WO2022075216A1

WO2022075216A1 - Airbag device

Info

Publication number: WO2022075216A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/036420
Authority: WO
Inventors: 貴之清水; 敦中島
Original assignee: オートリブディベロップメントエービー; 貴之清水; 中島豊; 敦中島
Priority date: 2020-10-09
Filing date: 2021-10-01
Publication date: 2022-04-14
Also published as: KR20230082657A; JPWO2022075216A1; CN116194344A

Abstract

In order to achieve an airbag device wherein, in the event of a vehicle side impact or similar, side cushions that inflate and deploy at both sides of a seat behave in a unified manner, an airbag device 10 comprises: an airbag 11 having a first side cushion 21 that inflates and deploys so as to cover one side part of an occupant 5 who is seated in a seat 1 of a vehicle, a second side cushion 22 that inflates and deploys so as to cover the other side part of the occupant 5, and a connecting member 23 that connects the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22; and an inflator 12 ejecting a gas that causes the airbag 11 to inflate. In an inflation-complete state in which the inflation and deployment of the airbag 11 are complete, the connecting member 23 is located, within the height range of an upper part of the seat 1, at a height lower than the top of the head of the occupant 5, and extends in the width direction of the seat 1.

Description

Airbag device

The present invention relates to an airbag device or the like that protects the side portion of an occupant.

Conventionally, airbag devices for protecting occupants in the event of a side collision or rollover of a vehicle have been known. In this type of airbag device, the airbag expands and expands so as to cover the side of the occupant seated in the seat.

Patent Document 1 describes, as this type of airbag device, a occupant restraint device that can protect an occupant from both a near-side impact and a far-side impact. This occupant restraint device includes an airbag that cares for the occupant against an impact from the near side and an upper torso restraint member that cares for the occupant against an impact from the far side. The upper torso restraining member abuts on the shoulder or chest of the occupant from the front side of the vehicle to restrain the occupant to the seat. FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1 describes a form in which an airbag is used as an upper body restraining member.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-13501

By the way, when a side collision of a vehicle occurs, the occupant moves toward the side affected by the collision due to inertial force at the initial stage of the collision, and then moves toward the opposite side due to the impact force due to the collision. However, in the conventional airbag device, the airbag on the near side and the airbag on the far side are independent of each other, and there is a possibility that the moving occupant cannot be effectively restrained as described above.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to realize an airbag device in which side cushions that expand and expand on both sides of a seat behave integrally in the event of a side collision of a vehicle or the like. And.

The airbag device according to the present invention has a first side cushion that expands and expands so as to cover one side of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat, and a second side that expands and expands so as to cover the other side of the occupant. An inflatable state in which an airbag having a cushion, a connecting member connecting the first side cushion and the second side cushion, and an inflator for injecting a gas for inflating the airbag is provided, and the expansion and deployment of the airbag is completed. In the airbag device, the connecting member is located at a height below the crown of the occupant in the height range of the upper part of the seat and extends in the width direction of the seat.

In the present invention, the connecting member is a duct through which gas can flow, the inflator is attached to the first side cushion, and a part of the gas injected from the inflator to the first side cushion is second through the duct. It may be supplied to the side cushion.

In the present invention, the first side cushion may be provided on the near side near the door for the seat, and the second side cushion may be provided on the far side far from the door for the seat.

In the present invention, the first side cushion expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's body and the first head cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's head. The second side cushion may have a second head cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover the other side portion of the head.

In the present invention, the first side cushion expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's torso and the first head cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's head. It has a first body cushion portion, and the second side cushion covers the second head cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover the other side portion of the head and the other side portion of the body. It may have a cushion portion for a second fuselage that expands and expands.

In the present invention, when a occupant seated in a seat collides with one of the first side cushion and the second side cushion in the expanded state, the other side cushion is pulled by one side cushion via a connecting member. , May collide with the side of the seat headrest.

In the present invention, in a flat state in which an uninflated airbag is spread out and placed flat on a flat surface, the side fixed to the seat is the rear side and the opposite side is placed in a direction orthogonal to the left-right direction of the airbag. As the front side, in the flat state, the first side cushion is connected to one end of the connecting member extending in the left-right direction of the airbag, the second side cushion is connected to the other end, and the front end of the connecting member is the first side cushion and the second side cushion. It may be located behind each front end of the side cushion.

In the present invention, each of the first side cushion and the second side cushion in the flat placement state is located outside the connecting member in the left-right direction of the airbag and has an outer cushion portion extending forward from the front end of the connecting member. , The inner cushion portion extending inward from the portion extending to the front side of the outer cushion portion may be provided.

In the present invention, the inner cushion portion of the first side cushion and the inner cushion portion of the second side cushion may overlap each other in the flat state.

According to the present invention, in the storage mode when the airbag is stored in the seat, the inner cushion portion is rolled in a roll shape toward the outer cushion portion in each of the first side cushion and the second side cushion. The inner cushion portion may be pushed into the inside of the cushion portion, or the inner cushion portion may be rolled or folded so as to overlap the outer surface of the outer cushion portion.

In the present invention, the airbag may be configured by connecting a first bag portion having a first side cushion and a second bag portion having a second side cushion to each other.

In the present invention, in the airbag, one of the first side cushion and the second side cushion is provided with a fixing portion to the seat, and the other is provided with an inflator storage portion. In the airbag, the fixing portion and the inflator storage portion are provided. Then, it may be fixed to the seat.

In the present invention, in the airbag, the connecting member may also be provided with a fixing portion to the seat.

In the present invention, the seat has a headrest attached to the backrest portion, and in the expanded state, the connecting member may be located in front of or behind the gap between the backrest portion and the headrest.

In the present invention, in the expanded state, one of the rear ends of the first side cushion and the second side cushion is attached to the seat frame at a position inside the side surface of one of the seat frames of the backrest of the seat on the side cushion side. By being fixed, when one side cushion is pushed to the outside of the seat, the rear part of the one side cushion may be pressed against the side of the seat.

In the present invention, when the seat belt is hung diagonally downward from the first side cushion side to the second side cushion side on the body of the occupant seated in the seat, the first side cushion is provided in the expanded state. It may be interposed between the seat belt and the occupant.

In the present invention, the connecting member connecting the first side cushion and the second side cushion is located below the crown of the occupant in the height range of the upper part of the seat in the expanded state. Here, when a side collision of the vehicle occurs, the occupant seated in the seat moves largely laterally from the shoulder to the upper side and collides with one side cushion. At this time, one of the side cushions moves outward under the collision load of the occupant in the height range of the upper part of the seat corresponding to the range above the shoulder of the occupant. Then, along with the movement, the other side cushion is pulled laterally via the connecting member and moves to the occupant side. If the occupant moves toward the opposite side of the initial collision, the occupant will collide with the other side cushion.

In the present invention, the connecting member is located in the height range where the occupant first collides. Therefore, a lateral load acts directly on the connecting member. Therefore, compared to an airbag in which both side cushions are connected above the occupant's head, for example, both side cushions move integrally laterally. As a result, the occupant moving to the side opposite to the initial stage of the collision shortens the moving distance until the occupant collides with the other side cushion, and the occupant can be restrained at an early stage. According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an airbag device in which the side cushions on both sides of the seat behave integrally in the event of a side collision or the like.

FIG. 1A is a view showing a state in which the expansion and deployment of the airbag according to the embodiment is completed, and is a view of the seat in which the occupant is seated as viewed from the front. FIG. 1B is a view showing a state in which the expansion and deployment of the airbag is completed, and is a view of the seat in which the occupant is absent as viewed from the front. FIG. 1C is a view showing a state in which the expansion and deployment of the airbag is completed, and is a view of the seat in which the occupant is absent as viewed from the first side cushion side. FIG. 1D is a view showing a state in which the expansion and deployment of the airbag is completed, and is a view of the seat in which the occupant is absent as viewed from the second side cushion side. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the airbag in a flat state. 3A (a) is a plan view of the airbag for explaining the first folding method of the airbag, and FIG. 3A (b) is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3A (a). FIG. 3B is a plan view of the airbag for explaining the second folding method of the airbag. 3C (a) to 3C are plan views of the airbag for explaining a third folding method of the airbag. 3D (a) to 3D (c) are plan views of an airbag for explaining another method for folding the airbag. FIG. 4 is a front view of the seat in a state where the airbag is stored. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the behavior of the first side cushion when an occupant collides with the second side cushion. 6 (a) to 6 (b) are views for explaining a state in which the first side cushion is interposed between the seat belt and the occupant. 7A (a) to 7A (b) are views for explaining a state in which the gas duct is in the vicinity of the front side of the support member of the headrest. 7B (a) to 7B (b) are views for explaining a state in which the gas duct is located in front of the support member of the headrest and at a position slightly away from the support member. 7C (a) to 7C (b) are views for explaining a state in which the gas duct is in the vicinity of the rear side of the support member of the headrest. FIG. 8A is a plan view of the airbag according to the first modification of the embodiment, and FIG. 8B is an intermediate product of the airbag and a bag body connected to the intermediate product. It is a plan view of. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the first bag portion and the second bag portion, which are intermediate products of the airbag according to the second modification of the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the airbag according to the third modification of the embodiment in a flat state. FIG. 11 is a front view of the seat in the expanded state of the airbag according to the fourth modification of the embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the seat as viewed from diagonally rearward of the far side in the expanded state of the airbag according to the fourth modification of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the expansion and deployment of the airbag according to the fifth modification of the embodiment is completed, and is a view of the seat on which the occupant is seated as viewed from the front.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

In the present invention, the "occupant" is determined by the standard [49CFR Part572 Subpart E and O] of the dummy for frontal crash test (Hybrid III AM50 / NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]. A human body dummy for frontal collision test), which has a physique equivalent to that of an average man in the United States, and has an approximate size of 175 cm in height, 88 cm in sitting height, and 78 kg in weight.

Further, in the present specification, "upper" and "upper" refer to the head direction of the occupant 5 seated at the regular position of the seat 1 provided in the vehicle, and "lower" and "lower" refer to the occupant 5's head direction. It may mean the direction of your feet. Further, "front" and "front side" may mean the front direction of the occupant 5 seated in the regular position of the seat 1, and "rear" and "rear side" may mean the back direction of the occupant 5. Further, "left" and "left side" may mean the left-hand direction of the occupant 5 seated in the regular position of the seat 1, and "right" and "right side" may mean the right-hand direction of the occupant 5. The "regular position" refers to a position at the center position of the seat cushion 2 in the seat 1 in the left-right direction, in which the back of the occupant 5 touches the backrest portion (seat back) 3 of the seat 1 vertically. Hereinafter, the "regular position" may be referred to as a "regular seating position".

In the present embodiment, the airbag device 10 is configured so that the side cushions 21 and 22 provided on both sides of the seat 1 in the vehicle behave integrally in the event of a side collision or rollover of a vehicle such as a passenger car. Is. In the airbag device 10, the side cushions 21 and 22 on both sides are integrated into one airbag 11. In the following, before the airbag device 10 is described, the seat 1 on which the airbag device 10 is mounted will be described.

[About the general composition of seats]
As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D, the seat 1 includes a seat cushion 2 and a backrest portion 3. A headrest 4 is attached to the upper end portion of the backrest portion 3 via a rod-shaped support member 6. The seat 1 may be one in which the backrest portion 3 and the headrest 4 are integrally formed.

[About the configuration of the airbag device]
The airbag device 10 includes an airbag 11 and an inflator 12 (see FIG. 1C). The airbag 11 is a cloth bag body. The inflator 12 is a device that injects a gas that inflates the airbag 11. Hereinafter, the airbag device 10 provided in the driver's seat or the passenger seat 1 adjacent to the left and right will be described as an example. In the following, the side closer to the door for seat 1 may be referred to as "near side", and the side far from the door for seat 1 may be referred to as "far side".

[About airbags in the completed expansion state]
First, the airbag 11 in the state where the expansion and deployment is completed (hereinafter, referred to as the “expansion completed state”) will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the airbag 11 has a first side cushion 21 that expands and expands so as to cover one side of the occupant 5 in the regular seating position, and the other side of the occupant 5 in the regular seating position. It is provided with a second side cushion 22 that expands and expands so as to cover the side portion of the surface, and a gas duct 23 that communicates the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22. The gas duct 23 corresponds to a connecting member that connects the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22.

The first side cushion 21 is provided on the near side of the seat 1. The rear side of the first side cushion 21 is fixed to the near side of the seat 1. As shown in FIG. 1C, the first side cushion 21 extends forward from the fixed portion to the seat 1. The first side cushion 21 includes a cushion portion 31 for the first head that expands and expands so as to cover one side of the head of the occupant 5 in the regular seating position, and a torso (shoulder) of the occupant 5 in the regular seating position. It is provided with a first body cushion portion 41 that expands and expands so as to cover one side of the portion). The first head cushion portion 31 is erected diagonally upward from the front portion of the first fuselage cushion portion 41 toward the rear.

The second side cushion 22 is provided on the far side of the seat 1. The rear side of the second side cushion 22 is fixed to the far side of the seat 1. As shown in FIG. 1D, the second side cushion 22 extends forward from the fixed portion to the seat 1. The second side cushion 22 includes a cushion portion 32 for the second head that expands and expands so as to cover the other side of the head of the occupant 5 in the regular seating position, and a torso (shoulder) of the occupant 5 in the regular seating position. A second body cushion portion 42 that expands and expands so as to cover the other side portion of the portion) is provided. The second head cushion portion 32 is erected diagonally upward from the front portion of the second fuselage cushion portion 42 toward the rear.

The gas duct 23 is formed in a tubular shape and extends in the width direction of the seat 1 along the upper end surface of the backrest portion 3 as shown in FIG. 1B. One end of the gas duct 23 is open in the first side cushion 21, and the other end of the gas duct 23 is open in the second side cushion 22.

The gas duct 23 is located in the range X (see FIG. 1A) below the crown of the occupant 5 in the normal seating position in the height range of the upper part of the seat 1. In the present embodiment, the gas duct 23 is located in front of the gap between the backrest portion 3 and the headrest 4. The gas duct 23 has a thickness enough to cover the range from the upper end portion of the backrest portion 3 to the lower end portion of the headrest 4. The "height range of the upper part of the seat 1" means a range above the center of the backrest portion 3 in the vertical direction.

[About airbags placed flat]
Next, the configuration of the airbag 11 in a state where the unexpanded airbag 11 is spread out and placed flat on a flat surface (hereinafter, referred to as “flat state”) will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

The airbag 11 is a bag body formed by sewing a predetermined portion such as an outer peripheral portion in a state where two base fabrics having the same shape and the same size are stacked. In FIG. 2, the sewn portion is represented by the broken line of the thick line. As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag 11 has a horizontally long substantially rectangular shape. In the description of the airbag 11 in the flat position, the longitudinal direction of the airbag 11 is referred to as "left-right direction" and the lateral direction is referred to as "front-back direction", and the side fixed to the seat 1 in the front-rear direction of the airbag 11 ( In FIG. 2, the upper side) is referred to as "rear side", and the opposite side is referred to as "front side". The upper side of the airbag shown in FIG. 2 is the rear side even in the expanded state.

The airbag 11 includes a gas duct 23 extending in the left-right direction, a first side cushion 21 connected to one end of the gas duct 23, and a second side cushion 22 connected to the other end of the gas duct 23.

The gas duct 23 has a horizontally long substantially rectangular shape. The gas duct 23 is provided on the rear side of the airbag 11. The front end of the gas duct 23 (the position of the lateral slit 35 in FIG. 2) is located behind the front end of each of the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22. The front-rear dimension (thickness) of the gas duct 23 is less than half of the front-rear dimension of each

side cushion

21 and 22.

The first side cushion 21 has a first body cushion portion 41 located on the outside of the gas duct 23 in the left-right direction, and a first head cushion portion 31 located on the front side of the gas duct 23. The first body cushion portion 41 extends forward from the front end of the gas duct 23. The first head cushion portion 31 extends inward in the left-right direction (left side in FIG. 2) from the portion of the first fuselage cushion portion 41 extending to the front side. The first body cushion portion 41 corresponds to the outer cushion portion, and the first head cushion portion 31 corresponds to the inner cushion portion.

The cushion portion 31 for the first head has a substantially rectangular shape (or a substantially square shape). The first head cushion portion 31 is adjacent to the gas duct 23 via a lateral slit 35 extending in the left-right direction. Further, the first body cushion portion 41 has a horizontally long substantially rectangular shape. Strictly speaking, the cushion portion 41 for the first fuselage is an outer portion in the left-right direction, and is gradually shortened as the dimension in the front-rear direction approaches the outer end. The portion of the first body cushion portion 41 on the gas duct 23 side constitutes an upper cushion portion 41a for protecting the side portion of the shoulder portion of the occupant 5. The portion of the first fuselage cushion portion 41 opposite to the gas duct 23 constitutes a lower cushion portion 41b for protecting the chest and abdominal sides of the occupant 5.

A storage portion 45 for the inflator 12 is formed on the rear side of the cushion portion 41 for the first fuselage. A gas guide 18 is provided in the storage portion 45. The gas guide 18 has a first outlet 18a that opens to the upper cushion portion 41a and a second outlet 18b that opens to the lower cushion portion 41b as outlets for the gas injected from the inflator 12.

The second side cushion 22 has a second body cushion portion 42 located on the outside of the gas duct 23 in the left-right direction, and a second head cushion portion 32 located on the front side of the gas duct 23. The second body cushion portion 42 extends forward from the front end of the gas duct 23. The second head cushion portion 32 extends inward in the left-right direction (right side in FIG. 2) from the portion of the second fuselage cushion portion 42 extending to the front side. The second body cushion portion 42 corresponds to the outer cushion portion, and the second head cushion portion 32 corresponds to the inner cushion portion.

The cushion portion 32 for the second head has a substantially rectangular shape (or a substantially square shape). The second head cushion portion 32 is adjacent to the gas duct 23 via the above-mentioned lateral slit 35. Further, the cushion portion 42 for the second body has a slightly vertically long substantially rectangular shape. The second body cushion portion 42 is a portion for protecting the side portion of the shoulder portion of the occupant 5.

The tips of the first head cushion portion 31 and the second head cushion portion 32 are adjacent to each other via a vertical slit 36 extending in the front-rear direction. The first head cushion portion 31 and the second head cushion portion 32 are formed symmetrically with the vertical slit 36 interposed therebetween. The vertical slit 36 is a notch extending in the front-rear direction from the front end of the airbag 11 and is connected to the center position of the horizontal slit 35 on the rear side. The horizontal slit 35 extends to the left and right from the position of the rear end of the vertical slit 36. When the horizontal slit 35 and the vertical slit 36 are combined, a substantially T-shaped notch is formed. The length of the horizontal slit 35 can be adjusted according to the width of the upper end portion of the seat frame 1a. Further, in the present embodiment, the

slits

35 and 36 are notches with almost no gaps, but may be notches with some gaps.

At the rear end of the airbag 11, a plurality of tabs 16a to 16d are provided as fixing portions for fixing the airbag 11 to the seat frame 1a of the seat 1 (see FIG. 2). Specifically, the airbag 11 has a first tab 16a located at the outer end portion (right end portion in FIG. 2) of the first side cushion 21 in the left-right direction, and an end on the first side cushion 21 side of the gas duct 23. The second tab 16b located at the portion (right end portion in FIG. 2), the third tab 16c located at the end portion (left end portion in FIG. 2) on the second side cushion 22 side of the gas duct 23, and the second side cushion 22. A fourth tab 16d located at the outer end portion (left end portion in FIG. 2) is provided.

[How to fold an airbag]
Subsequently, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the folding method for storing the airbag 11 in the seat 1, the storage form in which the airbag 11 is folded, and the installation state of the airbag 11 in the seat 1 are described. Give an explanation.

The airbag 11 is stored in the seat 1 because the size in the front-rear direction is shortened by winding the airbag 11 in a roll shape from the front side to the back side or folding it in a bellows shape from the front side to the back side in a flat state. It becomes a storage form when it is done. As a method of winding in a roll shape, the airbag 11 may be wound on the front side or the back side of FIG. Further, substantially the entire airbag 11 may be wound in a roll shape, or the airbag 11 may be wound in a roll shape halfway in the front-rear direction.

Further, before winding the airbag 11 in a roll shape from the front side to the rear side or folding it in a bellows shape, as shown in FIG. 3A, the cushions for each head are inside the

cushion portions

41 and 42 for each fuselage. The

portions

31 and 32 may be pushed in (first folding method). Further, before winding the airbag 11 in a roll shape from the front side to the rear side or folding it in a bellows shape, as shown in FIG. 3B, each head is positioned so as to overlap the outer surfaces of the

body cushion portions

41 and 42. The

cushion portions

31 and 32 may be folded in a bellows shape (second folding method). Further, while the airbag 11 is wound in a roll shape from the front side to the rear side or folded in a bellows shape (see FIG. 3C (b)), as shown in FIG. 3C (c), each fuselage cushion portion. The

cushion portions

31 and 32 for each head may be bent at the base (or near the base) so as to overlap the outer surfaces of 41 and 42 (third folding method).

Further, as another folding method, as shown in FIGS. 3D (a) to 3C, the position where the

head cushion portions

31 and 32 are folded from the inside to the outside may be inside from FIG. 3B. Specifically, the position where the

head cushion portions

31 and 32 are first folded (the position of the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 3D (a)) may be slightly separated from the base of the

head cushion portions

31 and 32. Then, as shown in FIG. 3D (c), both the

head cushion portions

31 and 32 do not have to overlap the outer surface of the

body cushion portions

41 and 42. Further, although not shown, one of the head cushions 31 and 32 does not have to overlap the outer surface of the body cushions 41 and 42.

When the folding method of FIG. 3A is used, in the storage form of the airbag 11, the

cushion portions

31 and 32 for the head are pushed into the

cushion portions

41 and 42 for the fuselage. Further, when the folding method of FIG. 3B or FIG. 3C is used, in the storage form of the airbag 1, the

cushion portions

31 and 32 for the head are folded so as to overlap the outer surfaces of the

cushion portions

41 and 42 for the fuselage. It becomes a state. In any of the storage forms, the airbag 11 moves all or most of the head cushions 31 and 32 outside the position of the bases of the head cushions 31 and 32 in the flat position. The portion of the gas duct 23 is thinner than the other portions. Further, when the folding method of FIG. 3D is used, in the storage form of the airbag 1, the head cushion portion 31 is folded so as to overlap the outer surface of one of the body cushion portions 41. Also in this case, the portion of the gas duct 23 corresponding to the support member 6 of the headrest 4 is thinner than the other portions.

As shown in FIG. 4, the airbag 11 in the storage form is stored in the seat 1 in a state of being bent along the seat frame 1a. In the airbag 11, the gas duct 23 is housed in the upper end portion of the backrest portion 3, the first side cushion 21 is housed in the near side of the seat 1, and the second side cushion 22 is housed in the far side of the seat 1.

Here, a pair of support members 6 for supporting the headrest 4 are provided at the upper end portion of the backrest portion 3. At the upper end of the backrest portion 3, a storage portion for the airbag 11 can be secured on the front side or the rear side between the pair of support members 6. However, since the pair of support members 6 and the mounting structure thereof are provided, the width that can be secured as the storage portion of the airbag 11 is narrowed. In the present embodiment, since the portion of the gas duct 23 is thinner than the other portions in the storage mode of the airbag 11, the gas duct 23 can be easily stored in the upper end portion of the backrest portion 3. As a folding method, the head cushions 31 and 32 may be folded so that substantially the entire head cushions 31 and 32 are located outside the pair of support members 6.

Further, the installed airbag 11 stored in the seat 1 is fixed to the seat frame 1a of the seat 1 at five locations, the four tabs 16a to 16d and the storage portion 45 of the inflator 12. In the storage portion 45 of the inflator 12, the inflator 12 is fixed to the seat frame 1a by a stud bolt (not shown). In this fixing, the storage portion 45 is also fixed to the seat frame 1a by passing the stud bolt through the insertion hole of the storage portion 45.

Further, in the installed airbag 11, the gas duct 23 is fixed to the upper end portion of the seat frame 1a on both the left and right sides of the headrest 4 by the second and

third tabs

16b and 16c. The gas duct 23 is fixed on the inlet side and the outlet side, respectively. Therefore, when the gas injected from the inflator 12 flows, the form of the gas duct 23 is relatively stable, so that the gas flow in the gas duct 23 is smooth. If the inlet side (first side cushion 21 side) of the inlet side and the outlet side of the gas duct 23 is fixed, the gas flows smoothly to some extent, so that the third tab 16c may be omitted. On the other hand, since the third tab 16c can suppress the amount of movement of the second side cushion 22 to the outside under the collision load of the occupant 5, if this point is prioritized, the second tab 16b may be omitted. ..

Further, in the airbag 11 in the installed state, the outside of the

cushion portions

41 and 42 for the fuselage in the flat placement state in the left-right direction is on the lower side. The left and right outer end portions of the

body cushion portions

41 and 42 in the flat placement state are fixed to the seat frame 1a by the first tab 16a and the fourth tab 16d. Further, in the airbag 11 in the flat placement state, a vertical slit 36 is provided between the

head cushion portions

31 and 32. Therefore, when the body cushions 41 and 42 expand and expand forward, the head cushions 31 and 32 stand up.

[Effects of this embodiment, etc.]
In the airbag device 10 according to the present embodiment, when an impact is applied to the vehicle due to, for example, a side collision or a rollover, the inflator 12 that receives a signal from the sensor injects gas into the first side cushion 21. As a result, the first side cushion 21 expands and expands. Further, a part of the gas injected from the inflator 12 to the first side cushion 21 is supplied to the second side cushion 22 through the gas duct 23. As a result, the second side cushion 22 expands and expands. Then, in the expanded state, the gas duct 23 connecting the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22 is located in the range X below the crown of the occupant 5 in the height range of the upper part of the seat 1. do. Further, the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22 face each other with the occupant 5 interposed therebetween.

Here, immediately after the side collision of the far side, the occupant 5 seated in the seat 1 moves greatly laterally from the shoulder of the fuselage to the upper side and collides with the second side cushion 22. At this time, the second side cushion 22 moves to the outside under the collision load of the occupant 5 in the height range of the upper part of the seat 1 corresponding to the range above the shoulder of the occupant 5. Then, along with the movement, the first side cushion 21 is pulled laterally through the gas duct 23 and moves to the occupant 5 side. When the occupant 5 moves toward the side opposite to the initial collision, the occupant 5 collides with the first side cushion 21. On the other hand, immediately after the side collision on the near side, the first side cushion 21 receives the collision load of the occupant 5 and moves outward, and along with the movement, the second side cushion 22 laterally passes through the gas duct 23. It is pulled by and moves to the occupant 5 side.

In the present embodiment, the gas duct 23 is located in the height range where the occupant 5 first collides. Therefore, a lateral load acts directly on the gas duct 23. Therefore, compared to an airbag in which both side cushions are connected above the occupant's head, for example, both side cushions 21 and 22 move integrally laterally. As a result, the moving distance until the occupant 5 moving to the side opposite to the initial collision side collides with the side cushions 21 and 22 becomes shorter, and the occupant 5 can be restrained at an early stage. Further, since the side cushions 21 and 22 that the occupant 5 first collides with are restrained to some extent by the gas duct 23, the amount of movement of the side cushions 21 and 22 to the outside is also suppressed, and the restraint performance on the side where the side collision occurs is improved. do. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to realize an airbag device 10 in which the side cushions 21 and 22 on both sides of the seat 1 behave integrally in the event of a side collision.

When the vehicle rolls over, the occupant 5 moves left and right according to the rotation of the vehicle. Even in this case, in the airbag device 10 according to the present embodiment, the side cushions 21 and 22 on both sides behave integrally, so that the occupant 5 can be restrained at an early stage.

By the way, conventionally, in order to protect the occupant against a side collision, a curtain airbag that protects the occupant's head in the event of a near-side collision, a near-side airbag that protects the range from the occupant's shoulder to the waist in the event of a near-side collision, and , Farside airbags may be provided to protect the head in the event of a farside collision. On the other hand, in the future, airbag devices capable of supporting automatic driving will be required. In autonomous driving, it is assumed that the occupant tilts the backrest of the seat backward to take a comfortable posture, or the occupant switches the direction of the seat between the front and the rear of the vehicle. However, in the above-mentioned conventional airbag configuration, it is necessary to extend the protection range of each airbag in order to support automatic operation, which causes problems in terms of cost and design.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the occupant 5 can be restrained at an early stage, it is possible to prevent the size of each

side cushion

21 and 22 from increasing in size, and each

side cushion

21 and 22 can be appropriately used. Since the size can be adjusted, the airbag 11 having a good design can be configured. Further, since the

cushion portions

31 and 32 for each head are slightly tilted toward the head side, the restraint position with respect to the head approaches the occupant 5, and the restraint performance can be improved. Further, since the first side cushion 21 covers the area from the head to the abdomen of the occupant 5, the curtain airbag can be omitted. This eliminates the need to mount an airbag on the roof of the vehicle and improves the degree of freedom in vehicle layout. Further, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the cost and weight as compared with the case where separate side airbags are provided on both sides of the seat 1.

The airbag device 10 can be installed on either the front seat or the rear seat of the vehicle, or can be installed on the seat of a one-seater vehicle. Further, since the airbag device 10 does not depend on the vehicle layout, it is possible to modularize a part or all of the airbag device 10 so that it can be applied to a plurality of vehicle types.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the entire airbag 11 can be inflated by one inflator 12, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts of the airbag device 10.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the airbag 11 is in the expanded state, the rear portion of the cushion portion 31 for the first head and the rear portion of the cushion portion 32 for the second head face each other with the headrest 4 of the seat 1 interposed therebetween. (See FIGS. 1C and 1D). When the occupant 5 collides with the second side cushion 22 at the time of a side collision, the second side cushion 22 rotates about the vertical axis at the rear end portion and moves toward the outside of the seat 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the first head cushion portion 31 of the first side cushion 21 is pulled by the second side cushion 22 via the gas duct 23 and collides with the side surface of the headrest 4. Since the airbag 11 receives a reaction force from the headrest 4 due to this collision, the swing of the airbag 11 can be suppressed, and the restraining performance of the occupant 5 by the airbag 11 is improved. Note that FIG. 5 is a view of the airbag 11 in the expanded state as viewed from the rear diagonally upper side of the headrest 4.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first side cushion 21 to which the inflator 12 is attached is provided on the near side of the seat 1. On the near side, the two

outlets

18a and 18b of the gas guide 18 are open to the upper cushion portion 41a and the lower cushion portion 41b. Therefore, in the event of a near-side collision, the cushion portion 41 for the first fuselage, which has a short time to protect the occupant 5 from the collision, can be expanded and deployed ahead of the other cushion portions.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the seat belt 7 is hung diagonally downward from the first side cushion 21 side to the second side cushion 22 side to the body of the occupant 5 seated in the seat 1, the expansion is completed. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the first side cushion 21 is interposed between the seat belt 7 and the occupant 5. The front portion of the first side cushion 21 is in a state of being received by the seat belt 7. Therefore, the reaction force from the first side cushion 21 to the occupant 5 acts at an early stage, and the occupant 5 can be restrained laterally and forward at an early stage. This effect can be obtained independently of the installation position (B-pillar, seat, etc.) of the upper anchor 7a of the seat belt 7.

In the present embodiment, the gas duct 23 in the expanded state is located near the front side of the support member 6 as shown in FIG. 7A. In this case, the gas duct 23 is housed on the front side of the support member 6 at the upper end portion of the backrest portion 3, and for example, the

tabs

16b and 16c provided on the gas duct 23 are fixed to the upper surface portion of the upper end portion of the seat frame 1a. As shown in FIG. 7B, the position of the gas duct 23 in the expanded state in the front-rear direction may be further forward than the position of FIG. 7A. In the case of FIG. 7B, the

tabs

16b and 16c are fixed to the front side of the upper end portion of the seat frame 1a. As the gas duct 23 is closer to the front, the side cushions 21 and 22 are pushed forward, and the movement of the side cushions 21 and 22 to the rear side can be suppressed. Further, the position of the gas duct 23 in the expanded state in the front-rear direction may be behind the support member 6 as shown in FIG. 7C. In this case, the gas duct 23 is housed behind the support member 6 at the upper end of the backrest portion 3. The

tabs

16b and 16c are fixed to the rear surface side of the upper end portion of the seat frame 1a. When the gas duct 23 is behind the support member 6, the gas duct 23 does not come into contact with the neck of the occupant 5. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the gas duct 23 from being crushed during expansion and deployment due to contact with the neck of the occupant 5. In FIGS. 7A to 7C (b), the gas duct 23 is painted in black.

[First modification of the embodiment]
In this modification, as shown in FIG. 8A, the cushion portion 31 for the first head and the cushion portion 32 for the second head overlap each other in the flat state of the airbag 11. The

head cushion portions

31 and 32 have a longer length in the left-right direction in the flat-laying state than in the above-described embodiment.

In the manufacture of the airbag 11 according to this modification, the

cushion portions

31 and 32 for each head are formed by performing a sewing process in which a predetermined portion such as the outer peripheral portion is sewn in a state where two base fabrics are stacked. An intermediate product 50 having no tip side portion is created. As shown in FIG. 8B, in the intermediate product 50, the

cushion portions

31 and 32 for each head are provided only with the

root side portions

51 and 52. The tip sides of the

base side portions

51 and 52 are not sewn and are open. Further, a pair of

bag bodies

55 and 56 corresponding to the tip end side portions of the

head cushion portions

31 and 32 are separately prepared. Each of the

bag bodies

55 and 56 has a substantially rectangular shape or a substantially square shape, and the outer peripheral portion is sewn with one side left.

Then, in the connecting step after the sewing step, the

bag bodies

55 and 56 are connected to the tip ends of the

root side portions

51 and 52 of the

head cushion portions

31 and 32 in the intermediate product 50, respectively. As a result, the

cushion portions

31 and 32 for each head and the airbag 11 are completed.

According to this modification, the height of the

cushion portions

31 and 32 for each head in the expanded state can be increased, and the protection range for the head of the occupant 5 can be expanded.

[Second variant of the embodiment]
The airbag 11 according to this modification is configured by connecting a first bag portion 71 having a first side cushion 21 and a second bag portion 72 having a second side cushion 22 to each other, for example, by sewing. Has been done. As shown in FIG. 9, the first bag portion 71 has a part (right portion in FIG. 2) 23a of the gas duct 23. The second bag portion 72 has the remaining portion (left portion in FIG. 2) 23b of the gas duct 23. The first bag portion 71 and the second bag portion 72 are such that the inside of the right side portion 23a of the gas duct 23 and the inside of the left side portion 23b of the gas duct 23 are connected to each other, and the tips of these

portions

23a and 23b are sewn, for example. Are connected to each other by. As a result, similarly to FIG. 8, the airbag 11 in which the cushion portion 31 for the first head and the cushion portion 32 for the second head overlap each other is manufactured.

[Third variant of the embodiment]
As shown in FIG. 10, the airbag 11 according to this modification has only one tab, which is the fourth tab 16d in FIG. 2, as a fixing portion to the seat 1. The airbag 11 is fixed to the seat 1 only at two locations, the fourth tab 16d and the storage portion 45 of the inflator 12. According to this modification, since the number of attachment points of the tab 16 in the seat frame 1a is small, it is easy to modify the seat frame according to the airbag 11.

[Fourth modification of the embodiment]
In the airbag 11 according to this modification, the rear end portion of the second side cushion 22 is fixed to the seat frame 1a at a position inside the side surface 1b on the second side cushion 22 side of the seat frame 1a of the backrest portion 3. Will be done. In FIG. 11, the fourth tab 16d is fixed inside the side surface 1b of the seat frame 1a. In this case, in the front view of the seat 1, most of the rear portion 22a of the second side cushion 22 is located inside the side surface 1b of the seat frame 1a. Therefore, when the second side cushion 22 is pushed to the outside of the seat 1, the rear portion 22a of the second side cushion 22 is pressed against the side of the seat 1 as shown in FIG. According to this modification, the restraint performance of the far side by the airbag 11 can be improved. The same fixed position may be applied to the first side cushion 21. That is, the rear end portion of the first side cushion 21 may be fixed to the seat frame 1a at a position inside the side surface of the seat frame 1a on the first side cushion 21 side.

[Fifth variant of the embodiment]
As shown in FIG. 13, the airbag 11 according to this modification has the same protection range in the height direction of the second fuselage cushion portion 42 of the second side cushion 22 as that of the first fuselage cushion portion 41. .. The second fuselage cushion portion 42 expands and expands so as to cover the range from the shoulder to the abdomen of the occupant 5 in the normal seating position from the side. Such an airbag 11 can be used for single-seat ultra-compact mobility and the like. In FIG. 13, the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22 are symmetrical, but they do not have to be symmetrical.

[Other variants]
In the above-described embodiment, the connecting member 23 connecting the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22 may be a member in which gas cannot flow inside. As the connecting member 23, a strip-shaped member using one base cloth can be used. In this case, the second inflator may be attached to the second side cushion 22, or gas may be supplied from one inflator to both side cushions 21 and 22 by using a bifurcated pipeline. The airbag device 10 may be configured.

In the above-described embodiment, the connecting member 23 in the expanded state may be located in the range X below the crown of the occupant 5 in the height range of the upper part of the seat 1, for example, on the chest of the occupant 5. It may be located at the corresponding height. The connecting member 23 in the expanded state extends along the surface of the backrest portion 3 in the width direction of the seat 1.

In the above-described embodiment, the airbag 11 may be configured so that the protection range of the first side cushion 21 is from the head to the waist of the occupant 5.

In the above-described embodiment, the airbag 11 may be configured so that the protection range of the second side cushion 22 is only the head, or the airbag 11 is configured so that the protection range extends to the abdomen or the waist. You may. Further, when the center console of the vehicle is large, the space where the second side cushion 22 can expand and expand becomes narrow, but in this case, the second side cushion 22 expands and expands along the upper surface of the center console. May be good.

In the above-described embodiment, the

head cushion portions

31 and 32 may be provided only on one of the first side cushion 21 and the second side cushion 22.

The present invention is applicable to an airbag device or the like that protects the side portion of an occupant.

1 Seat 3 Backrest 4 Headrest 5 Crew 10 Airbag device 11 Airbag 12 Inflator 16a-16d Tab (fixed part)
21 1st side cushion 22 2nd side cushion 23 Gas duct (connecting member)
31 Cushion for the first head (inner cushion)
32 Cushion for the second head (inner cushion)
41 Cushion part for the first fuselage (outer cushion part)
42 Cushion part for the second fuselage (outer cushion part)

Claims

A first side cushion that expands and expands so as to cover one side of a occupant seated in a vehicle seat, a second side cushion that expands and expands so as to cover the other side of the occupant, and the first side cushion. And an airbag having a connecting member connecting the second side cushion and the second side cushion.
It is equipped with an inflator that injects a gas that inflates the airbag.
When the expansion and deployment of the airbag is completed, the connecting member is located at a height below the crown of the occupant in the height range of the upper part of the seat, and is located in the width direction of the seat. An airbag device that extends to.
The connecting member is a duct through which gas can flow.
The inflator is attached to the first side cushion and
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a part of the gas injected from the inflator to the first side cushion is supplied to the second side cushion through the duct.
The first side cushion is provided on the near side near the door for the seat.
The airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the second side cushion is provided on the far side far from the door for the seat.
The first side cushion has a first head cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's head, and a first side cushion that expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's torso. It has one body cushion and
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second side cushion has a cushion portion for a second head that expands and expands so as to cover the other side portion of the head.
The first side cushion has a first head cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's head, and a first side cushion that expands and expands so as to cover one side portion of the occupant's torso. It has one body cushion and
The second side cushion includes a second head cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover the other side portion of the head, and a second fuselage cushion portion that expands and expands so as to cover the other side portion of the fuselage. The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, which has a portion.
When the occupant seated in the seat collides with one of the first side cushion and the second side cushion in the expanded state, the other side cushion is pulled by the one side cushion via the connecting member. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the airbag device collides with the side surface of the headrest of the seat.
In a flat state in which an uninflated airbag is spread out and placed flat on a flat surface, the side fixed to the seat is the rear side and the opposite side is the front side in the direction orthogonal to the left-right direction of the airbag.
In the flat placement state, the first side cushion is connected to one end of the connecting member extending in the left-right direction of the airbag, the second side cushion is connected to the other end, and the front end of the connecting member is the first side. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is located behind the front end of each of the cushion and the second side cushion.
Each of the first side cushion and the second side cushion in the flat placement state is located outside the connecting member in the left-right direction of the airbag and extends forward from the front end of the connecting member. The airbag device according to claim 7, further comprising a portion and an inner cushion portion extending inward from the portion of the outer cushion portion extending to the front side.
The airbag device according to claim 8, wherein in the flat placement state, the inner cushion portion of the first side cushion and the inner cushion portion of the second side cushion overlap each other.
In the storage mode when the airbag is stored in the seat, the inner cushion portion is rolled in a roll shape toward the outer cushion portion in each of the first side cushion and the second side cushion. 8. The inner cushion portion is pushed into the inside of the outer cushion portion, or the inner cushion portion is rolled or folded so as to overlap the outer surface of the outer cushion portion. Or the airbag device according to 9.
The airbag is any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first bag portion having the first side cushion and the second bag portion having the second side cushion are connected to each other. The airbag device described in one.
In the airbag, one of the first side cushion and the second side cushion is provided with a fixing portion to the seat, and the other is provided with a storage portion for the inflator.
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the airbag is fixed to the seat by the fixing portion and the accommodating portion of the inflator.
The airbag device according to claim 12, wherein in the airbag, the connecting member is also provided with a fixing portion to the seat.
The seat has a headrest attached to the backrest.
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein in the expanded state, the connecting member is located in front of or behind the gap between the backrest and the headrest.
In the expanded state, the rear end portion of one of the first side cushion and the second side cushion is located inside the side surface of the seat frame of the backrest portion of the seat on the side cushion side. Any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the rear portion of the one side cushion is pressed against the side portion of the seat when the one side cushion is pressed to the outside of the seat by being fixed to the frame. The airbag device described in one.
When the seat belt is hung diagonally downward from the first side cushion side to the second side cushion side on the body of the occupant seated in the seat, the first side cushion is in the expanded state. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, which is interposed between the seat belt and the occupant.