JPH08207685A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To attach an air bag with a simple structure by fitting the base part opening inner periphery of the air bag to the flange outer periphery provided on the inflator opening peripheral edge on the center part of a base plate, and attaching the air bag to the caulking part in which the flange is outward bent. CONSTITUTION: A flange 6 is provided by erecting the peripheral edge of an inflator opening part 5 into which an inflator 2 provided on the center part of a base plate 3 is to be inserted. The inner periphery of a base part opening 13 of an air bag 1 is firmly pinched by a caulking part 7 formed by outward bending the flange 6 in the radial direction in a state the inner periphery of the base part opening 13 of the air bag 1 is fitted to the outer periphery of the flange. Thus, the air bag 1 is attached to the base plate 3. It is attached to a bolt hole 2A provided on the flange part by an attaching bolt 11. As a result, it is firmly pinched by the caulking part 7 even by the simple assembly by caulking.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for attaching an airbag to a base plate in an airbag device installed on a steering wheel or the like for protecting an occupant in an automobile or the like, and the attaching device is a passenger seat or the like. The present invention can also be applied to an airbag device that is housed and used in the instrument panel, an airbag device for a door or a rear seat, and an airbag device for a ceiling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of airbag device, there are various methods for attaching the airbag to a base plate. Conventionally, as an airbag device of this type, there is one disclosed in JP-A-2-143249. This will be described with reference to FIG. 7. An airbag (base opening) 22B that inflates to protect an occupant during a collision, an inflator 40 for inflating the airbag, and a base plate for attaching the airbag 22B and the inflator 40. 41, and an airbag cover (not shown) fixed to the base plate 41 and accommodating at least the airbag 22B and the inflator 40, a base opening 22B which is a back member of the airbag body. In order to attach the airbag to the inflator opening 23, the back member 22B and the multi-layered reinforcing cloth 24 are sandwiched between the base plate 41 and the flange portions of the inflator 40 and the retainer 42, and the bolts and nuts 43 or It was fastened and fixed with rivets. As an airbag device of this type, there is one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-141562 shown in FIG. In this conventional example, the opening edge of the airbag 22 is bent to form a loop-shaped portion 22A, and a ring-shaped core member 48 is interposed in the loop-shaped portion 22A, and the loop-shaped portion 22A is attached to a base plate (retainer) 41. It is configured such that it is pressed and held by the arc portion 42A of the pressing ring 42 that is attached to the side. Therefore, it is necessary to connect the pressing ring 42 to the base plate (retainer) 41 side through the bolt holes 25 and the like with bolts and nuts 43 or rivets.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional example, in order to attach the base opening of the airbag body to the opening for the inflator, the base plate and the retainer or the retaining ring are tightened and fixed by bolts, nuts and rivets. Therefore, it is necessary to align the retainer, the base opening of the airbag, the bolt mounting hole of the base plate, and the like. For such alignment work, a jig for it must be prepared separately.
The automatic assembly performance of the device was poor. In addition, the number of parts has increased because fasteners such as bolts and nuts or rivets are required. Therefore, in the present invention, by solving the problems in the conventional airbag device as described above, a simple structure capable of attaching the airbag to the base plate without requiring a special jig or another member, (EN) Provided is an airbag device which is excellent in assemblability and which can be easily assembled automatically.

[0004]

For this reason, the present invention provides an airbag for inflating and protecting an occupant in a collision, an inflator for inflating the airbag, and a base plate for attaching the airbag and the inflator. An airbag device having at least the airbag fixed to the base plate and containing the airbag and an inflator for accommodating the inflator, wherein an inflator opening peripheral edge formed in a central portion of the base plate for inserting the inflator is provided. The airbag is attached to the base plate by a caulking portion in which the flange is bent outward in the radial direction with the inner periphery of the base opening of the airbag being fitted to the outer periphery of the uprightly provided flange. This is a means for solving the problem. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the flange is erected by providing a large number of radial slits on the peripheral edge of the inflator opening of the base plate. Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that a bead wire is provided at the base opening of the airbag. The present invention is characterized in that the bead wire is provided with a fin-shaped thin-walled joint portion attached to an opening end portion of the base portion of the airbag.

[0005]

[Operation] An airbag 1 which protects an occupant by inflating in a collision
And an inflator 2 for inflating the airbag 1.
And a base plate 3 to which the airbag 1 and the inflator 2 are attached, and an airbag cover 4 fixed to the base plate 3 for accommodating at least the airbag 1 and the inflator 2 in the airbag device. Before attaching the inflator 2 to the base plate 3, the base of the airbag 1 is attached to the outer periphery of a flange 6 provided by erecting a peripheral edge of an inflator opening 5 into which the inflator 2 is inserted, which is formed in the central portion of the base plate 3. With the inner periphery of the opening 13 fitted, a caulking portion 7 formed by bending the flange 6 outward in the radial direction by a caulking roller or the like inserted from the inflator opening 5 is used to form the base opening 13 of the airbag 1. The airbag 1 is attached to the base plate 3 while firmly sandwiching the inner circumference. By constructing like this, like the conventional one,
There is no need for parts such as retainers, bolts / nuts or rivets, or special jigs for accurately aligning the bolt mounting holes of the airbag and base plate.
Only by preparing a tool for caulking work, automatic assembly can be efficiently performed. Further, the outer periphery of the flange 6 provided by erecting the peripheral edge of the inflator opening 5 serves as a proper guide portion when the inner periphery of the base opening 13 of the airbag 1 is fitted, and the workability is extremely high. Moreover, if the bead wire 8 is provided in the base opening 13 of the airbag, the bead wire 8 can be smoothly fitted without being turned over at the outer periphery of the flange 6 when being guided and fitted, and a simple caulking process can be used. Despite being assembled, it is firmly clamped after being crimped by the crimping portion 7, can withstand the high pressure when the airbag is operated, and does not come out. Further, if the flange 6 is formed by arranging a large number of radial slits 14 on the periphery of the inflator opening 5 of the base plate 3 and erecting them and bending them at a right angle, not only the operation of erecting the flange 6 becomes very easy, The caulking work for sandwiching the base opening 13 of the bag can be performed quickly, and the work efficiency is further improved. Also,
By providing the bead wire 8 with a fin-shaped thin-walled joint 8B attached to the base opening end of the airbag, the base opening 13 of the airbag 1 can be supported and fixed to the base plate 3 in a large area. Therefore, it is possible to improve the durability by dispersing the stress concentration acting on the base opening 13 when the airbag 1 is deployed.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2 in an assembled state, FIGS. 2 and 3 show a base plate, and FIGS. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an assembled state of the airbag on the base plate. As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag device includes a metallic base plate 3 to which an airbag 1 that is folded into a shape and inflates during a collision to protect an occupant and an inflator 2 for inflating the airbag 1 are attached. And an airbag cover 4 that is fixed to the cover crimping portion 12 of the fixing portion 9 formed by folding back from the standing side surface portion of the base plate 3 and that accommodates at least the airbag 1 and the inflator 2. The inner circumference of the base opening 13 of the airbag 1 was fitted to the outer circumference of a flange 6 which was provided by erecting the peripheral edge of the inflator opening 5 into which the inflator 2 was inserted and which was formed in the center of the base plate 3. In this state, the inner periphery of the base opening 13 of the airbag 1 is firmly sandwiched by the caulking portion 7 in which the flange 6 is bent outward in the radial direction, and the air bag is closed. Supureto base the grayed 1 3
It is attached to. Reference numeral 11 denotes a mounting bolt that is inserted, fixed, or protruded from the base plate 3 in advance, and is inserted into a bolt hole 2A formed at a corresponding position of the flange portion of the inflator 2 shown in FIG. The inflator 2 is attached. If the base opening 13 of the airbag 1 is provided with a resin or metal ring-shaped bead wire 8, it can be fitted smoothly without being turned up when being guided and fitted around the outer periphery of the flange 6 which will be described later. In addition to being assembled and assembled by a simple crimping process, it is firmly clamped after being crimped by the crimping portion 7, and can withstand the high pressure during airbag operation. I can't get out.
The base opening 13 of the airbag 1 is formed by surrounding and folding the bead wire 8.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the flange 6 of the base plate 3 is erected, and a plan view and a side view are shown. A large number of radial slits 14 are provided on the periphery of the inflator opening 5 of the base plate 3 as shown in FIG. 3, and are raised and bent at a right angle to form the flange 6 in the state of FIG. Further, it goes without saying that the slit 14 may be bent without being formed as long as it can be easily formed by pressing or the like. In addition, 9 is a fixing portion that forms a caulking portion for fixing the leg portion of the airbag cover 4. However, the fixing portion 9 does not necessarily have to be a caulking portion, but is a fixing portion using bolts, nuts or rivets. May be

Next, the process of assembling the airbag 1 to the base plate 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
As shown in FIG. 4, the inner periphery of the base opening 13 of the airbag 1 is fitted to the outer periphery of the flange 6 provided by erecting the peripheral edge of the inflator opening 5 formed in the central portion of the base plate 3. . At this time, the outer periphery of the flange 6 serves as a proper guide portion when the inner periphery of the base opening 13 of the airbag 1 is fitted, and the workability is extremely high. In addition, if the bead wire 8 is provided in the base opening 13 of the airbag, the flange 6 can be fitted smoothly without being flipped over at the outer circumference of the flange 6 while being guided and fitted.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the base plate 3 is placed on the base 19, and the flange 6 is bent outward in the radial direction by the caulking roller 20 or the like inserted from the inflator opening 5 and the caulking portion 7 is formed. The air bag 1 is attached to the base plate 3 by firmly sandwiching the inner periphery of the base opening 13 of the air bag 1. As the flange 6, the inflator opening 5 of the base plate 3
If a large number of radial slits 14 are provided on the periphery of the flange 6 and are erected and bent at a right angle, not only the operation of erection of the flange 6 becomes extremely easy, but also the caulking roller 2
The work of crimping the base opening 13 of the airbag by 0 or the like can be performed easily and quickly, and the work efficiency can be further improved. Moreover, if the bead wire 8 is provided in the base opening 13 of the airbag, it is assembled by a simple crimping process,
After being caulked by the caulking portion 7, the caulking part 7 is firmly clamped, and can withstand the high pressure when the airbag is operated and does not come out. By configuring like this, unlike the conventional one, parts such as a retainer, bolts and nuts or rivets, and a special jig for accurately aligning the bolt mounting holes of the airbag and the base plate are not required, Only by preparing a tool for caulking work, automatic assembly can be efficiently performed.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which is a modification of the base opening 13 of the airbag 1. FIG. 6 (A) surrounds a bead wire 8 having a cross section consisting of a circular portion 8A and a fin-shaped thin-walled joint portion 8B attached to the end portion of the airbag 1, and the end portion of the airbag 1 is folded and sewn. Alternatively, it is an example in which the base opening 13 of the airbag is formed by fusion or adhesion 16. Despite being assembled by a simple crimping process by the circular portion of the bead wire 8, after being crimped by the crimping portion 7, the bead wire 8 is firmly clamped, and the fin-shaped thin joint portion causes the airbag. Since the base opening 13 of No. 1 can be supported and fixed to the base plate 3 in a wide area, the base opening 13 can be operated and deployed when the airbag 1 is deployed.
It becomes possible to improve the durability by dispersing the stress concentration acting on. FIG. 6B shows a bead wire 8 having a cross section consisting of a circular shape and a fin-shaped thin-walled joint portion, which is attached to the end portion of the airbag 1 and formed by sewing, fusion bonding or bonding 16 to form a base opening 13 of the airbag. Is an example. Figure 6
(C) shows a bead wire 8 having a cross section consisting of a circular and fin-like thin-walled joint portion, sandwiched between the end portion of the airbag 1 and the reinforcing member 15 and sewn or fused or bonded 16 to form the air. This is an example in which the base opening 13 of the bag is formed, and unlike the one in which the end portion of the airbag 1 is folded back by surrounding the bead wire 8 in FIG. 6 (A), it is cut in advance to have substantially the same shape as the base opening 13 of the airbag. Reinforcement 1
Since 5 is polymerized and formed by sewing, fusion bonding or adhesion 16, wrinkles and the like are less likely to occur and polymerization is easy. FIG. 6D shows an example in which the bead wire 8 having a circular cross section is sandwiched between the end portion of the airbag 1 and the reinforcing member 15 and formed by sewing, fusion bonding or adhesion 16 to form the airbag base opening 13. Is.

As described above, the airbag device according to each embodiment of the present invention is used not only for a driver's seat but also for an airbag device arranged in a passenger seat, a door, a rear seat, or the like. Within the scope of the meaning of, the folding shape of the airbag, the form of the fixing portion between the leg of the airbag cover and the base plate (for example, fixing by rivets instead of fixing by caulking), the form of fastening the base plate and the inflator, Shape and number of flange slits, bead wire material, cross-sectional shape, attachment form to the airbag base opening,
It goes without saying that the type of caulking tool such as caulking roller can be appropriately adopted.

[0012]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the parts such as the retainer, the bolts and nuts or the rivets, and the bolt mounting holes of the airbag and the base plate are accurately aligned as in the conventional one. There is no need for a special jig or the like, and an air bag device having a simple structure and excellent in assemblability can be obtained which enables efficient automatic assembly simply by preparing a tool for caulking work. Further, the outer circumference of the flange provided by erecting the peripheral edge of the inflator opening serves as a proper guide portion when the inner circumference of the base opening of the airbag is fitted, and the workability is extremely high, and the airbag is also excellent. If a bead wire is provided at the base opening of the, it will fit smoothly without turning over when being guided and fitted on the outer periphery of the flange, and it was assembled by a simple caulking process. Nevertheless,
After being crimped by the crimping part, it is firmly clamped,
Can withstand high pressure when the airbag is activated and does not slip out. Further, if the flange is formed by providing a large number of radial slits on the periphery of the inflator opening of the base plate and standing it up and bending it at a right angle, not only the work of standing up the flange becomes very easy, but also the base opening of the airbag is opened. The crimping work to be clamped can also be performed quickly, and the work efficiency can be further improved. Further, by providing the bead wire with a fin-shaped thin joint portion attached to the base opening end of the airbag, the base opening of the airbag can be supported and fixed to the base plate in a large area. It is possible to disperse the stress concentration acting on the base opening when the bag is deployed and improve the durability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an airbag device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a base plate of the airbag device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a base plate of the airbag device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an assembled state of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an assembled state of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a base opening of an airbag according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an airbag device of a first conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an airbag device of a second conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 airbag 2 inflator 3 base plate 4 airbag cover 5 inflator opening 6 flange 7 crimping portion 8 bead wire 8B fin-like thin joint 9 fixing portion 13 base opening 14 slit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An airbag for inflating an occupant in a collision to protect an occupant, an inflator for inflating the airbag, a base plate for attaching the airbag and the inflator, and at least the base plate fixed to the base plate. In an airbag device including an airbag and an airbag cover that accommodates an inflator, the air bag is provided on an outer periphery of a flange that is provided upright on a peripheral edge of an inflator opening into which the inflator that is formed in the center of the base plate is inserted. An air bag apparatus, wherein an air bag is attached to a base plate by a caulking portion formed by bending the flange radially outward with the inner circumference of the base opening of the bag fitted. 2. The airbag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flange is erected by providing a large number of radial slits on a peripheral edge of the inflator opening of the base plate. 3. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein a bead wire is provided at a base opening of the airbag. 4. The airbag apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the bead wire is provided with a fin-shaped thin-walled joint portion that is attached to the base opening end portion of the airbag.