JP2014004915A - Side airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a side airbag device capable of obtaining high occupant protection performance by increasing thickness of an inflated airbag in the deployed state without causing a delay in inflation deployment and complicated manufacturing processes.SOLUTION: The side airbag 150 configuration includes: an inflator 154 for feeding a gas for inflation deployment; an airbag 152 that is inflated by the gas for inflation deployment from the inflator so as to be deployed between a vehicle interior lateral surface part (side door) and an occupant toward a predetermined inflation deployment direction; and a strap 156 that has a length shorter than an overall length L1 in the inflation deployment direction of the pre-folded or pre-wound airbag and is connected to both end parts in the inflation deployment direction of the airbag at both ends thereof respectively. The strap is disposed at a surface on a side of the vehicle interior lateral surface part of the airbag, and the airbag is configured so that the surface on the side of the vehicle interior lateral surface part comes into contact with the vehicle interior lateral surface part when the airbag is in the inflating deployment state.

Description

  The present invention relates to a side airbag device including an airbag that inflates and deploys between a vehicle compartment side surface and an occupant for the purpose of protecting the occupant during a vehicle side collision (side collision) or rollover (rollover).

  A side airbag device is provided in the vehicle in order to protect an occupant from a collision with a side surface portion (for example, a side door) at the time of a side collision or rollover of the vehicle. In the side airbag device, an airbag in a state of being compacted by folding or winding is accommodated. The airbag is inflated and deployed between the occupant and the passenger compartment side by the inflation and deployment gas supplied from the inflator (gas generator) when an accident occurs, thereby protecting the occupant from collision with the passenger compartment side. The

  The side airbag device is mainly installed inside the side door, which is the side part of the passenger compartment, but in recent years, the one installed inside the seat back of the seat cushion device (seat) has become widespread. (For example, patent document 1). As a result, even if the occupant moves the seat cushion device back and forth or up and down, the side airbag device also moves together and the positional relationship with the occupant does not change, so that the occupant can be more reliably protected. .

JP-A-2005-104176

  By the way, in order to ensure sufficient occupant protection performance in the side airbag device, the thickness at the time of inflation and deployment of the airbag is important. That is, if the thickness at the time of inflating and deploying is thin, the air bag cannot sufficiently function as a cushion between the occupant and the side surface of the passenger compartment. Therefore, a high occupant protection performance can be obtained.

  In order to increase the thickness at the time of inflation and deployment, for example, it is conceivable to increase the volume (capacity) of the airbag. However, as the volume increases, the amount of inflating and deploying gas required for inflating and deploying increases, so the deployment time becomes longer and there is a risk of delaying the inflation and deployment of the airbag. Further, for example, a method of increasing the thickness by making the airbag three-dimensional is also conceivable. However, since this method complicates the manufacturing process, there is a concern about an increase in manufacturing cost.

  In view of such a problem, the present invention increases the thickness at the time of inflating and deploying the airbag without inflating and inflating and complicating the manufacturing process, and can obtain a high occupant protection performance. An object is to provide an apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a typical configuration of the side airbag device according to the present invention is an inflator that supplies an inflating and deploying gas and an inflating and deploying gas from the inflator toward a predetermined inflating and deploying direction. An airbag that is inflated and deployed between the side surface of the passenger compartment and the occupant, and shorter than the overall length of the airbag in the inflation and deployment direction before being folded or wound, and both ends at both ends in the inflation and deployment direction of the airbag. The strap is disposed on a surface of the airbag on the side surface of the vehicle compartment, and the airbag is in contact with the side surface of the vehicle interior when the airbag is inflated and deployed. It is comprised so that it may be comprised.

  According to the above configuration, at the time of inflation and deployment, the length of the airbag in a predetermined inflation and deployment direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the inflation and deployment direction) is regulated by the strap. That is, at the time of inflating and deploying, even if the airbag tries to extend to its full length in the inflating and deploying direction, the position of one end (the end on the side away from the inflator) of the airbag in the inflating and deploying direction is regulated by the strap. It can only extend to the same position as one end (the end on the side away from the inflator). Thereby, the airbag is inflated and deployed in the vehicle width direction between both ends of the strap. Thus, by reducing the length (width) of the airbag in the inflation and deployment direction during inflation and deployment, the thickness of the airbag (width in the vehicle width direction) is increased without requiring an increase in volume (capacity). Therefore, high occupant protection performance can be obtained without causing a delay in inflation and deployment.

  In particular, in the above configuration, the airbag is configured such that the surface on the side surface of the vehicle compartment comes into contact with the side surface of the vehicle compartment when the airbag is inflated and deployed, so that the airbag is rotated outwardly by being pulled by the strap during the inflation and deployment. Can be suppressed. As a result, the airbag can be reliably inflated and deployed between the occupant and the side surface of the passenger compartment. Further, since the only necessary member in the above configuration is the strap added to the existing side airbag device, the structure and the manufacturing process are not complicated. Furthermore, since it can be applied to an existing airbag, the above-described effects can be obtained without requiring a significant design change of the airbag.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a side airbag device capable of increasing the thickness of an airbag during inflation and deployment and obtaining high occupant protection performance without causing delay in inflation and deployment or complication of a manufacturing process. Can do.

It is a figure which illustrates a vehicle provided with a side airbag device concerning this embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the detail of the side airbag apparatus concerning this embodiment. It is sectional drawing which illustrates the mode at the time of inflation expansion | deployment of an airbag.

  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 vehicle 100 including a side airbag device according to this embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 is provided with seat cushion devices 110 a and 110 b as a driver seat and a passenger seat (seat). Since the seat cushion devices 110a and 110b have the same configuration symmetrically, the seat cushion device 110a (driver's seat) will be described below as an example.

  The seat cushion device 110a includes a seat cushion 112 on which an occupant P who is a driver sits, and a seat back 114 which serves as a back of the occupant P. A headrest 116 which supports the head of the occupant P is provided on the upper portion of the seat back 114. It is attached. In the present embodiment, the side airbag device 150 (see FIG. 2) is incorporated in a seat frame (not shown) inside the seat back 114, in the side of the passenger compartment side of the seat back 114, that is, the side door 102. Buried on the side.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating details of the side airbag device 150 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2A is an overall view of the side airbag device 150, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state of the airbag when inflated and deployed, FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the state of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state of inflation and deployment when the strap 156 is not provided. For ease of understanding, FIG. 2 illustrates the side airbag device 150 in a state before being folded or wound (before being inflated and deployed). Moreover, in FIG.3 (b), the position before the expansion | deployment of the airbag 152 is illustrated with the virtual line.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the side airbag device 150 includes an airbag 152 that inflates and deploys in a predetermined inflating and deploying direction to protect an occupant when an accident occurs in the vehicle 100. The predetermined inflating and deploying direction is a direction connecting a region where the inflating and deploying gas finally flows in the airbag 152 from a gas outlet (not shown) of an inflator 154 described later.

  The airbag 152 is normally folded and wound and housed in a case (not shown) and embedded in the seat back 114 (see FIG. 1), and when an accident occurs, as shown in FIG. And expand further from this state. The airbag 152 is formed into a bag shape by, for example, sewing a base fabric that constitutes the surface of the airbag 152 on the front and back sides or by using OPW (One-Piece Woven).

  The airbag 152 is provided with an insertion port 152a into which an inflator 154 that is a gas generator is inserted. The inflator 154 is fixed to a seat frame (not shown) inside the seat back 114 by bolts 158 (see FIG. 3). The airbag 152 is inflated with the inflating gas supplied from the inflator 154 inserted into the insertion opening 152a toward the substantially traveling direction of the vehicle 100 (see FIG. 1) and the side door 102, which is the side surface of the vehicle compartment, and the occupant. It inflates and deploys with P, and protects the passenger P from collision with the side door 102.

  That is, in the airbag 152 of the present embodiment, since the inflator 154 is disposed on the vehicle rear side of the airbag 152 (see FIG. 3A), the gas outlet (not shown) of the inflator 154 is naturally also provided. It will be located on the vehicle rear side of the airbag 152. Then, since the inflating and deploying gas supplied from the gas outlet (not shown) of the inflator 154 flows toward the front side of the vehicle through the air bag 152, the inflating and deploying gas is the last in the air bag 152. The inflow area is an area on the front side of the vehicle. Therefore, the predetermined inflating and deploying direction in the airbag 152 of the present embodiment is a direction connecting the region on the vehicle front side of the airbag 152 from the vehicle rear side where the gas ejection port (not shown) of the inflator 154 is arranged, that is, It is a substantially traveling direction (front-rear direction) of the vehicle. Therefore, in the following description, the predetermined inflated and deployed direction is referred to as the front-rear direction.

  As a feature of this embodiment, the side airbag device 150 is provided on the side surface of the airbag 152 on the side of the vehicle compartment (side door 102 side) and on both ends of the airbag 152 in the front-rear direction (inflation and deployment direction). A strap 156 (shown by a broken line in FIG. 2A) is provided to which both ends are connected. In the present embodiment, one end (front end) of the strap 156 is near the front end (end on the vehicle front side) of the airbag 152, and the other end (rear end) is the rear end (end on the vehicle rear side) of the airbag 152. The strap 156 is connected to the airbag 152 by sewing each in the vicinity. The strap 156 regulates the length of the airbag 152 in the front-rear direction during inflation and deployment, as will be described later.

  FIG. 2B illustrates a state where the airbag 152 and the strap 156 are separated (a state where the strap 156 is removed from the airbag 152). As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the length L2 of the strap 156 is shorter than the total length L1 in the front-rear direction (inflation and deployment direction) of the airbag 152 before being folded or wound (before inflation and deployment). . Therefore, when the strap 156 is connected to the airbag 152 as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the position of the front end of the airbag 152 is regulated by the strap 156 and almost the same as its front end as shown in FIG. 3 (a). When the strap 156 is stretched at the same position, the airbag 152 is bent between the front end and the rear end of the strap 156.

  Here, when the strap 156 is not provided as shown in FIG. 3C (comparative example), the front end position of the airbag 152 is not restricted, so that the airbag 152 is inflated and deployed as long as possible in the front-rear direction. Therefore, sufficient thickness in the vehicle width direction at the time of expansion and deployment cannot be obtained. In contrast, in the side airbag device 150 of the present embodiment, the airbag 152 shown in FIG. 3A is restricted by the strap 156 even if the airbag 152 is extended to the full length in the front-rear direction when inflated and deployed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3B, the vehicle swells in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction) between the front end and the rear end of the strap 156.

  In particular, in this embodiment, the airbag 152 contacts the side door 102 whose side surface side (side door 102 side) is the side surface portion of the vehicle compartment as shown in FIG. To do. Thereby, it can suppress that the airbag 152 rotates outside a vehicle by being pulled by the strap 156 at the time of inflation and deployment. Therefore, the airbag 152 can be reliably inflated and deployed between the occupant and the side surface of the passenger compartment (side door 102).

  As described above, according to the side airbag device 150 according to the present embodiment, the strap 156 regulates the position of one end of the airbag 152 (the position of the free end away from the inflator 154), When the airbag 152 is inflated and deployed, the length in the inflating and deploying direction can be reduced. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the volume (capacity) of the airbag 152, the thickness of the airbag 152 in the vehicle width direction at the time of inflation and deployment can be increased, and high occupant protection performance can be achieved without causing a delay in inflation and deployment. Can be obtained. In addition, since only the strap 156 is necessary to obtain such advantages, the structure of the airbag 152 and thus the manufacturing process is not complicated, and the present invention can be applied to the existing airbag 152. A significant design change of the airbag 152 is also unnecessary.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3A, in this embodiment, the strap is disposed on the surface of the airbag 152 on the side of the vehicle compartment side (on the side of the side door 102). However, the present invention is limited to this configuration. is not. The strap 156 may be disposed on the surface of the airbag 152 on the occupant P side, or may be disposed inside the airbag 152.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the side airbag device 150 is embedded in the seat back 114 is illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to the side surface portion of the vehicle compartment such as the side door 102. Of course, the present invention is also applicable to a buried side airbag device.

  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.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is used for a side airbag device provided with an airbag that inflates and deploys between a passenger compartment side surface and an occupant for the purpose of protecting the occupant during a vehicle side collision (side collision) or rollover (rollover). be able to.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Vehicle, 102 ... Side door, 110a ... Seat cushion apparatus, 110b ... Seat cushion apparatus, 112 ... Seat cushion, 114 ... Seat back, 116 ... Headrest, 150 ... Side airbag apparatus, 152 ... Air bag, 152a ... Insertion Mouth, 154 ... Inflator, 156 ... Strap, P ... Crew

Claims (1)

An inflator for supplying inflation and deployment gas;
An airbag that is inflated and deployed between the side surface portion of the passenger compartment and the occupant in a predetermined inflating and deploying direction by the inflating and deploying gas from the inflator;
A strap that is shorter than the overall length in the inflating and deploying direction of the airbag before being folded or wound, and that has both ends connected to both ends in the inflating and deploying direction of the airbag,
With
The strap is disposed on a surface of the airbag on the side of the side of the passenger compartment,
The side airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is configured such that a surface on the side of the vehicle compartment side surface is in contact with the side surface of the vehicle compartment when the airbag is inflated and deployed.

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