JP7632342B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an airbag device.

Conventionally, there is known an airbag device that deploys from the cowl top of the vehicle toward the bottom of the windshield and the front pillars on both sides of the windshield (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The airbag device in Patent Document 1 deploys when the vehicle collides with a pedestrian to protect the pedestrian's head.

JP 2018-43635 A

The airbag device in Patent Document 1 is an airbag device intended to protect pedestrians. However, it is preferable to have an airbag device that takes into consideration not only collisions with pedestrians but also collisions with bicycle riders.

The objective of this disclosure is to provide an airbag device that can protect non-crash occupants in both collisions with pedestrians and bicycle riders.

The airbag device of the present disclosure is an airbag that deploys along the lower and side portions of the front windshield, and includes a first chamber that deploys from the lower portion toward the side portion, a second chamber that is disposed separated from the first chamber by a wall and deploys along the side portion above the first chamber, a gas generator that sprays gas into the first and second chambers, a connection path that connects the gas generator and the second chamber, and a control device that selects between a first mode in which the gas is preferentially supplied from the gas generator to the first chamber and a second mode in which the gas is preferentially supplied to the connection path .

With this airbag device, gas is quickly supplied to the second chamber, which is located above the first chamber, via the connecting passage. This allows the second chamber to deploy quickly. As a result, it is possible to protect the cyclist, whose head would strike a higher position than that of a pedestrian in the event of a collision with a vehicle. In addition, because the first chamber also deploys, it is possible to protect pedestrians who are hit by a vehicle.

This disclosure provides an airbag device that can protect non-crash occupants in both collisions with pedestrians and bicycle riders.

1 is an overall view of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when deployed; 1 is a left side view of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a stowed and deployed state; FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure hits a pedestrian; 1 is a diagram showing a state in which an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is in collision with a bicycle;

One embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following specification, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is indicated as Q in the drawings, and the front is indicated as F. The width direction of the vehicle is indicated as P in the drawings, and the right side as viewed from the rear of the vehicle is indicated as R. Furthermore, the vertical direction of the vehicle is indicated as G in the drawings, and the upper side is indicated as U.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle C has a windshield 2, front pillars 4 arranged on both sides of the windshield 2 in the vehicle width direction P, a hood 6, and a cowl top 8 (see Figure 2) arranged between the hood 6 and the windshield 2. The airbag device 1 deploys along the lower part and sides of the windshield 2.

The airbag device 1 includes a first chamber 10, a pair of second chambers 12, an inflator (an example of a gas generating device) 14, two connection paths 16 that connect to each of the pair of second chambers 12, and a ventilation hole (an example of a communication path) 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the airbag device 1 further includes a control device 20, a valve system (an example of a variable device) 22, a determination device 24, and a collision detection sensor 26.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first chamber 10 deploys from the bottom of the windshield 2 toward the side. Specifically, the first chamber 10 is an airbag that deploys in a U-shape. When inflation gas is supplied from the inflator 14, the first chamber 10 deploys above the cowl top 8 and then deploys upward along the front pillar 4.

The pair of second chambers 12 are disposed apart from the first chamber 10 by a wall 12a, and are deployed along the front pillar 4 above the first chamber 10. Specifically, there are two second chambers 12, one along the front pillar 4 on the left side and one along the front pillar 4 on the right side. In this embodiment, the second chamber 12 on the left side and the second chamber 12 on the right side are symmetrical. In this embodiment, a ventilation hole 18 is provided in the wall 12a separating the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12. The ventilation hole 18 connects the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12, and prevents the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12 from expanding excessively.

In this embodiment, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12 are folded and stored together with the inflator 14 below the cowl top 8. However, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12 may be stored in any location as long as the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12 can be deployed in the above-mentioned locations. Also, in this embodiment, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12 are formed by forming nylon fabric into a bag shape. However, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12 may be formed from any material that is used in normal airbags.

The inflator 14 inflates the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12 from a folded state to an unfolded state by ejecting inflation gas (an example of gas) into the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inflator 14 has a first supply port 14a that supplies inflation gas to the first chamber 10, and a second supply port 14b that supplies inflation gas to the connection passage 16. The first supply port 14a is connected to the first chamber 10 and supplies inflation gas directly to the first chamber 10. The second supply port 14b is connected to the connection passage 16 and supplies inflation gas to the left and right second chambers 12.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connection passage 16 connects the inflator 14 and the second chamber 12. The connection passage 16 branches to the left and right at the outlet of the inflator 14, and extends to the left and right second chambers 12. In this embodiment, the connection passage 16 is a cylindrical passage formed in the bag-shaped first chamber 10 by the same fabric as the first chamber 10. The connection passage 16 is formed by penetrating the wall 12a, and the inflation gas coming out of the second supply port 14b flows directly only into the second chamber.

The ventilation hole 18 is provided in the wall 12a and connects the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 12. In this embodiment, the hole formed in the wall 12a is the ventilation hole 18. The ventilation hole 18 functions as an adjustment hole that adjusts the inflation of the first chamber 10 by releasing the inflation gas from the first chamber 10 to the second chamber 12 when an excessive amount of inflation gas flows into the first chamber 10. The ventilation hole 18 also functions as an adjustment hole that adjusts the inflation of the second chamber 12 by releasing the inflation gas from the second chamber 12 to the first chamber 10 when an excessive amount of inflation gas flows into the second chamber 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 20 selects between a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode in which inflation gas is supplied preferentially from the inflator 14 to the first chamber 10. This causes the first chamber 10 to expand and inflate before the second chamber 12. The second mode is a mode in which inflation gas is supplied preferentially to the connection passage 16. This causes the second chamber 12 to expand and inflate before the first chamber 10.

The control device 20 is actually an airbag ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and is composed of a microcomputer including an arithmetic unit, memory, an input/output buffer, etc. The control device 20 deploys the airbag based on signals from each sensor and various devices, as well as maps and programs stored in the memory.

The valve system 22 varies the opening area of the first supply port 14a and the second supply port 14b. In this embodiment, the valve system 22 has a slide valve 22a and an actuator 22b that slides the slide valve 22a. The slide valve 22a moves while sliding between the first supply port 14a and the second supply port 14b. The actuator 22b is electrically connected to the control device 20 and moves the slide valve 22a in response to a control signal from the control device 20.

The judgment device 24 judges that the collision has been either a collision with a bicycle or a collision with a pedestrian. In this embodiment, the judgment device 24 includes a camera and an image processing program included in the camera or the airbag ECU. The judgment device 24 uses image processing of the image acquired from the camera to judge that the collision type is either a collision with a bicycle or a collision with a pedestrian. If the judgment device 24 collides with a bicycle, it generates a signal indicating a collision with the bicycle. On the other hand, if the judgment device 24 collides with a pedestrian, it generates a signal indicating a collision with a pedestrian. When the judgment device 24 generates either of the signals, it sends the generated signal to the control device 20.

The collision detection sensor 26 is a device that detects a collision. The collision detection sensor 26 is attached, for example, to the bumper of the vehicle C, and generates a signal when the vehicle collides with a pedestrian or a bicycle and transmits the signal to the control device 20. The control device 20 may start image processing upon receiving a signal from the collision detection sensor 26.

Next, the control procedure of the control device 20 will be explained.

When the vehicle C collides with a pedestrian, the control device 20 selects the first mode. Specifically, when the determination device 24 determines that the vehicle C has collided with a pedestrian, the control device 20 selects the first mode. When the first mode is selected, the control device 20 slides the slide valve 22a so that the opening area of the first supply port 14a is maximized, and the opening area of the second supply port 14b is reduced. In this way, the control device 20 operates the slide valve 22a, so that the amount of inflation gas flowing into the first supply port 14a becomes greater than the amount of inflation gas flowing into the second supply port 14b. As a result, the first chamber 10 deploys and inflates with priority over the second chamber 12.

The control device 20 selects the second mode when the vehicle C collides with a bicycle. Specifically, when the judgment device 24 judges that the vehicle C has collided with a bicycle, the control device 20 selects the second mode. When the second mode is selected, the control device 20 slides the slide valve 22a so that the opening area of the second supply port 14b is maximized, and the opening area of the first supply port 14a is reduced. In this way, the control device 20 operates the slide valve 22a, so that the amount of inflation gas flowing into the second supply port 14b becomes greater than the amount of inflation gas flowing into the first supply port 14a. As a result, the second chamber 12 deploys and inflates with priority over the first chamber 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the vehicle C collides with a pedestrian, the airbag device 1 configured in this manner deploys and inflates the first chamber 10 earlier than the second chamber 12. When a pedestrian is hit, the pedestrian's head M is close to the cowl top 8 and is likely to collide with the front pillar 4, which is located at a low height. For this reason, the first chamber 10 deploys and inflates earlier than the second chamber 12, making it easier to protect the pedestrian's head M.

On the other hand, in the airbag device 1, when the vehicle C collides with a bicycle as shown in FIG. 5, the second chamber 12 deploys and inflates earlier than the first chamber 10. When the vehicle C collides with a bicycle, the head M of the bicycle rider is more likely to collide with the front pillar 4, which is higher than that of a pedestrian. For example, if the first chamber 10 is extended to the height of the second chamber 12, the volume becomes larger, and there is a possibility that the first chamber 10 will not be able to fully deploy before the bicycle rider collides with the front pillar 4. For this reason, in the present disclosure, the second chamber 12 is provided, separated from the first chamber 10 by a wall 12a, and a connection path 16 is provided that connects the second chamber 12 with the inflator 14, thereby enabling the second chamber 12 to be deployed quickly.

Furthermore, by varying the supply of inflation gas from the inflator 14 using the valve system 22, either the first chamber 10 or the second chamber 12 can be preferentially deployed and inflated depending on the type of collision, such as a collision with a pedestrian or a collision with a bicycle. This allows the airbag to be deployed and inflated appropriately depending on the type of collision. As a result, an appropriate airbag depending on the type of collision is deployed before the head M of the pedestrian or bicycle rider hits the front pillar 4. This allows non-crashees to be protected in both collisions with pedestrians and bicycle riders.

As described above, the present disclosure provides an airbag device 1 that can protect non-collision occupants in both collisions with pedestrians and bicycle riders.

<Other embodiments>
Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention. In particular, the multiple modifications described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.

(a) In the above embodiment, a camera and an image processing program are used as an example of the determination device 24, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The determination of whether a collision has occurred with a pedestrian or a bicycle may be made using, for example, radar.

(b) In the above embodiment, the amount of inflation gas flowing to the first supply port 14a and the second supply port 14b is adjusted using a valve system 22 having a slide valve 22a, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the amount of inflation gas flowing to each supply port may be adjusted by providing a valve at each supply port.

1: Airbag device 2: Front window 10: First chamber 12: Second chamber 12a: Wall 14: Inflator (an example of a gas expansion device)
14a: First supply port 14b: Second supply port 16: Connection path 18: Ventilation hole (an example of a communication path)
20: Control device 22: Valve system (an example of a variable device)
24: Determination device C: Vehicle

Claims (6)

An airbag that deploys along the bottom and sides of the windshield,
A first chamber extending from the lower portion toward the side portion;
a second chamber disposed across a wall from the first chamber and extending along the side portion above the first chamber;
a gas generator configured to eject gas into the first chamber and the second chamber;
a connection path connecting the gas generator and the second chamber;
a control device that selects between a first mode in which the gas is preferentially supplied from the gas generator to the first chamber and a second mode in which the gas is preferentially supplied to the connection path;
An airbag device comprising: The vehicle further includes a determination device for determining whether the collision is with a bicycle or with a pedestrian,
the control device selects the second mode when a collision with the bicycle is detected.
2. The airbag device according to claim 1 . the control device selects the first mode when a collision with the pedestrian is detected.
3. The airbag device according to claim 2 . the gas generator has a first supply port that supplies the gas to the first chamber and a second supply port that supplies the gas to the connection path,
The airbag device further includes a variable device that varies an opening area of the first supply port and the second supply port,
the control device controls the variable device so that the second supply port is preferentially opened when the second mode is selected.
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . the control device controls the variable device so that the first supply port is preferentially opened when the first mode is selected.
5. The airbag device according to claim 4 . The wall further includes a communication passage that communicates the first chamber with the second chamber.
The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .