JP3675191B2 - Occupant protection device in the event of a car crash - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art An automobile airbag apparatus includes a side collision airbag apparatus in which an airbag is deployed forward from a side portion of a seat back and a passenger is protected by the airbag when a vehicle side collision occurs (similarity). As a technique, refer to JP-A-9-136598).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a conventional technique, the airbag is deployed forward while being inflated by the gas ejected from the inflator. However, particularly in the case of a side impact airbag, the airbag is disposed between the occupant and the side wall of the vehicle body. Therefore, the airbag may be sandwiched between the occupant and the vehicle body side wall during deployment, and the airbag may be pushed downward. If the airbag is pushed downward, the deployment speed of the airbag is reduced accordingly, which is not preferable. Therefore, a proposal for a new airbag device that can further increase the deployment speed of the airbag is desired.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in response to such a request, and provides an occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile that can increase the deployment speed of an airbag.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, an armrest having a substantially horizontal upper surface is formed on the side wall of the vehicle body adjacent to the seat back, and an air bag is provided on a side portion of the seat back. In an occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile that jets out and deploys the airbag forward and above the armrest, the airbag is generally L-shaped, and by a partition cloth with vent holes provided therein, It is divided into an upper head protection part and a lower chest protection part, and gas from the inflator is jetted to the chest protection part side, so that the bottom surface of the airbag is the upper surface of the armrest while the airbag is being deployed. as the relative with contact with the overlapped state, to improve the deployment speed by using the upward reaction force acting from the upper surface of the armrest to the airbag Characterized in that the configuration was.
[0006]
According to the first aspect of the invention, since the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward contacts the top surface of the armrest, an upward reaction force from the top surface of the armrest is applied to the airbag pushed downward during deployment. And the speed of deployment of the airbag can be improved. In addition, the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is not only in contact with the top surface of the armrest, but the bottom surface of the airbag is in contact with the top surface of the armrest in an overlapping state, so that the armrest A downward force is positively exerted on the upper surface. If it does so, the upward reaction force which acts on an airbag from the upper surface of an armrest will become still larger, and the further improvement of the deployment speed can be aimed at. In particular, the upward deployment speed is improved. In addition, in this way, when the structure in which the bottom surface of the airbag is in contact with the top surface of the armrest is overlapped, the installation error in the vertical direction between the airbag and the armrest is temporarily reduced. Even if fluctuations occur in the vertical position of the airbag due to the reclining angle, the errors and fluctuations can be absorbed. Furthermore, since the chest protection portion is first deployed forward by the gas ejected from the inflator, the deployment speed of the airbag forward is improved.
[0009]
The invention according to claim 2 is the occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of the automobile according to claim 1 , wherein the deployed airbag has a curved shape in which the bottom surface of the airbag is bulged downward. .
[0010]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the bottom surface of the airbag has a curved shape that bulges downward, the capacity of the airbag can be reduced as compared with the case where the bottom surface of the airbag is kept flat. The contact state with the upper surface of the armrest can be obtained without increasing so much. Since the capacity of the airbag does not increase so much, it is effective for improving the deployment speed of the airbag.
[0013]
The invention according to claim 3 is the occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of the automobile according to claim 1, wherein the jet port for jetting gas is formed on the bottom side of the chest protection part of the airbag. Features.
[0014]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the gas ejection port is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator, and the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protection portion along the inner surface. Will increase the speed of its development.
[0015]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an occupant protection device according to a third aspect of the present invention, wherein the inflator is disposed along the seat back, and the gas outlet is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator. It is characterized by.
[0016]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the gas ejection port is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator, the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protection portion along the inner surface. And the deployment speed can be further increased.
[0017]
The invention according to claim 5 is the occupant protection device according to claim 1 in the case of a side collision of the automobile, wherein the bottom surface of the airbag contacting the top surface of the armrest receives an upward reaction force from the top surface of the armrest. And
[0018]
According to the invention of claim 5, since the upward reaction force acting on the airbag from the upper surface of the armrest is further increased, even if the airbag is sandwiched between the occupant and the door and pushed downward, It can resist the force to be pushed down and the airbag deploys forward without being pushed down. Since the airbag cannot be pushed down, the airbag reaches the final deployed state in a shorter time than before. That is, the airbag deployment speed is improved.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the invention, since the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward contacts the top surface of the armrest, an upward reaction force from the top surface of the armrest is applied to the airbag pushed downward during deployment. And the speed of deployment of the airbag can be improved. In addition, the bottom surface of the airbag deployed forward is not only in contact with the top surface of the armrest, but the bottom surface of the airbag is in contact with the top surface of the armrest in an overlapping state, so that the armrest A downward force is positively exerted on the upper surface. If it does so, the upward reaction force which acts on an airbag from the upper surface of an armrest will become still larger, and the further improvement of the deployment speed can be aimed at. In particular, the upward deployment speed is improved. In addition, in this way, when the structure in which the bottom surface of the airbag is in contact with the top surface of the armrest is overlapped, the installation error in the vertical direction between the airbag and the armrest is temporarily reduced. Even if fluctuations occur in the vertical position of the airbag due to the reclining angle, the errors and fluctuations can be absorbed. Furthermore, since the chest protection portion is first deployed forward by the gas ejected from the inflator, the deployment speed of the airbag forward is improved.
[0023]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the bottom surface of the airbag has a curved shape that bulges downward, the capacity of the airbag can be reduced as compared with the case where the bottom surface of the airbag is kept flat. The contact state with the upper surface of the armrest can be obtained without increasing so much. Since the capacity of the airbag does not increase so much, it is effective for improving the deployment speed of the airbag.
[0025]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the gas ejection port is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator, and the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protection portion along the inner surface. Will increase the speed of its development.
[0026]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the gas ejection port is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator, the gas is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protection portion along the inner surface. And the deployment speed can be further increased.
[0027]
According to the invention of claim 5, since the upward reaction force acting on the airbag from the upper surface of the armrest is further increased, even if the airbag is sandwiched between the occupant and the door and pushed downward, It can resist the force to be pushed down and the airbag deploys forward without being pushed down. Since the airbag cannot be pushed down, the airbag reaches the final deployed state in a shorter time than before. That is, the airbag deployment speed is improved.
[0029]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a right front seat, which is formed of a seat back 2 and a seat cushion 3. At a position adjacent to the front seat 1, there is a door 4 as a “vehicle body side wall”, and an armrest 6 having a substantially horizontal upper surface 5 is formed on the inner surface thereof.
[0030]
An airbag module 7 is built in the right end portion of the seat back 2. The airbag module 7 is disposed above the armrest 6 and is provided on the side portion of the seat back 2 facing the armrest 6. In the airbag module 7, an inflator 9 and an airbag 8 disposed along the seat back 2 are accommodated. The airbag 8 is deployed between the occupant and the door 4 at the time of a vehicle-side collision to protect the occupant.
[0031]
The airbag 8 is substantially L-shaped, and is provided with a partition cloth 10 whose internal space is divided into a lower chest protection part A and an upper head protection part B. A vent hole 11 is formed on the rear side of the partition fabric 10.
[0032]
A spout 12 is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator 9. The gas G ejected from the spout 12 first enters the chest protection part A and expands the chest protection part A forward, and then the gas G in the chest protection part A passes through the vent 11 to the head. It is introduced into the protection part B, and the head protection part B is expanded upward.
[0033]
The shape and attachment position of the airbag 8 are such that when the airbag 8 is deployed forward, the bottom surface 13 overlaps the top surface 5 of the armrest 6 by a predetermined vertical width d. Is set to touch.
[0034]
Next, the behavior when the airbag 8 is actually deployed will be described. Due to the gas G ejected from the inflator 9, the airbag 8 deployed forward and above the armrest 6 is inflated in a space between the occupant and the door 4. In the airbag 8, the chest protection part A is first deployed forward, and then the head protection part B is deployed upward.
[0035]
The airbag 8 deployed forward is inflated toward the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 and the bottom surface 13 thereof overlaps the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 by a predetermined vertical width d as described above. Contact with. Thus, since the bottom surface 13 of the airbag 8 is in contact with the top surface 5 of the armrest 6 in an overlapping state, a downward force is positively exerted on the top surface 5 of the armrest 6 from the bottom surface 13 of the airbag 8. It will be.
[0036]
Then, the upward reaction force F acting on the airbag 8 from the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 is further increased in accordance with the downward direction, so that the airbag 8 is sandwiched between the passenger and the door 4 and pushed downward. However, it can resist the force to be pushed down, and the airbag 8 is deployed forward without being pushed down. Since the airbag 8 cannot be pushed down, the airbag 8 reaches the final deployed state in a shorter time than before. That is, the deployment speed of the airbag 8 is improved.
[0037]
Further, since the bottom surface 13 of the airbag 8 is brought into contact with the upper surface 5 of the armrest 6 in an overlapping state, even if there is an attachment error in the vertical direction between the airbag 8 and the armrest 6, Further, even if the vertical position of the airbag 8 varies due to the reclining angle of the seat back 2, the error and variation can be absorbed.
[0038]
Furthermore, since the bottom surface 13 of the airbag is curved so as to bulge downward, the capacity of the airbag 8 does not increase so much, which is effective in improving the deployment speed of the airbag 8. Further, since the airbag 8 is partitioned into the chest protection part A and the head protection part B by the partition cloth 10, the chest protection part A having a small air capacity is deployed by the gas G ejected from the inflator 9. The forward deployment speed of 8 is improved. In addition, since the gas G ejection port 12 is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator 9, the gas G is ejected from the bottom surface of the chest protection portion A along the inner surface. The deployment speed can be further increased.
[0040]
Moreover, although the airbag apparatus provided in the seat back 2 of the front seat has been taken as an example, the present invention can also be applied to an airbag apparatus provided in the rear seat.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a vehicle interior perspective view showing an occupant protection device in a side collision of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a contact state between an airbag and an armrest.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Seat back 4 Door (vehicle body side wall)
5 Top 6 Armrest 8 Airbag 9 Inflator 10 Bulkhead cloth 12 Spout 13 Bottom G Gas A Chest protection B Head protection F Upward reaction force

Claims (5)

An armrest having a substantially horizontal upper surface is formed on the side wall of the vehicle body adjacent to the seat back, and an airbag is provided on a side portion of the seat back, and gas from the inflator is ejected into the airbag at the time of a collision. In the occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of the automobile that is deployed forward and above the armrest
The airbag is generally L-shaped, and is partitioned into an upper head protecting portion and a lower chest protecting portion by a partition wall cloth with vents provided therein, and gas from the inflator is directed to the chest protecting portion side. By being ejected, while the airbag is being deployed , the bottom surface of the airbag is in contact with the top surface of the armrest, and the airbag is deployed using the upward reaction force acting on the airbag from the top surface of the armrest. An occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile, characterized in that the speed is improved . An occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile according to claim 1,
An occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile, wherein the deployed airbag has a curved shape in which a bottom surface bulges downward. An occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile according to claim 1,
An occupant protection device at the time of a side collision of an automobile, characterized in that a jet port for jetting gas is formed on the bottom side of the chest protection part of the airbag. An occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile according to claim 3,
The inflator is disposed along the seat back, and the gas outlet is formed at the lower end of the side surface of the inflator. An occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile according to claim 1,
An occupant protection device for a side collision of an automobile, wherein a bottom surface of an airbag in contact with an upper surface of the armrest receives an upward reaction force from the upper surface of the armrest.

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