JP6050796B2 - Method for manufacturing a passenger airbag folded body - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is folded and stored in a storage part provided in the instrument panel in front of the passenger seat, and when the inflating gas flows in from the gas inlet, pushes the door of the instrument panel and expands backward. The present invention relates to a method for producing a folded body of a passenger airbag having an inflating configuration.

  Conventionally, an airbag for a passenger's seat has been folded so as to reduce the width dimension in the front-rear direction from the flat deployed state while reducing the width dimension in the left-right direction so that the airbag can be stored in the storage part. There was a thing stored in the inside (for example, refer to patent documents 1). In this conventional passenger seat airbag, the rear side part, which is the area behind the gas inlet port attached to the storage part, is changed from the state where the left and right reduced folds are applied to reduce the width dimension in the left and right direction. The roll was folded so as to be placed on the inlet, and then the front part, which is a region in front of the gas inlet, was overlapped on the roll folding part so as to reduce the width dimension in the front-rear direction. In this conventional passenger seat airbag, when the inflation gas is introduced into the interior and inflated, first, the inflation gas flows into the front portion and is provided on the instrument panel by the inflated front portion. The door part to be pushed is pushed open, and then the roll folding part is expanded and expanded while protruding rearward and upward from the storage part.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-165607

  However, in a conventional passenger seat airbag, the width dimension in the left-right direction can be reduced by forming a bowl-shaped folding portion that folds a part of the wall portion that constitutes the airbag inward during left-right reduced folding. Since it is folded so as to be shrunk, when the inflation gas flows into the front part in the early stage of inflation of the airbag, the fold-like folded part is also unfolded, and the front part is left and right. It was supposed to expand to spread quickly. For this reason, there is room for improvement in that the front portion is difficult to expand greatly and rapidly toward the upper side (door portion side), and the door portion is quickly pushed open.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and manufacture of a passenger airbag complete folding that can quickly open and close and quickly inflate and inflate the door in the initial stage of inflation. It aims to provide a method.

The method for manufacturing a passenger airbag folded body according to the present invention is folded and stored in a storage part provided in an instrument panel in front of the passenger seat, and when the inflation gas flows in from the gas inlet , With a configuration that pushes open the instrument panel door and expands and expands backward,
As the expansion completion shape, an occupant side wall portion arranged so as to be substantially along the vertical direction on the rear end side,
As a shape extending forward so as to converge from the occupant side wall, a gas inlet is arranged on the front lower surface side, and a peripheral wall part attached to the storage part with the periphery of the gas inlet as an attachment part,
The passenger seat airbag arrangement with a method for producing a folded-up body of the passenger-seat airbag that will be formed Nde tatami folding can house site,
A pre-folding step of forming a pre-folded airbag, a left-right reduced folding step of folding the pre-folded airbag to form a left-right reduced folded airbag having a reduced width in the left-right direction, and folding the left-right reduced folded airbag A front and rear reduced folding process for forming a folded body with a reduced width dimension on the front and rear direction side,
The pre-folding process is substantially symmetrical about the gas inlet while the airbag is deployed almost flat so that the occupant side wall approaches the gas inlet so that the peripheral wall portion is creased. And a step of forming a pre-folded airbag by making the rear part behind the gas inlet longer than the front part ahead of the gas inlet,
The left and right reduction folding process maintains the state in which the peripheral wall portion and the occupant side wall portion are overlapped so that the width dimension in the left and right direction can be stored in the storage portion, and the both sides in the left and right direction of the preliminary folding airbag are maintained. Folding the part closer to the gas inlet side to form a left and right reduced folded airbag,
The rear side folding formed by folding the rear part of the left and right reduced folding airbag and placing it on the gas inlet so that the front and rear reduction folding process can store the width dimension in the front and rear direction in the storage part. The present invention is characterized in that the front side portion of the left and right reduced folded airbag is folded on the tatami portion to form a folded body.

In the method for manufacturing a passenger airbag folded body according to the present invention, the airbag is folded through the preliminary folding step, the left-right reduced folding step, and the front-rear reduced folding step, and is formed by the preliminary folding step. The pre-folded airbag to be folded in the left-right reduced folding process is performed so that the portions on both sides in the left-right direction approach the gas inlet side while maintaining the state where the peripheral wall portion and the occupant side wall portion are overlapped. . That is, in the method for folding a passenger airbag according to the present invention, the preliminary folding airbag has gas inlets while maintaining the overlapping state of the peripheral wall portion and the occupant side wall portion on both sides in the left-right direction. The left and right sides are folded so as to be folded back so as to approach the side. In the airbag folded in this way, when the inflation gas flows into the inside from the gas inlet in the initial stage of inflation, the airbag is first deployed so as to eliminate the folding caused by the front-rear reduction folding. When the front part of the left and right reduced folded airbag is set to be shorter than the rear part of the front part of the gas inlet, the outer part of the folded rear part (rear folding part) Since it arrange | positions so that it may cover, it will expand | swell by making an expansion gas flow in into an inside as an initial stage expansion part. And, when this front side portion expands, it is difficult to allow the inflation gas to flow into the folding portion formed in the left and right reduced fold, and the front side portion is first maintained in the folded state of the left and right reduced fold, A region on the center side in the left-right direction that is not folded is greatly expanded. Therefore, in the initial stage of inflation of the airbag, the front part in the storage part is inflated so that the part on the central side in the left-right direction protrudes greatly toward the door side, and the door is inflated by the inflating front part. It is possible to strongly press the vicinity of the left and right center of the portion, and it is possible to quickly push the door portion open.

Therefore, in the method for manufacturing a passenger airbag folded body according to the present invention, in the initial stage of inflation, the door portion of the storage part can be quickly pushed open, and the airbag can be quickly deployed and inflated. The bag can be folded.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a passenger airbag folded body according to the present invention, if the folding of the rear side portion of the left-right reduced folding airbag in the front-rear reduction folding step is a bellows-fold, the rear side from the storage portion is performed. Although the protruding rear side portion is deployed and inflated later than the front side portion, it can be deployed so that folding can be quickly eliminated, and the airbag can be deployed and inflated more quickly, which is preferable.

Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing a passenger airbag folded body having the above-described configuration, the wall portion facing the gas inlet in the preliminary folding airbag in the preliminary folding step is moved from the portion facing the gas inlet to the preliminary folding airbag. It is preferable to form it so that it continues to the front end. When the passenger airbag is folded in this way, in the initial stage of inflation, as an initial inflatable portion, first, the inflation gas is allowed to quickly flow into the front side portion that inflates to the front end along the wall portion. Therefore, the front portion can be expanded more rapidly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a passenger seat airbag device in which an airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention is folded and stored is mounted on a vehicle. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the II-II site | part of FIG. It is a perspective view of the state where the airbag of an embodiment was inflated alone. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the airbag of FIG. It is a top view which shows the base fabric which comprises the airbag of embodiment. It is a top view of the pre-folding airbag which pre-folded the airbag of embodiment. It is a bottom view of the preliminary | backup folding airbag of FIG. It is the schematic which shows in order the folding process of the airbag of embodiment. It is the schematic which shows the folding process of the airbag of embodiment in order, and is a figure which shows the process after B of FIG. It is the schematic which shows in detail the state which carries out the right-and-left reduction folding of the front side part of a preliminary | backup folding airbag in the folding process of the airbag of embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction showing the state of the airbag in the initial stage of inflation in order in the passenger seat airbag device of the embodiment. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view along a left-right direction showing an initial state of inflation of an airbag in an airbag device for a passenger seat according to an embodiment. In the passenger seat airbag device of the embodiment, it is a schematic longitudinal sectional view along the front-rear direction sequentially showing the initial state of inflation of the airbag. FIG. 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view for sequentially explaining the inflation process of the airbag in the passenger airbag device of the embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment, a passenger seat airbag (hereinafter simply referred to as “airbag”) 15 used in the passenger seat airbag apparatus M shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described as an example. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the passenger seat airbag device M is a top mount disposed inside the upper surface 2 of an instrument panel (hereinafter, “instrument panel”) 1 in front of the passenger seat in the vehicle. It is a type. In the embodiment, the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions coincide with the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions of the vehicle unless otherwise specified.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the passenger seat airbag apparatus M of the embodiment includes a folded airbag 15, an inflator 8 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 15, and the airbag 15 and the inflator 8. A case 12 serving as a storage part for storing and holding, a retainer 9 for attaching the airbag 15 and the inflator 8 to the case 12, and an airbag cover 6 that covers the folded airbag 15 are provided. Yes.

  In the case of the embodiment, the airbag cover 6 is formed integrally with the instrument panel 1 made of synthetic resin, and the two door portions 6a and 6b that are pushed open on the upper surface side of the instrument panel 1 when the airbag 15 is deployed and inflated. Are arranged. When the airbag 15 is deployed and inflated, the doors 6a and 6b are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. It is configured to open forward and backward while being pushed by the inflating airbag 15 and breaking the breakable portion 6c. Further, a connecting wall portion 6 d connected to the case 12 is formed around the door portions 6 a and 6 b in the airbag cover 6.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inflator 8 includes a substantially cylindrical main body portion 8 a having a plurality of gas discharge ports 8 b and a flange portion 8 c for attaching the inflator 8 to the case 12. ing.

  The case 12 as a storage part is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape made of a sheet metal having a rectangular opening on the upper end side, a substantially rectangular plate-shaped bottom wall portion 12a attached by inserting the inflator 8 from below, and a bottom wall And a peripheral wall portion 12b extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the portion 12a and locking the connecting wall portion 6d of the airbag cover 6. In the case of the embodiment, the airbag 15 and the inflator 8 use the bolts 9a of the retainer 9 arranged in the airbag 15 as attachment means, the peripheral edge of the gas inlet 18 in the airbag 15, and the bottom wall portion of the case 12 12 a and the flange portion 8 c of the inflator 8 are penetrated and fixed to the bottom wall portion 12 a of the case 12 by fastening the nut 10. A bracket (not shown) is connected to the bottom wall portion 12a of the case 12 so as to be connected to the vehicle body side.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the airbag 15 has an occupant side wall portion 16 disposed substantially in the vertical direction on the rear end side in an inflated shape, and forward so as to converge from the occupant side wall portion 16. And a peripheral wall portion 17 having a substantially conical shape that extends. The front wall lower surface side of the peripheral wall portion 17 is opened in a substantially circular shape so that inflation gas can flow into the interior, and the periphery is the bottom of the case 12. A gas inlet 18 attached to the wall 12a is formed. Four attachment holes 20 for inserting the bolts 9 a of the retainer 9 are formed in the peripheral portion 19 of the gas inlet 18, and the airbag 15 of the embodiment has the peripheral portion 19 of the gas inlet 18. Is attached to the bottom wall portion 12a of the case 12 as a storage portion. In addition, vent holes 21 and 21 for exhausting excess inflation gas are formed in the left and right side portions of the peripheral wall portion 17, respectively.

  The airbag 15 is configured in a bag shape by joining the peripheral edges of a base fabric of a predetermined shape. In the case of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the peripheral wall panel 22 that constitutes a portion of the peripheral wall portion 17 and The occupant side panel 23 constitutes a part of the occupant side wall 16, and a reinforcing cloth 24 that reinforces the periphery of the gas inlet 18. The peripheral wall panel 22, the occupant side panel 23, and the reinforcing cloth 24 are each formed from a flexible woven cloth made of polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, or the like. And the airbag 15 of embodiment is made into a bag shape by couple | bonding (sewing) the outer periphery of the surrounding wall panel 22 of the state which combined the reinforcement cloth 24, and the outer periphery of the passenger | crew side panel 23. FIG. ing.

  Next, folding of the airbag 15 of this embodiment will be described. The airbag 15 includes a preliminary folding step for forming the preliminary folded airbag 27, a left and right reduced folding step for folding the preliminary folded airbag 27 to form a left and right reduced folded airbag 31, and a left and right reduced folded airbag 31 folded. Folding is performed through a front-rear reduction folding process for forming the folded body 38.

  First, the airbag 9 in a state where the retainer 9 is accommodated therein is preliminarily folded so that the bolt 9a protrudes from the mounting hole 20. Specifically, in the preliminary folding step, the airbag 15 is deployed substantially flat so that the occupant side wall portion 16 approaches the gas inlet 18 so as to make a crease in the portion of the peripheral wall portion 17. A pre-folded airbag 27 is formed by folding in a substantially bilaterally symmetrical manner around the gas inlet 18. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pre-folded airbag 27 is overlapped from the upper side so that the occupant side wall portion 16 is positioned on the rear side of the gas inlet 18, and is located on the rear side behind the gas inlet 18. 29 has a long shape that is longer than the front portion 28 in front of the gas inlet 18. Specifically, the preliminary folding airbag 27 is formed by folding the peripheral wall portion 17 with valley folds HL1, HL2, VL1, and VL2 along the front-rear direction or the left-right direction.

  In the pre-folded airbag 27, the front portion 28 on the front side from the gas inlet 18 is configured as a substantially triangular shape that converges toward the front end 27a as shown in FIGS. And the width dimension (separation distance from the gas inflow port 18 to the front end 27a) L1 (refer to FIG. 6) L1 (see FIG. 6) of the front side portion 28 of the front side portion 28 of the folding completion body 38 in which the airbag 15 is folded. In the state, with the fold CL3 attached and folded so that the front end 27a faces the front side (see FIGS. 9B and 9C), the fold CL3 is positioned in the vicinity of the rear edge 38b of the folding completion body 38, and the front end 27a Is set to such a dimension that can be positioned in the vicinity of the front edge 38a of the folding completion body 38. That is, in the airbag 15 of the embodiment, the front portion 28 of the pre-folded airbag 27 (the front portion 33 of the left and right reduced folded airbag 31) is substantially the upper surface side of the folding completion body 38 in the state of the folding completion body 38. It is configured to cover twice over the entire surface.

  Further, in the pre-folded airbag 27, the wall portion (a part of the peripheral wall portion 17) facing the gas inlet 18 is flat from the portion 17 a facing the gas inlet 18 to the front end 27 a of the pre-folded airbag 27. It is formed to be continuous. That is, in the region of the front portion 28 on the front side of the gas inlet 18, the facing portion 17a arranged to face the gas inlet 18 in the peripheral wall portion 17 crosses to the front end 27a (in the left-right direction). The folds are not formed, but are arranged in a flat manner (see VIA-VIA and VIB-VIB cross sections in FIG. 6). In the pre-folded airbag 27 of the embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 17 is a fold along the left-right direction at a portion between the gas inlet port 18 and the front end 27a on the wall side of the gas inlet port 18 side. Although folded with HL1, this fold HL1 does not straddle the gas inlet 18 and is disposed at a position on the front side of the gas inlet 18 as shown in FIGS. In the preliminary folding airbag 27 of the embodiment, folds VL1 and VL2 formed substantially along the front-rear direction so as to fold a part of the peripheral wall portion 17 inward in the left-right direction are also shown in FIGS. As described above, the gas inlet 18 is not straddled, and is disposed at positions on the left and right sides of the gas inlet 18.

  Next, the pre-folded airbag 27 is folded in a reduced manner on the left and right. In the left-right reduced folding step, the pre-folded airbag 27 is maintained in a state where the peripheral wall portion 17 and the occupant side wall portion 16 are overlapped, and the portions on the left edge 27b side and the right edge 27c side are respectively subjected to gas flow. The left and right reduced folded airbag 31 is formed so as to be folded closer to the inlet 18 side so that the width dimension in the left and right direction can be stored in the case 12 (see FIGS. 8A and 8B). In the case of the embodiment, in the left-right reduced folding process, the portions of the pre-folded airbag 27 on the left edge 27b side and the right edge 27c side are respectively the peripheral wall portion 17 and the occupant side wall as shown in FIGS. While maintaining the state where the portion 16 is overlapped, folding lines CL1 and CL2 substantially along the front-rear direction are provided, and folding portions 31a and 31b are formed by bellows folding on the wall portion side away from the gas inlet 18 As shown, it is folded (see B in FIG. 8). The left and right reduced folded airbag 31 is symmetrical.

  Next, the left and right reduced folded airbag 31 is folded back and forth. In the front-rear reduction folding process, first, as shown in FIG. 8B and FIG. 9A, in the left-right reduction folding airbag 31, the rear portion 32 rearward from the gas inlet 18 is folded, so that the gas inlet 18 The rear folding part 37 is formed by placing it on top. In the case of the embodiment, the rear folding unit 37 is formed by bellows folding that is folded at a plurality of folds along the left-right direction so that the rear end 32a side of the rear part 32 is closer to the gas inlet 18 side. Is formed. Next, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the front portion 33 in front of the gas inflow port 18 is folded on the rear folding portion 37 in the left and right reduced folded airbag 31 to obtain a width in the front-rear direction. If the dimensions are shortened so as to be housed in the case 12, the folding completion body 38 can be formed as shown in FIGS. Specifically, the front side portion 33 is folded on the rear side folding portion 37 in a state where the front end 33a (27a) is turned forward, and the front side portion 37a of the rear side folding portion 37 is folded. It is arranged so as to cover from the side to the upper surface 37b side (see C in FIG. 9 and A in FIG. 13). Further, as described above, the front portion 33 has the folded crease CL3 positioned in the vicinity of the rear edge 38b of the folding completion body 38, and the front end 33a (27a) in the vicinity of the front edge 38a of the folding completion body 38. It is arranged to be positioned. In more detail, in the front side portion 33, the folding portions 31a and 31b by left-right reduced folding are arranged only in the base portion side portion 34 that is on the base portion side (gas inlet 18 side) from the fold CL3. In addition, it is not disposed in the distal end side portion 35 which is the distal end side (front end 33a side) from the crease CL3 (see A in FIG. 9).

  Thereafter, the periphery of the folding completion body 38 is wrapped with a wrapping sheet (not shown) that can be broken so as not to collapse. Next, the folding completion body 38 is placed on the bottom wall portion 12 a of the case 12. The body portion 8a of each inflator 8 is inserted into the case 12 from below the bottom wall portion 12a, and each bolt 9a protruding downward from the bottom wall portion 12a is inserted into the flange portion 8c of the inflator 8. Then, if the nut 10 is fastened to each bolt 9a protruding from the flange portion 8c of the inflator 8, the airbag 15 (folded body 38) folded on the case 12 and the inflator 8 can be attached.

  And if the peripheral wall part 12b of the case 12 is locked to the connecting wall part 6d of the airbag cover 6 in the instrument panel 1 mounted on the vehicle, and the bracket (not shown) of the case 12 is fixed to the body side of the vehicle, The passenger seat airbag device M can be mounted on a vehicle.

  If the inflation gas is discharged from the gas discharge port 8b of the inflator 8 after the front passenger airbag device M is mounted on the vehicle after the front passenger airbag device M is mounted on the vehicle, the airbag 15 causes the inflation gas to flow inside. The doors 6a and 6b of the airbag cover 6 are pushed open. The airbag 15 protrudes upward from the case 12 through an opening formed by pushing and opening the door portions 6a and 6b of the airbag cover 6, and expands and inflates while protruding toward the vehicle rear side. As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the expansion is completed.

  In the passenger seat airbag apparatus M according to the embodiment, the airbag 15 is folded through the preliminary folding step, the left-right reduced folding step, and the front-rear reduced folding step, and is formed by the preliminary folding step. The pre-folding airbag 27 maintains the state in which the peripheral wall portion 17 and the occupant side wall portion 16 are overlapped in the left-right reduction folding step, and the portions on the left edge 27b side and the right edge 27c side are respectively gas inlets. Folded to approach the 18th side. That is, in the method of folding the airbag 15 according to the embodiment, the preliminary folding airbag 27 is configured such that the peripheral wall portion 17 and the occupant side wall portion 16 overlap each other on the left edge 27b side and the right edge 27c side. While being maintained, it is folded back and forth so as to be close to the gas inlet 18 side, and is folded right and left. In the airbag 15 folded in this way, when the inflation gas flows into the interior from the gas inlet 18 in the initial stage of inflation, the airbag 15 is first deployed so as to eliminate the folding caused by the front-rear reduction folding. However, at this time, the front part 33 in front of the gas inlet 18 in the left and right reduced folded airbag 31 is set to be shorter than the rear part 32, and the rear part 32 (rear folding) is folded. Since it arrange | positions so that the outer surface side of the tatami part 37) may be covered, it will expand | swell by making an expansion gas flow in into an inside as an initial stage expansion part. When the front side portion 33 expands, it is difficult for the inflation gas G to flow into the folding portions 31a and 31b formed in the left and right reduced folds. In the maintained state, the region on the central side in the left-right direction that is not folded is greatly expanded.

  In the case of the embodiment, in detail, the front side portion 33 is first disposed on the front surface 37a side of the rear side folding portion 37 in the folding completion body 38 (the rear side folding portion 37 and the peripheral wall of the case 12). The expansion gas G is allowed to flow into the base portion side portion 34 (which is disposed between the portion 12b and the center portion 33b, which is the central side in the left-right direction). The gas for expansion is caused to flow into and expand (see FIGS. 11A and 11B). Next, the inflation gas G reaches a region disposed on the upper surface 37 b side of the rear folding portion 37 in the front side portion 33, and the central side portion 33 b of the front side portion 33 moves to the front, rear, left and right sides of the airbag cover 6. Is expanded so as to greatly push up the center of the door (see FIG. 12 and FIG. 13B), and then, as shown in FIG. Will be pushed back and forth. Therefore, in the initial stage of inflation of the airbag 15, the front side portion 33 is inflated so that the central side portion 33b in the left-right direction protrudes greatly toward the door portions 6a and 6b. By the front side portion 33, the vicinity of the left and right centers of the door portions 6a and 6b can be strongly pressed, and the door portions 6a and 6b can be quickly pushed open.

Therefore, in the method for folding the airbag 15 according to the embodiment (the method for manufacturing the folded body 38) , the doors 6a and 6b of the airbag cover 6 can be quickly pushed open at the initial stage of inflation, and the airbag 15 is opened. The airbag 15 can be folded so that it can be quickly deployed and inflated.

  In particular, in the passenger seat airbag apparatus M of the embodiment, the airbag cover 6 has two door portions 6a and 6b arranged side by side in front and rear, and is substantially H-shaped around the door portions 6a and 6b. Although the planned break portion 6c is arranged, the inflated front portion 33 strongly presses the vicinity of the front, rear, left and right centers of the airbag cover 6 at the initial stage of inflation of the airbag 15. 6c can be broken from the vicinity of the center of the left and right, the whole can be broken quickly, and the front and rear doors 6a, 6b can be opened quickly.

  In the embodiment, the rear portion 32 of the left and right reduced folded airbag 31 is folded by bellows folding in the front and rear reduced folding step. Therefore, at the initial stage of inflation of the airbag 15, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the rear side folding portion 37 that largely protrudes rearward from the case 12 by the front side portion 33 that is inflated is replaced with the front side portion 33. Although it is deployed and inflated later, it can be deployed so as to quickly eliminate the folding, and the airbag 15 can be deployed and inflated more quickly. If such a point is not taken into consideration, the rear portion may be folded by roll folding so that the rear end side is wound toward the wall portion side on the gas inlet side.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment, as shown in the VIA-VIA cross-sectional view and the VIB-VIB cross-sectional view of FIG. From the facing portion 17a to the front end 27a of the pre-folded airbag 27, the flat folded portion is formed so as to be flat. In other words, in the embodiment, in the front portion 28 of the left and right reduced folded airbag 27, the facing portion 17a arranged to face the gas inlet 18 in the peripheral wall portion 17 crosses to the front end 27a (left and right). The folds are not formed (in line with the direction) and are arranged in a flat manner. Therefore, the opposed portion 17a arranged so as to be connected in a flat manner serves as a conduit when the inflation gas flows into the front portion 28 (33) in the early stage of inflation of the airbag 15. Become. In particular, in the left and right reduced folded airbag 27 of the embodiment, the region where the facing portion 17a facing the gas inlet 18 is surrounded by the folds VL1 and VL2 when the preliminary folded airbag 27 is formed, up to the front end 33a (27a). It is arranged in a flat manner and forms a substantially triangular area that converges toward the front end 33a (27a) (see the shaded area in FIG. 6), and this area is the initial stage that serves as a conduit. The expansion main body portion 36 is configured. In the embodiment, in the initial stage of expansion, the expansion gas G flows into the region of the initial expansion main body portion 36 and expands, and the front portion 33 (28) that expands is placed in the opposing portion 17a. Since the expansion gas can be rapidly flowed to the front end 27a (33a) along the front side, the front side portion 28 (33) can be expanded more rapidly. In the embodiment, the folds VL1 and VL2 formed so as to be substantially along the front-rear direction so that a part of the peripheral wall portion 17 is folded inward in the left-right direction in the pre-folded airbag 27 are also gas inlets. Although it is arrange | positioned in the left-right both sides vicinity of 18, it is not arrange | positioned so that the gas inflow port 18 may be straddled (refer FIG. 6, 7). That is, in the embodiment, there is no portion that is folded by the folds VL1 and VL2 in the region of the gas inlet 18, and the gas inlet 18 does not interpose other portions of the peripheral wall portion 17 therebetween. Since the entire surface is disposed so as to directly face the facing portion 17a, the pressing force of the expansion gas G flowing into the inside from the gas inlet 18 can be applied to the facing portion 17a without waste. In the initial stage of inflation of the airbag 15, the facing portion 17a can be pushed up quickly. If such a point is not taken into consideration, the airbag is folded in the left-right direction in the region up to the front end of the wall portion arranged to face the gas inlet at the front portion. And it is good also as a structure which folds.

  In the passenger seat airbag apparatus M of the embodiment, the airbag cover 6 is configured integrally with the instrument panel 1 and has two door portions 6a and 6b that are opened front and rear, and the door portions 6a and 6b. An airbag folded by the folding method of the present invention is used in an airbag device having an airbag cover having such a configuration. Is not limited. For example, as an airbag cover, two triangular auxiliary doors are arranged on the left and right sides of the two front and rear doors, and a portion to be broken is formed around the two Y-shapes. The airbag apparatus according to the present invention may be applied to an airbag apparatus using a configuration that has been arranged, and further, a single door portion that opens rearward and a substantially inverted U-shape around the door portion. An airbag using an airbag cover having a configuration in which a portion to be broken is arranged, or an airbag cover having a configuration in which a door portion that opens toward the front and a substantially U-shaped portion to be broken around are arranged. The airbag folding of the present invention may be applied to the apparatus. In the embodiment, the airbag cover is formed integrally with the instrument panel. However, the airbag cover is separated from the instrument panel and uses an airbag cover having a configuration in which a door portion is arranged on the upper surface side of the instrument panel. The airbag folding of the present invention may be applied to the bag device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Instrument panel (instrument panel), 6 ... Air bag cover, 6a, 6b ... Door part, 6c ... Breaking part, 8 ... Inflator, 12 ... Case (storage part), 15 ... Air bag, 16 ... Passenger side wall part , 17 ... peripheral wall portion, 17a ... facing part, 18 ... gas inlet, 19 ... peripheral part (attachment part), 27 ... pre-folded airbag, 28 ... front part, 29 ... rear part, 31 ... left and right reduced folding air Bags 31a, 31b ... folding part, 32 ... rear part, 33 ... front part, 36 ... initial inflating main body part, 37 ... rear folding part, 38 ... folded body, M ... passenger seat airbag device .

Claims (3)

A structure that is folded and stored in a storage part provided in the instrument panel in front of the passenger seat, and that expands and expands backward by pushing the door of the instrument panel open when inflating gas flows from the gas inlet And
As the expansion completion shape, an occupant side wall portion arranged so as to be substantially along the vertical direction on the rear end side,
As a shape that extends forward so as to converge from the occupant side wall, the gas inlet is disposed on the front lower surface side, and a peripheral wall that is attached to the storage part with a peripheral edge of the gas inlet as an attachment part;
The passenger seat airbag arrangement with a method for producing a folded-up body of the passenger airbag that will be formed Nde tatami folding can be stored in the storage site,
A pre-folding step for forming a pre-folded airbag, a left-right reduced-folding step for forming a left-right reduced-fold folded airbag by folding the pre-folded airbag and reducing a width dimension in the left-right direction, and the left-right reduced-fold folded airbag A front and rear reduced folding process for forming a folded body that is folded to reduce the width dimension in the front-rear direction side,
In the preliminary folding step, the airbag is substantially flatly deployed so that the occupant side wall is brought close to the gas inlet so as to make a crease in the peripheral wall portion, and the gas inlet is centered. And a step of forming the pre-folded airbag by making the rear part rearward from the gas inlet longer than the front part forward from the gas inlet.
The left and right reduction folding step maintains the state in which the peripheral wall portion and the occupant side wall portion are stacked so that the width dimension in the left-right direction can be stored in the storage portion, Folding both sides of the direction so as to approach the gas inlet side to form the left and right reduced folded airbag,
The front-rear reduction folding step is formed by folding the rear side part of the left-right reduction folding airbag and placing it on the gas inlet so that the width dimension in the front-rear direction can be stored in the storage part. on the side folds after being, the right and left reduction folding folded over the front portion of the air bag, complete body folding the passenger-seat airbag, characterized in that as a step of forming the folded-up body Manufacturing method. 2. The method for manufacturing a passenger airbag folded body according to claim 1, wherein folding of the rear portion of the left and right reduced folded airbag in the front and rear reduced folding step is a bellows fold. A wall portion facing the gas inlet in the preliminary folding airbag in the preliminary folding step is formed so as to be flat and continuous from a portion facing the gas inlet to the front end of the preliminary folding airbag. A method for manufacturing a folded body of a passenger seat airbag according to claim 1 or 2.

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