JP7656044B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an airbag device that is installed in a vehicle seat. In particular, it relates to an airbag device that can adequately protect the head of an occupant.

It is well known that vehicles are provided with one or more airbag devices to protect occupants in the event of a vehicle accident. Airbag devices come in a variety of forms, including driver airbag devices that deploy near the center of the steering wheel to protect the driver, curtain airbag devices that deploy downward inside the window to protect occupants in the event of a lateral impact or rollover or rollover accident, and side airbag devices that deploy to the side of the occupant (the side of the seat) to protect the occupant in the event of a lateral impact.

A side airbag device restrains the lateral movement of an occupant by using an airbag that deploys forward from the side of the seat. For example, one invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been proposed that is configured to protect not only the occupant's torso but also the head.

However, in the airbag device described in Patent Document 1, the deployed airbag can restrain one side (either the left or right side) of the occupant's head, but it is virtually impossible to protect the front or opposite side of the head.

JP 2019-137307 A

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an innovative airbag device that can protect the occupant's head from one side to the front and even the other side.

In order to solve the above problems, the airbag device according to the present invention comprises an airbag having a head protection cushion that protects the head of an occupant by deploying from an upper portion of one side in the left-right width direction of a vehicle seat; and an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the airbag. The head protection cushion comprises a first chamber that protects the vicinity of one side of the occupant's head; a second chamber that is connected to the first chamber and protects the front of the occupant's head; a third chamber that is connected to the second chamber and deploys from the front of the occupant's head to the other side; and a fourth chamber that is connected to the third chamber and deploys near the other side of the occupant's head. The first chamber and the second chamber are molded integrally. The airbag device further comprises a tether that extends along the deployment direction on the inner surfaces of the first chamber and the second chamber that face the occupant; and a holding portion that holds the tether along the inner surface in a state in which the tether can slide in the longitudinal direction. The tether has a first end connected to an inner surface of the second chamber at a front side in the deployment direction and a second end reaching a rear side in the deployment direction of the first chamber, and the second end of the tether is fixed to the other side opposite to the one side with respect to the center in the left-right width direction of the vehicle seat.

According to the present invention, the head protection cushion includes a first chamber that protects one side of the occupant's head; a second chamber that is connected to the first chamber and protects the front of the occupant's head; a third chamber that is connected to the second chamber and deploys from the front of the occupant's head to the other side; and a fourth chamber that is connected to the third chamber and deploys near the other side of the occupant's head. In this way, the head protection cushion surrounds the occupant's head by wrapping it around one side, the front, and the other side, making it possible to reliably restrain the occupant's head from various directions regardless of the position of the seat, the reclining angle, etc. In addition, when the airbag deploys, there is no need to use the steering wheel or the instrument panel as a reaction surface, and it can independently demonstrate stable performance without depending on the position of the seat, etc. The first chamber and the second chamber may be formed by bonding two base fabrics together.

In the present invention, the tether slides along the surface of the airbag, so the tether does not extend out from the surface of the airbag like a bridge, and unnecessary interference with the occupant can be avoided. In addition, the deployed shape of the airbag can be controlled reliably and precisely.

In addition, in the present invention, a tether extending in the deployment direction is provided on the occupant-side surfaces of the first and second chambers, one end of which is connected to the second chamber and the other end is fixed to the opposite side in the left-right width direction of the seat. In the early stage of deployment of the head protection cushion, the first chamber deploys forward. Thereafter, when the occupant's head contacts (enters) the second and third chambers, the rear of the first chamber is pulled by the tether, causing the first chamber to enter or collapse into the rear of the occupant's head. In the case of a frontal collision, a rebound phenomenon occurs in which the occupant's head moves forward once and then returns to the rear. In the present invention, even if the rebound phenomenon occurs, the first chamber can receive the rear of the occupant's head.

When the head protection cushion is stored, the tether can be pulled toward the second end and compressed to form a wrinkled area.

Here, "wrinkles" refers not only to regular folding such as accordion folding, but also to random shrinking. By compressing the airbag so that it has wrinkles and storing it in a stored state, the compression process of the airbag is simplified (time is saved).

By forming the wrinkled region in this manner, the first chamber is pulled toward the second end of the tether when it deploys, making it easier for the first chamber to deploy behind the occupant's head.

The tether can be stored along the left-right width direction near the upper edge of the vehicle seat.

A connecting member is provided at the rear edge of the first chamber, and the connecting member can be configured to be connected to one side of the center of the left-right width direction of the vehicle seat.

By connecting the rear edge of the first chamber to one side with a connecting member, the position of the rear end portion is fixed when the first chamber is deployed, making it easier for the first chamber to collapse toward the occupant from the connecting portion.

The connecting member may be positioned below the retaining member.

The connecting member may be a tab integrally molded with the first chamber.

The holding portion may be configured to have a bent portion midway along the longitudinal direction of the holding portion, in the middle or rear portion of the second chamber.

Because the retaining member has a bent portion, the tether that is held slidably inside it is similarly bent at the bent portion, thereby bending the second chamber toward the occupant and enabling the second chamber to be securely positioned in front of the occupant's head.

The airbag may further include a side protection cushion connected to the lower end of the first chamber to protect the sides of the occupant.

The inflator may be positioned inside the side protection cushion.

The side protection cushion can be folded and stored separately from the head protection cushion.

It may further comprise a first connecting cloth, one end of which is connected to the upper front side of the body side protection cushion and the other end of which is connected near the second end of the tether, thereby restricting the forward deployment of the body side protection cushion.

As described above, by connecting the front portion of the body side protection cushion to the second end (rear end) of the tether by the first connecting cloth, when the body side protection cushion is deployed, the upper portion of the cushion does not bend away from the occupant (outside) and escape, but rather tends to curve towards the occupant (inside), making it possible to reliably restrain the area around the occupant's shoulders.

It may further comprise a second connecting cloth, one end of which is connected near the front end of the body side protection cushion and the other end of which is connected to the inflator, for restricting the forward deployment of the body side protection cushion.

As described above, by connecting the front portion of the body side protection cushion to the inflator by the second connecting cloth, when the body side protection cushion is deployed, the cushion does not bend away from the occupant (outside) and escape, but rather tends to curve towards the occupant (inside), making it possible to reliably restrain the occupant.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view mainly showing the external shape of a vehicle seat to which an airbag device according to the present invention can be applied. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal structure (seat frame) that functions as a framework of the vehicle seat shown in FIG. 1, and an airbag device is omitted from the illustration. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a vehicle seat equipped with an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the state in which the airbag device is housed as seen through from the outside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 4 is a top view showing a schematic view of the airbag deployed in the airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a top perspective view (bird's-eye view) showing a state in which the airbag is deployed in the airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a front perspective view showing a state in which the airbag is deployed in the airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the shape of a panel constituting an airbag used in an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which defines the first and second chambers. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the shape of a panel constituting an airbag used in an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which forms a body side protection cushion. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the shape of a panel constituting an airbag used in an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which panel forms a third chamber. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the shape of a panel constituting an airbag used in an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which panel forms a fourth chamber. FIG. 11 is a plan view for explaining the connection of the panels shown in FIGS. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the state in which the panels shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 are connected. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a part of the compression process of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention. For convenience of explanation, only the first chamber and the second chamber are shown, and the other chambers (FIG. 12) are not shown. FIG. 14 is a plan view (A) and (B) showing a part of the compression process of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention, and a cross-sectional view (C). FIG. 15 is a plan view (A) and (B) showing a part of the compression process of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention, and a cross-sectional view (C). FIG. 16 is a plan view (A) and (B) showing a part of the compression process of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention, and a cross-sectional view (C). FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a part of a compression process of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a plan view showing a part of a compression process of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a side view showing the final compressed state (contained configuration) of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing the stored state of the airbag according to the embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a front view and (B) is a top view. 21A, 21B, 21C, and 21D are top views each showing a schematic diagram of a head protection cushion deploying in the airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention, with the side protection cushions omitted for the sake of convenience. FIG. 22 is a front perspective view showing the state in which the airbag in the airbag device according to the embodiment of the present invention is deployed, showing a state in which the occupant's head has rebounded rearward from the state shown in FIG.

The airbag device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In the following description, when an occupant sits in a seat in a normal position, the direction the occupant faces is referred to as "forward", the opposite direction is referred to as "rear", and the coordinate axes are referred to as "front-rear direction". When an occupant sits in a seat in a normal position, the right side of the occupant is referred to as the "right direction", the left side of the occupant is referred to as the "left direction", and the coordinate axes are referred to as "left-right direction". When an occupant sits in a seat in a normal position, the direction of the occupant's head is referred to as "upward", the direction of the occupant's waist is referred to as "downward", and the coordinate axes are referred to as "up-down direction". In addition, in a deployed airbag, the side facing the occupant (head) is referred to as the inside, and the opposite side is referred to as the outside.

Figure 1 is a perspective view mainly showing the external shape of a vehicle seat used in the passenger protection device according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an internal structure (seat frame) that functions as a framework for the vehicle seat shown in Figure 1. Note that Figure 2 omits the illustration of the airbag device (20).

A vehicle seat to which the present invention is applicable is, when viewed as a set of components, composed of a seat cushion 2 on which an occupant sits, a seat back 1 forming a backrest, and a headrest 3 connected to the upper end of the seat back 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

As shown in Figure 1, the airbag device 20 of this embodiment is housed in a side support portion (far side) of a vehicle seat. Reference numeral 21 denotes a housing that houses a part of the airbag (head protection cushion 31) that constitutes the airbag device 20, and is located at the top of the seat back 1 and fixed to the right side of the headrest 3. The housing 21 is designed to split open forward or diagonally forward when the airbag device 20 is activated and the airbag 30 deploys.

The head protection cushion 31 (see FIG. 3) can be stored inside the seat back 1 near the upper end thereof, in addition to being stored in the housing 21 configured as a separate body. In particular, in the case of a vehicle seat in which the headrest 3 is integrated into the seat back 1, the storage space for the head protection cushion 31 can be flexibly set.

As shown in Figure 2, a seatback frame 1f is provided inside the seatback 1, forming the framework of the seat, and a pad made of urethane foam or the like is provided on and around the surface of the seatback frame 1f, the surface of which is covered with a skin such as leather, fabric or the like. A seating frame 2f is disposed on the bottom side of the seat cushion 2, and a pad made of urethane foam or the like is provided on the top surface of the seatback frame 2f, the surface of which is covered with a skin such as leather, fabric or the like. The seating frame 2f and the seatback frame 1f are connected via a reclining mechanism 4.

As shown in Fig. 2, the seat back frame 1f is configured in a frame shape by seat frames 10 arranged at a distance from each other on the left and right and extending in the vertical direction, an upper frame connecting the upper ends of the seat frames 10, and a lower frame connecting the lower ends. The headrest 3 is configured by providing a cushion member on the outside of the headrest frame.

Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the occupant protection device of the present invention, showing the airbag device 20 housed on the far side of the vehicle seat away from the door, as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figure 3, the airbag device 20 is housed near the upper right end of the seat back 1 of the vehicle seat. As will be described later, the airbag 30 includes a head protection cushion 31 that protects the head of the occupant, and a body side protection cushion 40 that protects the sides of the occupant's torso. In this embodiment, the airbag device 20 is disposed on the so-called far side, but it is also possible to dispose it on the near side.

Figure 4 is a top view showing the state in which the airbag 30 is deployed in the airbag device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a top perspective view (bird's-eye view) showing the state in which the airbag 30 is deployed. Figure 6 is a front perspective view showing the state in which the airbag 30 is deployed. In Figures 4 and 5, the dashed lines indicate the sewing lines.

As shown in Figure 4, the airbag device 20 of this embodiment includes an inflator 160 (see Figures 6 and 8) that generates inflation gas, and an airbag 30 that inflates and deploys with the gas supplied from the inflator 160. The airbag 30 includes a head protection cushion 31 (32, 34, 36, 38) that protects the area around the head of the occupant P by deploying from near the upper right end of the vehicle seat, and a body side protection cushion 40 that protects the sides of the occupant's torso.

The head protection cushion comprises a first chamber 32 that protects the right side of the occupant P's head; a second chamber 34 that is connected to the first chamber 32 and protects the front of the occupant P's head; a third chamber 36 that is connected to the second chamber 34 and deploys from the front to the left side of the occupant P's head; and a fourth chamber 38 that is connected to the third chamber 36 and deploys on the left side of the occupant P's head.

The airbag device 20 further includes a tether 200 that extends in the deployment direction (forward) of the airbag 30 and regulates the deployment shape of the airbag 30; and a retaining member 202 that holds the tether 200 in a slidable state along the surface of the airbag 30. Details of the tether 200 and the retaining member 202 are shown in FIG. 7.

The tether 200 has a first end 201a connected to the inner surface of the second chamber 34 and a second end 201b opposite the first end 201a. The first end 201a of the tether 200 is fixed to the inner panel 130a of the first chamber 32 together with the front end of the retaining member 202 by sewing. Meanwhile, the second end 201b is connected to the left side of the seat frame. The second end 201b (rear end) of the tether 200 can be connected, for example, to the vicinity of the left support pillar of the headrest 3.

The first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are molded integrally as a single chamber. The rear portion of the second chamber 34 is bent in a direction approaching the head of the occupant P, which allows the second chamber 34 to be reliably deployed in front of the occupant's head.

A tether 200 is connected between the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34, and the tension of the tether 200 can bend the second chamber 34 when the head protection cushion 31 is deployed.

In Figure 4, reference numeral 280 denotes a first connecting cloth 280 (Figure 8) provided on the side protection cushion 40 described later, and details of which will be described later.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the side chamber 40 is connected below the first chamber 32. The side chamber 40 restrains at least the right shoulder area of the occupant P, but may be configured to restrain the waist area as well. Depending on the direction and timing of the force applied to the occupant P to be protected, the side chamber 40 and the first chamber 32 are configured to deploy simultaneously or one of them deploys first. As shown in Figures 6 and 8, inflation gas is released from the inflator 160 housed in the side chamber 40, and the gas flows in the following order: first chamber and/or side chamber 40, then second chamber 34, third chamber 36, and fourth chamber 38.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the four chambers (32, 34, 36, 38) are deployed to surround the occupant P from the right side of the head to the left side of the head. The second chamber 34 is bent from the first chamber 32 toward the occupant (inward) and is deployed to be bent slightly upward as shown in Figure 6, so as to reliably protect the front of the occupant P's head (face), including the diagonally forward side. Since the airbag 30 (at least the first chamber 32 and the fourth chamber 38) is located above the occupant P's shoulder, it is possible to prevent the occupant P's shoulder from interfering with the deployment behavior and worsening it. In addition, since the airbag 30 is placed on the occupant P's shoulder, the distance between the airbag 30 and the occupant P's head can be reduced, making it possible to quickly restrain the occupant's head.

4 and 5, in a top view when the airbag 30 is inflated and deployed, the longitudinal direction of the second chamber 34 is angled from the bent region 200a to extend forward of the occupant P relative to the longitudinal direction of the first chamber 32. The direction of inflation and deployment of the third chamber 36 from the gas inlet of the third chamber 36 near the terminal end of the second chamber 34 to the gas inlet of the fourth chamber 38 is generally opposite in the longitudinal direction to the longitudinal direction of the first chamber 32, and is angled relative to the longitudinal direction of the inflated and deployed second chamber 34 in a direction approaching the occupant P from the terminal end of the second chamber 34. Furthermore, the direction in which the fourth chamber 38 inflates and deploys from the gas inlet of the fourth chamber 38, which is located near the end of the third chamber 36, is generally opposite in the front-rear direction to the longitudinal direction of the first chamber 32, and is angled in a direction approaching the occupant P from the end of the third chamber 36 with respect to the direction of inflation and deployment of the third chamber 36. With this configuration, the airbag 30 inflates and deploys from one of the shoulders of the occupant P so as to wrap around the head of the occupant P.

(Panel composition)
Fig. 7 is a plan view showing panels (base fabrics) forming the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34. As shown in Fig. 7, the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are integrally formed by bonding together two base fabrics 130a (inner panel) and 130b (outer panel). In the figure, reference numeral 132 indicates an area corresponding to the first chamber 32, and 134 indicates an area corresponding to the second chamber. When the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are deployed, the inner panel 130a faces the occupant P side.

A tab 220 is formed integrally with the first chamber 32 near the rear end of the first chamber 32, and is connected and fixed, for example, to the left side of the housing 21, i.e., to a part on the headrest 3 side. The tab 220 can also be connected to a frame inside the seat back 1 or to a support pillar on the left side of the headrest 3. Thus, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the tab 220 is connected to the right side of the center in the left-right width direction of the seat (seat back 1).

The first chamber 32 (region 132) has an opening 154 connected to the side chamber 40 and a tab 152 connected to a tab 164 of the side chamber 40. Through this opening 154, inflation gas flows into the first chamber 32 from near the rear end of the side chamber 40. A vent opening 150a that is in fluid communication with the third chamber 36 is formed so as to extend in a direction along the lower edge of the second chamber near the end of the inner panel of the second chamber 34, and is connected together with a vent opening 150b of the inner panel 136a of the third chamber 36 (see FIG. 9) by sewing around the periphery. The vent openings 150a and 150b form a vent hole 37.

The first chamber 32 is roughly composed of an upper direction section 132a that guides the gas flowing in from the opening 154 upward, and a forward direction section 132b that is connected to the upper direction section 132a and extends forward. In Figure 7, the dashed lines other than the upper direction section 132a and the forward direction section 132b indicate sewing lines.

7, the bent portion 200a is provided near the boundary between the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34. The tether 200 and the holding member 202 extending from the bent portion 200a toward the first chamber 32 are provided in an approximately straight line. The tether 200 and the holding member 202 extending from the bent portion 200a toward the second chamber 34 are also provided in an approximately straight line. When the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are laid flat before expansion, the approximation of the straight lines of the tether 200 and the holding member 202 on the first chamber 32 side and the second chamber 34 side are provided such that the second chamber 34 side is inclined toward the direction where the vent hole 37 between the second chamber 34 and the third chamber 36 is provided at the bent portion 200a with respect to the first chamber 32 side.

In the first chamber 32, the inflation gas first flows into the upper direction portion 132a, making it possible to quickly and reliably raise the first chamber 32 to the upper part of the occupant P's shoulders, thereby avoiding interference with the occupant's head.

7, line L1 indicates the longitudinal direction of the first chamber 32. The longitudinal direction L1 is the direction in which the inflation gas flows in the upper direction portion 132a, and can be said to be the main deployment direction of the first chamber. Also, in FIG. 7, reference numeral 200a indicates a bent portion of the tether 200, and reference numeral 202a indicates a bent portion of the retaining member 202.

8 is a plan view showing the panels (base fabrics) forming the body side protection cushion 40. As shown in FIG. 8, the body side protection cushion 40 is formed by bonding two base fabrics 140a (inner panel) and 140b (outer panel). In the figure, reference numeral 166 denotes an opening connected to the opening 154a of the first chamber 32, and reference numeral 162 denotes an inflator holding portion that houses the inflator 160. Reference numeral 164 denotes a tab connected to the tab 152 of the first chamber 32. This connecting tab 164 is provided on the upper edge of the body side protection cushion 40. The tab 152 of the first chamber 32 is provided on the lower edge of the first chamber 32, and by connecting these tabs 152 and 164 to each other, inadvertent shaking during inflation and deployment is reduced and the stability of the inflation and deployment is increased. Furthermore, by connecting the tabs 152, 164 to each other, the airbag cushions do not inflate and deploy in different directions when inflated and deployed, and the occupant can be protected more integrally and comprehensively.

The side protection cushion 40 and the first chamber 32 are directly connected at their respective openings 154a, 166, and the deployment posture can be controlled by connecting the tabs 152, 166 together. In Figure 8, the dashed lines other than the inflator 160 indicate sewing lines.

In Figure 8, reference numeral 280 denotes a first connecting cloth that restricts the forward deployment of the body side protection cushion 40. One end of the first connecting cloth 280 is connected to the front upper side of the inner panel 140a of the body side protection cushion 40, and the other end 280a is connected near the second end 201b of the tether 200 (Figure 14).

Reference numeral 290 denotes a second connecting cloth that restricts the forward deployment of the body side protection cushion 40. One end of the second connecting cloth 290 is connected to the front end portion of the inner panel 140a of the body side protection cushion 40, and the other end 290a is connected to the inflator 160 (FIG. 14).

Figure 9 is a plan view showing the panel (base fabric) that forms the third chamber 36. In Figure 9, the dashed lines on the outer periphery and the dashed lines around the openings 150b and 170a indicate sewing lines.

As shown in FIG. 9, the third chamber 36 is formed by bonding two base fabrics 136a (inner panel) and 136b (outer panel). Near one end of the inner panel 136a, a vent opening 150b is formed which is connected to the vent opening 150a of the second chamber 34. Near the other end of the inner panel 136a, a vent opening 170a is formed which is connected to the vent opening 170b of the fourth chamber 38. The vent openings 170a and 170b form the vent hole 39 (FIGS. 7 and 9). The vent hole opening 150b is longer in the short direction than the vent opening 170a, and has a larger opening area.

Two internal tethers 137a, 137b are provided inside the third chamber 36 near the center, extending generally parallel to the direction in which the inflation gas flows. These internal tethers 137a, 137b connect the inner panel 136a and the outer panel 136b, and regulate the deployed thickness (perpendicular to the paper surface) of the third chamber 36. Instead of using tethers, the inner panel 136a and the outer panel 136b can be connected by simple sewing to regulate the deployed thickness of the third chamber 36.

Figures 10 (A) and (B) are plan views showing the panel (base fabric) 138 that forms the fourth chamber 38. In Figure 10, the dashed lines indicate the sewing lines.

As shown in Figure 10, the fourth chamber 38 is formed into a bag shape by folding one panel 138 in half from the center. A vent hole 170b that connects to the vent hole 170a of the third chamber is formed near the longitudinal center of the panel 138, and the center line of the vent opening 170b along the longitudinal direction becomes the fold line of the panel 138.

Figure 11 is a plan view for explaining the connection of the panels shown in Figures 7 to 10. Note that in Figure 11, the first and second connecting cloths 280, 290 of the body side protection cushion 40 are omitted. Figure 12 is a plan view showing the state in which the panels shown in Figures 7 to 10 are connected. As shown in Figure 11, the chamber formed by integrating the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 is the largest, followed by the capacity of the body side protection cushion 40. In contrast, the capacity of the third chamber 36 is small, and the capacity of the fourth chamber 38 is designed to be even smaller.

The second chamber 34 and the third chamber 36 are connected by sewing only around the periphery of the vent openings 150a and 150b. The third chamber 36 and the fourth chamber 38 are connected by sewing only around the periphery of the vent openings 170a and 170b.

(Airbag compression)
13 is a plan view showing a part of the compression process of the airbag 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and for the sake of convenience, only the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 are shown, and the other chambers (the third chamber 36, the fourth chamber 38, and the body side protection cushion 40) are not shown. In practice, the compression process is carried out after all the chambers are connected by sewing as shown in FIG.

13(A), the tether 200 is pulled backward (pulled in) to form a crinkled wrinkled region 210 around the tether 200 in the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34 (FIG. 13(B)). The "wrinkles" in the wrinkled region 210 can be in a form that is randomly shrunk, or in a form that is folded in a more or less regular manner, such as an accordion fold.

Figures 14 to 19 show the compression process of the airbag 30 according to this embodiment. The state shown in Figure 13(B) becomes as shown in Figure 14(A) when all the chambers (cushions) are connected.

From the state shown in Figure 14(A), the upper portion of the wrinkled region 210 of the first chamber 32 is compressed toward the center (downward) using a method such as accordion folding (Figure 14(B)). The compressed first chamber 32 becomes a rod-like shape extending generally horizontally (longitudinal direction). Note that Figure 14(C) is a cross section taken along the A1-A1 direction of Figure 14(B), and shows the case where the upper side is accordion folded and the lower side is pleated folded, and either folding method can be used.

Next, as shown in Figure 15 (A), the top of the third chamber 36 is turned inside out and the fourth chamber 38 is tucked into the inside of the third chamber 36 through the vent hole 39 (Figure 15 (B)). Here, "tucked in" broadly means folding inwards. In this embodiment, the fourth chamber 38 is turned inside out and tucked into the inside of the vent hole 39. At this time, internal tethers 137a, 137b are provided inside the third chamber 36, so the fourth chamber 38 is actually inserted between these internal tethers 137a, 137b. Note that Figure 15 (C) shows a cross section taken along the A2-A2 direction in Figure 15 (B).

In this embodiment, the fourth chamber 38 at the tip (downstream side) is tucked inside the adjacent third chamber 36, so the deployment of the fourth chamber 38 is slower than the first to third chambers (32, 34, 36). As a result, the fourth chamber 38 at the tip (most downstream side) deploys immediately after passing in front of the occupant's head, and the fourth chamber 38 can deploy without interfering with the occupant's head.

Next, as shown in Figure 16(A), the folded third chamber 36 is returned to its original state, and then, as shown in Figure 16(B), the edges of the third chamber 36 facing each other in the front-to-rear direction are tucked in toward the center. In this embodiment, since internal tethers 137a, 137b are provided on the inside of the third chamber 36, the edges to be tucked in can be folded in to a position that reaches the internal tethers 137a, 137b. Figure 16(C) shows a cross section in the A3-A3 direction of Figure 16(B).

Next, as shown in Fig. 17(A), the third chamber 36 is compressed in a direction generally perpendicular to the internal tethers 137a and 137b (generally in the vertical direction) by a method such as rolling, accordion folding, or pleating. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 17(B), the compressed rod-shaped third chamber 36 is twisted (rotated) around the connecting portion with the second chamber 34 as an axis so that it is parallel to the compressed first chamber 32. Then, a compressed intermediate compressed portion 190 is formed.

18(A), the intermediate compressed portion 190 formed by the head protection cushion 31 is compressed by rolling or bellows folding from the third chamber 36 (fourth chamber 38) side to the first chamber 32 side, from the downstream side to the upstream side, to form the main folded portion 300. Here, the direction in which the intermediate compressed portion 31 is compressed can be considered to be the longitudinal direction of the head protection cushion 31 or the direction from the tip side to the rear along the longitudinal direction L1 of the first chamber 32.

Next, as shown in Fig. 18(B), the side protection cushion 40 is compressed in the front-rear direction by a method such as rolling or bellows folding to form the vertically folded portion 340. The final compressed state of the airbag 30 is shown in Fig. 19.

As shown in Figure 19, in the compressed airbag 30, the main folding portion 310 of the head protection cushion 31 is accommodated inside the housing 21 (Figure 1), and the vertical folding portion 340 of the body side protection cushion 40 is accommodated in the right side of the seat back 1 and fixed to the seat frame 10.

20 is a schematic diagram showing the stored state of an airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a front view and (B) is a top view. End 201a of tether 200 and end 280a of first connecting cloth 280 are connected to the seat frame, and tab 220 is connected to the inside of housing 21. Tether 200 and first connecting cloth 280 are provided between the seat frame, which corresponds to the framework of the backrest (seat back), and the occupant. Tether 200 and first connecting cloth 280 are provided inside the cushion material of the seat pad on the inside side of the seat back skin, but may be provided between the skin and the seat cushion material.

By connecting the front portion of the body side protection cushion 40 to the vicinity of the second end (rear end) 201a of the tether 200 by the first connecting cloth 280, when the body side protection cushion 40 is deployed, the upper portion of the cushion 40 does not bend away from the occupant (outside) and escape, but rather tends to curve toward the occupant (inside), making it possible to reliably restrain the area around the occupant's shoulders.

Similarly, by connecting the front portion of the body side protection cushion 40 to the inflator 160 by the second connecting cloth 290, when the body side protection cushion 40 is deployed, the cushion 40 does not bend away from the occupant (outside) and escape, but rather tends to curve toward the occupant (inside), making it possible to reliably restrain the occupant.

(Airbag deployment behavior)

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, in the airbag device 20 of this embodiment, when a vehicle collision event occurs, the inflator 160 is activated and inflation gas flows from the inflator holding portion 162 located near the rear end of the body side protection cushion 40 into the first chamber 32. When the inflation gas flows into the first chamber 32, the upper direction portion 132a (Figure 7) inflates first, followed by the front direction portion 132b. Next, gas flows from the first chamber 32 into the second chamber 34.

At this time, the main folding portion 310 extends forward as if it is being unfolded, so that the head protection cushion 31 does not interfere with the occupant's head, which is located to the side of the main folding portion 310, and unfolds in a desirable manner above the occupant's shoulders.

In addition, since the first chamber 32 and the second chamber 34, or the second chamber 34 and the seat frame, are connected by the tether 200 (Fig. 4), the second chamber 34 is restricted from deploying forward and bends from the bent portion 200a of the tether 200, i.e., the bent region 202a of the retaining member 202, and deploys toward the front of the occupant (Figs. 4 and 5). Note that the second chamber 34 bends so that the tip side faces upward as shown in Fig. 6, and deploys so that the vent opening 150a is generally vertically long.

Next, inflation gas flows from the second chamber 34 to the third chamber 36 through the vent hole 37, causing the third chamber 36 to deploy in front of the occupant P near the left head. Because the inner panel 134a of the second chamber 34 and the inner panel 136a of the third chamber 36 are connected around the vent hole 37, the third chamber 36 is restricted from deploying outward (away from the occupant's head), creating a curved shape that surrounds the head of the occupant P.

Next, inflation gas flows from the third chamber 36 to the fourth chamber 38 through the vent hole 39, causing the fourth chamber 38 to deploy near the left head of the occupant P. Because the inner panel 136a of the third chamber 36 and the fourth chamber 36 are connected around the vent hole 39, the behavior of the fourth chamber 36 deploying in an outward direction (away from the occupant's head) is restricted, creating a curved shape that surrounds the head of the occupant P.

In addition, because the tether 200 is designed to slide along the surface of the airbag 30, the tether 200 does not protrude from the surface of the airbag 30 in a bridge-like shape, and unnecessary interference with the occupant P can be avoided. In addition, the deployed shape of the airbag 30 can be reliably and precisely controlled, and the airbag 30 inflates and deploys so as to wrap around the occupant's head.

21(A), (B), (C), and (D) are top views showing the head protection cushion 31 as it unfolds. For convenience, the side protection cushion 40 is not shown. Fig. 22 is a front perspective view showing the airbag 30 as it unfolds, with the occupant's head rebounding backward from the position shown in Fig. 6.

In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 21(A), when the head protection cushion 31 is fully deployed, the first chamber 32 deploys generally forward. Then, as shown in Fig. 21(B) and (C), when the occupant's head comes into contact with (enters) the second chamber 34 or the third chamber 36, the rear of the first chamber 32 is pulled by the tether 200, and the first chamber 32 enters or collapses against the rear of the occupant's head.

Thereafter, as shown in Figures 21(D) and 22, when a rebound phenomenon occurs in which the head of the occupant P returns rearward, the first chamber 32 can receive the back of the occupant's head.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 20, by fixing the rear edge of the first chamber 32 with a tab 220, when the first chamber 32 is deployed, the position of the rear end portion is fixed, and the first chamber 32 becomes more likely to collapse toward the occupant from the tab 220.

While the present invention has been described in connection with the above exemplary embodiments, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. Accordingly, the above exemplary embodiments of the present invention are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiments for carrying out the invention, the description focuses on far-side airbags in the examples, but the present invention can also be used in near-side airbags (the surface of a vehicle seat far from the vehicle door) and single-seat vehicles (vehicles that include a portion with only one seat in a row, regardless of whether there is a door) in ultra-compact vehicles such as small mobility vehicles.

Claims (13)

An airbag having a head protection cushion that protects the head of an occupant by deploying from an upper portion on one side in a left-right width direction of a vehicle seat;
an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the airbag;
The head protection cushion comprises: a first chamber that protects one side of the occupant's head; a second chamber that is connected to the first chamber and protects the front of the occupant's head; a third chamber that is connected to the second chamber and deploys from the front of the occupant's head to the other side; and a fourth chamber that is connected to the third chamber and deploys near the other side of the occupant's head.
the first chamber and the second chamber are integrally molded;
a tether extending along a deployment direction on an inner surface of the first chamber and the second chamber facing the occupant;
a holding portion that holds the tether along the inner surface in a longitudinally slidable state;
The tether has a first end connected to an inner surface of the second chamber at a front side in the deployment direction, and a second end reaching a rear side of the first chamber in the deployment direction,
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the tether is fixed to a side opposite to the one side with respect to a center in a left-right width direction of the vehicle seat. The airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the head protection cushion is put into a stored state, the tether is pulled toward the second end side and compressed to form a wrinkled region. The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tether is stored along the left-right width direction near the upper edge of the vehicle seat. A connecting member is provided at a rear edge of the first chamber,
3. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is connected to the one side of the center of the vehicle seat in the left-right width direction. 5. The airbag device according to claim 4, wherein the connecting member is located below the holding portion . The airbag device according to claim 4, characterized in that the connecting member is a tab integrally molded with the first chamber. The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the retaining portion has a bent portion midway along the length of the retaining portion, in the middle or rear portion of the second chamber. The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the airbag further includes a body side protection cushion that is connected to the vicinity of the lower end of the first chamber and protects the sides of the occupant's body. The airbag device according to claim 8, characterized in that the inflator is disposed inside the body side protection cushion. The airbag device according to claim 9, characterized in that the body side protection cushion is folded and stored separately from the head protection cushion. The airbag device according to claim 8, further comprising a first connecting cloth, one end of which is connected to the front upper side of the body side protection cushion and the other end of which is connected to the vicinity of the second end of the tether, and which restricts the body side protection cushion from deploying forward. The airbag device according to claim 8, further comprising a second connecting cloth, one end of which is connected to the front end of the body side protection cushion and the other end of which is connected to the inflator, and which restricts the body side protection cushion from deploying forward. A vehicle seat equipped with the airbag device according to claim 1 or 2.

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