JP5195684B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag device that inflates an airbag and protects an occupant from the impact when an impact is applied to a vehicle due to a collision or the like.

  An airbag device is effective as a device for protecting an occupant from an impact when the vehicle is subjected to an impact due to a collision or the like. The airbag device includes an airbag formed in a bag shape from a fabric, and an inflator that supplies inflation gas into the airbag.

  Among such airbag devices, for example, as a so-called side airbag device that protects an occupant from an impact caused by a side collision or the like, a seat back (backrest) of a vehicle seat together with an inflator in a state where the airbag is folded. The one built into is well known. In this side airbag device, when an impact is applied to the body side portion of the vehicle from the side, inflation gas is supplied from the inflator into the airbag. The airbag is inflated and deployed by the inflation gas, and jumps out of the vehicle seat with a part left in the seat back. The airbag is inflated and deployed toward the front in a narrow space between the occupant seated on the vehicle seat and the body side portion. The inflated airbag is interposed between the occupant and the body side portion that enters the inside of the vehicle, absorbs the energy of impact, and protects the occupant. Further, surplus inflation gas in the inflated airbag is discharged to the outside of the airbag through an exhaust hole (vent hole) provided in the airbag (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-260800 A

  By the way, in the side airbag device, the body side portion enters the vehicle interior due to an impact from the side, and the airbag is pressed against the occupant by the body side portion. Along with this pressing, the occupant receives an impact load through the airbag. This load is represented by the product of the area in which the occupant receives pressure from the airbag (the pressure receiving area on the airbag side of the occupant) and the internal pressure of the airbag.

  FIG. 24 shows that the pressure of the inflation gas in the airbag (internal pressure), the pressure-receiving area of the occupant on the airbag side, and the load that the occupant receives from the airbag depend on the ingress amount (stroke) of the body side part. It shows how it changes. In FIG. 24, the amount of energy absorbed by the airbag is obtained by integrating the load for each position of the body side portion that enters the vehicle inside.

  Here, in the above-described conventional side airbag device, after the approach amount (stroke) becomes S10, the inflation gas starts to be supplied from the inflator to the airbag, and the internal pressure of the airbag starts to increase accordingly. When the approach amount (stroke) becomes S11 with a slight delay from the increase in internal pressure, the airbag begins to be pressed against the occupant by the body side portion, and the pressure receiving area begins to increase accordingly. Since the internal pressure and the pressure receiving area increase as described above, the load that the occupant receives from the airbag increases as the approach of the body side portion proceeds after the approach amount (stroke) S11. As a result, the occupant eventually receives a large load through the airbag.

  In response to this, for example, by enlarging the exhaust hole to adjust the amount of inflation gas discharged from the airbag, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It can be considered that the degree of increase (inclination) of the load with respect to the amount (stroke) is reduced to adjust to an appropriate load characteristic. However, in this adjustment, although the maximum value of the load received by the occupant can be reduced, the total energy absorption amount by the airbag tends to be smaller than the impact energy amount.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to secure an energy absorption amount by the airbag and reduce the maximum load that the occupant receives through the airbag. The object is to provide a bag device.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 includes an airbag having an inflatable portion that is inflated by an inflating gas, and an inflator that supplies the inflating gas to the inflating portion in response to an impact on a vehicle. In the airbag device, the inflatable portion of the airbag is supplied by the partition portion with a primary inflatable portion to which the inflating gas is supplied from the inflator, and the inflating gas via the primary inflatable portion. A secondary inflatable portion, and the partition portion includes a pair of component pieces spanned between the fabric on the inside of the vehicle and the fabric on the outside of the vehicle, and each side of the pair of component pieces The edge portions are coupled to each other by a side edge coupling portion, and the expansion portion is partitioned into the primary expansion portion and the secondary expansion portion. Non-bonded edges Engaging portion is provided, it becomes a communication hole non binding portion communicating between the secondary inflatable portion and said primary inflatable portion, the the partition part, the initial of the supply period of the inflation gas to the inflatable portion Is provided with a valve that is closed to restrict the flow of the expansion gas from the primary expansion portion to the secondary expansion portion, and is opened from the middle of the supply period to release the restriction , The valve includes a valve body portion that is configured of the component piece and is disposed in the primary expansion portion, and moves the valve body portion toward the secondary expansion portion according to a change in internal pressure of the primary expansion portion. The gist is that the communication hole is opened by being inverted .
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag apparatus comprising: an airbag having an inflating portion that is inflated by an inflating gas; and an inflator that supplies the inflating portion to the inflating portion in response to an impact on a vehicle. The inflation portion of the airbag includes a primary inflation portion to which the inflation gas is supplied from the inflator, and a secondary inflation portion to which the inflation gas is supplied via the primary inflation portion. The partition portion is closed at the initial stage of the supply period of the expansion gas to the expansion portion to restrict the flow of the expansion gas from the primary expansion portion to the secondary expansion portion. And a valve for opening the valve in the middle of the supply period to release the restriction is provided, and the partition wall is provided with a communication wall portion, and the communication wall portion includes the primary expansion portion and the valve Between the secondary expansion parts A communication hole is provided, and the valve includes a first valve body portion and a second valve body portion respectively disposed in the primary expansion portion, and the valve is configured to change the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion according to a change in the internal pressure. Both the valve body portions are deformed to open and close the communication hole, and the communication wall portions are provided on both sides of the communication hole, and each downstream of the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion. The side end portion is coupled to the corresponding communication wall portion at a downstream end coupling portion extending in a direction intersecting with the gas flow direction in the communication hole, and each of the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion. In the vicinity of the downstream end coupling portion, a vicinity of the upstream side is provided with a flexible portion that can bend toward the downstream side, and each of the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion is connected to the downstream end coupling portion. One side portion in the extending direction of the portion is at least corresponding to the communication wall portion corresponding to the one side edge coupling portion. And, on or near the one-side edge coupling portion, at least a wall portion coupling portion that couples the two communication wall portions to each other is provided, about the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion, The other side portion in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portion is coupled to each other by the other side edge coupling portion extending along the gas flow direction, and is between the one side edge coupling portion and the other side edge coupling portion. In addition, the first valve body part and the second valve body part are coupled to each other in the vicinity of the other side edge coupling part, and further upstream from a location near the upstream side of the flexible part. A supplementary coupling part extending to the side is provided, and on the auxiliary coupling part of the valve or in the vicinity thereof, an inflexible part that extends upstream and is less likely to bend than the flexible part is provided. To do.

According to the configuration of the invention described in claim 1 or 2, when an impact is applied to the vehicle due to a collision or the like, the inflation gas is supplied from the inflator to the inflation portion of the airbag. The expansion gas is supplied in the order of the primary expansion portion and the secondary expansion portion. In the initial stage of the supply period of the expansion gas to the expansion section, the valve is closed, and the flow of the expansion gas from the primary expansion section to the secondary expansion section is restricted. Therefore, the primary expansion part starts to expand, and accordingly, the internal pressure of the primary expansion part starts to rise. At this time, since the airbag is partitioned into the primary inflating portion and the secondary inflating portion, the volume of the primary inflating portion is smaller than the volume of the inflating portion when the inflating portion is not partitioned. Therefore, the internal pressure of the primary inflating part starts rising earlier than when the inflating part is not partitioned, and becomes higher.

  On the other hand, due to the impact, the vehicle constituent member enters the vehicle interior, and the airbag is pressed against the occupant. Since only the primary inflatable part is inflated in the inflatable part, the place where the occupant contacts while receiving the pressure of the inflatable part is only the primary inflatable part. Therefore, the area of the surface on which the occupant receives the pressure of the inflatable portion (pressure receiving area on the side of the inflating portion of the occupant) is the same as the area of the surface on which the pressure of the primary inflating portion receives (pressure receiving area on the side of the primary inflating portion of the occupant). Small. However, the pressure receiving area on the primary expansion portion side increases as the vehicle component advances toward the vehicle interior side.

  The impact load received by the occupant through the inflating portion is expressed by the product of the pressure receiving area and the internal pressure. This load increases from an early stage of the supply period of the inflation gas and reaches a predetermined value early. .

  When the valve is opened during the supply period of the expansion gas, the flow restriction is released, and the expansion gas flows out from the primary expansion portion to the secondary expansion portion. This outflow reduces the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion. The pressure receiving area on the primary inflating portion side of the occupant increases as the vehicle constituent member enters the vehicle interior side.

  Further, the secondary expansion portion starts to expand due to the expansion gas, and accordingly, the internal pressure of the secondary expansion portion starts to increase. In addition, the area of the surface on which the inflatable portion is pressed against the occupant in the secondary inflatable portion in addition to the primary inflatable portion by the vehicle component with a slight delay from the increase in internal pressure, and the occupant receives the pressure of the secondary inflatable portion. (The pressure receiving area on the secondary expansion portion side of the occupant) begins to increase.

In addition, the internal pressure of the primary expansion part and the internal pressure of the secondary expansion part finally become equal.
As described above, after the valve is opened, the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion decreases and the internal pressure of the secondary expansion portion increases. Further, the pressure receiving area on the primary expansion portion side of the occupant and the pressure receiving area on the secondary expansion portion side increase with a time difference. Therefore, after the valve is opened, the load that the occupant receives from the entire inflatable portion, that is, the sum of the load received from the primary inflatable portion and the load received from the secondary inflatable portion is simply calculated by It becomes possible to maintain below the maximum value of the load when it is configured and no valve is provided.

  In addition, at the beginning of the supply period of the inflation gas, the load that the occupant receives from the airbag increases early, and thereafter the airbag is maintained at a predetermined value that is low or lower. The amount that absorbs the energy of the impact (energy absorption amount) is almost the same as the energy absorption amount when the airbag is constituted by a single inflating part and no valve is provided. Unlike reducing the increase (inclination) of the load relative to the amount of vehicle components entering the vehicle interior by increasing the exhaust hole (vent hole), etc., it suppresses the decrease in the amount of energy absorbed by the airbag. be able to.

Furthermore, according to the configuration of claim 2, when the expansion gas is supplied to the primary expansion portion in the non-expanded state, a part of the expansion gas is converted into the first valve body portion and the second valve body. It tries to flow out to the secondary expansion part between the parts and via the communication hole. When the gas for expansion flows between the first valve body part and the second valve body part, a force to become a cylindrical shape is generated in both valve body parts. However, in the valve, the inner diameter (peripheral length) is different between the flexible portion and the upstream portion. The latter has a smaller inner diameter (peripheral length) by the amount of the auxiliary coupling portion. Therefore, the upstream portion of the both valve body portions from the flexible portion tends to expand in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter smaller than that of the flexible portion.

  However, in the valve, the inflexible portion extending upstream is provided only on the other side portion in the extending direction of the both downstream end coupling portions with respect to both valve body portions. With this configuration, in the valve, the hard-to-flex portion and the vicinity thereof are less likely to bend than other portions including the flexible portion.

  For this reason, when both valve body portions try to expand into a cylindrical shape with different inner diameters (peripheral lengths) as described above, the flexible portion is drawn to the downstream side and bent. Along with this, the upstream portion of the both valve body portions with respect to the flexible portion is drawn toward both the downstream end coupling portion side and the wall portion coupling portion side, with the downstream end portion of the difficult-to-flexible portion serving as a fulcrum. By this drawing, the hard part is inclined so that the upstream part is located closer to the wall joint part.

Here, as described above, since the expansion gas in the primary expansion portion tends to flow out to the secondary expansion portion via the both valve body portions, the pressure of the expansion gas is unlikely to rise between the both valve body portions. .
On the other hand, the primary expansion portion starts to expand due to the expansion gas. While the pressure of the expansion gas is unlikely to rise between the two valve body portions, the primary expansion portion expands, so that the interval between each valve body portion and the wall portion of the corresponding primary expansion portion is increased. The downstream end of each valve body is coupled to the corresponding communication wall by a downstream end coupling portion, and the expansion gas flows downstream from the downstream end coupling portion outside both valve body portions. Since this is not possible, an expansion gas accumulates between the valve body portion and the corresponding wall portion of the primary expansion portion.

  When the pressure of the expansion gas between each valve body portion and the corresponding wall portion of the primary expansion portion overcomes the pressure of the expansion gas between the valve body portions, the valve operates as follows. The flexible part that is drawn and bent toward the downstream side due to the difference in inner diameter (peripheral length) receives the pressure of the expansion gas and is pressed to the downstream side. By this pressing, the flexible portion is pushed, and accordingly, the upstream portion of the both valve body portions with respect to the flexible portion is further drawn toward both the downstream end coupling portion side and the wall portion coupling portion side.

  At this time, the inflexible portion is also attracted and approaches the downstream end coupling portions. The difficult-to-flexible portion falls on both the downstream end coupling portion side and the wall portion coupling portion side while maintaining its own shape with the downstream end portion as a fulcrum. At this time, among the upstream portions of the both valve body portions from the flexible portion, the portion other than the hard-to-flexible portion is also, like the flexible portion, the pressure of the expansion gas in the primary expansion portion toward the downstream side. Receive. The part that has received this pressure is bent so as to be pushed between both valve body parts. Along with this, the distance between the valve body portions becomes narrow, and the communication hole is eventually closed by the valve.

  By continuing to supply the inflation gas into the primary expansion portion with the communication hole blocked or by restraining the occupant by the primary expansion portion in the expanded state, the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion increases to a predetermined value. If it becomes, the said hard part and its vicinity part will be extruded to the exterior (secondary expansion part side) of a primary expansion part from between both valve body parts (both valve body parts will invert). By this extrusion (reversal), the communication hole that has been previously closed by the valve is opened, and the expansion gas in the primary expansion part flows out to the secondary expansion part through the communication hole, and the internal pressure of the primary expansion part Decreases.

In this way, the valve reliably opens and closes the communication hole according to the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion, while having a simple configuration.
The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2 , wherein the length of the hardened portion is a portion where the distance between the hardened portion in the wall joint portion is the narrowest, The gist is that it is set longer than the interval between the downstream end coupling portion and the end portion on the hard-to-be-hardened portion side.

  By setting the length of the hard part as described above, the hard part comes into contact with the wall part joining part while falling down. This wall part coupling | bond part restrict | limits that an inflexible part falls further into both downstream end coupling | bond part side and wall part coupling | bond part side. In this state, the communication hole is substantially closed by the valve, and the expansion gas in the primary expansion portion is reliably restricted from flowing out between the valve body portions to the secondary expansion portion. Is done.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein the first valve body part and the second valve body part are formed of a flexible fabric, and the hardened part. Is summarized by sewing the first valve body part and the second valve body part with a sewing thread.

Here, it is conceivable to form the hard-to-be-hardened portion with a hard material, but in this case, it is not easy to change the difficulty of bending of the hard-to-be-hardened portion. In this respect, the invention according to claim 4 merely forms the inflexible portion by sewing both valve body portions, which are originally made of a flexible fabric, with a sewing thread. Therefore, although it is such a simple structure, the hard-to-bend part which is harder to bend than a flexible part is easily formed. In addition, by changing the type of sewing thread or changing the number of threads, it is possible to easily adjust the difficulty of bending of the hard-to-flexible part, and to easily set and change the timing when the hard-to-flexible part is deformed and reversed. Is possible.

The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 2 to 4 , wherein the first valve body part and the second valve body part correspond to each other at their downstream end parts. It is formed integrally with the communication wall portion, and the downstream end coupling portion is constituted by a boundary portion between each of the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion and the corresponding communication wall portion. The gist.

  According to said structure, the 1st valve body part and the 2nd valve body part are respectively integral with the corresponding communicating wall part in those downstream edge parts. Therefore, when manufacturing the valve, the work of connecting the downstream end portion of each first valve body portion to the corresponding communication wall portion becomes unnecessary. Accordingly, the number of valve manufacturing steps can be reduced. Further, the valve can be manufactured with a smaller number of parts, and the structure can be simplified.

And after manufacture of a valve, the boundary part of the downstream end part of each valve body part and the communicating wall part corresponding to this functions as a downstream end coupling part.
The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 2 to 5 , wherein the one-side edge coupling part and the wall part coupling part are the first valve body part and the second valve, respectively. The gist of the present invention is that the body part and the two communicating wall parts are formed by sewing with a sewing thread.

  According to said structure, a 1st edge part and a wall part coupling | bond part are formed simultaneously by sewing a 1st valve body part, a 2nd valve body part, and both communicating wall parts with a sewing thread. Therefore, compared with the case where these are formed separately, it is possible to form the one-side edge coupling portion and the wall portion coupling portion easily and in a short time.

The inflating portion in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is supplied from the inflator in response to a side impact on the vehicle, for example, according to the invention according to claim 7. A gas that expands and deploys between the body side portion of the vehicle and an occupant seated on the vehicle seat can be employed.

Examples of the expansion unit in the invention described in claim 7, for example, as by the invention of claim 8, wherein the front and rear by the partition portion as primary inflatable portion is positioned on the rear side of the secondary inflatable portion It is possible to adopt one that is divided into two and expands and expands forward.

In this case, the inflation part is inflated and deployed forward between the body side part and the occupant by supplying the inflation gas from the inflator in the order of the primary inflation part and the secondary inflation part.
The invention according to claim 9 is the invention according to claim 8 , wherein the partition portion is the same in the vicinity of a boundary portion between the front half portion and the rear half portion of the upper half of the occupant when the inflation portion is inflated. The gist is to divide the expansion part into the primary expansion part and the secondary expansion part.

  Here, the impact resistance when an impact is applied from the side to the upper body of the occupant, for example, the chest, is superior to the front half in the latter half of the upper body. Therefore, it is desirable that the internal pressure of the inflating portion acting on the upper body of the occupant as the inflating portion expands is lower in the front half than in the rear half.

In this regard, in the invention according to claim 9 , when the inflating part is inflated, the partition part is in the vicinity of the boundary part between the front half and the rear half of the upper half of the occupant, and the inflating part is divided into the primary inflating part and the secondary inflating part. Divide into parts. In a state where the inflating part is inflated and deployed, the primary inflating part is located on the side of the rear half of the upper body, and the secondary inflating part is located on the side of the front half. Accordingly, the rear half of the occupant's upper body, which has higher impact resistance than the front half, is pressed by the primary inflating portion where the internal pressure is increased early. Further, the front half of the occupant's upper body that is relatively low in impact resistance is softly pressed by the secondary inflatable portion whose internal pressure is not as high as that of the primary inflatable portion.

  In this way, considering that the impact resistance is different between the front half and the rear half of the upper body, the front half and the rear half can be protected from impact in a suitable manner.

  According to the airbag apparatus of the present invention, the maximum value of the load that the occupant receives through the airbag can be reduced while securing the energy absorption amount by the airbag.

The side view which shows the vehicle seat equipped with the side airbag apparatus with the passenger | crew in one Embodiment which actualized this invention to the side airbag apparatus. FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing a positional relationship between a vehicle seat, an occupant, and a body side part. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a positional relationship between a vehicle seat, an occupant, and a body side part. (A) is a partial side view which shows the passenger | crew who took the seating posture with an airbag, (B) is a side view which shows a vehicle seat with an airbag. The fragmentary plane sectional view which shows the airbag module integrated in the accommodating part of the seat back with a body side part. The partial side view which shows the airbag module by which the airbag was made into the deployment state with the vehicle seat and a passenger | crew. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing an airbag module in which the airbag in the deployed state in FIG. 6 is cut at a center portion in the vehicle width direction together with a vehicle seat and a passenger. FIG. 8 is a partial side cross-sectional view showing the valve and its peripheral portion in FIG. 7. FIG. 9A is a partial cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional structure along the line AA in FIG. 8, and FIG. 9B is a partial cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional structure along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the valve and its peripheral portion when the expansion gas is supplied from the state of FIG. 9B to the primary expansion portion. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the state of the valve in the expansion | swelling initial stage of an expansion | swelling part, and its peripheral part. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the state of the valve before an expansion part expand | swells. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the state of the valve in the expansion | swelling initial stage of an expansion part. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the state which the valve | bulb of FIG. 13 act | operated further. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the state just before a valve | bulb further operate | moves by the internal pressure rise of a primary expansion part, and a communication hole is obstruct | occluded. Explanatory drawing which shows typically a mode that a communication hole is completely obstruct | occluded by a valve and the distribution | circulation of the gas for expansion is controlled. Explanatory drawing which shows typically a mode that the difficult part of the valve was reversed and the communicating hole was open | released. FIG. 6 is a partial plan cross-sectional view showing a state in which the airbag protrudes from the seat back and is inflated and deployed from the state of FIG. 5. The characteristic view which shows each change aspect of the internal pressure at the time of an airbag being pressed on a passenger | crew by the body side part which approachs into a vehicle inside, a pressure receiving area, and a load. It is a figure corresponding to FIG. 8, and the partial side view which shows another example of a valve. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the cross-sectional structure along CC line | wire in FIG. FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 8 and showing another example in which a wall portion coupling portion is provided at a location different from the one side edge coupling portion. It is a figure corresponding to FIG. 8, and is a fragmentary sectional view which shows another example of the valve which provided the hard-flexing part in the location different from an auxiliary | assistant coupling | bond part. The characteristic view which shows each change aspect of the internal pressure, pressure receiving area, and load when the conventional airbag is pressed by the passenger | crew by the body side part which approachs into the vehicle inside.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a side airbag device will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the following description, the forward direction of the vehicle will be described as the front, and the reverse direction of the vehicle will be described as the rear. Further, in the following description, the vertical direction means the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the horizontal direction is the vehicle width direction of the vehicle and coincides with the horizontal direction when the vehicle moves forward.

  As shown in at least one of FIGS. 2 and 3, a vehicle seat 12 is arranged in the vicinity of the vehicle side of the body side portion 11 (the right side in FIG. 2 and the upper side in FIG. 3) in the vehicle 10. Here, the body side part 11 refers to a vehicle constituent member arranged on the side part of the vehicle 10, and mainly corresponds to a door, a pillar, and the like. For example, the body side part 11 corresponding to the front seat is a front door, a center pillar (B pillar), or the like. The body side portion 11 corresponding to the rear seat is a rear portion of a side door (rear door), a C pillar, a front portion of a tire house, a rear quarter, and the like.

  The vehicle seat 12 includes a seat cushion (seat portion) 13 and a seat back (backrest portion) 14 that stands up from the rear side of the seat cushion 13 and whose inclination angle is adjusted by an inclination adjustment mechanism (not shown). It is prepared for.

Next, the internal structure of the side portion on the vehicle outer side in the seat back 14 will be described.
A seat frame that forms the skeleton is disposed in the seat back 14. As shown in FIG. 5, a part of the seat frame is disposed on the vehicle outer side portion in the seat back 14, and this portion (hereinafter referred to as “side frame portion 15”) is formed by bending a metal plate. Is formed. A seat pad 16 made of an elastic material such as urethane foam is disposed on the front side of the seat frame including the side frame portion 15. A hard backboard 17 made of synthetic resin or the like is disposed on the rear side of the seat frame. The seat pad 16 is covered with a skin, but the skin is not shown in FIG. The same applies to FIG. 18 described later.

  In the seat pad 16, a storage portion 18 is provided in the vicinity of the vehicle exterior side of the side frame portion 15. The position of the storage portion 18 is in the vicinity of the rear of the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 12 (see FIG. 3). An air bag module AM that forms the main part of the side air bag device is incorporated in the storage portion 18.

  A slit 19 extends from a corner on the vehicle outer side and front side of the storage unit 18 toward the diagonal front vehicle outer side. A portion sandwiched between the corner 16C on the front side of the seat pad 16 and the slit 19 (a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5) constitutes a planned fracture portion 21 to be broken by the airbag 40 described later. ing.

The airbag module AM incorporated in the seat back 14 includes an inflator assembly 30 and an airbag 40 as main components.
Next, each of these structural members will be described. Here, in the present embodiment, when the airbag module AM and its constituent members are referred to as “vertical direction” and “front-rear direction”, as shown in FIG. 4B, the seat back 14 of the vehicle seat 12 is used as a reference. Yes. The direction in which the seat back 14 stands is the “vertical direction”, and the thickness direction of the seat back 14 is the “front-rear direction”. Usually, since the seat back 14 is used in a state of being slightly inclined rearward, the “vertical direction” is not strictly a vertical direction but is slightly inclined. Similarly, the “front-rear direction” is not strictly a horizontal direction but is slightly inclined.

<Inflator assembly 30>
As shown in at least one of FIGS. 5 and 6, the inflator assembly 30 includes an inflator 31 as a gas generation source and a retainer 32 attached to the outside of the inflator 31. In the present embodiment, a type called a pyro type is employed as the inflator 31. The inflator 31 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a gas generating agent (not shown) that generates an expansion gas is accommodated therein. A harness (not shown) serving as a control signal application wiring to the inflator 31 is connected to one end (lower end) in the length direction of the inflator 31.

  As the inflator 31, a type (hybrid type) that breaks the partition wall of a high-pressure gas cylinder filled with a high-pressure gas with an explosive or the like instead of the pyro-type using the gas generating agent (hybrid type) is used. Also good.

  On the other hand, the retainer 32 is a member that functions as a diffuser and has a function of fastening the inflator 31 to the side frame portion 15 together with the airbag 40. Most of the retainer 32 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by bending a plate material such as a metal plate. The retainer 32 is provided with a window 33, and most of the inflation gas ejected from the inflator 31 is ejected to the outside of the retainer 32 through the window 33.

  A plurality of bolts 34 are fixed to the retainer 32 as a locking member for attaching the retainer 32 to the side frame portion 15. In other words, the plurality of bolts 34 are indirectly fixed to the inflator 31 via the retainer 32.

The inflator assembly 30 may be one in which the inflator 31 and the retainer 32 are integrated.
<Airbag 40>
As shown in at least one of FIGS. 1 to 3, the airbag 40 is moved from the inflator 31 when an impact is applied to the body side part 11 from the side of the vehicle 10 due to a side collision or the like while the vehicle 10 is traveling. The supply of the expansion gas G is received. The airbag 40 that has received the supply of the inflation gas G jumps out of the storage portion 18 substantially forward and leaves the vehicle seat 12 with a part (rear portion) of the airbag 40 left in the storage portion 18. By inflating and deploying between the upper body UB of the seated occupant P and the body side portion 11, the upper body UB of the occupant P is protected from the impact of the side collision.

  FIG. 6 shows the airbag module AM in a state where the airbag 40 is deployed in a plane without being filled with the inflation gas G (hereinafter referred to as “deployed state”) together with the occupant P and the vehicle seat 12. Yes. 7 shows the airbag module AM in which the airbag 40 in the deployed state of FIG. 6 is cut at the center in the vehicle width direction together with the vehicle seat 12 and the occupant P in order to show the internal structure of the airbag module AM. Show.

  As shown in at least one of FIGS. 6 and 7, the airbag 40 folds a single fabric 41 (also called a base fabric, a panel fabric, etc.) in two along a fold line 42 set at the center portion thereof. Thus, they are formed by overlapping in the vehicle width direction and joining the overlapped portions into a bag shape. Here, in order to distinguish the two overlapped portions of the airbag 40, the one located on the vehicle inner side is referred to as the fabric portion 43 (see FIG. 7), and the one located on the vehicle outer side is referred to as the fabric portion 44 ( (See FIG. 6).

  In the present embodiment, the fabric 41 is folded in two so that the fold line 42 is positioned at the front end of the airbag 40, but the fabric is positioned so that the fold line 42 is positioned at the other end, for example, the rear end. 41 may be folded in half.

  In the airbag 40, the outer shapes of the fabric portions 43 and 44 are in a line-symmetric relationship with each other with the folding line 42 as the axis of symmetry. The shape and size of each of the fabric portions 43 and 44 is such that the outer side of the upper body UB of the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 12 when the airbag 40 is inflated and deployed between the vehicle seat 12 and the body side portion 11. In the vicinity, the region corresponding to the chest PT (see FIGS. 2 and 3) can be occupied.

  As the fabric portions 43 and 44, a woven fabric formed using a material having high strength and flexibility and can be easily folded, for example, polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, or the like is suitable.

In addition, the airbag 40 may be formed by overlapping a pair of independent fabric portions in the vehicle width direction and joining the two fabric portions into a bag shape.
The above-described connection between the fabric parts 43 and 44 is performed at a peripheral connection part 45 provided at the peripheral part thereof. In the present embodiment, the peripheral edge coupling portion 45 sews (sews with a sewing thread) a portion of the peripheral edge portions of the fabric portions 43 and 44 excluding the rear lower end portion and the front end portion (the vicinity of the folding line 42). It is formed by.

  Regarding this sewing, in FIGS. 6 to 8, 12 to 17, and FIGS. 20, 22, and 23, the sewing portion is expressed by two line types. One line type is a line (a kind of broken line) expressed by arranging thick lines of a certain length intermittently (a kind of broken line), which is the state of the sewing thread on the outside (not between the fabric parts) of the fabric part to be stitched. (See FIG. 6 and the like). The other line type is a line (a type of broken line) in which points are arranged at regular intervals, and this indicates the state of the sewing thread inside the fabric portion (between fabric portions) to be stitched (between the fabric portions) ( (See FIG. 8). That is, the drawing in which the sewing is expressed in the latter manner shows a cross-sectional structure along a cross section passing through the sewing portion.

  As shown in at least one of FIGS. 6 and 7, the space between the fabric portions 43, 44 and surrounded by the peripheral joint portion 45 (the space inside the peripheral joint portion 45) is an expansion gas G. (See FIG. 1), inflating in the vicinity of the outer side of the chest PT (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the occupant P provides an inflating portion 46 for mainly protecting the chest PT of the occupant P from impact. .

  In addition, the periphery coupling | bond part 45 may be formed by the means different from the sewing using the said sewing thread, for example, adhesion | attachment using an adhesive agent. In this respect, side edge coupling parts 53 to 55, which will be described later, a first downstream end coupling part 63, a second downstream end coupling part 64, a one side edge coupling part 65, a wall part coupling part 66, a hard part 69, and an auxiliary coupling. The same applies to the unit 71.

  The inflator assembly 30 is disposed in the lower portion of the rear end in the airbag 40 in a posture inclined so as to become lower toward the front side. And the bolt 34 of the retainer 32 is penetrated by the fabric part 43 inside a vehicle (refer FIG. 5). By such insertion, the inflator assembly 30 is locked in a state of being positioned with respect to the airbag 40. The rear lower end of the airbag 40 is fastened in an airtight state to the lower portion of the inflator assembly 30 by an annular fastener (not shown).

  The inflating portion 46 of the airbag 40 is supplied with the primary inflating portion 47 to which the inflating gas G from the inflator 31 is first supplied by the partition portion 50 and the inflating gas G via the primary inflating portion 47. It is divided into the next inflating part 48.

  The partition portion 50 is called a tether in this embodiment, and as shown in at least one of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10, a pair of component pieces 51, 52 on the vehicle inner side and the vehicle outer side. It has. Each of the component pieces 51 and 52 is formed of a cloth, like the both cloth parts 43 and 44 of the airbag 40, and has an elongated rectangular shape substantially in the vertical direction (see FIG. 7).

  One side edge (right side in FIGS. 9A and 9B) of the vehicle interior component 51 has a side edge coupling portion 53 extending substantially in the vertical direction, and a fabric portion 43 on the vehicle interior side of the airbag 40. Is bound to. Further, the side edge portion of one of the component pieces 52 on the outside of the vehicle (the right side in FIGS. 9A and 9B) is a fabric on the outside of the vehicle in the airbag 40 by a side edge coupling portion 54 extending substantially in the vertical direction. Coupled to portion 44. In the present embodiment, each of the side edge coupling portions 53 and 54 is located on the side of the boundary portion X between the front half UBF and the rear half UBR in the upper body UB of the occupant P when the inflating portion 46 is inflated. The side edge portions of the component pieces 51 and 52 are coupled to the corresponding fabric portions 43 and 44 (see FIG. 3).

  Furthermore, the other side edge part of each component piece 51 and 52 is mutually couple | bonded by the side edge coupling | bond part 55 (refer FIG. 7) extended in a substantially up-down direction. In this way, the two component pieces 51 and 52 of the partition unit 50 are bridged between the fabric portion 43 on the inside of the vehicle and the fabric portion 44 on the outside of the vehicle in the airbag 40. The two component pieces 51 and 52 overlap each other when the inflating portion 46 is not inflated (see FIGS. 9A and 9B). Moreover, when the expansion part 46 expand | swells, both the component pieces 51 and 52 will be in the state strained in the vehicle width direction (refer FIG. 10), and will regulate the thickness of the same expansion part 46 in the vehicle width direction. In this tensioned state, the side edge coupling portion 55 is located on the side of the boundary portion X and in the center portion in the vehicle width direction in the inflated expanding portion 46.

  As shown in at least one of FIGS. 6 and 7, the partition portion 50 causes the inflating portion 46 to form the latter half of the inflating portion 46 and the primary inflating portion 47 on the rear side where the inflator assembly 30 is disposed. It is partitioned into a front side secondary expansion part 48 constituting the front half of the part 46.

  A communication hole 56 for communicating between the primary expansion portion 47 and the secondary expansion portion 48 is provided in a part of the side edge coupling portion 55 in the length direction (substantially the central portion in the vertical direction in this embodiment). Yes. Here, a part of the side edge coupling portion 55 is divided, and a portion where the side edge coupling portion 55 is divided, that is, a portion that is not coupled by the side edge coupling portion 55 is present between the two component pieces 51 and 52. The communication hole 56 is formed.

  The expansion gas G in the primary expansion portion 47 can flow out to the secondary expansion portion 48 through the communication hole 56. In order to define the flow direction of the inflation gas G, the side approaching the inflator 31 is referred to as “upstream side”, and the side away from the inflator 31 is referred to as “downstream side”. Therefore, the direction from the primary expansion part 47 to the secondary expansion part 48 is the flow direction of the expansion gas G.

  Here, as shown in at least one of FIGS. 10 and 11, in the component piece 51 on the vehicle interior side, the vicinity of the communication hole 56 is referred to as a “first communication wall portion 57” in order to distinguish it from other portions. In addition, regarding the component piece 52 on the outside of the vehicle, the vicinity of the communication hole 56 is referred to as a “second communication wall portion 58” in order to distinguish it from other locations. Both communication wall portions 57 and 58 are flat and overlap when the expansion portion 46 is not expanded.

The partition part 50 is provided with a valve 60 that opens and closes the communication hole 56 according to the internal pressure of the primary expansion part 47. Next, the valve 60 will be described.
<Valve 60>
The valve 60 is closed at the beginning of the supply period of the expansion gas G to the expansion portion 46 (the communication hole 56 is closed), and the expansion gas G is secondary from the primary expansion portion 47 through the communication hole 56. The flow out to the expansion part 48 is restricted. Further, the valve 60 is released from the middle of the supply period of the expansion gas G by opening the communication hole 56 (opening the communication hole 56), so that the expansion gas G passes through the communication hole 56 from the primary expansion portion 47, and the valve 60 is opened. It is allowed to flow out to the next expansion portion 48. The valve 60 functions as a pressure regulating valve that adjusts the internal pressures of the primary expansion portion 47 and the secondary expansion portion 48 by opening and closing the communication hole 56 as described above.

  The valve 60 includes a pair of valve body portions arranged in a state of being overlapped in the vehicle width direction in the primary expansion portion 47 before the expansion gas G is supplied to the primary expansion portion 47. Yes. Here, in order to distinguish between the two valve body portions superimposed as described above, the one located on the vehicle inner side is referred to as the first valve body portion 61, and the one located on the vehicle outer side is referred to as the second valve body portion 62. Let's say.

  In the valve 60, the space between the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 serves as a flow path R for the expansion gas G. Then, the valve 60 opens and closes the communication hole 56 by deforming both valve body portions 61 and 62 according to the change in the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47. In FIG. 7, the valve 60 is shown in a state where a part thereof is omitted.

  As shown in at least one of FIGS. 8, 9, and 12, the downstream end of the first valve body 61 inside the vehicle intersects the flow direction of the expansion gas G in the communication hole 56. The first downstream end coupling portion 63 (see FIGS. 8 and 9B) extending substantially in the vertical direction is coupled to the first communication wall portion 57 on the vehicle interior side. In the present embodiment, the first valve body portion 61 is formed integrally with the first communication wall portion 57 at the downstream end thereof, and the boundary between the first valve body portion 61 and the first communication wall portion 57 is formed. The portion is made to function as the first downstream end coupling portion 63.

  Similarly, the downstream end portion of the second valve body portion 62 on the vehicle exterior side is a second downstream end coupling portion 64 that extends substantially in the vertical direction, which is a direction that intersects the flow direction of the expansion gas G in the communication hole 56. (Refer to FIG. 9B and FIG. 12). In the present embodiment, the second valve body portion 62 is formed integrally with the second communication wall portion 58 at the downstream end thereof, and the boundary between the second valve body portion 62 and the second communication wall portion 58 is formed. The portion is made to function as the second downstream end coupling portion 64.

In the valve 60, the first valve body 61 on the vehicle interior and the second valve body 62 on the vehicle exterior are not coupled to each other at either the upstream end or the downstream end.
For each of the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62, the upper side portion, which is one side portion in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63, 64, is coupled to each other by the one side edge coupling portion 65. ing. The one side edge coupling portion 65 extends forward from the rear ends of the valve body portions 61 and 62 along the upper edge portions of both valve body portions 61 and 62. The front end portion of the one side edge coupling portion 65 passes through both valve body portions 61 and 62 and intersects with the side edge coupling portion 55, and is a boundary portion between the both body pieces 51 and 52 and the valve body portions 61 and 62. Both communication wall portions 57 and 58 are reached. In this way, the one-side edge coupling portion 65 couples both valve body portions 61 and 62 to each other at their upper side, and couples both valve body portions 61 and 62 to the communication wall portions 57 and 58. Furthermore, both communicating wall parts 57 and 58 are mutually connected. In other words, the valve body portions 61 and 62 and the communication wall portions 57 and 58 are integrally coupled to each other at the upper front ends of the valve body portions 61 and 62. Most of the one side edge coupling portion 65 except the front end portion is formed by stitching together the upper end portions of the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 (co-sewing). The front end portion of 65 is formed by stitching together the front side portions of both valve body portions 61 and 62 and the communicating wall portions 57 and 58 together. Further, the front end portion of the one side edge coupling portion 65 also serves as the wall portion coupling portion 66 together with the end portion 55A of the side edge coupling portion 55 on the communication hole 56 side. The wall coupling portion 66 is provided on or near the one-side edge coupling portion 65 and couples at least the two communication wall portions 57 and 58 to each other.

  About the 1st valve body part 61, the vicinity part of the upstream of the 1st downstream end coupling | bond part 63, More specifically, the 1st downstream end coupling | bond part 63, and the location where the length L2 left | separated upstream from there A region between them (a region surrounded by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 8) is a flexible portion 67 that is soft and can be easily bent downstream by the pressure of the expansion gas G. In addition, as for the second valve body portion 62, the upstream vicinity portion of the second downstream end coupling portion 64 is also a flexible portion 67 that is soft and can be easily bent to the downstream side by the expansion gas G, as described above. (See FIGS. 9A and 9B).

  Regarding the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62, the lower side portion, which is the other side portion in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63, 64, is located at the lower edge portion of the valve body portions 61, 62. They are connected to each other by other side edge connecting portions 68 extending along the upstream side.

  Furthermore, the both valve body portions 61 and 62 are slightly separated from the other side portion (lower side portion) in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64, more precisely from the other side edge coupling portion 68. A hard part 69 is provided at the location. The difficult-to-flexible portion 69 extends further to the upstream side, starting from a location near the upstream side of the flexible portion 67 on the other side portion (lower side portion). Here, the location that is in the vicinity of the upstream side is a location that is spaced apart from the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 by a certain distance (length L2) across the flexible portion 67. The inflexible portion 69 is formed by stitching both valve body portions 61 and 62 in one row or a plurality of rows (here, two rows) with a sewing thread, and moreover in the valve 60 than in the flexible portion 67. It is harder (higher in rigidity) than the other connecting parts (both downstream end connecting parts 63 and 64, one side edge connecting part 65, the other side edge connecting part 68, and the wall part connecting part 66), and is difficult to bend.

  The hard part 69 also serves as the auxiliary coupling part 71. The auxiliary coupling portion 71 is between the one-side edge coupling portion 65 and the other-side edge coupling portion 68 of both the valve body portions 61 and 62, and in the vicinity of the upper side of the other-side edge coupling portion 68. 61 and the 2nd valve body part 62 are couple | bonded mutually. Further, the auxiliary coupling portion 71 extends further upstream, starting from a location away from the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 to the upstream side with the flexible portion 67 interposed therebetween.

  Since the one side edge coupling part 65 (wall part coupling part 66) and the hard part 69 (auxiliary coupling part 71) also extend linearly toward the upstream side, the one side edge coupling part 65 (wall) The part coupling part 66) and the hard part 69 (auxiliary coupling part 71) are substantially parallel to each other. Therefore, the distance between the one-side edge coupling portion 65 (wall coupling portion 66) and the rigid portion 69 (auxiliary coupling portion 71) (the flow passage area of the expansion gas G) is in the length direction (exhaust direction). It is almost constant everywhere.

  The stiffening portion 69 restricts the opening of the downstream end portions of the communicating wall portions 57 and 58 and the downstream end portions of the valve body portions 61 and 62 (moves in a direction away from the counterpart). The degree of this restriction becomes stronger as the downstream end 69E of the hard part 69 approaches the downstream end joints 63 and 64 (as the length L2 becomes shorter) or the hard part 69 approaches the wall part 66. . Therefore, the downstream end 69E of the difficult-to-flexible portion 69 is set to a position (height) that does not greatly hinder the opening operation of the downstream ends of the communicating wall portions 57 and 58 and the valve body portions 61 and 62. .

  Here, in the valve 60 having the above-described configuration, as shown in FIG. 12, the hardened portion 69 (auxiliary coupling portion 71) is provided at a location away from the other side edge coupling portion 68. From this, in the flexible part 67, the space | interval D1 of the other side edge coupling | bond part 68 and the one side edge coupling | bond part 65 (wall part coupling | bond part 66) is the rigid part 69 (auxiliary coupling part 71), and one side edge. It is larger than the distance D2 from the coupling portion 65 (wall portion coupling portion 66). This means that when the valve 60 expands due to the expansion gas G flowing through the flow path R between the valve body portions 61 and 62, the inflexible portion 69 (auxiliary coupling portion 71) and the one side edge coupling portion 65 ( The region between the wall coupling portion 66) is a cylinder with a smaller inner diameter than the flexible portion 67 that is the region between the other side edge coupling portion 68 and the one side edge coupling portion 65 (wall portion coupling portion 66). It means to expand into a shape.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 8, let the length of the hard-to-flexible part 69 be L3. The distance between the point E where the distance between the wall portion coupling portion 66 and the hard portion 69 is the narrowest and the end portion F on the hard portion 69 side (lower side) of the downstream end joint portions 63 and 64 is D3. And In the present embodiment, the length L3 and the interval D3 are set so that the relationship L3> D3 is satisfied.

  As described above, the upstream end of the first valve body 61 and the upstream end of the second valve body 62 are not coupled to each other. Further, the downstream end of the first valve body 61 is coupled to the first communication wall 57 (the vehicle interior component piece 51), and the downstream end of the second valve body 62 is the second end. Although connected to the communication wall portion 58 (the component piece 52 on the vehicle exterior side), their downstream ends are not connected to each other. Accordingly, the valve 60 can expand into a cylindrical shape opened at the upstream end and the downstream end.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the interior of the expansion portion 46 is partitioned into a primary expansion portion 47 and a secondary expansion portion 48 by a partition portion 50 having a communication hole 56. Moreover, the first valve body portion 61 on the vehicle interior side of the valve 60 is coupled to the component piece 51 on the vehicle interior side of the partition portion 50 at the first downstream end coupling portion 63, and the second valve body portion 62 on the vehicle exterior side is Two downstream end coupling portions 64 are coupled to the component pieces 52 on the vehicle outer side of the partition portion 50. Therefore, the expansion gas G in the primary expansion portion 47 can flow toward the secondary expansion portion 48 only by passing between the valve body portions 61 and 62 of the valve 60 as the flow path R.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, the airbag module AM having the airbag 40 and the inflator assembly 30 as main components has a compact form by folding the airbag 40 (see FIG. 6) in a deployed state. (Hereinafter referred to as “storage form”). This is because the airbag module AM is suitable for storage with respect to the storage unit 18 having a limited size in the seat back 14.

  The airbag module AM in the storage configuration is disposed in the storage portion 18 of the seatback 14 with the inflator assembly 30 positioned on the rear side and most of the airbag 40 positioned on the front side. Yes. As described above, the bolt 34 that extends from the retainer 32 and is inserted into the airbag 40 is inserted into the side frame portion 15 and tightened by the nut 36. By this tightening, the inflator assembly 30 is fixed to the side frame portion 15 together with the airbag 40.

The inflator assembly 30 may be fixed to the vehicle 10 (side frame portion 15) by means different from the bolts 34 and nuts 36 described above.
As shown in FIG. 1, the side airbag device includes an impact sensor 81 and a control device 82 in addition to the airbag module AM described above. The impact sensor 81 is composed of an acceleration sensor or the like and is provided on the body side portion 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the vehicle 10 and detects an impact applied to the body side portion 11 from the side. The control device 82 controls the operation of the inflator 31 based on the detection signal from the impact sensor 81.

  As described above, the side airbag device of the present embodiment is configured. Next, typical operation modes (modes) of the side airbag device will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 17 schematically show how the form of the valve 60 changes with time in accordance with the supply / stop state of the expansion gas G, and details are omitted or simplified. Yes. FIG. 19 shows the pressure (internal pressure) of the inflation gas G in each of the inflatable portions 47 and 48, the pressure receiving area of the occupant P on the side of each of the inflatable portions 47 and 48, and the load that the occupant P receives from the airbag 40. However, it shows how it changes according to the approach amount (stroke) of the body side part 11 which approachs into a vehicle inside by an impact. The load is represented by the product of the internal pressure and the pressure receiving area.

  In the side airbag device, when no impact is applied to the vehicle 10 from the side due to a side collision or the like, the control device 82 does not output an operation signal to operate the inflator 31 and the inflator 31 is inflated. The working gas G is not supplied to the primary expansion part 47. The airbag 40 continues to be stored in the storage portion 18 together with the inflator assembly 30 in the storage form (see FIG. 5). At this time, in the primary expansion part 47, both valve body parts 61 and 62 continue overlapping (refer FIG. 9 (A), (B)). The approach amount (stroke) of the body side portion 11 is “0”. The internal pressures of the expanding portions 47 and 48 are both low (substantially atmospheric pressure), and the pressure receiving area and the load are both “0”.

  On the other hand, when the vehicle 10 is traveling, an impact of a predetermined value or more is applied to the body side portion 11 due to a side collision or the like. The operation signal for operating this is output to 31. The amount of entry (stroke) of the body side portion 11 at this time is S0. In response to this operation signal, in the inflator 31, the gas generating agent generates a high-temperature and high-pressure expansion gas G. The expansion gas G is supplied in the order of the primary expansion portion 47 and the secondary expansion portion 48.

  When the expansion gas G is supplied to the primary expansion portion 47 in the non-expanded state, a part of the expansion gas G flows between the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 in the valve 60. It flows through R and tries to flow into the secondary expansion portion 48 (see FIG. 11). When an expansion gas G (referred to as “expansion gas G3” in order to distinguish it from other ones) flows through the flow path R, both valve body portions 61 and 62 have cylinders as shown in FIGS. The force that tries to become a shape is generated.

  For example, the downstream end of the first valve body 61 is coupled to the first communication wall 57, and the downstream end of the second valve body 62 is the second communication wall 58. By being connected to. In addition, for both valve body portions 61 and 62, one side portion (upper portion) in the extending direction of both downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 is coupled to each other by one side edge coupling portion 65, and both communication wall portions This is because they are integrally coupled to 57 and 58 by a wall coupling portion 66. Furthermore, the other side portion (lower side portion) in the extending direction is also coupled to each other by the hardened portion 69 (auxiliary coupling portion 71) and the other side edge coupling portion 68.

  However, when both the valve body parts 61 and 62 are going to be cylindrical, the inner diameter (peripheral length) is different between the flexible part 67 and the upstream part. As described above, in the valve 60, the hardened portion 69 (auxiliary coupling portion 71) is provided at a location away from the other side edge coupling portion 68. From this, in the flexible part 67, the space | interval D1 of the other side edge coupling | bond part 68 and the one side edge coupling | bond part 65 (wall part coupling | bond part 66) is the rigid part 69 (auxiliary coupling part 71), and one side edge. It is larger than the distance D2 from the coupling portion 65 (wall portion coupling portion 66) (see FIG. 12). Therefore, the upstream portion of the both valve body portions 61 and 62 with respect to the flexible portion 67 tends to expand in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter (peripheral length) smaller than that of the flexible portion 67.

  However, in the valve 60, the inflexible portion 69 extending upstream is provided only on the other side of the both valve body portions 61 and 62 in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64. With this configuration, in the valve 60, the difficult-to-bend part 69 itself and the vicinity thereof are less likely to bend than other parts including the flexible part 67.

  Therefore, as described above, the flexible portion 67 in both valve body portions 61 and 62 expands in a cylindrical shape with a large inner diameter (peripheral length), and a portion on the upstream side of the flexible portion 67 has a smaller inner diameter (peripheral length). When it tries to expand into a cylindrical shape, the flexible portion 67 is drawn to the downstream side and bent. Accordingly, the upstream portion of the both valve body portions 61 and 62 with respect to the flexible portion 67 is a portion in the vicinity of the downstream end 69E of the hard-to-flexible portion 69 (a portion surrounded by a dashed line I in FIG. 14). As shown by an arrow H in FIG. 13, the two downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 (downstream side) and the wall coupling portion 66 (one side edge coupling portion 65) side (upper side) are drawn. By this pulling, the inflexible portion 69 is in an inclined state such that the upstream side is positioned upward (see FIG. 14). Further, in the parts upstream of the flexible part 67 in both valve body parts 61 and 62, the hard part 69 is difficult to bend, while other parts are easy to be bent. A wrinkle easily enters a portion between the coupling portion 66 (one side edge coupling portion 65) and the difficult-to-flexure portion 69 (auxiliary coupling portion 71).

  Here, as described above, the expansion gas G flows through the flow path R between the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 and tends to flow out to the secondary expansion portion 48 side. Between 61 and 62, the pressure of the expansion gas G3 is unlikely to rise.

  On the other hand, the primary expansion portion 47 starts to expand due to the expansion gas G. While the pressure of the expansion gas G3 between the valve body portions 61 and 62 is unlikely to rise, the primary expansion portion 47 expands. Therefore, the valve body portions 61 and 62 and the corresponding vehicle inner side and vehicle outer side are expanded. The space | interval with each fabric part 43 and 44 spreads (refer FIG. 11). The downstream end portions of the valve body portions 61 and 62 are coupled to the corresponding communication wall portions 57 and 58 by downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 extending in a direction intersecting with the flow direction of the expansion gas G. The expansion gas G outside the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 (referred to as “expansion gases G1 and G2” to distinguish them from the other) is supplied from the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64. Cannot flow downstream. Accordingly, the expansion gases G1 and G2 accumulate between the first valve body portion 61 and the fabric portion 43 on the inside of the vehicle, and between the second valve body portion 62 and the fabric portion 44 on the outside of the vehicle.

  The pressure of the expansion gas G1, G2 between the valve body portions 61, 62 and the corresponding fabric portions 43, 44 on the vehicle inner side and the vehicle outer side corresponds to the expansion gas between the valve body portions 61, 62. When the pressure of G3 is overcome, the valve 60 operates as follows. The flexible portion 67 that has been drawn and bent toward the downstream side due to the difference in inner diameter (peripheral length) is pressed toward the downstream side under the pressure of the expansion gases G1 and G2. By this pressing, the flexible part 67 in both valve body parts 61 and 62 is further pushed up as shown by an arrow J in FIG. 14, and accordingly, upstream of the flexible part 67 in both valve body parts 61 and 62. The portion on the side is further drawn toward both the downstream end coupling parts 63 and 64 (downstream side) and the wall part coupling part 66 side (upper side).

  At this time, the inflexible portion 69 is also drawn and approaches the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64. The difficult-to-flexible portion 69 has a downstream end (downstream end 69E) close to both the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 as a fulcrum, while maintaining its own shape, the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 side (downstream side) ) And fall to the wall connecting portion 66 side (upper side). At this time, in the parts upstream of the flexible part 67 in both valve body parts 61 and 62, the part excluding the hard-to-be-hardened part 69 is also the primary expansion part toward the downstream side in the same manner as the flexible part 67. The pressure of the expansion gas G in 47 is received. As shown by an arrow K in FIG. 15, the portion that has received this pressure is bent obliquely forward and upward so as to be pushed between the valve body portions 61 and 62. Along with this, the space between the valve body portions 61 and 62, that is, the flow path R of the expansion gas G is reduced. In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted in FIGS. 14-16 at this time, the upper part of both the valve body parts 61 and 62 and the one side edge coupling | bond part 65 are crushed to a downstream side, bending.

  Here, in this embodiment, since the length L3 of the hard part 69 is set longer than the interval D3 as described above (L3> D3), the hard part 69 is as shown in FIG. Then, it tilts obliquely forward and upward so as to come into contact with the wall coupling portion 66 (the end of the side edge coupling portion 55 on the communication hole 56 side). The wall coupling portion 66 restricts the inflexible portion 69 from falling further toward the both downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 (downstream side) and the wall coupling portion 66 side (upper side). In this state, the communication hole 56 is substantially closed by the valve 60, and the expansion gas G in the primary expansion portion 47 flows to the secondary expansion portion 48 through the communication hole 56. Be regulated. Therefore, only the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 starts to increase after the approach amount (stroke) S0.

  In this embodiment, the expansion part 46 is divided into the primary expansion part 47 and the secondary expansion part 48 by the partition part 50, and the volume of the primary expansion part 47 is the case where the expansion part 46 is not partitioned (the prior art is based on this). The volume of the inflated portion 46 is smaller. For this reason, the internal pressure of the primary inflating portion 47 starts to rise faster than when the inflating portion 46 is not partitioned, and becomes higher. In particular, the expansion gas G in the primary expansion portion 47 only flows through the valve 60, and the expansion gas G in the primary expansion portion 47 flows out to the secondary expansion portion 48 without passing through the valve 60. There is no. Therefore, the increase rate of the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 does not decrease due to the outflow of the expansion gas G.

At this time, the airbag 40 (inflatable portion 46) is not yet in contact with the occupant P. Therefore, both the pressure receiving area and the load are still “0”.
And by the said expansion | swelling of the primary expansion part 47, it tries to eliminate a folding state in the reverse order to the order that the primary expansion part 47 was folded. When the primary inflating portion 47 is inflated while eliminating (deploying) the folded state, the seat pad 16 of the seat back 14 is pressed by the airbag 40 and is broken at the planned breaking portion 21 (see FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 18, the airbag 40 jumps out from the seat back 14 through the broken portion in a state where a part (the vicinity of the inflator assembly 30) remains in the seat back 14.

  Thereafter, as shown in at least one of FIGS. 2 and 3, the primary expansion portion 47 to which the expansion gas G is supplied is the rear half portion UBR of the chest PT of the occupant P seated on the body side portion 11 and the vehicle seat 12. Unfold the folds forward and unfold.

  The approach amount (stroke) of the body side part 11 becomes S1, and the inflating part 46 starts to be pressed against the upper body UB (chest part PT) of the occupant P by the body side part 11. Since only the primary inflatable portion 47 is inflated in the inflatable portion 46, the place where the occupant P contacts while receiving the pressure of the inflatable portion 46 is only the primary inflatable portion 47. Therefore, the area of the surface where the occupant P receives the pressure of the inflating portion 46 (pressure receiving area on the inflating portion 46 side) is the same as the area of the surface receiving the pressure of the primary inflating portion 47 (pressure receiving area on the primary inflating portion 47 side). It's small. However, the pressure receiving area on the primary expansion portion 47 side increases as the approach to the vehicle inner side of the body side portion 11 corresponding to the impact of the side collision proceeds (the amount of entry (stroke) increases). The impact load that the occupant P receives through the inflating portion 46 also increases as the pressure receiving area and the internal pressure increase. As described above, since the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 starts to rise quickly, the approach amount (stroke) S1 at which the load starts to increase is the load when the expansion portion 46 is not partitioned (prior art). Becomes smaller than the approach amount (stroke) S10 that starts increasing. In other words, the load begins to increase at an earlier timing than when the expansion portion 46 is not partitioned (prior art), and reaches the predetermined value β earlier (see FIG. 19).

  While the communication hole 56 is closed, the expansion gas G continues to be supplied into the primary expansion portion 47, while the approach amount (stroke) of the body side portion 11 becomes S2, so that the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 is increased. Rises to a predetermined value α, the hard-to-bend portion 69 that has stopped against the wall coupling portion 66 gets over the wall coupling portion 66. Then, as shown in FIG. 17, the difficult-to-flexible portion 69 is pushed out between the valve body portions 61 and 62 to the secondary expansion portion 48. Along with this, the upstream side portions of the valve body portions 61 and 62 with respect to the flexible portion 67 follow the hard-to-flexible portion 69, get over the wall portion coupling portion 66, and turn over (reverse). By this extrusion (inversion), the communication hole 56 that has been closed by the valve body portions 61 and 62 until then is opened. Thus, when the internal pressure of the primary expansion part 47 rises to a predetermined value α, both valve body parts 61 and 62 are deformed into a form different from that when the communication hole 56 is closed, and the communication hole 56 is opened. By this opening, the expansion gas G in the primary expansion portion 47 flows out to the secondary expansion portion 48 through the communication hole 56.

  The outflow of the expansion gas G causes the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 to change from increasing to decreasing. However, since the body side portion 11 continues to enter the vehicle interior and the inflating portion 46 is pressed against the occupant P in the primary inflating portion 47, the pressure receiving area on the primary inflating portion 47 side of the occupant P continues to increase.

  Further, after the entry amount (stroke) S2, the secondary expansion portion 48 starts to expand due to the expansion gas G, and the internal pressure of the secondary expansion portion 48 starts to increase accordingly. Further, when the approach amount (stroke) becomes S3 with a slight delay from the increase in the internal pressure, the secondary inflating portion 48 contacts the occupant P in addition to the primary inflating portion 47 by the body side portion 11 entering the vehicle inside. As a result, the area of the surface where the passenger P receives the pressure of the secondary expansion portion 48 (pressure receiving area on the secondary expansion portion 48 side) starts to increase.

In addition, the internal pressure of the primary expansion part 47 and the internal pressure of the secondary expansion part 48 become equal after the approach amount (stroke) S4.
As described above, after the valve 60 is opened (entrance amount (stroke) S2), the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 decreases and the internal pressure of the secondary expansion portion 48 increases. Further, the pressure receiving area on the primary expansion portion 47 side of the occupant P and the pressure receiving area on the secondary expansion portion 48 side increase with a time difference. For this reason, after the approach amount (stroke) S2, the load that the occupant P receives from the entire inflatable portion 46, that is, the sum of the load that is received from the primary inflatable portion 47 and the load that is received from the secondary inflatable portion 48 is simply an airbag. Is constituted by a single inflating portion and is lower than the maximum value in the case where no valve is provided (prior art), and becomes a substantially constant value (predetermined value β).

  Further, at the beginning of the supply period of the inflation gas G, the load received by the occupant P from the inflating portion 46 increases early, and thereafter, the load is almost maintained at a low predetermined value β. The amount of energy absorbed by the inflatable portion 46 is approximately the same as the amount of energy absorbed when the airbag is configured by a single inflatable portion and no valve is provided (prior art). The stroke-load characteristics of the embodiment are as follows. In the related art, the high load area (part A indicated by the upward slanting diagonal line) in the second half of the supply period of the expansion gas to the expansion section is the load in the first half of the supply period. It becomes a form that is shifted to a low region (portion B indicated by a slanting line slanting to the right). The portions A and B have different shapes, but the areas are almost the same.

  By the way, due to the expansion of the secondary expansion portion 48, the folded state tries to be eliminated in the reverse order of the order in which the secondary expansion portion 48 is folded. The secondary inflating portion 48 is deployed between the body side portion 11 and the front half UBF of the chest PT of the occupant P while canceling (deploying) the folded state.

  Thus, the airbag 40 is interposed between the chest part PT of the occupant P and the body side part 11 entering the vehicle interior side. The airbag 40 presses and restrains the chest part PT of the occupant P inward in the vehicle width direction. And the impact from the side transmitted to the passenger | crew's P chest part PT through the body side part 11 is relieve | moderated by the airbag 40, and the chest part PT is protected.

  Here, the impact resistance when an impact is applied from the side to the upper body UB of the occupant P is generally superior to that of the front half UBF in the rear half UBR. As shown in FIG. 3, the rear UBR has a spine 83 and the rib 84 is connected to the spine 83 at the rear part, whereas the front part of the rib 84 is like the spine 83. It is because it is not connected to what has strength. Therefore, it is desirable that the internal pressure of the inflating portion 46 acting on the upper body UB of the occupant P from the side as the airbag 40 is inflated and deployed is lower in the front half UBF than in the rear half UBR.

  In this regard, in the present embodiment, the expansion portion 46 expands in the front-rear direction so that the partition portion 50 is positioned in the vicinity of the boundary portion X between the front half UBF and the rear half UBR of the upper body UB. The boundary portion X passes through the portion M that protrudes most in the width direction in the rib 84. In a state where the inflating portion 46 of the airbag 40 is inflated and deployed, the primary inflating portion 47 is located near the side of the rear half UBR of the upper body UB, and the secondary inflating portion 48 is located near the side of the front half UBF. To do. Therefore, the rear half UBR having higher impact resistance than the front half UBF in the upper half UB of the occupant P is pressed by the primary inflating portion 47 whose internal pressure is increased early. The front half UBF having a relatively low impact resistance among the upper body UB of the occupant P is pressed by the secondary inflatable portion 48 whose internal pressure is not as high as that of the primary inflatable portion 47.

  The above is a typical mode of operation (mode) of the valve 60, but there may be a mode of operation (different mode) different from this. In this mode (another mode), the valve 60 operates in the same manner as the above representative mode until halfway. In the middle, the flexible portion 67 and the upstream portion of both valve body portions 61 and 62 try to expand in a cylindrical shape with different inner diameters (peripheries), and the flexible portion 67 moves downstream. This is until the hardened portion 69 (auxiliary coupling portion 71) is pulled toward both the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 (downstream side) and the wall portion coupling portion 66 side (upper side).

  After this drawing, the upstream portions of the valve body portions 61 and 62 with respect to the flexible portion 67 are brought closer to each other by the pressure of the expansion gas G. When the upstream side portions of the valve body portions 61 and 62 overlap (closely contact) each other, both the upstream side portions are crushed toward the downstream side in the overlapped (closely contacted) state, and the communication hole 56 Close. The operation of the valve 60 after the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 reaches a predetermined value α is the same as that in the representative mode.

According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The inflation portion 46 of the airbag 40 is supplied with the primary inflation portion 47 to which the inflation gas G from the inflator 31 is supplied by the partition portion 50 and the inflation gas G via the primary inflation portion 47. The secondary expansion part 48 is partitioned. The partition 50 is closed at the beginning of the supply period of the expansion gas G to the expansion section 46 to restrict the flow of the expansion gas G from the primary expansion section 47 to the secondary expansion section 48. A valve 60 is provided to open the valve from the middle of the supply period to release the restriction (see FIG. 7). For this reason, the load that the upper body UB of the occupant P receives from the impact through the airbag 40 is quickly increased to a predetermined value β that is smaller than the maximum value when the airbag is simply constituted by a single inflating portion and no valve is provided. After that, the load can be maintained substantially at its value β.

  Further, the amount of energy absorbed by the airbag 40 can be set to the same level as the amount of energy absorbed when the airbag is simply constituted by a single inflating portion and no valve is provided. Unlike the case of reducing the degree of increase (inclination) of the load with respect to the amount of entry of the body side part into the vehicle interior by changing the size of the exhaust hole, etc., suppressing the decrease in the energy absorption amount by the airbag 40 Can do.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, the maximum value of the load that the occupant P receives through the airbag 40 can be reduced while securing the amount of energy absorbed by the airbag 40.

  (2) The partition portion 50 is provided with a communication hole 56 that allows the primary expansion portion 47 and the secondary expansion portion 48 to communicate with each other. As the valve 60, a valve including a first valve body portion 61 and a second valve body portion 62 respectively disposed in the primary expansion portion 47 is employed, and both valve body portions 61 are adapted according to changes in the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47. 62 is deformed to open and close the communication hole 56 (see FIGS. 12 to 17). Therefore, at the beginning of the supply period when the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 is low, the communication hole 56 is closed by the valve body portions 61 and 62, and the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 is increased to a predetermined value α. The communication hole 56 can be opened by both valve body parts 61 and 62 from the middle (entry amount (stroke) S2).

  (3) The downstream end portions of the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 of the valve 60 are respectively connected to the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 extending in a direction intersecting the gas flow direction in the communication hole 56. It couple | bonds with the corresponding communication wall parts 57 and 58. FIG. For each of the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62, a flexible portion 67 that can be bent toward the downstream side is provided in the vicinity of the upstream side of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64. For each of the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62, one side portion (upper side portion) in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 is at least corresponding to the communication wall by the one side edge coupling portion 65. Coupled to the portions 57 and 58. In the vicinity of the one side edge coupling portion 65, a wall portion coupling portion 66 that couples at least both the communication wall portions 57 and 58 to each other is provided. For the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62, the other side portion (lower side portion) in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 extends along the gas flow direction in the communication hole 56. They are connected to each other by the side edge connecting portion 68. Between the one side edge coupling portion 65 and the other side edge coupling portion 68 and in the vicinity of the upper side of the other side edge coupling portion 68, the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 are coupled to each other. The auxiliary coupling portion 71 extending further upstream is provided starting from a location in the vicinity of the upstream side of the flexible portion 67. The auxiliary coupling portion 71 also serves as an inflexible portion 69 that extends upstream and is less likely to bend than the flexible portion 67 (see FIG. 8).

For this reason, it is possible to reliably open and close the communication hole 56 according to the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 while establishing the valve 60 with a simple configuration.
(4) The length L3 of the hard part 69 is set to be longer than the distance D3 between the position E of the wall joint part 66 and the end part F on the hard part 69 side in both downstream end joint parts 63 and 64. ing. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the flexible portion 67 and the portion upstream of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 from going over the wall coupling portion 66 and to be reversed, so that the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 is predetermined. Until the value α is reached, the communication hole 56 can be reliably closed.

  (5) Although it is conceivable to form the hard-to-be-hardened portion 69 with a hard material, in this case, it is not easy to change the difficulty in bending the hard-to-be-hardened portion 69. In this regard, in the present embodiment, both the valve body portions 61 and 62 made of a cloth that is originally a material that is easily bent are stitched with a sewing thread to form the inflexible portion 69. Therefore, it is possible to easily form the hard-to-bend portion 69 that is less bent than the flexible portion 67 with such a simple configuration. It is also easy to change the type of sewing thread or the number of threads, and adjust the difficulty of bending of the hard-to-be-hardened portion 69, thereby setting and changing the timing at which the hard-to-hard portion 69 is deformed and reversed. Can be done easily.

  (6) The 1st valve body part 61 and the 2nd valve body part 62 are integrally formed in the corresponding communication wall parts 57 and 58 in those downstream edge parts. The downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 are configured by boundary portions between the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62 and the corresponding communication wall portions 57 and 58, respectively. Therefore, when the valve 60 is manufactured, the downstream end portion of the first valve body portion 61 is coupled to the corresponding first communication wall portion 57, or the downstream end portion of the second valve body portion 62 is associated with the second end portion. The operation | work couple | bonded with the communication wall part 58 becomes unnecessary. Accordingly, the number of manufacturing steps for the valve 60 can be reduced. Further, the valve 60 can be manufactured with a smaller number of parts, and the structure can be simplified.

  After the manufacture of the valve 60, the boundary portion between the first valve body portion 61 and the first communication wall portion 57 functions as the first downstream end coupling portion 63, and the second valve body portion 62 and the second communication wall portion 58 This boundary portion can function as the second downstream end coupling portion 64.

  (7) One side edge joint portion 65 and wall portion joint portion 66 are sewn together (sewed together) with the first valve body portion 61, the second valve body portion 62, and the two communicating wall portions 57, 58 with sewing threads. It is formed by. Therefore, compared with the case where these are formed separately, the one side edge coupling portion 65 and the wall portion coupling portion 66 in the vicinity thereof can be formed easily and in a short time.

(8) As the inflating part 46, a part in which the primary inflating part 47 is partitioned forward and backward by the partitioning part 50 so as to be positioned on the rear side of the secondary inflating part 48 and deployed forward is adopted.
Therefore, the inflation gas G from the inflator 31 is supplied in order from the rear (primary inflation portion 47) to the front (secondary inflation portion 48), and the inflation portion 46 of the airbag 40 is connected to the body side portion 11 and the occupant. The upper body UB of the occupant P can be protected from a side impact by inflating and deploying from the rear side to the front side.

  (9) When the inflating portions 47 and 48 are inflated, the position of the partition portion 50 in the inflating portion 46 is close to the side of the boundary portion X between the front half UBF and the rear half UBR of the upper body UB of the occupant P. It is set in the place. For this reason, in the upper half UB, the latter half UBR having a relatively higher impact resistance than the front half UBF can be protected from the impact at an early stage by the primary expansion portion 47 having a high internal pressure, and the impact resistance is relatively low. The front half UBF can be softly protected from impact by the secondary expansion portion 48 having an internal pressure lower than that of the primary expansion portion 47.

Note that the present invention can be embodied in another embodiment described below.
<About airbag 40>
The airbag 40 may have a non-inflatable portion that is not inflated without being supplied with the inflation gas G.

<About valve 60>
-By changing the hardness (rigidity) of the hard part 69 or changing the length L3, the valve part 61, 62 is reversed by getting over the wall part 66 to the hard part 69. The internal pressure of the primary expansion part 47 can be adjusted.

  As a means for changing the hardness (rigidity) of the difficult-to-bend part 69, when the hard-to-bend part 69 is formed by stitching, the stitch length (pitch) is changed, the type, thickness, etc. of the sewing thread is changed. , Increase or decrease the number.

  For example, as the thread becomes thicker and as the number increases, the hard-to-bend part 69 becomes harder (the rigidity becomes higher), and the primary inflating part 47 when the both valve body parts 61 and 62 are reversed (opened). The internal pressure increases.

  Further, when the hard part 69 is formed by adhesion, changing the type of adhesive or changing the application amount (thickness) is a means for changing the hardness (rigidity) of the hard part 69. It is done. For example, the hardened portion 69 becomes harder (the rigidity becomes higher) as the application amount increases, and the internal pressure of the primary expansion portion 47 when the valve body portions 61 and 62 are reversed (opened) increases.

  As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the first valve body 61 of the valve 60 may be constituted by a member different from the component piece 51 inside the compartment 50. In this case, the first downstream end coupling portion extending from the downstream end of the first valve body 61 in a direction (vertical direction in FIG. 20) that intersects the flow direction of the expansion gas G in the communication hole 56. 63 is coupled to the first communication wall portion 57.

  Similarly, the second valve body portion 62 of the valve 60 may be configured by a member different from the component piece 52 on the vehicle exterior side of the partition portion 50. In this case, the second communication wall portion is formed by the second downstream end coupling portion 64 extending in the direction intersecting the flow direction of the expansion gas G in the communication hole 56 at the downstream end portion of the second valve body portion 62. 58.

-You may provide the communicating hole 56 and the valve 60 in the location different from the said embodiment in the division part 50, ie, the location biased upward or downward from the center part about an up-down direction.
-As shown in FIG. 22, you may provide the one side edge coupling | bond part 65 and the wall part coupling | bond part 66 in a different location of the airbag 40. As shown in FIG. In short, the one side edge coupling portion 65 has at least one side portion (upper portion) in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64 for each of the first valve body portion 61 and the second valve body portion 62. It connects with the corresponding communicating wall parts 57 and 58, and the wall part coupling | bond part 66 is provided in the vicinity of the one side edge coupling | bond part 65, and couple | bonds both the communicating wall parts 57 and 58 mutually. I just need it.

Thus, even when the wall portion coupling portion 66 is provided at a location different from the one-side edge coupling portion 65, the same operation and effect as the above embodiment can be obtained.
Note that the wall portion coupling portion 66 may be configured only by the end portion 55 </ b> A on the communication hole 56 side of the upper side edge coupling portion 55 on the condition that it is in the vicinity of the one side edge coupling portion 65. Further, the front end portion of the one-side edge coupling portion 65 is extended to the communication wall portions 57 and 58, and both the communication wall portions 57 and 58 are coupled to each other. In this case, the wall portion coupling portion 66 can be configured only by the front end portion of the one side edge coupling portion 65.

  -As shown in FIG. 23, you may provide the hard-flexing part 69 and the auxiliary | assistant coupling | bond part 71 in the location where both the valve body parts 61 and 62 differ. In short, the auxiliary coupling portion 71 is connected between the one side edge coupling portion 65 and the other side edge coupling portion 68, and in the vicinity of the other side edge coupling portion 68, the valve body portions 61 and 62 are coupled to each other. At the same time, it may be anything that extends to the upstream side of the exhaust gas starting from the location near the upstream side of the flexible portion 67. Further, the hard-to-flex portion 69 may be provided on or near the auxiliary coupling portion 71 of the valve 60, extends to the upstream side, and is less likely to bend than the flexible portion 67. Thus, even if it is provided in different places, the same operation and effect as the above embodiment can be obtained.

  When the first valve body 61 of the valve 60 is configured by a separate member from the component piece 51 inside the compartment 50 and the second valve body 62 is configured by a separate member from the component piece 52 outside the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, one piece of fabric may be used. The fabric is overlapped in the vehicle width direction by folding in half at the center. A portion inside the vehicle among the two folded portions is referred to as a first valve body portion 61, and a portion outside the vehicle is referred to as a second valve body portion 62. Both valve body parts 61 and 62 are joined so as to be cylindrical. In this case, with respect to both valve body portions 61 and 62, the other side portion (the lower side portion in FIG. 20) in the extending direction of the downstream end coupling portions 63 and 64, that is, the folded portion may be used as the other side edge coupling portion 68. .

-While maintaining the mutually parallel state of the one side edge coupling | bond part 65 (wall part coupling | bond part 66) and the rigid part 69 (auxiliary coupling | bond part 71), you may make them incline at an angle different from the said embodiment. .
-You may provide the one side edge coupling | bond part 65 (wall part coupling | bond part 66) so that it may become a non-parallel state with respect to the rigid part 69 (auxiliary coupling | bond part 71). In this case, the one side edge coupling part 65 (wall part coupling part 66) may be linear, but may be bent or curved.

  -On the condition that "it extends upstream on or near the auxiliary coupling part 71 of the valve 60 and is more difficult to bend than the flexible part 67", the difficultly flexible part 69 is configured by means different from the sewing thread. Also good. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, a rod-shaped portion made of a synthetic resin or metal may be used as the inflexible portion 69.

The upstream ends of the valve body portions 61 and 62 may be inclined as shown in FIG. 8 or the like, or may not be inclined.
-Both downstream end coupling | bond parts 63 and 64 should just extend in the direction which cross | intersects the distribution direction of the gas G for expansion | swelling in the communicating hole 56, and unlike the said embodiment, it is not necessarily the direction substantially orthogonal to the same distribution direction. It does not have to extend to.

  The valve is closed at the beginning of the supply period of the expansion gas G to restrict the flow of the expansion gas G from the primary expansion section 47 to the secondary expansion section 48, and is opened from the middle of the supply period to control the above You may change the structure of the valve 60 on the condition that it cancels | releases.

  The partition portion 50 (tether) is formed of a single fabric having a hole in the central portion, and this hole is used as the communication hole 56, and the peripheral portion of the hole in the partition portion 50 is also used as the communication wall portions 57 and 58. Good. In this way, the operation of forming the side edge coupling portion 55 for coupling the component pieces 51 and 52, which is necessary when the partition portion 50 is configured by the pair of component pieces 51 and 52 on the vehicle inner side and the vehicle outer side, is performed. It becomes unnecessary.

<Regarding partition 50>
In the case where the airbag 40 includes a pair of fabric portions 43 and 44 in the vehicle width direction and these fabric portions 43 and 44 are coupled by the peripheral edge coupling portion 45, a partition portion instead of the tether May be constituted by a member (also referred to as a seam) that joins the fabric parts 43 and 44 in contact with each other on the inner side of the peripheral joint part 45. The coupling is performed by, for example, stitching the fabric parts 43 and 44 in contact with each other or bonding them with an adhesive. Also in this case, a valve is provided in the partition part.

<Others>
When the airbag device is embodied as a side airbag device as in the above embodiment, the restraint / protection location of the occupant P by the airbag 40 is different from the chest PT, such as the waist, abdomen, and shoulder. Etc., or a combination thereof.

-This invention is applicable also to the airbag apparatus of a type different from a side airbag apparatus. Examples of applicable airbag devices include the following.
(I) A driver-protecting airbag device that inflates and deploys an airbag in front of a driver and protects the chest and head of the driver from the impact when an impact is applied to the vehicle from the front.

(Ii) A passenger seat airbag device that inflates and deploys an airbag in front of a passenger in a passenger seat to protect the passenger's chest and head from the impact when an impact is applied to the vehicle from the front.
(Iii) When an impact is applied to the vehicle from the front, the airbag is inflated and deployed in front of and below the occupant seated on the vehicle seat, and the knee protection protects the region from the shin part to the knee part of the occupant Air bag device.

  The secondary inflatable portion 48 may be provided at a location different from the front side of the primary inflatable portion 47 according to the protection site of the occupant P by the airbag 40. For example, the secondary expansion part 48 may be provided on the rear side, the upper side, the lower side, the diagonal front upper side, the diagonal front lower side, the diagonal rear upper side, the diagonal rear lower side, etc. of the primary expansion part 47.

  The inflator assembly 30 may be provided outside the airbag 40. In this case, the inflator 31 and the primary expansion part 47 may be connected by a pipe, and the expansion gas G from the inflator 31 may be supplied to the primary expansion part 47 through this pipe.

  Instead of the seat back 14 of the vehicle seat 12, the housing side 18 may be provided in the body side portion 11, and the airbag module AM may be provided here.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle, 11 ... Body side part, 12 ... Vehicle seat, 31 ... Inflator, 40 ... Air bag, 46 ... Expansion part, 47 ... Primary expansion part, 48 ... Secondary expansion part, 50 ... Partition part, 56 ... Communication hole 57... First communication wall 58. Second communication wall 60. Valve 61. First valve body 62. Second valve body 63 63 First downstream end coupling part 64. Second downstream end coupling part, 65 ... one side edge coupling part, 66 ... wall part coupling part, 67 ... flexible part, 68 ... other side edge coupling part, 69 ... hard-to-flex part, 71 ... auxiliary coupling part, D1, D2, D3 ... spacing, E ... location, F ... end, G, G1, G2, G3 ... inflation gas, P ... occupant, UB ... upper body, UBF ... front half, UBR ... latter half, L2, L3 ... long X ... Boundary part.

Claims (9)

In an airbag device comprising an airbag having an inflating portion that is inflated by an inflating gas, and an inflator that supplies the inflating portion to the inflating portion in response to an impact on a vehicle,
The inflation portion of the airbag is divided into a primary inflation portion to which the inflation gas is supplied from the inflator and a secondary inflation portion to which the inflation gas is supplied via the primary inflation portion. Partitioned,
The partition portion includes a pair of constituent pieces that are spanned between a fabric on the inner side of the airbag and a fabric on the outer side of the vehicle,
The side edge portions of the pair of component pieces are coupled to each other by a side edge coupling portion, the expansion portion is partitioned into the primary expansion portion and the secondary expansion portion, and the side edge coupling portion A part is provided with a non-coupled portion to which the side edge portions are not coupled, and the non-coupled portion serves as a communication hole for communicating between the primary expansion portion and the secondary expansion portion,
The partition portion is closed at the initial stage of the supply period of the expansion gas to the expansion portion to restrict the flow of the expansion gas from the primary expansion portion to the secondary expansion portion. There is a valve that opens from the middle of the period to release the restriction ,
The valve includes a valve body portion that is configured of the component piece and is disposed in the primary expansion portion, and moves the valve body portion toward the secondary expansion portion according to a change in internal pressure of the primary expansion portion. An airbag device that is reversed to open the communication hole . In an airbag device comprising an airbag having an inflating portion that is inflated by an inflating gas, and an inflator that supplies the inflating portion to the inflating portion in response to an impact on a vehicle,
The inflation portion of the airbag is divided into a primary inflation portion to which the inflation gas is supplied from the inflator and a secondary inflation portion to which the inflation gas is supplied via the primary inflation portion. Partitioned,
The partition portion is closed at the initial stage of the supply period of the expansion gas to the expansion portion to restrict the flow of the expansion gas from the primary expansion portion to the secondary expansion portion. There is a valve that opens from the middle of the period to release the restriction,
The partition part is provided with a communication wall part, and the communication wall part is provided with a communication hole for communicating between the primary expansion part and the secondary expansion part,
The valve includes a first valve body portion and a second valve body portion respectively disposed in the primary expansion portion, and deforms both the valve body portions in accordance with a change in internal pressure of the primary expansion portion, so that the communication is performed. Open and close the hole ,
The communication wall portion is provided on both sides of the communication hole,
The respective downstream end portions of the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion are coupled to the corresponding communication wall portion by a downstream end coupling portion extending in a direction crossing the gas flow direction in the communication hole. ,
For each of the first valve body part and the second valve body part, a flexible part that can bend to the downstream side is provided in the vicinity of the upstream side of the downstream end coupling part.
For each of the first valve body part and the second valve body part, one side part in the extending direction of the downstream end joint part is coupled to at least the corresponding communication wall part by one side edge joint part,
On or near the one side edge coupling portion, a wall coupling portion that couples at least the two communication wall portions to each other is provided,
For the first valve body part and the second valve body part, the other side part in the extending direction of the downstream end joint part is coupled to each other by the other side edge joint part extending along the gas flow direction,
Between the one side edge coupling portion and the other side edge coupling portion, in the vicinity of the other side edge coupling portion, the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion are coupled to each other, and An auxiliary coupling portion is provided that extends further upstream from the location near the upstream side of the flexible portion,
An airbag device characterized in that an inflexible portion is provided on or near the auxiliary coupling portion of the valve, extending to the upstream side and being harder to bend than the flexible portion . The length of the rigid part is longer than the distance between the part where the distance between the hard part and the hard part is the narrowest in the wall part and the end part on the hard part side in the downstream end joint part. The airbag apparatus of Claim 2 currently set. The first valve body part and the second valve body part are formed of a flexible fabric, and the hardened part sews the first valve body part and the second valve body part with a sewing thread. The airbag apparatus of Claim 2 or 3 formed by this. The first valve body portion and the second valve body portion are formed integrally with the corresponding communication wall portion at their downstream end portions, and the first valve body portion and the second valve body portion The airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 4 , wherein the downstream end coupling portion is configured by a boundary portion between each corresponding communication wall portion. The one side edge coupling portion and the wall portion coupling portion, the first valve body portion, of claims 2 to 5, which is formed by suturing the second valve body portion and the both communicating walls with thread The airbag apparatus as described in any one. The inflatable portion is inflated and deployed between a body side portion of the vehicle and an occupant seated on the vehicle seat by the inflation gas supplied from the inflator in response to a side impact on the vehicle. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The expansion unit is configured and primary inflatable portion is divided into front and rear by the partition portion so as to be positioned at the rear side of the secondary inflatable portion, according to claim 7 in which is inflated and deployed toward the front Airbag device. The partition section divides the expansion section into the primary expansion section and the secondary expansion section in the vicinity of a boundary portion between the front half and the rear half of the upper body of the occupant when the expansion section is expanded. The airbag apparatus according to 8 .

Images