof, sewing and bonding, or spinning using OPW (One-Piece Woven).

The expansion region of the cushion portion 102 is partitioned into a plurality of small rooms (chambers) in consideration of the position where the occupant can come into contact. For example,

chambers

116, 118, and 120 are provided on the front side of the vehicle for the purpose of receiving passengers in the front seat 114 (see FIG. 1B). In addition, a chamber 122 is provided on the rear side of the vehicle for the purpose of receiving a passenger in the rear seat 121. Unlike the expansion region, the non-expandable portion 123 is a portion where gas does not flow. In the cushion portion 102 of the present embodiment, the non-inflatable portion 123 is continuous so as to go around the entire outer edge of each chamber and a duct portion 132 and a duct extension portion 133 described later, as viewed from the vehicle width direction illustrated in FIG. And it is provided without interruption. The non-inflatable part 123 is closed so as to isolate these chambers, the duct part 132 and the duct extension part 133 from the external space when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

A plurality of tabs 126 are provided on the upper edge 124 of the cushion portion 102 as attachment parts to the vehicle. The tab 126 has a belt shape and is attached to the roof side rail 104 (FIG. 1B) using a bolt, a dedicated bracket, or the like. A string-like strap 128 is provided at the front end of the cushion portion 102. The strap 128 is a member that connects the cushion portion 102 and the front pillar 105 (see FIG. 1B, etc.), and stabilizes the deployment behavior by suppressing the swinging of the cushion portion 102 during expansion and deployment. The portion 102 has a function of applying a tension in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

The inflator 106 (see FIG. 1B) is installed in a duct extension part 133 protruding upward from the duct part 132 in the vicinity of the upper center of the cushion part 102. The duct portion 132 is a passage that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction above each chamber and distributes gas to each chamber. The duct extension part 133 is a part continuous from the duct part 132 and has a shape that is longer in the vehicle front-rear direction than the up-down direction and spreads from the upper side to the duct part 132 side. The duct extension portion 133 is provided with an inflator insertion port 130, and the inflator 106 is inserted into and attached to the inflator insertion port 130.

The inflator insertion port 130 is provided through the base fabric of the duct extension part 133. In the present embodiment, the inflator insertion port 130 is provided on the base fabric on the vehicle outer side (the back side of the cushion portion 102 in FIG. 2) that constitutes the duct extension portion 133. This is illustrated with a broken line.

When the inflator 106 attached to the inflator insertion port 130 is activated, the gas is efficiently distributed to the respective chambers through the duct portion 132 extending in the front and rear direction of the vehicle. Above the inflator insertion port 130, a cloth belt portion 134 is provided to help maintain the winding of the cushion portion 102.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the inflator 106 in FIG. In FIG. 3, the vicinity of the inflator 106 is illustrated as viewed from the side opposite to FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the inflator 106 is inserted into the cushion portion 102 from the inflator insertion port 130 at the distal end side where the gas outlet 156 (see FIG. 5B) is provided, and the connector 158 is inserted. The rear end provided is attached in a state of being exposed to the outside of the cushion portion 102. The connector 158 (see FIG. 5D) is electrically connected to the outside and receives an operation signal of the inflator 106 from the vehicle side in an emergency.

A bracket 136 is provided in the vicinity of the inflator 106, and assembly to the vehicle is performed via the bracket 136. The bracket 136 is made of metal and supports the cushion portion 102 together with the inflator 106. The belt part 134 of FIG. 2 is wound around the bracket 136. Thereby, the storage form of the cushion part 102 can be hold | maintained efficiently.

The belt part 134 is provided with a fragile part 135 by forming a slit (or notch). The fragile portion 135 causes the belt portion 134 to break when the cushion portion 102 is inflated and deployed, thereby quickly releasing the cushion portion 102. Thereby, the cushion part 102 can exhibit the passenger | crew restraint performance appropriately. In addition, the belt part 134 can also be comprised with a nonwoven fabric. If the nonwoven fabric is used, the strength is lower than that of the woven fabric. Therefore, the nonwoven fabric can be broken at the time of expansion and deployment without providing the fragile portion 135.

FIG. 3 (b) is a partially exploded view of FIG. 3 (a). As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the belt portion 134 extends in the width direction of the cushion portion 102 in the housed state, has a hole portion 138 on the distal end side, and the hole portion 138 is a claw of the bracket 136. It is configured to be hooked and held on the portion 140. Further, two

stud bolts

142a and 142b protrude from the inflator 106 inserted into the inflator insertion port 130, and the bracket 136 is connected to the inflator 106 by two

bolt holes

144a and 144b through which the

stud bolts

142a and 142b pass. It becomes the composition to connect.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the bracket 136 shown in FIG. FIG. 4A illustrates the bracket 136 as viewed from the opposite side to FIG.

Bolt holes

144a and 144b through which the

stud bolts

142a and 142b are passed are respectively provided at both ends of the upper part. The lower portion of the bracket 136 is bifurcated, and bolt

holes

146a and 146b are also provided there. As the

bolt holes

146a and 146b, bolts 148 (see FIG. 4B) for fastening to the roof side rail 104 are used.

A hook portion 150 extending in an L shape toward the roof side rail 104 side (the back side in the drawing) is provided below the side portion of the inflator 106. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, a hook portion 152 having a different shape is provided on the side portion opposite to the hook portion 150. These

hook portions

150 and 152 are portions for positioning the bracket 136 on the roof side rail 104 (see FIG. 4B), and are inserted into predetermined holes provided in the roof side rail 104.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. An inflator 106 is connected to the upper portion of the bracket 136 so that a part of the cushion portion 102 is sandwiched between the bracket 136 and the inflator 106. The bracket 136 is fastened to the roof side rail 104 at the lower part. In this way, the inflator 106, the cushion portion 102, and the bracket 136 are assembled to the vehicle so that the outflow of gas from the cushion portion 102 is less during inflation and deployment. The bracket 136 is bent around the upper and lower centers and can be attached along the roof side rail 104. According to the bracket 136, not only the inflator 106 and the cushion portion 102 are assembled to the vehicle 108, but also a reaction force can be applied when the cushion portion 102 is inflated and deployed.

Refer again to FIG. FIG. 3C is a view in which the inflator 106 in FIG. 3B is pulled out from the inflator insertion port 130. A deflector 154 that is a gas rectifying member is attached to the inflator 106 along the side surface thereof. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the inflator 106 and the deflector 154 shown in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 5A, the deflector 154 is made of metal and is attached to the side surface of the inflator 106. Before the operation of the inflator 106, the deflector 154 is in contact with the side surface of the inflator 106 throughout.

One end of the stud bolt 142a is integrated with the outer surface of the inflator 106, and protrudes through the deflector 154. In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the stud bolt 142 a on the distal end side of the inflator 106 is inserted into the cushion portion 102 together with a part of the inflator 106.

FIG. 5B is a diagram in which the deflector 154 is removed from the inflator 106 in FIG. A plurality of gas ejection holes 156 are provided in the circumferential direction of the inflator 106 at the distal end side of the inflator 106 covered with the deflector 154, and the deflector 154 guides the gas exiting from the gas ejection holes 156 in a predetermined direction. The deflector 154 also has a function of protecting the cushion portion 102 from heat generated by gas. A connector 158 (see FIG. 5D) is provided at the rear end of the inflator 106. In an emergency, the inflator 106 is supplied with operating current from the connector 158.

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating the deflector 154 of FIG. 5B alone. The deflector 154 is made of a metal plate, and is formed by being wound in a cylindrical shape along the side surface of the inflator 106. The overall shape of the cylindrical portion is a cylindrical portion 153 having a C-shaped cross section, and an opening portion 155 provided longitudinally from one end 153a to the other end 153b of the cylindrical portion 153. . The deflector 154 is provided with two

bolt holes

160a and 160b in accordance with the positions of the

stud bolts

142a and 142b of the inflator 106.

FIG.5 (d) is the arrow B figure of Fig.5 (a). The deflector 154 has a C-shaped cross section in the width direction, and the inner surface thereof is in contact with the side surface of the inflator 106. Thus, the deflector 154 and the inflator 106 are easy to assemble to the cushion portion 102 because of the simple configuration in which they are assembled in contact with each other.

Here, reference is again made to FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 4B, the deflector 154 is installed so that the opening 155 is located obliquely below the vehicle interior when viewed from the center side of the deflector 154 when attached to the vehicle. As a result, the gas flows in the direction in which the cushion portion 102 exists, and the cushion portion 102 can receive the gas smoothly and rapidly expand and deploy.

FIG. 5E is an arrow C view of FIG. 5A and illustrates the gas ejection time of the inflator 106. As illustrated in FIG. 5E, the one end 153a side of the cylindrical portion 153 of the deflector 154 has a diameter that increases when the inflator 106 is operated and receives an internal gas pressure from the gas outlet 156 to open the opening. 155 expands. A gap S <b> 1 is secured between the inflator 106 and the gas appropriately flows into the cushion portion 102 through the gap S <b> 1. At this time, the deflector 154 also functions as a heat protection member, and protects the cushion portion 102 from high-temperature and high-pressure gas when the inflator 106 is operated.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the cushion portion 102 of FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the cushion portion 102 is provided with an inflator insertion port 130 and a bolt insertion port 164 that exposes the stud bolt 142a. In order to reinforce them, the inflator insertion port 130 is provided with a first sewing portion L1, and the bolt insertion port 164 is provided with a second sewing portion L2 that wraps around each of the two. ing. The first sewing portion L1 and the second sewing portion L2 are connected by a linear third sewing portion L3, so that the inflator insertion port 130, the bolt insertion port 164, and the area around them are inflated. Reinforced to withstand the gas pressure from 106.

In this embodiment, the airtightness between the inflator 106 is enhanced by devising the size of the inflator insertion port 130. FIG.6 (b) is the figure which expanded the inflator insertion port 130 of Fig.6 (a). The inflator insertion port 130 is a circular (substantially circular in this embodiment) opening, and its inner diameter D1 corresponds to the inner diameter of the cushion portion 102 placed on a flat surface. In the present embodiment, the inner diameter D1 of the inflator insertion port 130 is set to be equal to or smaller than the maximum outer dimension D2 of the cross section of the inflator 106 including the deflector 154 illustrated in FIG. 6C (D1 ≧ D2). .

The maximum external dimension D2 of the cross section of the inflator 106 is also the maximum width in the unit constituted by the inflator 106 and the deflector 154. For example, in the present embodiment, the overall shape in a state where the inflator 106 and the deflector 154 are combined is a shape in which the inflator 106 protrudes from the deflector 154 having a C-shaped cross section. In such a case, a dimension obtained by adding the thickness of the deflector 154 and the outer diameter of the inflator 106 is the maximum outer dimension. When the inflator 106 is accommodated almost completely in the deflector 154, the maximum external dimension matches the maximum width of the single deflector 154.

The inflator 106 equipped with the deflector 154 is inserted and attached to the inflator insertion port 130 set to the inner diameter D1 so that the inflator insertion port 130 is expanded. For example, FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating a state in which the inflator 106 in FIG. 6C is inserted into the inflator insertion port 103 in FIG. 6B. The rear end side of the deflector 154 is inserted into the inflator insertion port 103 in close contact. Thus, if it is the inflator insertion port 130 of the said size, the adhesiveness with the inflator 106 of the inflator insertion port 130 itself will increase. Therefore, the protrusion of the base fabric that protrudes along the shape of the inflator 106 to insert the metallic band, ring, or inflator 106 used to enhance the airtightness in the vicinity of the inflator insertion port 103 in the conventional configuration. It is not necessary to use additional members such as the portion, the vicinity of the inflator insertion opening, and the inner bag and the inflator introduction base cloth provided therein. According to the present embodiment, the outflow of gas can be suppressed without using these additional members.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, the first sewing portion L <b> 1 is sewn with a predetermined distance from the inflator insertion port 130, and an area E <b> 1 is secured at the edge of the inflator insertion port 130. Yes. As illustrated in FIG. 6D, the region E1 is bent into the cushion portion 102 when the inflator 106 is inserted. This region E1 can be bent to the inside of the cushion portion 102 to function even as a “barbage” for the gas, and the outflow of gas can be further suppressed.

Thus, the curtain airbag 100 is improved in airtightness with the inflator 106 by devising the inflator insertion port 130 as described above. Therefore, compared with the conventional configuration, it has a simple configuration that does not require the use of the metal band described above. Therefore, the amount of work at the time of assembly can be reduced, which can contribute to cost reduction. Note that the rear end side of the deflector 154 does not spread so much when the inflator 106 is operated, so that the inflator insertion port 130 is not affected by damage or the like.

Hereinafter, the relationship between the size change of the inflator insertion opening 130 and the performance of the curtain airbag 100 will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an outline of one item of the performance test of the curtain airbag 100 of the present embodiment. In this test (impactor test), first, a target position where the impactor 170 collides with the opening area of the door is set, and the impactor 170 (a part of the test apparatus) is illustrated with respect to the curtain airbag 100 at the target position. ) At a predetermined speed and a predetermined energy from the inside of the vehicle, and the amount of movement of the impactor 170 to the outside of the vehicle is measured.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the results of the performance test of FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the test was performed on a total of four prototypes T01, T02, T03, and T04. In these prototypes, the inner diameter of the inflator insertion port 130 is different from Φ24, Φ27, Φ28, and Φ30 (unit: mm). The outer diameter of the inflator + deflector is about Φ27.1.

The remaining Stroke is an item representing the amount of movement of the impactor 170. Specifically, first, for example, a predetermined amount of movement from the zero displacement plane (described later) toward the outside of the vehicle is set as the target Stroke. By subtracting the amount of movement of the impactor 170 when the curtain airbag 100 comes into contact with the target Stroke from the target Stroke, the remaining distance with respect to the target Stroke is obtained as the remaining Stroke and compared between the prototypes. . Here, the above-mentioned zero displacement surface is the outermost vehicle of the headform in a state where the headform of the impactor 170 (the tip portion illustrated in the drawing) is in contact with the inner surface of the side window 110. It is a vertical plane Z (a plane parallel to the longitudinal center line of the vehicle 108) that touches.

When comparing the remaining Stroke of T01, T02, T03, and T04, T01 having the smallest inner diameter has the best results. In addition, in T01 to T03, the remaining Stroke is a positive number, which means that the target Stroke is cleared. At T04, the remaining Stroke was negative and could not be measured.

FIG. 8B is a graph showing the relationship between the inner diameter of the inflator insertion port 130 and the remaining Stroke. In Φ24 and Φ27, the remaining Stroke is about 3.2 mm, but is slightly decreased. Comparing Φ27 and Φ28, it can be seen that Φ28 is within the acceptable range as a product, but the remaining Stroke is greatly reduced. This Φ28 is larger than the outer diameter of Φ27.1 of the inflator + deflector exemplified in FIG. 8 (a), so it is considered that the loss of gas has increased. It is considered that the loss of gas is further increased at Φ30. From these facts, it can be seen that it is effective to reduce the amount of gas loss by making the inner diameter of the inflator insertion port substantially equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the inflator + deflector.

(Modification)
In the cushion 102 (see FIG. 2) described above, the inflator insertion port 130 is provided in the duct extension 133, but the portion where the inflator insertion port 130 is provided is not limited thereto. For example, FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the cushion portion of FIG. The cushion 200 illustrated in FIG. 9 is provided so that the inflator insertion port 130 penetrates the base fabric on the duct portion 132, and the duct extension portion 133 is omitted to simplify the whole. Also in the cushion 200, the non-inflatable portion 123 is provided without being continuously interrupted so as to go around the entire outer edge of each chamber or duct portion 132.

Also in the cushion part 200, the inflator insertion port 130 may be provided on the inner side or the outer side of the duct part 132 and the base fabric constituting the cushion part 200. As described above, the location where the inflator insertion port 130 is provided can be appropriately changed on the cushion portion in consideration of the layout of the inflator 106 (see FIG. 1A) when mounted on the vehicle.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments described above are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or performed in various ways. Can be carried out. The invention is not limited to the detailed shape, size, configuration, and the like of the components shown in the accompanying drawings unless otherwise specified in the present specification. In addition, expressions and terms used in the present specification are for the purpose of explanation, and are not limited thereto unless otherwise specified.

Therefore, it is obvious for those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the airbag apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a curtain airbag provided in an automobile has been described. However, other types of airbags other than curtain airbags, such as side airbags, can also be realized. Moreover, these airbag apparatuses can also be applied to aircrafts, ships, etc. other than automobiles, and the same effects can be obtained.

The present invention can be used for an airbag apparatus to which a cylinder-type inflator is applied, such as a curtain airbag.

Claims

A cushion portion formed into a bag shape having at least a base fabric on the vehicle inner side and a base fabric on the vehicle outer side,
An inflator that is a cylinder type and has a plurality of gas jets provided on the side surface on the front end side, and a connector provided on the rear end and electrically connected to the outside;
A deflector attached along a side surface of the inflator and covering at least the gas ejection port;
Provided on the base fabric on either the vehicle inner side or the vehicle outer side of the cushion portion, and has an inner diameter equal to or smaller than the maximum outer dimension of the cross section of the deflector in a state of being attached to the inflator, and penetrates the base fabric An inflator slot,
With
The inflator is inserted into the cushion part through the inflator insertion port into the cushion part, and the rear end provided with the connector is exposed to the outside of the cushion part. An air bag apparatus which is attached.
The cushion portion has a shape that extends along the side surface of the vehicle interior,
A plurality of chamber portions for receiving passengers;
A duct portion that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction above the plurality of chamber portions and distributes gas to the plurality of chamber portions;
A non-expandable portion that goes around the outer edges of the plurality of chamber portions and the duct portion as viewed from the vehicle width direction;
Have
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the inflator insertion port is provided in the duct portion.
The cushion portion has a shape that extends along the side surface of the vehicle interior,
A plurality of chamber portions for receiving passengers;
A duct portion that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction above the plurality of chamber portions and distributes gas to the plurality of chamber portions;
A duct extension projecting upward from a predetermined portion of the duct part; and the non-inflatable part that goes around the outer edges of the plurality of chamber parts, the duct part, and the duct extension part as viewed from the vehicle width direction;
Have
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the inflator insertion port is provided in the duct extension portion.
The airbag device according to claim 3, wherein the duct extension portion has a shape that is longer in the vehicle front-rear direction than in the up-down direction and spreads from the upper side to the duct portion side.
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inflator has a larger amount of gas generation than a capacity of the cushion portion after inflated and deployed.
The deflector is
A cylindrical portion formed by winding a metal plate in a cylindrical shape along the side surface of the inflator;
An opening provided longitudinally from one end of the inflator on the cylindrical portion toward the other end,
6. The cylinder according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion is in contact with a side surface of the inflator before the operation of the inflator, and the opening is expanded by a gas pressure from the gas outlet after the operation of the inflator. The airbag apparatus of any one of Claims.
The cushion portion further includes a first sewing portion that is sewn so as to circulate around the inflator insertion port,
The region between the first sewing portion and the inflator insertion port can be bent into the cushion portion when the inflator is inserted into the inflator insertion port. The airbag apparatus of any one of Claim 1 to 6.
The inflator further includes a stud bolt that is inserted into the cushion portion together with the gas outlet on a side surface,
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cushion portion further includes a bolt insertion port that exposes the stud bolt to the outside.
The airbag device according to claim 8, wherein the cushion portion further includes a second sewing portion that is sewn so as to circulate around the bolt insertion port.
10. The airbag device according to claim 9, wherein the cushion portion further includes a third sewing portion that connects the first sewing portion and the second sewing portion.
The airbag device further includes a bracket for fixing the cushion portion to a vehicle,
The bracket has a bolt hole through which the stud bolt of the inflator passes, and is connected to the inflator via the stud bolt that passes through the bolt hole, and sandwiches a part of the cushion portion with the inflator. The airbag device according to claim 8, wherein:
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the cushion portion is for a curtain airbag and has a shape that extends along a side surface of a vehicle interior.
The inflator to which the deflector is attached is installed at an upper portion of the cushion portion with its longitudinal direction facing the front and rear of the vehicle and the opening of the deflector facing the vehicle lower side. The airbag apparatus as described.
The cushion part is wound or folded and installed in the vehicle in a long storage form in the vehicle front-rear direction,
The airbag device further includes a cloth belt portion that extends in a width direction of the cushion portion in the storage form and is wound around and fastened to the cushion portion in the storage state and the bracket. Item 14. The airbag device according to Item 12 or 13.
15. The airbag device according to claim 14, wherein the belt portion includes a fragile portion that causes the belt portion to break when the cushion portion is inflated and deployed.