JP3558865B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an airbag device that protects an occupant from the impact of a vehicle collision.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of airbag devices have been proposed. For example, airbag devices having a configuration as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are known as an airbag device disposed in front of a passenger seat.
[0003]
In FIG. 5, the airbag device 31 includes an airbag 33 housed in a housing 32 in a folded state, and an inflator 34 for blowing gas into the airbag 33 to inflate the airbag. As the inflator 34, a two-stage inflator 35 as shown in FIG. 6 is preferably used.
[0004]
In FIG. 6, a two-stage inflator 35 partitions a cylindrical housing 36 into a first gas generation chamber 38 on one side in the axial direction and a second gas generation chamber 39 on the other side by a partition wall 37. The gas generating pellets 40 are housed in the axial centers of the chambers 38 and 39, the diffuser 41 is arranged on the inner surface of the peripheral wall, and a plurality of gas blowing holes 42 are formed by appropriately dispersing the gas on the peripheral wall. The squibs 43 and 44 as igniters for the first gas generation chamber 38 and the second gas generation chamber 39 are mounted.
[0005]
The airbag device 31 is operated by controlling ignition of the squibs 43 and 44 by the ECU according to the magnitude of impact (acceleration) and the like. When the acceleration is relatively small, the squib 43 is ignited first to blow out gas from the first gas generation chamber 38, and then the squib 44 is ignited with a slight delay and the second gas generation chamber 39 is also ignited. By blowing out the gas, the pressure in the airbag 33 is first slowly increased as shown by a curve A in FIG. On the other hand, when the acceleration is large, the squibs 43 and 44 are simultaneously ignited and the gas is blown out from the first and second gas generating chambers 38 and 39 at a time, so that the air bag 33 as shown by the curve B in FIG. The pressure inside is rapidly increasing.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the two-stage inflator 35, as shown by arrows in FIG. 5, since the gas blowing directions from both gas generating chambers 38 and 39 are the same direction, both squibs 43 and 44 are ignited at the same time and the curve shown in FIG. When the pressure in the airbag 33 is rapidly increased as shown in B, there is a problem that the airbag 33 inflates so as to fly straight out and directly hits the face as shown by an arrow C in FIG.
[0007]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-319199 discloses a gas chamber having a plurality of gas generating chambers in which the directions of the gas blowing holes are different from each other. There is a problem that the effects are still insufficient because the flow directions are straight.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and has as its object to provide an airbag device that can prevent the airbag from directly hitting the face by optimizing the inflation direction of the airbag with a low-cost and simple structure. .
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The airbag device of the present invention includes an airbag and an inflator that blows gas into the airbag when required.The inflator includes a plurality of gas generation chambers that are separated from each other and each of which has a plurality of gas blowing holes dispersedly formed therein. The gas generator has a basic configuration in which at least some of the gases blown out from the gas blowout holes of the plurality of gas generating chambers collide with each other and diffuse, and the gas is blown out in a diffused state with a low-cost and simple structure. The direction of inflation of the airbag can be optimized to prevent the airbag from directly hitting the face.
[0010]
The airbag device of the present invention includes, in addition to the above basic configuration, a cylindrical first gas generation chamber and a second gas generation chamber in which inflators are arranged in parallel on the same axis and have mutually different outer diameters, It is characterized in that the gas blowing holes are dispersedly formed on the outer peripheral wall of both gas generating chambers and the end wall facing the gas generating chamber having a smaller outer diameter of the gas generating chamber having a larger outer diameter . With this configuration , in addition to the above-described functions and effects, since it has a substantially cylindrical shape, it can be installed in the airbag device in the passenger seat in the same manner as before, and the size, number, and position of the gas blowing holes formed in the end face wall are changed. By doing so, it is possible to tune the gas blowing direction and the gas pressure rising characteristics that are optimal for various types of airbag capacities, shapes, and mounting positions.
[0011]
In the airbag device of the present invention, in addition to the above-described basic configuration, an inflator may include a cylindrical first gas generating chamber and a cylindrical portion surrounding one end of the first gas generating chamber at an interval. A cup-shaped second gas generation chamber having a bottom having a central part integrally joined to one end of the chamber, an outer peripheral wall of the first gas generation chamber, an inner peripheral wall and an inner bottom wall of the second gas generation chamber A gas blowing hole is formed in a dispersed manner. With this configuration, the diffusion state of the gas flow can be easily adjusted by the size, the number, and the position of the gas blowing holes of the second gas generating chamber, and it is optimal for various types of airbag capacities, shapes, and mounting positions. Inflator tuning becomes possible. Further, according to this configuration, the present invention can be applied to both the driver's seat and the passenger's seat airbag device.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of an airbag device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The overall configuration of the airbag device is basically the same as that of the conventional example described with reference to FIG. 5, and the description is referred to, and the inflator, which is a main part of the present invention, will be mainly described below.
[0014]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an inflator, and a partition wall 4 is formed inside the end wall 3 forming a step of a stepped cylindrical housing 2, and the partition wall 4 is coaxial with the end wall 3. A first gas generating chamber 5 having a small diameter and a second gas generating chamber 6 having a large diameter are formed in parallel. A diffuser 7 is arranged along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first gas generating chamber 4 having a small diameter, the peripheral wall, the end wall 3 and the inner surface of the partition wall 4 of the second gas generating chamber 5 having a large diameter. Gas generating pellets 8 are accommodated in the axial centers of the gas generating chambers 4 and 5, respectively. Gas blowout holes 9, 10, and 11 are formed in the outer peripheral wall of the first gas generating chamber 5, the outer peripheral wall of the second gas generating chamber 6, and the end wall 3, respectively. Squibs 12 and 13 which are ignition devices for the first gas generation chamber 4 and the second gas generation chamber 5 are mounted on both end surfaces of the housing 2.
[0015]
In the above configuration, when the squibs 12 and 13 are ignited at the same time, the gas flow T from the gas blowing hole 9 in the peripheral wall of the first gas generating chamber 5 is different from the gas flow T from the gas blowing hole 11 in the end face wall 3. The gas flow T is diffused by the collision of S. Due to this diffusion effect, as shown in FIG. 2, the airbag 14 expands while expanding not in a direction perpendicular to the occupant M but in a direction perpendicular to the occupant M (direction D), so that the airbag 14 directly hits the face of the occupant M. Is lost.
[0016]
Further, by changing the size, the number, and the position of the gas blowing holes 11 formed in the end face wall 3, it is possible to tune the optimal gas blowing direction and the gas pressure increasing characteristics for various types of airbag volumes, shapes, and mounting positions. Can be. Further, since the inflator 1 of the present embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape, it can be installed in the airbag device in the passenger seat in the same manner as in the related art.
[0017]
Next, an inflator according to a second embodiment of the airbag device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0018]
In the present embodiment, the inflator 1 has a cylindrical first gas generating chamber 15 and a cylindrical portion 16a surrounding one end of the first gas generating chamber 15 at an interval, and a center located at one end of the first gas generating chamber 15. It is composed of a cup-shaped second gas generating chamber 16 having a bottom part 16b whose parts are integrally joined. The gas outlet holes 17, 18, 19, and 20 are formed on the outer peripheral wall of the first gas generating chamber 15, the inner peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion 16a, the inner bottom wall of the bottom 16b, and the end surface of the cylindrical portion 16a of the second gas generating chamber 16, respectively. Are dispersedly formed. A diffuser 7 is provided along the inner surface of the wall where the gas blowing holes 17, 18, 19, 20 are formed, and a gas generating pellet 8 is accommodated therein.
[0019]
According to the present embodiment, the diffusion state of the gas flow can be easily adjusted by the size, number, and position of the gas blowing holes 18, 19, 20 of the second gas generating chamber 16, and various types of airbag capacities, shapes, Optimal inflator tuning for the mounting position becomes possible. Further, according to this configuration, the present invention can be applied to both the driver's seat and the passenger's seat airbag device.
[0020]
Next, an inflator according to a reference example of the airbag device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0021]
In the present reference example , the inflator 1 includes a housing 21 having a cylindrical outer shape as a whole, and a first gas generation chamber 23 defined by a hat-shaped partition wall 22 provided at an intermediate portion in the axial direction inside the housing 21. And a second gas generating chamber 24 are formed. Gas blowing holes 25 and 26 are formed in the outer peripheral wall of the housing 21 of the first and second gas generating chambers 23 and 24, respectively, and the hat-shaped partition wall 22 is formed. Gas blowout holes 27 are dispersedly formed in the peripheral wall portion, and the gas blowout holes 26 and 27 are alternately arranged in a staggered manner. A diffuser 7 is provided along the inner surface of the wall where the gas blowout holes 25, 26, 27 are formed, and a gas generating pellet 8 is accommodated therein.
[0022]
According to the present reference example , various types of air are adjusted by adjusting the size and number of the gas blowing holes 27 formed in the peripheral wall of the hat-shaped partition wall 22 and the relative positional relationship with the gas blowing holes 26 formed in the outer peripheral wall. It is possible to tune a gas blowing direction and a gas pressure rising characteristic which are optimal for the bag capacity, shape, and mounting position.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
According to the airbag device of the present invention, as described above, at least a part of the gas blown out from the gas blowout holes of the plurality of gas generating chambers is configured to collide with each other and diffuse, so that it is low-cost and simple. With the structure, the direction of inflation of the airbag is optimized, so that the airbag can be prevented from directly hitting the face. In addition, by changing the size, number, and position of the gas blowing holes formed in each gas generating chamber, tuning the optimal gas blowing direction and gas pressure rising characteristics for various types of airbags, capacities, and mounting positions. Can be.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 shows an inflator according to a first embodiment of an airbag device of the present invention, wherein (a) is a sectional view and (b) is a perspective view.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the airbag in the embodiment.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show an inflator according to a second embodiment of the airbag device of the present invention, wherein FIG. 3A is a sectional view and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an inflator in a reference example of the airbag device of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an overall perspective view of a conventional airbag device.
6A and 6B show an inflator according to the conventional example, wherein FIG. 6A is a sectional view and FIG. 6B is a perspective view.
FIG. 7 is a graph showing a pressure change when the airbag is operated in the conventional example.
FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view of the airbag in the conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 inflator 3 end wall 5 first gas generation chamber 6 second gas generation chamber 9, 10, 11 gas blowout hole 14 airbag 15 first gas generation chamber 16 second gas generation chamber 16 a cylindrical portion 16 b bottom 17 , 18, 19, 20 Gas blowing holes 22 Hat-shaped partition wall 23 First gas generating chamber 24 Second gas generating chambers 25, 26, 27 Gas blowing holes

Claims (2)

An airbag and an inflator for blowing gas into the airbag when required are provided.The inflator is provided with a plurality of gas generating chambers partitioned from each other and each having a plurality of gas blowing holes dispersedly formed therein. at least a portion of the gas blown from the gas blowing holes is a configuration the airbags apparatus as mutually diffuse and collide with each other,
The inflator includes a cylindrical first gas generation chamber and a second gas generation chamber which are arranged in parallel on the same axis and have different outer diameters from each other. An airbag device , wherein gas blowing holes are dispersedly formed in an end wall facing a gas generating chamber having a small outer diameter of the gas generating chamber . An airbag and an inflator for blowing gas into the airbag when required are provided.The inflator is provided with a plurality of gas generating chambers partitioned from each other and each having a plurality of gas blowing holes dispersedly formed therein. An airbag device configured so that at least a part of gas blown out from a gas blowout hole collides with each other and diffuses,
The inflator has a cylindrical first gas generating chamber, a cylindrical portion surrounding one end of the first gas generating chamber at an interval, and a bottom having a central portion integrally joined to one end of the first gas generating chamber. And a cup-shaped second gas generating chamber having a gas blowing hole dispersedly formed on an outer peripheral wall of the first gas generating chamber and an inner peripheral wall and an inner bottom wall of the second gas generating chamber. Rue airbag apparatus.

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