JP2019182372A - Vehicle crew member protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle occupant protection device capable of improving the restraint of the occupant head in a collision mode in which the occupant head moves diagonally forward toward the collision side. A passenger airbag inflates and deploys forward in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to a head PH of an occupant sitting on a passenger seat, and a center airbag inflates the passenger airbag. Inflate and deploy to the side of the deployment position. A hook-and-loop fastener 24 is provided in a region on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction at a contact portion C1 between the passenger airbag 18 in the inflated and deployed state and the center airbag 22 in the inflated and deployed state. 18 and the center airbag 22 are connected. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device.

  A vehicle occupant protection device comprising a first airbag that inflates and deploys forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the head of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat and a second airbag that inflates and deploys to the side of the airbag. It is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). In such a vehicle occupant protection device, the occupant head is restrained by two airbags in a collision mode in which the occupant head inertially moves obliquely forward toward the collision side, such as during an oblique collision. .

JP 2017-56802 A

  However, in the case of the above prior art, there is a possibility that the head of the occupant slips between the two airbags, and there is room for improvement in this respect.

  In view of the above fact, the present invention provides a vehicle occupant protection device that can improve the restraint of the occupant head in a collision mode in which the occupant head inertially moves obliquely forward toward the collision side. Is the purpose.

  A vehicle occupant protection device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a first airbag that inflates and deploys forward in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the head of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat, and the inflation of the first airbag. Provided at least in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in the contact portion between the second airbag inflated and deployed to the side of the deployed position, the first airbag in the inflated and deployed state, and the second airbag in the inflated and deployed state. And a coupling means for coupling the first airbag and the second airbag.

  According to the above configuration, the first airbag is inflated and deployed on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the head of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat during an oblique collision, and the second airbag is inflated laterally. When deployed, the head of the occupant that moves inertially toward the obliquely forward side is restrained by the first airbag and the second airbag. In addition, a coupling means is provided at least in a front-rear direction front region of the contact portion between the first airbag in the inflated and deployed state and the second airbag in the inflated and deployed state. The airbag is coupled. For this reason, the holding | maintenance force which hold | maintains the passenger | crew's head which is going to inertially move diagonally forward increases.

  As described above, according to the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention, it is possible to improve the restraint of the occupant head in a collision mode in which the occupant head inertially moves obliquely forward toward the collision side. Has an excellent effect.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first embodiment, showing a state where the passenger seat airbag and the center airbag are inflated and deployed at the time of an oblique collision. FIG. 1A shows the moving state of the occupant's head at the beginning of the collision. FIG. 1B shows a state after the state of FIG. It is a top view which shows the principal part of the passenger | crew protection device for vehicles which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, and shows the state which the airbag for driver's seats and the curtain airbag expanded and deployed at the time of the diagonal collision. FIG. 2A shows the movement state of the occupant head at the beginning of the collision. FIG. 2B shows a state after the state of FIG. It is a top view which shows an example at the time of front collision at the time of automatic driving | operation in 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 3A shows the moving state of the occupant's head at the beginning of the collision. FIG. 3B shows a state after the state of FIG. It is a top view which shows the principal part of the passenger | crew protection device for vehicles which concerns on 3rd Embodiment, and shows the state which the airbag for passenger seats and the curtain airbag expanded and deployed at the time of the diagonal collision. FIG. 4A shows the movement state of the passenger's head at the beginning of the collision. FIG. 4B shows a state after the state of FIG. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a main part of a vehicle occupant protection device according to a fourth embodiment, showing a state in which a driver airbag and a center airbag are inflated and deployed at the time of an oblique collision. FIG. 5A shows the moving state of the occupant's head at the beginning of the collision. FIG. 5B shows a state after the state of FIG.

(First embodiment)
A vehicle occupant protection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described using a left-hand drive vehicle as an example with reference to FIG. In these drawings, an arrow FR appropriately shown indicates the vehicle front side, and an arrow IN indicates the vehicle width direction inner side.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle occupant protection device 10 includes a passenger seat airbag device 16 and a center airbag device 20. The passenger seat airbag device 16 is mounted in an instrument panel 14 (hereinafter, abbreviated as “instrument panel 14” as appropriate) on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the passenger seat 12 as a vehicle seat. Further, the center airbag device 20 is mounted at the center in the vehicle width direction in the instrument panel 14.

  Each of the passenger seat airbag device 16 and the center airbag device 20 includes an inflator (not shown). The inflator is housed in an air bag case (not shown) and is activated at the time of a frontal collision including an oblique collision to eject gas. The passenger airbag device 16 includes a passenger airbag 18 as a first airbag, and the center airbag device 20 includes a center airbag 22 as a second airbag. The passenger airbag 18 and the center airbag 22 are respectively stored in a folded state in the airbag case, and inflated and deployed by the gas ejected from the inflator. The passenger-seat airbag 18 is inflated and deployed forward in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the head PH of the occupant P seated on the passenger seat 12, and the center airbag 22 is on the side of the inflated and deployed position of the passenger-seat airbag 18. Inflate and deploy on the side.

  The passenger seat airbag device 16 and the center airbag device 20 may employ a known configuration disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-113027. Therefore, detailed description of the passenger seat airbag device 16 and the center airbag device 20 is omitted.

  Here, the vehicle occupant protection device 10 includes a hook-and-loop fastener as a coupling means in a front-rear direction front region of the contact portion C1 between the inflated and deployed passenger seat airbag 18 and the inflated and deployed center airbag 22. 24 is provided. The hook-and-loop fastener 24 connects the passenger seat airbag 18 and the center airbag 22. One component 24A (one of a male surface fastener and one female surface fastener) of the hook-and-loop fastener 24 is fixed to the passenger seat airbag 18, and the other component 24B of the hook-and-loop fastener 24 (to the center airbag 22). The other of the male surface fastener and the female surface fastener) is fixed.

  Next, the operation and effect of the above embodiment will be described.

  At the time of an oblique collision to the driver's seat, the inflator of the passenger seat airbag device 16 and the center airbag device 20 shown in FIG. As a result, the passenger-seat airbag 18 is inflated and deployed forward in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the head PH of the passenger P seated on the passenger seat 12, and the center airbag 22 is inflated and deployed laterally. The Further, at the time of an oblique collision, the head PH of the occupant P (illustrated by a two-dot chain line) seated on the passenger seat 12 inertially moves forward (refer to the direction of arrow A) toward the collision side, and FIG. ) To the position of the head PH indicated by a solid line.

  For this reason, the passenger | crew's P head PH contacts the site | part which shifted | deviated from the vehicle width direction center part of the airbag 18 for passenger seats. Then, the energy of the head PH is absorbed by the passenger seat airbag 18. Thereafter, the head PH of the occupant P moves to the position of the head PH indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1B through the position of the head PH indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1B (for the passenger seat). The air bag 18 and the center air bag 22). That is, the head PH of the occupant P tries to move while rotating in a plan view so as to deviate to the one side in the vehicle width direction (in this embodiment, the inside in the vehicle width direction) with respect to the passenger seat airbag 18. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the center airbag 22 holds the side surface side of the head PH. In other words, the head PH of the occupant P is restrained by the passenger seat airbag 18 and the center airbag 22, and the center airbag 22 prevents the head PH from coming off the passenger seat airbag 18. The reaction force from the center airbag 22 to the head PH is supported by the passenger seat airbag 18 through the head PH.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the front and rear direction front areas of the contact portion C1 between the inflated and deployed passenger seat airbag 18 and the inflated and deployed center airbag 22 are joined by the hook-and-loop fastener 24. Therefore, the passenger seat airbag 18 and the center airbag 22 are difficult to be integrated and separated, and a gap is hardly formed between the passenger seat airbag 18 and the center airbag 22. As a result, the holding force for sandwiching and holding the head PH of the occupant P who intends to move inertially forward toward the collision side is increased, and the head between the passenger seat airbag 18 and the center airbag 22 is increased. PH can be prevented from slipping through.

  As described above, according to the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to the present embodiment, the head PH of the occupant P in the collision mode in which the head PH of the occupant P inertially moves obliquely forward toward the collision side. Restraint can be improved. Thereby, the rotation of the head PH in plan view can be suppressed, and the head PH can be prevented from secondary collision (so-called bottoming) to the instrument panel 14 or the A pillar garnish (not shown). . In addition, since the rotation of the head PH in a plan view can be suppressed, a head rotation injury index (such as BrIC) is reduced.

  In the above description, for the sake of convenience, the oblique collision in the case where the head PH of the occupant P abuts on the passenger airbag 18 before the center airbag 22 is described. In an oblique collision when the head PH of the occupant P comes into contact with the center airbag 22 before the passenger airbag 18, the displacement of the head PH that is about to move with respect to the center airbag 22 is changed to the passenger seat airbag. Hold by bag 18.

  As a modification of the first embodiment, in addition to the above-described configuration, the vehicle front-rear direction rear side in the contact portion C1 between the passenger airbag 18 in an inflated and deployed state and the center airbag 22 in an inflated and deployed state is provided. A hook-and-loop fastener (joining means) for joining the regions may be provided. It is preferable that the coupling strength by the surface fastener provided in this modification is set smaller than the coupling strength by the surface fastener 24 in the above embodiment. In the configuration in which the coupling strength is set in such a manner, when the head PH of the occupant P that moves inertial obliquely forward is received, the coupling portion by the rear surface fastener is absorbed and the impact is absorbed. Can do.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a vehicle occupant protection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that components that are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle occupant protection device 30 includes a driver airbag device 36 and a curtain airbag device 42. The driver seat airbag device 36 is mounted on the wheel pad 35 of the steering wheel 34 on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the driver seat 32 as a vehicle seat. The curtain airbag device 42 is mounted on the end of the vehicle compartment 40 in the vehicle width direction behind the ceiling (not shown).

  The driver seat airbag device 36 and the curtain airbag device 42 are each provided with an inflator (not shown). The inflator of the driver's seat airbag device 36 is housed in an airbag case (not shown), and the inflator of the curtain airbag device 42 is fixed to a roof side rail (not shown). These inflators are activated at the time of a frontal collision including an oblique collision and eject gas. The driver seat airbag device 36 includes a driver seat airbag 38 as a first airbag, and the curtain airbag device 42 includes a curtain airbag 44 as a second airbag. The driver's seat airbag 38 is stored in a folded state in the airbag case, and is inflated and deployed by gas ejected from an inflator stored in the airbag case. The curtain airbag 44 is attached to the roof side rail in a folded state, and is inflated and deployed by gas ejected from an inflator fixed to the roof side rail. The driver's seat airbag 38 is inflated and deployed forward in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the head PH of the occupant P seated in the driver's seat 32, and the curtain airbag 44 is on the side of the inflation / deployment position of the driver's seat airbag 38. It expands and expands in the form of a curtain on the side.

  The driver seat airbag device 36 and the curtain airbag device 42 may be applied with a known configuration disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-56802. Therefore, detailed description of the driver's seat airbag device 36 and the curtain airbag device 42 is omitted.

  Here, the vehicle occupant protection device 30 has a coupling means in a region including a region on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction in the contact portion C2 between the inflated and deployed driver's seat airbag 38 and the inflated and deployed curtain airbag 44. A hook-and-loop fastener 46 is provided. The hook-and-loop fastener 46 couples the driver's seat airbag 38 and the curtain airbag 44. One component 46A of the hook-and-loop fastener 46 (one of the male and female hook-and-loop fasteners) is fixed to the driver airbag 38, and the other component 46B of the hook-and-loop fastener 46 to the curtain airbag 44 ( The other of the male surface fastener and the female surface fastener) is fixed.

  Next, the operation and effect of the above embodiment will be described.

  At the time of an oblique collision to the driver's seat side, the driver's seat airbag 38 acts on the head PH substantially in the same manner as the passenger seat airbag 18 (see FIG. 1) in the first embodiment, and the curtain airbag 44 Acts on the head PH in substantially the same manner as the center airbag 22 (see FIG. 1) in the first embodiment. Further, the hook-and-loop fastener 46 functions in substantially the same manner as the hook-and-loop fastener 24 in the first embodiment at the time of the oblique collision shown in FIG. That is, also according to the present embodiment, substantially the same operations and effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

  Further, for example, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3A during automatic driving, the head PH of an occupant seated on the driver's seat 32 is located outside the vehicle width direction in the passenger compartment 40 and the face is in the vehicle width direction. Even when a frontal collision occurs while facing inward, substantially the same operations and effects can be obtained. In this case, as an example, the head PH is displaced from the position of the head PH indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3A to the position of the head PH indicated by the solid line in FIG. Then, the head is displaced to the position of the head PH shown in FIG.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a vehicle occupant protection device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, components that are substantially the same as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. Further, the curtain airbag device 42 shown in FIG. 4 is used for the passenger seat 12 and is symmetric with respect to the curtain airbag device 42 (see FIG. 2) of the second embodiment in the ceiling behind the cabin 40 (not shown). However, the other points are the same as those of the curtain airbag device 42 (see FIG. 2) of the second embodiment. For this reason, the curtain airbag device 42 and the curtain airbag 44 shown in FIG. 4 are given the same reference numerals as the curtain airbag device 42 and the curtain airbag 44 shown in FIG. 2 of the second embodiment for convenience.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the curtain airbag 44 is inflated and deployed in a curtain shape on the side of the inflated deployment position of the passenger airbag 18. The vehicle occupant protection device 50 according to the present embodiment includes a region including a region on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction in the contact portion C3 between the passenger airbag 18 in the inflated and deployed state and the curtain airbag 44 in the inflated and deployed state. A hook-and-loop fastener 52 as a coupling means is provided. The hook-and-loop fastener 52 connects the passenger seat airbag 18 and the curtain airbag 44. One component 52A of the hook-and-loop fastener 52 is fixed to the passenger seat airbag 18, and the other component 52B of the hook-and-loop fastener 52 is fixed to the curtain airbag 44.

  According to the configuration of the present embodiment, the head PH of the passenger P seated on the passenger seat 12 is restrained favorably by the passenger seat airbag 18 and the curtain airbag 44 at the time of an oblique collision to the passenger seat side. That is, also by the configuration of the present embodiment, substantially the same operations and effects as those of the first and second embodiments described above can be obtained.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a vehicle occupant protection device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, components that are substantially the same as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the center airbag 22 is inflated and deployed to the side of the inflated and deployed position of the driver airbag 38. The vehicle occupant protection device 60 according to the present embodiment includes a coupling means in the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction in the contact portion C4 between the driver airbag 38 in the inflated and deployed state and the center airbag 22 in the inflated and deployed state. A hook-and-loop fastener 62 is provided. The hook-and-loop fastener 62 couples the driver's seat airbag 38 and the center airbag 22. One component 62A of the hook-and-loop fastener 62 is fixed to the driver airbag 38, and the other component 62B of the hook-and-loop fastener 62 is fixed to the center airbag 22.

According to the configuration of the present embodiment, the head PH of the occupant P seated on the driver's seat 32 is well restrained by the driver's seat airbag 38 and the center airbag 22 at the time of an oblique collision toward the passenger seat. That is, also by the configuration of the present embodiment, substantially the same operations and effects as those of the first and second embodiments described above can be obtained.

  As a modified example of the fourth embodiment, in addition to the above-described configuration, the vehicle front-rear direction rear side in the contact portion C4 between the driver airbag 38 in the inflated and deployed state and the center airbag 22 in the inflated and deployed state is provided. A hook-and-loop fastener (joining means) for joining the regions may be provided. The coupling strength by the surface fastener provided in this modification is preferably set smaller than the coupling strength by the surface fastener 62 in the above embodiment.

(Supplementary explanation of the embodiment)
As a modification of the first to fourth embodiments, instead of the hook-and-loop fasteners 24, 46, 52, and 62, an adhesive as a coupling means may be provided. As an example, the first airbag and the second airbag may be applied with different materials for bonding, and the two may contact and rub against each other so that they function as an adhesive.

  In addition, the said embodiment and the above-mentioned modification can be implemented combining suitably.

  Although an example of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. .

10 Vehicle occupant protection device 12 Passenger seat (vehicle seat)
18 Passenger seat airbag (first airbag)
22 Center airbag (second airbag)
24 hook-and-loop fastener (joining means)
30 Vehicle occupant protection device 32 Driver's seat (vehicle seat)
38 Airbag for driver's seat (first airbag)
44 Curtain airbag (second airbag)
46 hook-and-loop fastener
50 Vehicle occupant protection device 52 Hook and loop fastener (joining means)
60 Vehicle occupant protection device 62 Hook and loop fastener (joining means)
C1 contact part C2 contact part C3 contact part C4 contact part P Crew member PH head

Claims (1)

A first airbag that inflates and deploys forward in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the head of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat;
A second airbag that inflates and deploys to the side of the inflated and deployed position of the first airbag;
Provided at least in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in the contact portion between the first airbag in the inflated and deployed state and the second airbag in the inflated and deployed state, and connects the first airbag and the second airbag. A coupling means;
A vehicle occupant protection device.