JP4263866B2 - Side airbag device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a side airbag device that protects an occupant by deploying an airbag from an airbag module into a vehicle compartment at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, and more particularly, to a side airbag device that more reliably protects the occupant.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An airbag device that protects an occupant from an impact in the width direction of a vehicle when the vehicle collides from a side surface (hereinafter simply referred to as a “side collision”) has conventionally been stored in a side surface of a seat or a door. An air bag was deployed from the bag module between the occupant and the door to protect the occupant. Examples of documents describing conventional side airbags include JP-A-10-273010, JP-A-10-29491, and JP-A-2000-280851.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the conventional side airbag apparatus is for deploying in a space between an occupant and a door and catching the occupant swinging in the direction of the door. Further, the airbag is inflated to restrain the occupant.
[0004]
The present invention has been made to improve a conventional side airbag device, and provides a side airbag device capable of preventing the occupant from shaking at the time of a side collision of the vehicle and reliably protecting the occupant's shoulder. For the purpose.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a side airbag device that protects an occupant by deploying a shoulder airbag at least in a region between a vehicle body side wall and an occupant at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. The shoulder airbag maintains a high pressure from the side wall of the vehicle body toward the occupant so as to move the occupant toward the inside of the vehicle body, at least up to a region where the occupant shoulder portion was located before the collision. as-expand to restrain an occupant, to expand while the lumbar region airbag before deployment and simultaneously or deployment of the air bag the shoulders occupant lumbar maintaining high pressure to a region was located before the collision The occupant is kept away from the side wall of the vehicle body and pushed away so as to move the occupant to the inside of the vehicle body, the shoulder airbag is provided in the seat bag, and the waist airbag is provided in the seat cushion. And features.
[0006]
According to such an airbag device, the shoulder airbag is deployed from the side surface of the seat back toward the front of the vehicle while maintaining high pressure at least to the region where the shoulder of the passenger is located. After spreading to the side of the shoulder portion of the vehicle, it spreads toward the inside of the vehicle and presses the shoulder of the occupant toward the inside of the vehicle. In addition, the airbag for the lumbar region is deployed while maintaining high pressure from the side of the seat cushion toward the upper side of the seat cushion to at least the region where the occupant's lumbar region is located. Press inward. Also, by deploying the lumbar airbag at the same time as or before the deployment of the shoulder airbag, the lumbar airbag hits the occupant's lumbar region, and after the occupant starts moving, the shoulder airbag Since the occupant is moved by hitting the shoulder, the occupant's waist is first moved away from the side wall of the vehicle body and the vehicle body side wall is prevented from colliding, and then the shoulder is received by the shoulder airbag, so that the entire occupant is Be kept away.
[0009]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In the drawings to be referred, FIG. 1 is a perspective view during operation of the side airbag apparatus according to the reference example 1, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the configuration of a side air bag device according to the reference example 1, FIG. 3, reference example It is a front view at the time of the action | operation of the side airbag apparatus which concerns on 1 , (a) is the state which the airbag for shoulder parts expand | deployed, (b) shows the state which the airbag for waist | lumbar parts expanded | deployed.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 2, the side airbag device 1 includes a shoulder airbag device 10 and a waist airbag device 20 housed in a door 11 which is an example of a vehicle body side wall. The occupant M sits on the seat 2 including the seat back 2a and the seat cushion 2b.
[0011]
The door 11 includes an inner panel 11b that is a structural member of the door 11, and an outer panel 11a that is welded to the inner panel 11b and an edge to form an outer surface of the vehicle body. In FIG. 2, only one inner panel 11b is shown, but it may be composed of a plurality of inner panels. On the inner side of the inner panel 11b, a door trim 14 composed mainly of a base material and a skin formed by resin injection molding is attached. In the vicinity of the center of the door trim 14 in the height direction, an armrest 14a that protrudes toward the vehicle interior is provided. The armrest 14a is formed hollow, and a waist airbag storage chamber 9b is formed between the inner panel 11b and the armrest 14a. In addition, the armrest 14 a has a thin tear line (not shown) in part, and the tear line is torn and opened by the deployment force of the airbag 25.
[0012]
On the other hand, the upper part of the inner panel 11b is bent to the inside of the door 11 and formed in a concave shape, and a shoulder airbag storage chamber 9a is formed between the upper part of the door trim 14 and the inner part. In addition, a thin tear line (not shown) is provided in a part of the door trim 14 forming the shoulder airbag storage chamber 9a, and the tear line is broken and opened by the deploying force of the airbag 15. .
[0013]
The shoulder airbag device 10 includes a shoulder airbag 15 and an inflator 16 that ejects gas to be fed into the shoulder airbag 15 in the event of a vehicle collision, and these are housed in a module case 17. ing.
The shoulder airbag 15 is a bag having a gas inlet 15a and a gas outlet 15b (see FIG. 3B). The shoulder airbag 15 is folded and stored in the module case 17 and then stored in the shoulder airbag. It arrange | positions in the chamber 9a. The gas inlet 15 a is connected to the gas outlet of the inflator 16.
[0014]
The inflator 16 is ignited based on a signal from the acceleration sensor 31 (see FIG. 4), that is, when an acceleration of a predetermined value or more, that is, when a vehicle collision occurs, and rapidly injects gas. The inflator 16 is housed in a module case 17, and the module case 17 is fixed to the inner panel 11b.
[0015]
The shoulder airbag 15 has a bag shape that deploys laterally toward the shoulder of the occupant M when deployed by the inflator 16. And when it expand | deploys most, it becomes a shape which expand | deploys even to the area | region where the passenger | crew's M shoulder part exists. Further, the gas discharge port 15b is formed to be smaller than that of a conventional airbag so that the pressure of the gas fed by the inflator 16 can be kept high.
[0016]
The lumbar airbag device 20 includes a lumbar airbag 25 and an inflator 26 that ejects gas fed into the lumbar airbag 25 in the event of a vehicle collision, and these are housed in a module case 27.
The lumbar airbag 25 is a bag having a gas inlet 25a and a gas outlet 25b (see FIG. 3B). The lumbar airbag 25 is folded and stored in the module case 27, and is then stored in the lumbar airbag storage chamber 9b. Is placed inside. The gas inlet 25 a is connected to the gas outlet of the inflator 26.
[0017]
The inflator 26 is ignited based on a signal from the acceleration sensor 31 (see FIG. 4), that is, when an acceleration of a predetermined value or more, that is, when a vehicle collision occurs, and gas is rapidly ejected. The inflator 26 is housed in a module case 27, and the module case 27 is fixed to the inner panel 11b.
[0018]
The waist airbag 25 has a bag shape that deploys sideways toward the waist of the occupant M when deployed by the inflator 26. And when it expand | deploys most, it becomes the shape which expand | deploys even to the area | region where the passenger | crew's M waist | lumbar part exists. Further, the gas discharge port 25b is formed to be smaller than that of the conventional airbag, so that the pressure of the gas fed by the inflator 26 can be kept high.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 4, the inflator 16 and the inflator 26 are each connected to a control unit 30, and the control unit 30 is connected to an acceleration sensor 31. The control unit 30 ignites the inflator 16 and the inflator 26 when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 31 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The inflator 16 is ignited first, and the inflator 26 is ignited after a predetermined time has elapsed. To control.
[0020]
According to the side airbag device 1 as described above, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the shoulder airbag 15 and the waist airbag 25 are deployed to protect the occupant. That is, when another vehicle or the like collides from the side surface of the vehicle, the control unit 30 ignites the inflator 16 based on the signal detected by the acceleration sensor 31, that is, the impact, and gas is ejected from the inflator 16. The jetted gas enters the shoulder airbag 15 from the gas inlet 15a of the shoulder airbag 15 and deploys the shoulder airbag 15. The shoulder airbag 15 is opened toward the shoulder of the occupant M by tearing the tear line of the door trim 14 and is inflated to a region where the shoulder of the occupant M was present even after hitting the shoulder. As a result, the occupant M moves inward of the vehicle, that is, away from the side wall of the vehicle body.
[0021]
In this way, the shoulder airbag 15 moves the occupant M away from the side wall of the vehicle body, so that a space is forcibly secured between the occupant M and the side wall of the vehicle body, so that there is a relatively strong collision. Even in this case, the possibility that the upper body of the occupant M from the head to the chest will hit the side wall of the vehicle body can be reduced.
[0022]
Prior to the deployment of the shoulder airbag 15, the control unit 30 ignites the inflator 26, and gas is ejected from the inflator 26. The timing at which the waist airbag 25 is deployed may be simultaneously with the deployment of the shoulder airbag 15. The gas ejected from the inflator 26 enters the lumbar airbag 25 through the gas inlet 25a of the lumbar airbag 25, and deploys the lumbar airbag 25. The lumbar airbag 25 is opened toward the waist of the occupant M by tearing the tear line of the armrest 14a, and even after hitting the lumbar, the airbag 25 is inflated to the region where the occupant M had the waist. As a result, the occupant M is moved inward of the vehicle, that is, in a direction away from the side wall of the vehicle body.
[0023]
As described above, after the lumbar airbag 25 hits the occupant M and starts moving the occupant M, the shoulder airbag 15 hits the shoulder of the occupant M and moves the occupant M. The vehicle body side wall is prevented from colliding with the vehicle body side wall, and then the shoulder is received by the shoulder airbag, so that the entire body of the occupant M is moved away from the vehicle body side wall. Therefore, the occupant M's head is swung like a pendulum or collides with the side wall of the vehicle body with a high probability, and the occupant M can be protected more reliably.
[0024]
In the reference example 1 described above, the airbag is deployed toward both the occupant's shoulder and waist, but the waist airbag device 20 is omitted and only the shoulder airbag device 10 is provided. It can also be. Even if only the shoulder airbag device 10 is used, a space is forcibly secured between the occupant M and the side wall of the vehicle body. The upper body can be protected from collision with the side wall of the vehicle body.
[0025]
Further, in the reference example 1 , the airbag is disposed in the door, but the position of the airbag can be various forms as follows. For example, it can be arranged not in a door but in a side wall of a vehicle body without a door, such as a rear seat of a wagon car or a bus, or in a center pillar of a passenger car.
[0026]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it can be arranged in a sheet. FIG. 5 is a side view of an operating state of the side airbag device according to Reference Example 2 of the present invention as viewed from the outside of the vehicle body, and FIG. 6 is an operating state of the side airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is the side view which looked at from the outer side of the vehicle body.
In the following description, the same parts as those in the reference example 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.
[0027]
In the side airbag device shown in FIG. 5, the shoulder airbag module 36a is arranged at the upper part of the side surface of the seat back 2a, that is, the height at which the shoulder of the occupant M is located, and the lower part of the side surface of the seat back 2a, The waist airbag module 36b is disposed at a height at which the waist of the occupant M is located. The shoulder airbag module 36a deploys the shoulder airbag 35a from the side of the seat back 2a to the front of the vehicle, spreads to the side of the shoulder of the occupant M, and then spreads toward the inside of the vehicle. The shoulder of the occupant M is pressed toward the inside of the vehicle. The lumbar airbag module 36b deploys the lumbar airbag 36b from the side of the seat back 2a to the front of the vehicle, spreads to the side of the waist and legs of the occupant M, and then spreads inward of the vehicle. Then, the waist and legs of the occupant M are pressed toward the inside of the vehicle. Also in such a side airbag device, a space can be forcibly secured between the upper body of the occupant and the side wall of the vehicle body, and the occupant M can be more reliably protected, as in the above-described embodiment.
[0028]
Next, in the side airbag device shown in FIG. 6, the shoulder airbag module 36a is arranged at the upper portion of the side surface of the seat back 2a, that is, at the height at which the shoulder portion of the occupant M is located. The lumbar airbag module 36c is arranged near the center, that is, below the leg of the occupant M. The shoulder airbag module 36a deploys the shoulder airbag 35a from the side of the seat back 2a to the front of the vehicle, spreads to the side of the shoulder of the occupant M, and then spreads toward the inside of the vehicle. The shoulder of the occupant M is pressed toward the inside of the vehicle. Further, the lumbar airbag module 36c deploys the lumbar airbag 35c from the side surface of the seat cushion 2b to above the seat cushion 2b and extends to the side of the waist and legs of the occupant M, and then the inside of the vehicle. It spreads in the direction and presses the waist and legs of the occupant M toward the inside of the vehicle. In such a side airbag device as well, in the same manner as in Reference Example 1 and Reference Example 2 , a space is forcibly secured between the upper body of the occupant and the side wall of the vehicle body, and the occupant M is more reliably protected. Can do.
[0029]
Furthermore, the airbag can also be placed on the door sash, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the side airbag device according to the third embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the inside of the vehicle, in which FIG. 7 shows before deployment and FIG. 8 shows after deployment.
[0030]
In the side airbag device 40 shown in FIG. 7, the inflator 46 is disposed in the vicinity of the upper edge in the door trim 14, the shoulder airbag 45 into which gas is fed from the inflator 46 is folded into an elongated shape, and the sash 11 c of the door 11 is folded. It is stored. One end of the shoulder airbag 45 is fixed by a fixing bracket 47 at a position about the height of the head of the occupant M in the sash 11 c rising upward from the door 11. The shoulder airbag 45 is housed in the sash 11c along the sash 11c from one end and extends to the front of the vehicle along the upper edge in the door trim 14 when extending to the main body of the door 11. The front and rear positions of the seat cushion 2b around the front end of the seat 2 are fixed by a fixing bracket 47.
[0031]
In such a side airbag device 40, when another vehicle or the like collides from the side surface of the vehicle, the control unit 30 ignites the inflator 46 based on the signal detected by the acceleration sensor 31, that is, the impact, and the gas is discharged from the inflator 46. Is ejected. The ejected gas enters the shoulder airbag 45 from the gas inlet of the shoulder airbag 45 and deploys the shoulder airbag 45. The shoulder airbag 45 is deployed by opening the gap between the sash 11c and the upper edge of the door trim 14 so as to be stretched between the fixing brackets 47 while being inflated in the width direction of the vehicle. To do. And it spreads towards the passenger | crew's M shoulder part, and it expand | swells to the area | region with the passenger | crew's M shoulder part, even if it hits a shoulder part. As a result, the occupant M is pushed away toward the inside of the vehicle, that is, away from the side wall of the vehicle body. Therefore, such a side airbag device 40 can also forcefully secure a space between the occupant M and the vehicle body side wall, thereby further ensuring the protection of the occupant M.
[0032]
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the following remarkable effects can be obtained.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the shoulder airbag is deployed at the same time as or before the deployment of the waist airbag, the passenger's waist is first moved to the inside of the vehicle, and then the shoulder is Can be received by a shoulder airbag that moves the shoulder portion away from the vehicle inward. Therefore, the head is not shaken toward the side wall of the vehicle body, and the collision between the head and the side wall of the vehicle body can be prevented more reliably and the occupant can be protected.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a side airbag device according to Reference Example 1 during operation.
2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a side airbag device according to Reference Example 1. FIG.
3 is a front view showing a state in which a shoulder airbag of the side airbag device according to Reference Example 1 is deployed, and FIG. 3 (b) is a front view of a waist airbag deployed.
4 is a system configuration diagram of a side airbag device according to Reference Example 1. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a side view of an operating state of a side airbag device according to Reference Example 2 of the present invention as viewed from the outside of a vehicle body.
The operating state of the side airbag apparatus according to the implementation embodiments of the present invention; FIG is a side view from the outside of the vehicle body.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a side airbag device according to Reference Example 3 of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the side airbag device according to Reference Example 3 of the present invention when deployed.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Side Airbag Device 10 Shoulder Side Airbag Device 11 Door 15 Shoulder Airbag Device M Crew

Claims (1)

A side airbag device that protects an occupant by deploying a shoulder airbag at least in a region between a vehicle body side wall and an occupant during a side collision of the vehicle,
Airbag the shoulder, toward the vehicle body side wall so as to move the occupant inside the vehicle body in the direction of the passenger, and expand while maintaining a high pressure to a region of at least the occupant of the shoulder portion was located before the collision Restrain the crew,
At the same time as or before the deployment of the shoulder airbag, deploy the lumbar airbag while maintaining high pressure up to the area where the occupant's lumbar region was located before the collision , keep the occupant away from the side wall of the vehicle body, It is configured to push away so as to move inside the car body,
The side airbag device, wherein the shoulder airbag is provided in a seat bag, and the waist airbag is provided in a seat cushion.

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