JP2001277976A - Vehicular air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular air bag device excellent in an operational feeling when actuating a horn even in a structure capable of moving only a cover. SOLUTION: Since a main part 6a of an air bag 6 is held on the inside surface side of the cover 7 by a lap 22, an inside surface of the cover 7 is pushed by the air bag 6, so that a surface does not dent even if the surface of the cover 7 is pushed at horn operating time, and a denting feeling is eliminated, and the operational feeling is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag device, and more particularly to a vehicle airbag device mounted on a steering wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an airbag device for a vehicle has a structure in which an airbag module is mounted substantially at the center of a steering wheel.
No. 144555). This airbag module has a structure in which an airbag is housed in a housing and closed with a cover, and the entire airbag module is supported by a steering wheel by a spring. When the airbag module is pushed toward the steering wheel, The contact is closed and the horn is activated.

In such a structure in which the entire airbag module is supported by a spring, it is necessary to set the spring to be strong so that the contact of the horn is not inadvertently closed by vibration.
Therefore, in order to operate the horn, the airbag module must be pushed strongly, which is disadvantageous in terms of the operability of the horn.

Therefore, a structure is considered in which the housing of the airbag module is fixed to the steering wheel side, and only the cover is movable. According to this structure, the cover only needs to be supported by a weak spring, and a small force is required to push the cover, so that the horn is excellent in operability.

[0005]

However, in the case of such a structure in which only the cover is movable, it is necessary to provide a gap between the cover and the airbag in order to secure a movable stroke of the cover. For this reason, there is no support for the cover from the inside, and when the cover is pressed, the cover is dented. Therefore, the horn can be operated with a small force, but the feel when operating is not good. Since the cover must be easily torn when the airbag is inflated, the cover itself cannot be hardened.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such prior art, and provides a vehicle airbag apparatus having a good operability when operating the horn even with a structure in which only the cover is movable. Things.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an inflator is fixed to the bottom of a container-like housing having a bottom and a peripheral wall, and a folded airbag is stored in the housing. An airbag module is formed by closing an opening of the housing with a soft, cleavable cover that can move in a predetermined stroke with respect to the housing in the direction of contact and separation, and attaches the housing portion of the airbag module to a steering wheel. A movable air contact provided on a cover and a fixed contact provided on a housing or a steering wheel constitute a horn for a vehicle, wherein the air bag includes a folded main part and an inflator. It consists of a fixed part to be connected and a connecting part between the main part and the fixed part, and holds the main part of the airbag. Holds the inner surface of the cover by the step, the holding means are adapted to holding power for the airbag is released by the expansion force of and the air bag freely pass through the connecting portion of the airbag.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the main portion of the airbag is held on the inner surface side of the cover by the holding means, the inner surface of the cover is pushed by the airbag, and even if the surface of the cover is pushed during horn operation. No depression, no sticky feeling, and an improved operational feeling. In addition, when the airbag is inflated, the holding means is easily released and the airbag is inflated to fill the inside of the housing, so that the airbag has a deployment force to push the cover to break out and jump out to the outside.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a flange movable along the peripheral wall of the housing is formed on the inner surface of the cover so as to surround the peripheral wall, and the main part of the airbag is housed inside the flange. The holding means was provided at the end of the flange.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the flange is formed on the inner surface of the cover, a space for accommodating the main part of the airbag is formed by the flange, and the main part of the airbag is stabilized. Can be held on the cover side.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the end of the flange is closed by a wrap as a holding means, and the holding means is formed with a through portion for a connecting portion.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the main portion of the airbag is held on the cover side by the wrap, the inner surface of the cover is pushed by the airbag, so that the surface of the cover is not depressed when the horn is operated. Since the wrap has a through hole, the connecting portion of the airbag can pass through the through hole. Because of the wrap, the airbag can be easily broken by the inflation force of the airbag, and the airbag can be fully inflated in the housing to obtain a deployment force for pushing the cover.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a claw serving as holding means is formed inward at the end of the flange, and the main portion of the airbag is held by the claw.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the main portion of the airbag is held on the cover side by the claw portion. By holding a part of the airbag with the claw portion, a reaction force due to the folding rigidity of the airbag itself acts on the inner surface of the cover. Because of the claw portion, a space through which the connection portion of the airbag passes can be secured. Further, when the airbag starts to inflate, the folding rigidity of the airbag itself is released and there is no engagement force with the claw portion, so that the airbag inflates completely in the housing.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, one end of a belt as a holding means is connected to the end of the flange, and the other end of the belt is engaged with the other end of the flange by bridging it.

According to the present invention, the main part of the airbag is held on the cover side by the belt. By holding the airbag with a belt, a reaction force due to the folding rigidity of the airbag itself acts on the inner surface of the cover. Because of the belt, a space through which the connecting portion of the airbag passes can be secured. Further, when the airbag starts to inflate, the other end of the airbag comes off, so that the airbag inflates to the inside of the housing.

[0017]

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

FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a steering wheel, in which an airbag module M is installed in the center, and an annular rim 3 is supported around the periphery via three spokes 2. The airbag module M includes a housing 4,
Inflator 5, airbag 6, cover 7, wrap 22
It is composed of

The housing 4 is formed by die-casting (injection) a resin containing magnesium or glass (eg, nylon 66).
It is formed into a container shape in which the peripheral wall 9 rises from the bottom 8 (the bottom 8 and the peripheral wall 9 may be separate bodies). The inflator 5 is fixed to the bottom 8. A mounting piece 10 is formed on the lower surface of the housing 4.
The mounting piece 10 is fixed to a bracket (not shown) provided at the center of the steering wheel 1.

A flange 11 is formed on the back surface of the cover 7, and the flange 11 is formed with a locking hole having a sufficient size along the forming direction of the flange 11.
The cover 7 is made of a soft resin, and is provided with a substantially H-shaped cleavage portion 13 (see FIG. 2) formed in a thin line shape on the surface.

A hook 14 is formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 9 of the housing 4 to be temporarily engaged with the locking hole 12 of the flange 11. Further, a shelf 15 is formed at a position corresponding to the spoke 2 on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 9. The shelf 15 has a stepped bolt 16
Are fixed upward, and fixed contacts 17 (FIG. 3) of the horn are provided at adjacent positions. Cover 7
Is connected to the stepped bolt 16 via the spring 18,
With a predetermined stroke S (see FIG. 4), it is supported so as to be movable in the direction of contacting and separating from the housing 4. On the cover 7 side, a plate-shaped movable contact 19 (FIG. 4) is provided, and when the cover 7 is pressed, it comes into contact with the fixed contact 17 to blow the horn.

The airbag 6 is mounted on the cover 7 after being folded. The folding operation of the airbag 6 is performed by placing the airbag 6 on a table 20 as shown in FIG.
Is expanded and then pushed and folded by a jig 21 (petal folding). The airbag 6 folded in this manner fills the space in the flange 11 on the inner surface side of the cover 7 and is closed from below by the wrap 22 as “holding means”. Since the main part 6a of the airbag 6 is stored in the space inside the flange 11 formed on the inner surface of the cover 7, the main part 6a of the airbag 6 is held on the cover 7 side in a stable state. Further, only the folded main portion 6a of the airbag 6 is filled into the flange 11 of the cover 7 by the wrap 22, and the fixing portion 6c connected to the inflator 5 of the airbag 6 via the retainer 25; A connecting portion 6b between the main portion 6a and the fixing portion 6c protrudes from a through hole 23 formed in the wrap 22.

According to this embodiment, the main portion 6a of the airbag 6 is held on the inner surface side of the cover 7 by the wrap 22, so that the inner surface of the cover 7 is pushed by the airbag 6 and the cover 7 is operated when the horn is operated. Even if you press the surface of the, it does not dent and the operation feeling is good. In addition, what moves is the cover 7,
Since only the main portion 6a of the airbag 6 is provided, compared with the case where the entire airbag module M is moved as in the related art,
The force of the spring 18 supporting the cover 7 can be set weak, and the horn can be operated with a correspondingly small force. Since the airbag 6 itself is a lightweight woven cloth (base weight of 66 nylon, 150 g / m 2), even if it is held on the cover 7 side, it does not impose a burden on operability.

The main portion 6a of the airbag 6 is held from the inside by the wrap 22, so that the airbag 6 is easily broken from the slit 24 by the inflation force of the airbag 6, and the airbag 6 fills the entire housing 4. By expanding, a deployment force that pushes the cover 7 through can be obtained.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a plurality of claws (holding means) 26 are formed inwardly around the end of the flange 11, and the airbag 27 of this embodiment has a rubber-coated strong ) The airbag 2 is folded, and the main portion 27a is held by the claw portion 26.
The reaction force resulting from the folding rigidity of the 7 itself acts on the inner surface of the cover. Therefore, the feeling of stickiness during the horn operation is eliminated. Because of the claw portion 26, the connecting portion 27 of the airbag 27
b, a space through which the fixing portion 27c passes can be secured. When the airbag 27 starts to inflate, the airbag 27
Since the folding rigidity of the airbag 27 itself is released and the force of engagement with the claw portion 26 is lost, the airbag 27 expands to fill the inside of the housing 4, and a deployment force for pushing the cover 7 is obtained.
The other configurations, functions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, one end of two belts 28 as a holding means is connected to the end of the flange 11 via a hinge 29, and a projection 30 formed at the other end of the belt 28 is connected to the end of the flange 11. The belt 28 is hung over the flange 11 by being engaged with the groove 31 formed in the flange 31. Therefore, the main part of the airbag 27 housed in the internal space of the flange 11 is held by the pair of belts 28. Note that the belt 28 is also formed with reinforcing ribs 32 along the longitudinal direction. The retainer 25 has a circular shape unlike the case shown in FIG.

By holding the main part of the airbag 27 with the belt 28, a reaction force due to the folding rigidity of the airbag 27 itself acts on the inner surface of the cover 7. Because of the belt 28, a space through which the connecting portion of the airbag 27 passes can be secured. When the airbag 27 starts to inflate, the other end of the belt 28 comes off.
Expands completely within the housing and provides a deployment force that pushes through the cover 7.

[0028]

According to the present invention, the main portion of the airbag is held on the inner surface side of the cover by the holding means, so that the inner surface of the cover is pushed by the airbag, so that the surface of the cover is not depressed even when the horn is operated. The feeling of stickiness disappears and the operation feeling is improved. In addition, when the airbag is inflated, the holding means is easily released, and the airbag is inflated to fill the inside of the housing, so that the airbag has a deployment force to push the cover to break out and jump outside.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a steering wheel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an airbag module mounted on the steering wheel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the airbag module of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line SA-SA shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a folding operation of the airbag of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an airbag module according to a third embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the back.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering wheel 2 Spoke part 3 Rim 4 Housing 5 Inflator 6, 27 Airbag 6a Main part 6b Connecting part 6c Fixed part 7 Cover 8 Bottom part 9 Peripheral wall part 11 Flange 13 Cleaving part 17 Fixed contact 19 Movable contact 22 Wrap (holding means) 23 Through-hole 26 Claw (holding means) 28 Belt (holding means) M Airbag module S Stroke

Claims (5)

[Claims] An inflator is fixed to the bottom of a container-like housing having a bottom and a peripheral wall, a folded airbag is housed in the housing, and an opening of the housing is brought into contact with the housing at a predetermined stroke. An airbag module is formed by closing the airbag module with a cleavable soft cover that is movable in a detaching direction, a housing portion of the airbag module is mounted on a steering wheel, and a movable contact provided on the cover and a housing or A vehicle airbag device comprising a horn with a fixed contact provided on a steering wheel, wherein the airbag is a folded main part, a fixed part connected to an inflator, a main part and a fixed part. The main part of the airbag is held on the inner surface of the cover by holding means. The holding means is capable of penetrating through the connecting portion of the airbag, and the holding force for the airbag is released by the inflation force of the airbag, wherein the holding means is released. 2. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a flange movable along a peripheral wall of the housing is formed on an inner surface of the cover so as to surround the peripheral wall. A main part of the airbag is housed in the inside of the airbag, and holding means is provided at an end of the flange. 3. The airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein an end of the flange is closed with a wrap as a holding means, and a through-hole for a connecting portion is formed in the holding means. A vehicle airbag device characterized by the above-mentioned. 4. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 2, wherein a claw portion serving as a holding means is formed inward at an end portion of the flange, and the claw portion serves as a main part of the airbag. An airbag device for a vehicle, characterized by holding a portion. 5. The vehicle airbag device according to claim 2, wherein one end of a belt serving as holding means is connected to an end of the flange, and the other end of the belt is connected to another end of the flange. An airbag device for a vehicle, wherein the airbag device spans and engages an end portion.