JP3773881B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus that ensures the safety of a passenger of a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly, to an airbag apparatus that protects an occupant in a side collision and / or rollover accident.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, in a vehicle accident such as an automobile, not only a frontal collision but a side collision or a rollover accident may occur. For example, in the case of a side impact accident of an automobile, as shown in FIG. 7, even when the occupant P is wearing a three-point seat belt B, the movement in the left-right direction is not restricted, As shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, the seating posture changes. And as shown in FIG.7 (c), a side head may hit a side door of a motor vehicle, and a head etc. may be damaged.
[0003]
Further, in the case of a rollover accident, even if the occupant P is wearing the three-point seat belt B, the occupant P is not restrained in the vertical direction, and as shown in FIGS. P's sitting posture changes, and the head or the like may hit the ceiling and damage the head or neck. In some cases, it may be released outside the vehicle. In particular, when the shoulder belt B is lifted with respect to the occupant P, such as when the seat S is in the rear position and the seat back Sb is tilted, the restraint state by the shoulder belt B is weak and the safety is further reduced. .
[0004]
For this reason, inflator curtains and side airbags have been proposed as occupant safety protection devices other than seat belts. As a side airbag, there exists a thing as described in Japanese translations of PCT publication No. 2002-503582, for example. This is supported by a web guide attached to the pillar and comprises an airbag having a passage for receiving a portion of a shoulder belt extending from the web guide. As shown in FIG. 8a of this publication, this airbag has a large structure that covers the entire side glass, and the structure is complicated and the manufacturing cost is high. In general, the inflator curtains that are employed also have the same problem that they are stored in the entire roof and similarly have a large and complicated structure covering the entire side glass, resulting in high manufacturing costs.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention combines an airbag integrally with a shoulder belt for the purpose of effectively restraining the head and shoulders of an occupant, and has a simple structure, high safety, and a significant reduction in manufacturing cost. An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device that can perform the above-described operation.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The airbag device of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is an airbag that is deployed along the shoulder belt of a three-point seat belt and is deployed on the side of the head of the occupant. A tubular airbag for introducing the generated gas into the airbag, wherein the airbag is formed with a belt passage through which the shoulder belt passes, and the airbag is bent and buckled. The tubular airbag is connected to be deployed on the side of the head of the passenger along the shoulder belt .
With passage through the shoulder belt airbags forms, so it is concatenated tubular airbag, the airbag case, while succumbed tubular airbag folded seat airbag is deployed along the shoulder belt Since the airbag is deployed along the shoulder belt, the airbag is deployed on the side surface of the occupant's head in accordance with the seating position of the occupant . Further, the position where the tubular airbag is deployed while being bent and buckled is always performed on the side surface of the occupant's head, so that the safety of the occupant is improved in cooperation with the airbag.
[0007]
The airbag apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described invention, the airbag is provided with a stepped portion so as to abut against an occupant's shoulder when deployed.
Since the step portion is provided so as to contact the shoulder of the occupant during deployment, the shoulder of the occupant can be restrained by the step portion, and the airbag can be reliably deployed on the side surface of the occupant's head.
[0008]
Further, the airbag device of the present invention is the airbag according to the above invention, wherein the stepped portion abuts against the shoulder of the occupant during deployment to restrain the occupant's shoulder and protect the occupant's temporal region. Features.
The step formed in the airbag restrains the occupant's shoulder and protects the occupant's temporal region, so that the occupant can be effectively protected in a side collision and / or rollover accident. .
[0009]
The airbag device of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described invention, the airbag and the tubular airbag are folded and stored in a sash guide portion of the shoulder belt.
Since the airbag is folded and stored in the sash guide portion of the shoulder belt, the structure is simple and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of an airbag device A according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the airbag 1 of the airbag apparatus A according to the present embodiment is deployed. As shown in FIG. 1, in the airbag apparatus according to this embodiment, the airbag 1 is deployed along the shoulder belt 2 of the three-point seat belt, and the deployment position thereof is adjusted by the tubular airbag 4. Thus, it is deployed on the side of the head of the occupant P.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag apparatus A includes a bag-shaped airbag 1 having a stepped portion 3, and a tube shape that is connected to the airbag 1 and introduces gas generated from the inflator 5 into the airbag 1. And an airbag 4.
[0012]
The step portion 3 formed in the airbag 1 is formed so as to be positioned at a lower portion of the distal end portion in the deployment direction when the airbag 1 is deployed. A belt passage 6 through which the shoulder belt 2 (see FIG. 1) passes is provided on a surface 3a that intersects the developing direction of the stepped portion 3. As described above, the belt passage 6 is formed on the surface 3a intersecting with the deploying direction of the step portion 3, so that the step portion 3 comes into contact with the shoulder of the occupant P when the airbag 1 is deployed. The shoulder of the occupant P can be restrained. Further, when the stepped portion 3 comes into contact with the shoulder of the occupant P, the inflation and deployment of the airbag 1 are also restrained, and a certain load or more is applied to the tubular airbag 4 connected to the airbag 1. The airbag 4 is inflated and deployed while being bent or crooked, the deployment position of the airbag 1 is adjusted, and the airbag is deployed on the side of the head of the occupant P.
[0013]
The inflator 5 that supplies gas to the airbag 1 and the tubular airbag 4 can be an inflator used in a general gas generator. Further, the inflator 5 is attached and fixed to a pillar portion or the like of the vehicle by an attaching means 7 such as a flange provided in the inflator 5, and is housed in the sash guide portion together with the folded airbag device A. And it connects with the collision sensor etc. which are not shown in figure, and operate | moves by the signal from each collision sensor etc.
[0014]
FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which the airbag 1 and the tubular airbag 4 are both folded. As shown in FIG. 3, the airbag device A is normally stored in the sash guide portion in a compactly folded state. Since the shoulder belt 2 passes through the belt passage 6 formed in the airbag 1, the operability is not hindered when the occupant wears the seat belt. Furthermore, the structure does not become large and manufacturing at a low cost is possible.
[0015]
Next, the operation of the airbag apparatus A according to this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 shows the operation of the airbag apparatus A at the time of a side collision. When a side collision occurs in the normal state shown in FIG. 4A, the airbag 1 is inflated and deployed on the side of the head of the occupant P by a signal from a collision sensor (not shown) (see FIG. 4B). ). Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, the occupant P leans toward the side door due to the acceleration at the time of collision. At this time, the airbag 1 is deployed, and the occupant P is seated by the seat belt. The shoulder of the occupant is restrained by the step portion of the airbag 1 and the side surface of the head is protected. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the occupant P from hitting the side of the head directly against the vehicle body, and the safety of the occupant P is increased.
[0016]
FIG. 5 shows the operation of the airbag apparatus A at the time of an accident. When a side collision occurs in the normal state shown in FIG. 5A, the airbag 1 is inflated and deployed on the side surface of the head of the occupant P by a signal from a collision sensor (not shown) (see FIG. 5B). ). Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (c), the occupant P tries to move to the ceiling 8 side at the time of overturning. At this time, the airbag 1 is deployed, and the occupant is stepped by the step portion 3 of the airbag 1. The shoulder of P is constrained and the movement of the occupant P toward the ceiling is constrained together with the seat belt including the shoulder belt 2 (see FIG. 5D). For this reason, it is possible to prevent the occupant P from directly hitting the head or the like against the vehicle body, and the safety of the occupant P is increased.
[0017]
FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the seating position (seat position) of the occupant P and the state when the tubular airbag 4 is deployed. FIG. 6A shows the state of the tubular airbag 4 when the sheet S is in the middle. FIG. 6B shows the state of the tubular airbag 4 when the seat S is in front. FIG. 6C shows the state of the tubular airbag 4 when the seat S is behind.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 6, when the airbag 1 is deployed, the airbag 1 is inflated and deployed along the shoulder belt 2 using the belt passage 6 provided in the airbag 1 as a guide. And the step part 3 contact | abuts with the shoulder of the passenger | crew P by developing along the shoulder belt 2. FIG. As a result, the airbag 1 does not deploy and move along the shoulder belt 2 and restrains the shoulder of the occupant P. At this time, a predetermined amount of gas continues to be generated from the inflator 5, but since the tubular airbag 4 is provided between the inflator 5 and the airbag 1, it may be bent (the state shown in FIG. 6A). ) And buckle (the state shown in FIG. 6C), and the airbag 1 is adjusted so as to be positioned on the side surface of the head of the occupant P.
[0019]
As described above, in the airbag apparatus according to the present invention, the belt passage 6 through which the shoulder belt 2 passes is formed in the airbag 1, whereby the airbag 1 is deployed along the shoulder belt 2. . Further, since the airbag 1 is provided with a stepped portion 3 and the belt passage 6 is provided so as to pass through the stepped portion 3, the stepped portion 3 is securely attached to the shoulder of the occupant when the airbag 1 is deployed. And comes to restrain the passenger's shoulder. Further, since the airbag 1 is connected to the inflator 5 via the thin tubular airbag 4, the stepped portion 3 comes into contact with the shoulder of the occupant, so that a load of a certain level or more is applied to the tubular airbag 4. Since the tubular airbag 4 is inflated while being bent or crooked, the airbag 1 is always deployed on the side of the head of the occupant, and the safety of the occupant is improved. In addition, compared with conventional side impact side airbags, inflator curtains and the like, the structure is simple and does not become large-scale, so that it can be manufactured at low cost.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
The airbag device of the present invention is configured as described above, and is simple in structure, but is surely deployed on the side of the head of the occupant, restrains the shoulder of the occupant, The vertical movement on the seat can be restricted and the passenger can be effectively protected. Moreover, since the structure is simple and does not become large-scale, it can be manufactured at low cost.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a deployed state of an airbag device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an airbag device according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the airbag apparatus according to the present invention is folded.
FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of the airbag apparatus according to the present invention in the case of a side collision.
FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of the airbag apparatus according to the present invention in the event of a rollover accident.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a seat position and a deployed state of a tubular airbag.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a state of an occupant in a conventional side collision accident.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of an occupant in a conventional rollover accident.
[Explanation of symbols]
A Airbag device P Crew S Seat Sb Seat back 1 Air bag 2 Shoulder belt 3 Step 3a Surface 4 Tubular seat belt 5 Inflator 6 Belt passage 7 Attachment means

Claims (4)

An airbag that is deployed along the shoulder belt of the three-point seat belt and is deployed on the side of the head of the occupant; a tubular airbag that is connected to the airbag and introduces gas generated from the inflator into the airbag; An airbag device comprising:
A configuration in which a belt passage through which the shoulder belt passes is formed in the airbag, and the tubular airbag is connected so that the airbag is deployed on the side of the head of the occupant along the shoulder belt while being bent and buckled. An air bag device characterized by that .   The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is provided with a stepped portion so as to come into contact with an occupant's shoulder when deployed.   3. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein when the airbag is deployed, the stepped portion abuts against the shoulder of the occupant to restrain the occupant's shoulder and protect the occupant's temporal region.   The airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airbag and the tubular airbag are folded and stored in a sash guide portion of the shoulder belt.

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