JP7735205B2 - Airbag device and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an airbag device that protects vehicle occupants and pedestrians by inflating and deploying an airbag, and to a method for manufacturing the same.

It is well known that vehicles are equipped 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 overturning 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. In addition to automobiles, airbag devices are also installed on motorcycles. The present invention is applicable to a variety of airbag devices.

The space available to house an airbag device is limited, so the airbag must be able to be compressed and housed compactly. It is also important to create an efficient housing shape that fits the space available. For example, the housing space available for airbag devices on motorcycles is even more limited than that of automobiles, so there are many restrictions on the shape of the airbag that can be compressed.

It is not easy to maintain a compressed airbag in a specific shape. If the airbag is not compressed properly, it will be difficult to insert it smoothly into the housing. Furthermore, if the airbag's compressed shape is lost, the airbag's deployment behavior may deteriorate and the deployment speed may decrease.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an airbag device that can easily maintain an airbag in an appropriate compressed shape, and a method for manufacturing an airbag device.

To achieve the above object, the airbag device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises an airbag that inflates and deploys using gas supplied from an inflator; and a guide member that is connected to the surface of the airbag and regulates the outer peripheral shape of the airbag when it is stored.

Here, the "surface of the airbag" refers to, for example, the outer surface of one of the base fabrics in the case of an airbag formed into a bag shape by sewing two base fabrics together.

The "outer peripheral shape when stored" of the airbag refers to the shape formed by the outer edge of the airbag when it is compressed by folding or rolling. "Regulating the outer peripheral shape" also includes, for example, forming folds in the airbag based on the outer edge of the guide member, or using it as the starting point when rolling the airbag.

The airbag can be folded or rolled into a shape that conforms to the outer periphery of the guide member.

Here, "a shape that follows the outer periphery" includes a state in which, when the compressed airbag is viewed from the guide member side, the outer periphery of the airbag and the outer periphery of the guide member generally match or are generally similar. For example, if a guide member that is rectangular in plan view is used, this includes a case in which the outer periphery of the compressed airbag is also rectangular along the rectangular shape of the guide member.

The guide member can be molded from a material that is more rigid than the airbag.

For relatively flexible airbags that can be inflated with gas, molding the guide member out of highly rigid materials such as metal or resin makes it possible to reliably maintain the shape of the compressed airbag.

The inflator is housed inside the airbag, and a portion of the guide member can be engaged with the inflator.

Here, "locked" does not only mean a completely fixed state, but also a state in which it is hooked but cannot be easily released.

A patch covering the guide member may be provided on the surface of the airbag.

Here, a "patch" can be described as a piece of cloth, similar to a patch, that is smaller in area than the airbag when laid flat. The patch can be sewn onto the surface of the airbag to form a bag-like shape, with the guide member housed inside. Furthermore, "covering" the guide member includes the state in which the patch is positioned so as to cover the guide member that is placed on the surface of the airbag.

The guide member may be a plate-shaped member.

Here, "plate-shaped" does not include elongated shapes such as wire or thread. By using a plate-shaped guide member, the compressed airbag can be maintained in a flat state, improving the airbag's retention performance.

The guide member may be a wire made of metal or resin.

Here, "wire" is different from "plate-like" and includes a thin, thread-like or rod-like shape, and it is preferable that it has a certain degree of flexibility so that it can be molded into the desired shape.

By forming the guide member out of wire, it is possible to easily connect (lock) the guide member to other components such as a patch by bending a portion of the wire.

The wire may be configured to define the outer periphery of the guide member.

By bending the wire, the outer shape of the guide member can be easily adjusted and changed.

The wire can be positioned by engaging a portion of it with the stud bolt of the inflator.

To engage the wire with the stud bolt, for example, the wire can be wrapped around or hooked onto the stud bolt.

A plurality of loop-shaped wire holding members for holding the wire can be provided on the surface of the airbag.

The "loop-shaped wire retaining member" can be a strip of fabric made of the same or similar material as the airbag, and can be made into a loop by sewing both ends of the strip of fabric to the surface of the airbag. Then, by passing the wire through the loop-shaped wire retaining member, the wire is retained on the surface of the airbag.

A hook portion may be formed on a portion of the wire that protrudes away from the surface of the airbag.

The "hook portion" can be formed by bending part of the wire into a U-shape. Alternatively, the protruding tip of the U-shape can be further bent in one direction to form a hook-like shape.

A patch covering the wire is provided on the surface of the airbag, and a patch opening through which the hook portion passes can be formed in the patch.

By forming an opening in the patch and passing the hook portion of the wire through it, the positional relationship between the patch and the wire is maintained, preventing unnecessary movement or deformation of the wire within the patch.

The device may further include a cover member that covers the outer periphery of the airbag in the stored state, and the cover member may have a cover opening through which the hook portion protruding from the patch opening passes.

The "covering member" can be a wrapping cloth-like cloth that encases at least a portion of the folded (compressed) airbag. The covering member can completely encase the airbag, or it can encase only a portion of the airbag. The key is that the covering member can maintain the shape of the airbag.

By passing the hook portion of the wire through the patch opening and then through the cover opening, the cover member does not shift relative to the airbag, and the compressed shape of the airbag can be reliably maintained. The hook portion of the wire that passes through the cover opening can also be connected to a structural part of the vehicle.

The guide member may be molded into an overall L-shape on the surface of the airbag.

This invention is particularly effective when it is required to accommodate an airbag in a special L-shape.

A manufacturing method for an airbag device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: accommodating the inflator inside the airbag; connecting the patch to the surface of the airbag by sewing; inserting and laying the wire inside the patch; causing the hook portion of the wire to protrude from the patch opening of the patch; folding or rolling the airbag along the outer peripheral shape of the wire; and covering the airbag with the cover member and causing the hook portion of the wire to protrude from the cover opening and engage.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the structure of an airbag device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which the airbag is laid flat before being compressed. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of a patch used in the airbag device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A1-A1 in FIG. Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B1-B1 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C1-C1 in Fig. 1. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the structure of the airbag device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the housed state after the airbag is compressed. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E1-E1 in FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the structure of an airbag device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the airbag is laid flat before being compressed. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B2-B2 in FIG. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the structure of an airbag device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the airbag is laid flat before being compressed. Fig. 10A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A3-A3 in Fig. 9. Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B3-B3 in Fig. 9.

The following describes in detail the first to third embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First Example)
Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the structure of an airbag device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a flat-laid state before the airbag 14 is compressed. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of a patch 26 used in the airbag device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 3, 4(A), and 4(B) are cross-sectional views taken along the lines A1-A1, B1-B1, and C1-C1 in Fig. 1, respectively.

The airbag device 10 of this embodiment includes an airbag 14 that inflates and deploys using gas supplied from an inflator 12; and a guide member 16 that is connected to the surface of the airbag 14 and regulates the outer shape of the airbag 14 when stored. The airbag device of this embodiment can be used, for example, for motorcycles. In addition to motorcycles, the present invention is particularly effective in airbag devices with limited storage space. The airbag device 10 of this embodiment is designed for use in an L-shaped storage space (housing) for the device.

As shown in Figure 3, the inflator 12 is a disk-shaped inflator, and is fixed to the vehicle by stud bolts 22 that pass through the four corners of the flange portion 20. The inflator 12 is housed inside the airbag 14 near the lower end of the airbag 14.

As shown in Figure 1, the airbag 14 has a rectangular shape with a long horizontal bottom portion that widens into a circular shape from the bottom upward. The airbag 14 can be formed into a bag shape by sewing two identical pieces of base fabric together at their outer edges.

As shown in Figure 1, the guide member 16 includes a wire 24 made of metal or resin that is disposed on the surface of the airbag 14, and a patch 26 that houses the wire 24. Note that the wire 24 is located inside the patch 26 and cannot be seen from the outside, but is shown in Figure 1 with a solid line for convenience.

As shown in Figure 1, the patch 26 is a piece of fabric similar to a patch, smaller in area than the airbag 14 when laid flat, sewn onto the surface of the airbag 14 to form a bag-like shape, and is designed to house the wire 24 inside. The patch 26 is sewn in a position that overlaps the inflator 12 and covers it.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a portion of the wire 24 is secured by being wrapped around the outer periphery of the stud bolt 22 of the inflator 12. Although the wire 24 is shown as an endless loop in Figure 1, it can also have two ends. Using a wire 24 with ends makes it easier to bend and wrap.

As shown in Figure 1, the wire 24 and patch 26 have roughly similar overall shapes, and the stitching 27 of the patch 26 prevents the wire 24 from spreading any further. The wire 24 and patch 26 are installed on the side opposite the side that faces the occupant when the airbag 14 is deployed.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4(B), hook portions 24a-24e are formed on a portion of the wire 24, protruding away from the surface of the airbag 14. These hook portions 24a-24e are formed by bending a portion of the wire 24 into a U-shape. Note that while hook portions 24a, 24b, 24d, and 24e appear to protrude inward in Figure 1, in reality they protrude perpendicular to the plane of the page.

As shown in Figure 2, the patch 26 has patch openings 26a to 26e through which the hook portions 24a to 24e of the wire 24 pass.

By passing the hook portions 24a-24e of the wire 24 through the patch openings 26a-26e, the positional relationship between the patch 26 and the wire 24 is maintained, preventing unnecessary movement or deformation of the wire 24 within the patch 26.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the structure of the airbag device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the stored state after the airbag 12 has been compressed. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E1-E1 in Figure 5.

Although the airbag 14 is not shown in Figure 5, as shown in Figure 6, the airbag 14 is compressed by a roll on the surface opposite the patch 26. When the airbag 14 is compressed, it is rolled or folded along the outer edge of the wire 24. The outer edge of the compressed airbag 14 then roughly coincides with the outer edge of the patch 26, and in plan view it has a shape roughly similar to that of the patch 26.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the airbag device 10 according to this embodiment includes a cover member 30 that covers the outer periphery of the airbag 14 in a stored state. The cover member 30 maintains the shape of the airbag 14 when stored. The cover member 30 is made of flexible fabric and encases the airbag 14, resembling a furoshiki (wrapping cloth). The cover member 30 has cover openings 34a to 34e through which the hook portions 24a to 24e of the wire 24 protruding from the patch openings 26a to 26e pass.

In this embodiment, the hook portions 24a-24e of the wire 24 pass through the patch openings 26a-26e and the cover openings 34a-34e, preventing the cover member 30 from shifting relative to the airbag 14 and reliably maintaining the compressed shape of the airbag 14.

As shown in Figure 5, the cover member 30 covers one side (the side opposite the page) of the compressed airbag 14, leaving the center of the other side (the side facing the page) uncovered. The cover member 30 is designed to tear open as the airbag 14 inflates and deploys. For example, the cover openings 34a-34e can be torn open by the tension of the airbag 14 when it inflates and deploys, or a slit can be formed in part of the cover member 30 to weaken it, and then the slit can be torn open. When the cover member 30 tears open, the airbag 14 is fully deployed.

(Airbag storage procedure)
In this embodiment, an airbag 14 containing an inflator 12 is prepared, and a portion of a patch 26 is connected to the surface of the airbag 14 by sewing. For example, in FIG. 1 , the entire outer periphery of the patch 26 is sewn except for the lower edge. This is to ensure a gap for inserting the wire 24. Next, with the lower side of the patch 26 spread out, the wire 24 is inserted inside the patch 26, and a portion of the wire 24 is wound around the stud bolt 22 of the inflator 12. Next, the wire 24 is bent to form hook portions 24a to 24e, which are then passed through the patch openings 26a to 26e and exposed to the outside. After that, the lower edge of the patch 26 is sewn.

Next, the airbag 14 is folded or rolled along the outer circumferential shape of the wire 24, compressing the airbag 14 on the side opposite the wire 24 and patch 26. Next, as shown in Figure 5, the compressed airbag 14 is enclosed by the cover member 30. Then, the hook portions 24a to 24e of the wire 24 are protruded and engaged through the cover openings 34a to 34e.

(Second Example)
Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the structure of an airbag device 110 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing the airbag laid flat before being compressed. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B2-B2 in Fig. 7.

In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a patch 26 is used as a means for holding the position of the wire 24. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the wire 24 is held on the surface of the airbag 14 by a plurality of loop-shaped holding members 126a-126g.

As shown in Figure 8, the retaining members 126a-126g are formed by sewing both ends of a strip of fabric to the surface of the airbag 14, forming a loop similar to a trouser belt loop. The wire 24 is then passed through this loop. Note that the number and positions of the retaining members are not limited to the example shown in Figure 7, and should preferably be changed as appropriate, taking into account the size and compressed shape of the airbag.

The rest of the configuration is the same as in the first embodiment described above, so duplicate explanations will be omitted.

(Airbag storage procedure)
In this embodiment, retaining members 126a to 126g are connected to seven locations on the surface of the airbag 14 by sewing, and the inflator 12 is housed inside the airbag 14. Next, the wire 24 is passed through and fixed to the retaining members 126a to 126g. At this time, a portion of the wire 24 is wound around the stud bolt 22 of the inflator 12. Next, the wire 24 is bent to form the hook portions 24a to 24e. Subsequently, the airbag 14 is folded or rolled along the outer periphery of the wire 24, compressing the airbag 14 onto the surface opposite the wire 24. Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, the compressed airbag 14 is enclosed by the cover member 30, and the hook portions 24a to 24e of the wire 24 are protruded and engaged through the cover openings 34a to 34e.
(Third Example)
Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the structure of an airbag device 210 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, showing the airbag laid flat before being compressed. Fig. 10(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A3-A3 in Fig. 9. Fig. 10(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B3-B3 in Fig. 9.

In the first and second embodiments described above, a wire 24 is used as a guide member to regulate the compressed shape of the airbag 14, but in this embodiment, a resin plate-shaped member 224 is used instead of the wire 24.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10(A), the plate-shaped member 224 has an opening 224x through which the main body of the inflator 12 passes, and openings 224a to 224d through which the stud bolts 22 of the inflator 12 pass. These openings 224x and 224a to 224d allow the plate-shaped member 224 to be positioned on the surface of the airbag 14.

A patch 226 similar to that of the first embodiment is provided on the plate-like member 224, and as shown in Figure 10 (B), the outer periphery of the patch 226 is sewn to the airbag 14 to accommodate the plate-like member 224.

(Airbag storage procedure)
In this embodiment, the airbag 14 housing the inflator 12 is prepared, and a portion of the patch 226 is connected to the surface of the airbag 14 by sewing. For example, in FIG. 9 , the entire outer periphery of the patch 226 is sewn, leaving only the lower edge of the patch 226. This is to ensure a gap for inserting the plate-like member 224. Next, with the lower side of the patch 226 spread out, the plate-like member 224 is inserted into the interior of the patch 226, and the openings 224x, 224a to 224d of the plate-like member 226 are engaged so as to cover the main body of the inflator 12 and the stud bolts 22. Thereafter, the lower edge of the patch 226 is sewn, and the entire periphery of the patch 226 is sewn.

Next, the airbag 14 is folded or rolled along the outer periphery of the plate-like member 224, compressing the airbag 14 onto the surface opposite the plate-like member 224 and patch 226. The compressed airbag 14 is then wrapped in a cover member (30), completing the airbag module. In this embodiment, the airbag 14 is compressed (folded or rolled) based on the plate-like member 224, so the compressed airbag 14 can be maintained in a flat shape, improving the airbag 14's retention performance.

While the present invention has been described in conjunction with the above exemplary embodiments, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art given 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 invention.

Claims (12)

An airbag that is inflated and deployed by gas supplied from an inflator;
a guide member connected to a surface of the airbag and regulating the outer peripheral shape of the airbag when stored;
The inflator is housed inside the airbag,
the guide member includes a wire made of metal or resin,
When the airbag is stored, it is folded along the outer circumferential shape of the wire,
An airbag device, wherein a part of the wire is clamped by a fastener of the inflator. The airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the airbag is folded or rolled into a shape that conforms to the outer periphery of the guide member. An airbag device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide member is molded from a material having higher rigidity than the airbag. An airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a patch covering the guide member is provided on the surface of the airbag. The airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the wire defines the outer periphery of the guide member. 6. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the wire is positioned by engaging with a stud bolt of the inflator. 7. The airbag device according to claim 1, 5 or 6 , wherein a plurality of loop-shaped wire holding members for holding the wire are provided on the surface of the airbag. 8. The airbag device according to claim 1 , wherein a hook portion is formed on a portion of the wire so as to protrude in a direction away from the surface of the airbag. A patch covering the wire is provided on the surface of the airbag,
9. The airbag device according to claim 8 , wherein the patch has a patch opening through which the hook portion passes. A cover member that covers the outer periphery of the airbag in a stored state is further provided,
10. The airbag device according to claim 9 , wherein the cover member has a cover opening through which the hook portion protruding from the patch opening passes. 11. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is formed on the surface of the airbag in an L-shape as a whole. A method for manufacturing an airbag device according to claim 10 , comprising:
housing the inflator within the airbag;
connecting the patch to a surface of the airbag by sewing;
Inserting and laying the wire inside the patch;
causing a hook portion of the wire to protrude from the patch opening of the patch;
folding or rolling the airbag to conform to the outer circumferential shape of the wire;
and covering the airbag with the cover member and causing the hook portion of the wire to protrude from an opening in the cover and engage with the airbag.