JPH09240413A - Side air bag structure for vehicle seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide specified directivity to the protruding direction of a side air bag and to secure accurate expansion of the air bag along a door or the like by disposing the side air bag in a seat back side and regulating the protruding direction of the side air bag by a guiding piece and a covering member during expansion. SOLUTION: When an inflator 18 is actuated by an impact or the like, a side air bag 12 is expanded by gas pressure, a covering member 32 is opened by a volume increase inside a base bracket 20 following the expansion and a gap thereby formed is used as a protrusion space to protrude the air bag 12. At this time, since a guiding piece 36 inclined forward and outward is positioned in the front side of the side air bag 12, the air bag 12 is protruded from the open side of the bracket 20 to the outside along this guiding piece 36. The protruded air bag 12 is contacted with a door 14, then extended so as to move around from the side of a seat back 16 in an occupant direction and thus the occupant is protected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is incorporated in a side portion of a seat back on a wall surface side of a vehicle such as a door, and is provided with a protrusion along a wall surface from a side surface of the seat back due to expansion when a vehicle impact occurs. The present invention relates to a side airbag structure of a vehicle seat that protects a seated person from the wall surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, airbags have been widely provided as a protection device for automobiles, etc., which reduce the impact on a seated person due to the expansion and protrusion thereof in the event of an accident such as a collision. Then, for example, a configuration in which a driver seat of an automobile or the like and an occupant seat represented by an assistant seat are arranged so as to be inflatable and projectable in the front is generally known as such an airbag.

Airbags for driver seats are usually incorporated into a steering wheel so that they can be inflated between the driver and the steering wheel. On the other hand, in the assistant seat (passenger seat), the airbag can be inflated between the seated person (occupant) and the instrument panel (instrument panel) located in front of the seat for the occupant. It has been incorporated.

In general, an airbag of this type is instantly inflated and projected by generation (injection) of gas and ignition in a starter called an inflator when an impact sensor detects an impact such as a collision of an automobile. Is configured to.

A so-called side airbag, which is built in a side portion of a seat back and protects a seated person from a wall surface such as a door by expansion and protrusion from a side surface of the seat back when an impact occurs, is also an airbag as described above. Known as a kind of.

Such a side airbag is attached to, for example, an outer open base bracket arranged on a side portion of the seat back and is covered by a cover member or the like, that is, a seat back. It is configured to project from the side surface to the front side of the seat back under the expansion.

[0007]

By the way, a normal airbag provided on a steering wheel, instrument panel or the like has a specific inflation thickness in the front-rear direction and is sufficient if it is inflated in the up-down direction or the left-right direction. The inflation direction can be set relatively easily based on the shape of the airbag itself.

On the other hand, the side airbag incorporated in the side portion of the seat back is limited in its inflating and projecting directions to the front along the wall surface of the door or the like. That is, in the known configuration, the projecting direction required for the side airbag is different from the opening direction of the base bracket, and therefore, when the side airbag is simply attached to the seatback, the side airbag is inflated. In the protruding direction of the side airbag,
It is not easy to have proper directivity.

Then, such a side airbag is
Since it is projected from the side of the seat back to the front, the distance from the base to the tip of the side airbag becomes relatively long. That is, it takes a long time to complete the inflation of the side airbag, and in particular, there is a possibility that the rapid inflation to the inflated thickness necessary for the so-called protection area located on the side of the seated person may not be sufficiently obtained at the time of impact. There is

It is an object of the present invention to provide a side airbag structure for a vehicle seat, which has an accurate directivity in the protruding direction of the side airbag and enables a rapid expansion in the protection area.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, a base bracket which has a bent piece at the rear end and is bent and formed in an outwardly open shape corresponds to a corresponding frame. It is arranged on the side of the seat back with the base fixed to the seat. In addition, the base of the side airbag folded in a predetermined shape in the contracted state is fixed to the rear end bent piece of the base bracket together with the built-in inflator, and the guide piece inclined forward and outward is formed by the side air bag. It protrudes from the base of the base bracket in front of the bag.

A resin cover member for covering the outer side of the base bracket can be opened under the bending of the hinge, which is a thin portion, so that the base portion is connected to the rear end bent piece of the base bracket. The cover member is held in the closed position by a locking means that is fixedly arranged and that has a locking force capable of unlocking under the inflation of the side airbag.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, in a vehicle seat side airbag structure 10 according to the present invention, a side airbag 12 is a side portion of a seat bag 16 on a side wall surface of a vehicle such as an automobile such as a door 14. Is built into. The side airbag 12 is configured to be able to project forward along the door (wall surface) 14 under the expansion.

The side airbag 12 usually has a built-in inflator 18 which serves as a starting device, and the side airbag is generated by the generation of gas (injection) and ignition in the inflator upon detection of a shock such as a collision. It is instantly expandable.

The operating principle of the side airbag 12 is well known, and its structure and its operating system are not the subject matter of the present invention, and therefore will not be described in detail here.

Here, in the present invention, the side airbag 12 is connected and fixed to the base bracket 20 disposed on the side portion of the seat back 16. As shown in FIG. 2 in addition to FIG. 1, the base bracket 20
Is, for example, bent and formed in an outwardly open shape having a bent piece 20a at the rear end, and the open (outer) side thereof is aligned with the side surface of the seatback, so that the seatback frame 22 and the side frame 24 are It is arranged under the fixed condition of the base portion 20b.

The front end 20c of the base bracket 20 is
For example, the trim cover 26 is folded back by curling and is used as a symmetrical member for folding and joining the end of the trim cover 26 of the seat back 16 made of a skin or the like.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the base portion of the side airbag 12 folded into a predetermined shape in the contracted state is fixed to the rear end bending piece 20a of the base bracket together with the built-in inflator 18. ing. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example, an inflator 18 is formed with a pair of upper and lower projecting bolts 28, and projecting bolts to the rear end bent piece 20a of the base bracket via the side airbag 12. Of the nut and screwing the nut 30 from the rear,
Base bracket 20 for inflator and air side bag
Is integrally connected and fixed to.

The side airbag 12 is normally folded in such a manner that it can be inflated and protruded forward with respect to its base, and the inflator 18 is built in with the corresponding direction taken as the gas injection direction.

The opening side of the base bracket 20 is covered with a resin cover member 32. The cover member 32 has, for example, a base portion 32a that is bent and formed inward.
Is formed from a synthetic resin material or the like into a substantially L-shaped cross section integrally having a rear end, and is attached while the base portion is connected and fixed to the rear end bent piece 20a of the base bracket.

Here, in the embodiment of the present invention, the projecting bolts 28 of the inflator are utilized, and the base 32 of the cover member is jointly tightened with the projecting bolts and the nut 30.
a is fixed to the rear end bent piece 20a of the base bracket together with the inflator and the side airbag 12.

The cover member 32 is formed, for example, at a location adjacent to the bent portion at the rear end with a hinge 34 as a thin portion, and by bending at this hinge, the base bracket 20, that is, the seat back. It can be opened to 16 sides (see Fig. 1).

By the way, in this construction, as described above, the side airbag 12 is inflated forward with respect to the opening side of the base bracket 20 located outside, with respect to the rear end bent piece 20a of the base bracket. It is arranged and fixed so that it can project. In other words, the side airbag 12
It is possible to expand and project in a direction different from the opening direction of the base bracket 20.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the present invention, the guide piece 36 for guiding the inflated side airbag 12 from the inside of the base bracket 20 to the open outer side is folded. Further, in front of the side airbag 12, it is provided so as to project forwardly and outwardly on the base portion 20b of the base bracket. As can be seen from FIG. 2 in addition to FIGS. 1 and 3, the guide piece 36 is formed, for example, as a plate-like piece by partially cutting and raising the base portion 20b of the base bracket.

Here, in the embodiment of the present invention, the guide piece 36 is formed with the engaging recess 38 on the surface facing the side airbag 12, and is engageable with this engaging recess. A lock piece 40 with a claw is integrally provided on the inner surface of the cover member 32. In this configuration, the engagement of the claw 40a of the lock piece 40 with the engagement recess 38 of the guide piece restricts the rotation of the cover member 32 in the opening direction with respect to the base bracket 20.

That is, in this embodiment, the combination of the engaging recess 38 and the locking piece 40 with the claw is formed and functions as the locking means 42 for holding the cover member 32 in the closed position. There is.

The engaging force between the engaging means 38 and the claw 40a of the lock piece, that is, the engaging force of the cover member 32 at the closed position by the engaging means 42 is determined by the expansion of the side airbag 12. It is set so that the lock can be released.

In the side airbag 12 as described above, the folded and contracted state shown in FIG. 3 is the initial state, and when the automobile receives a shock more than a specific value due to a collision or the like in this contracted state, Inflator under detection
It is expanded and projected by the operation of 18. In this initial state, when the side air bag 12 expands, the cover member 32 is first opened due to the expansion of the volume inside the base bracket 20 due to the expansion, and the gap formed by this is formed. The side airbag is projected using the space as a projection space.

At this time, according to the present invention, since the guide piece 36 inclined forward and outward is located in front of the side airbag 12, the side airbag is provided with the base bracket 20 along the guide piece. Tries to project outward from the open side of.

Here, in the present invention, the cover member
32 is configured to be openable under the bending of the hinge 34, which is a thin portion. In this configuration, since the hinge 34 of the cover member has strength proportional to the wall thickness, the cover member does not open so much under this hinge which is a thin portion. That is, the cover member 32 is only opened to the opening width required for the side airbag 12 to project when inflated, and the inflated side airbag is projected along the cover member whose open width is suppressed. Therefore, it is projected from a gap formed between the guide piece 36 and the cover member in a direction defined by the guide piece and the cover member, that is, obliquely forward with respect to the side surface of the seatback 16 (see FIG. 1).

The gap between the guide piece 36 and the cover member 32 is set to, for example, the lateral width of the inflator 18, that is, the diameter thereof.

The side airbag 12 protruding from between the guide piece 36 and the cover member 32 is contacted with the door 14 and then,
The seat back 16 is extended from the side of the seat back 16 toward the seat occupant, and is maintained under an appropriate expansion thickness. In the inflated and projected side airbag 12, as shown in FIG. 1, the range R from the side tip of the seat back 16 to the tip of the side airbag protects the occupant from the side. It becomes an effective protection area, and the upper body of the seated person is protected in this protection area.

According to such a side airbag 12,
The side airbag is interposed between the upper body of the seated person and the door 14 to prevent the upper body from moving in the collision direction with respect to the door and to absorb the impact under its elasticity. The degree of injury to the seated person due to

The protrusion of the side airbag 12 between the upper body of the seated person and the door 14 separates the upper body of the seated person from the door, which inevitably causes the head of the seated person to be separated. Move away from the door. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the head from colliding with the door 14, particularly the glass portion of the door, and the injury caused thereby can be sufficiently reduced in the side airbag 12 of this type.

As described above, in the side airbag structure 10 for a vehicle seat according to the present invention, the side airbag when inflated by the guide piece 36 and the cover member 32.
Since the twelve protruding directions are defined, it is possible to give a specific directivity to the protruding direction of the side airbag. That is, even if the protruding direction required for the side airbag 12 is different from the opening side direction of the base bracket 20 to which the side airbag is attached, by specifying the protruding direction with the guide piece 36 and the cover member 32. , Door 14
It is possible to easily inflate and project the side airbag from the side surface of the seat back 16 to the front along the direction.

According to the present invention, the guide piece 36 is provided by cutting and raising the base portion 20b of the base bracket, and it is sufficient to cover the open side of the base bracket 20 with the cover member 32 having the hinge 34 with appropriate strength. , Without complicating the structure.

In the vehicle seat side airbag structure 10 of the present invention, since the opening width of the cover member 32 is suppressed to about the lateral width of the inflator 18, the volume of the side airbag 12 at that portion is: Compared with the volume in the protected area R, it is sufficiently small. That is, the inflator
The gas injected from 18 flows toward the front end of the side airbag 12 without staying in the side portion of the seat back 16 other than the protection region R more than necessary, so that the flow velocity increases in that portion. Thereby, the inflation time to the desired inflation thickness in the protection region of the side airbag is sufficiently shortened.

Therefore, rapid inflation in addition to the regulation of the protruding direction of the side airbag 12 can be easily ensured in the present invention.

Further, in the portion other than the protected area, the inflation thickness of the side airbag 12 is suppressed, so that the gas from the inflator 18 is sufficiently flowed to the protected area. That is, by effectively flowing a certain amount of gas from the inflator 18 to the protection area, effective use of the gas can be easily achieved.

Here, in the present invention, the cover member
Although the opening width of 32 is illustrated as the width (diameter) of the inflator 18, the side airbag 12 in the protected area portion is illustrated.
Since the volume of the side airbag between the guide piece 36 and the cover member needs to be smaller than the volume of the above, it is not limited to this, and the opening amount of the cover member may be set to another opening width.

However, if the opening width of the cover member 32 is set to be about the lateral width of the inflator 18, the flow of gas from the inflator is not hindered and the volume can be reduced more than necessary to increase the flow velocity. It is possible to easily ensure smooth, rapid inflation and protrusion of the side airbag 12.

Further, the guide piece 36 is formed by cutting and raising the base portion 20b of the base bracket, but the guide piece is not limited to this because it is sufficient if the guide piece is provided to be inclined forward and outward. The body guide piece may be fixed to the base of the base bracket.

However, the base 20 of the base bracket
If the guide piece 36 is provided by cutting and raising b, it is possible to easily reduce the number of parts, that is, simplify the configuration.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention,
As the locking means 42 for holding the cover member 32 in the closed position,
Although the combination of the engagement recess 38 of the guide piece and the lock piece 40 with the claw is illustrated, it is sufficient if the cover member 32 can be held in the closed position, and therefore the present invention is not limited to this, and other combinations may be used. You may comprise a stop means.

However, according to this locking means 42,
Since it suffices to provide the engagement recess 38 in the guide piece 36 and to project the lock piece 40 with a claw on the inner surface of the cover member 32, it is possible to appropriately open the side airbag 12 under inflation. The stopping means can be easily secured without complicating the structure.

Further, in this embodiment, the cover member 32 is the base 32 of the inflator 18 and the side airbag 12 by the projecting bolt 28 and nut 30 of the inflator.
Although it is connected and fixed to the base bracket 20 under the co-fastening with a, it is enough if the cover member is releasably fixed. It may be arranged at.

However, if the cover member 32 is connected and fixed to the base bracket 20 under the condition that the inflator 18 and the side airbag 12 are fastened together, the number of parts and the work process are reduced, so that the structure is simplified. And workability is improved.

Although the driver seat and the assistant seat, which are the front seats, can be generally exemplified as the seats equipped with the side airbag 12, the seats mounted adjacent to the wall surface of the door 14 or the like can be used. The side airbag structure of the present invention is applied to a side airbag mounted on a side portion of a seat back of a rear seat, for example, because the side airbag has a sufficient protection effect. You may.

Although it is suitable for automobiles, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention may be applied to, for example, side airbags installed in seats of trains, airplanes, ships and the like.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way, and modifications and alterations made within the technical scope of the present invention are also possible. It goes without saying that all are included in this invention.

[0052]

As described above, according to the side airbag structure for a vehicle seat according to the present invention, the guide piece and the cover member define the protruding direction of the side airbag when inflated. It is possible to give a specific directivity to the protruding direction of the airbag. Therefore, it is possible to easily ensure the proper inflation and protrusion of the side airbag from the side surface of the seat back to the front along the wall surface of the door or the like.

A guide piece that is inclined forward and outward is projected from the base of the base bracket, and a cover member having a hinge of appropriate strength is sufficient to cover the open side of the base bracket, thus complicating the structure. Is reliably prevented.

Further, by suppressing the opening width of the cover member, the flow velocity of gas in the portion is increased, so that the inflation time to the desired inflation thickness in the protection region of the side airbag is sufficiently shortened. . Therefore, it is possible to easily ensure quick inflation in addition to the regulation of the protruding direction of the side airbag.

Further, by suppressing the opening width of the cover member, the inflated thickness of the side airbag outside the protected area is reduced, so that effective use of gas in the protected area can be easily achieved.

If the opening width of the cover member is set to be approximately the lateral width of the inflator, the flow of gas from the inflator is not hindered, and the volume necessary for increasing the flow velocity is obtained in the corresponding portion, so that the side airbag is provided. The smooth, quick expansion and protrusion can be easily secured.

Furthermore, if the guide piece is provided by cutting and raising the base portion of the base bracket, the number of parts can be reduced, and the locking means can be obtained by combining the engaging recess of the guide piece and the lock piece with the claw. Therefore, the regulation of the protruding direction of the side airbag and the locking of the cover member that can be appropriately opened under the inflation of the side airbag can be easily ensured without complicating the configuration. .

If the cover member is connected and fixed to the base bracket under the condition that the base portions of the inflator and the side airbag are fastened together, the number of parts and working steps are reduced, and the structure is simplified. , Workability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a side airbag structure of a vehicle seat according to the present invention when the side airbag is inflated and projected.

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a side airbag structure of a vehicle seat.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a side airbag structure of a vehicle seat when the side airbag is contracted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Vehicle seat side airbag structure 12 Side airbag 14 Door (wall) 16 Seat back 18 Inflator 20 Base bracket 20a Base bracket rear end bent piece 20b Base bracket base 32 Cover member 32a Cover member base 34 Cover Member hinge 36 Guide piece 38 Engagement recess 40 Lock piece 40a Lock piece claw 42 Locking means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A side airbag for a vehicle seat, which is built into a side portion of a seat back on a side of a wall surface of a vehicle such as a door and which is projected in a specific direction under expansion due to operation of an inflator when a shock occurs. In the above, a base bracket that is bent and formed in an outwardly open shape with a bending piece at the rear end is arranged on the side part of the seat back under the fixing of the base part to the corresponding frame, and is predetermined in the contracted state. The base of the side airbag folded into a shape is fixed to the rear end bent piece of the base bracket together with the built-in inflator, and the guide piece that is inclined forward and outward is provided in front of the side airbag. A resin cover member that projects from the base of the base bracket and covers the outer side of the base bracket can be opened under the bending of the hinge, which is a thin part. The cover member is held in the closed position by the locking means that is arranged by connecting and fixing the base portion to the end bending piece and has a locking force that can be unlocked under the inflation of the side airbag. The side airbag structure of the vehicle seat is characterized by that. 2. A side airbag for a vehicle seat, which is built in a side portion of a seat back on the side of a wall surface of a vehicle such as a door, and which is projected in a specific direction under expansion due to operation of an inflator when an impact occurs. In the above, a base bracket that is bent and formed in an outwardly open shape with a bending piece at the rear end is arranged on the side part of the seat back under the fixing of the base part to the corresponding frame, and is predetermined in the contracted state. The base of the side airbag folded into a shape is fixed to the rear end bent piece of the base bracket together with the built-in inflator, and the guide piece that is inclined forward and outward is provided in front of the side airbag. A resin cover member that projects from the base of the base bracket and covers the outer side of the base bracket can be opened under the bending of the hinge, which is a thin part. The cover member is held in the closed position by the locking means which is arranged by connecting and fixing the base to the end bending piece and has a locking force capable of unlocking under the inflation of the side airbag. , The gap between the guide piece and the expansion thickness in the protection area of the side airbag is set to be narrower, and the opening width of the cover member at the time of opening due to the expansion of the side airbag depends on the thickness of the hinge portion. The side airbag structure of the vehicle seat is characterized by being set under the strength of the hinge generated as a result. 3. The opening width of the cover member at the time of opening due to the inflation of the side airbag is determined by the strength of the hinge generated according to the thickness of the hinge portion, and the gap between the guide piece and the inflator is set. The side airbag structure for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the side airbag structure is set to have a width of about a lateral width. 4. A guide piece inclined forward and outward is formed by partially cutting and raising a base portion of a base bracket, and the guide piece is provided with an engaging recess, and is inserted into and engaged with the engaging recess. 4. A lock piece with a possible claw protruding from the inner surface of the cover member, the combination of the engagement recess and the lock piece being formed as a locking means for holding the cover member in the closed position. The side airbag structure of any one of the vehicle seats. 5. The inflator, the side airbag, and the cover member are integrally fixed to the rear end bent piece of the base bracket by co-tightening with a projecting bolt and a nut of the inflator. The side airbag structure of the vehicle seat described above.