JP2010076640A - Airbag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reliably receive and protect the head of an occupant even when the head moves to an impact position side in response to an impact. <P>SOLUTION: A first inflating part 34 of an airbag 31 is fixed to the rear of the position on the impact position side of the occupant P2 at one end (rear end) 34A, and is inflated to the front of the position on the impact position side of the occupant P2. A second inflating part 37 is connected to the other end (front end) 34B of the first inflating part 34 while bending in relative to the first inflating part 34. The second inflating part 37 is inflated from the other end (front end) 34B of the first inflating part 34 to the opposite side of the impact position around the front side of the head Ph before the first inflating part 34 is pressed by the head Ph moving to the impact position side. When the first inflating part 34 is pressed by the head Ph moving to the impact position side and rotates to the impact position side with one end (rear end) 34A as a fulcrum, the second inflating part 37 moves to the side on the impact position side of the head Ph with rotation of the first inflating portion 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is applied to a vehicle in which a plurality of seats are arranged side by side to other seats other than the seat closest to the impact location of the vehicle when an impact is applied from one side to the other side of the side by side, The present invention relates to an airbag device that receives and protects at least the head of an occupant who is seated in another seat and moves toward the impact location in response to an impact.

  In a vehicle with a pair of seats arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, when an impact is applied to a body side part such as a door due to a side collision, an occupant seated in the seat near the impact point (body side part) It is common practice to protect with an airbag device. This type is normally called a side airbag device, and the rear end of the airbag is fixed to the side close to the impact location (body side portion) and rearward of the occupant seated in the seat. The objects to be fixed are the seat, the body side portion, and the like. In the side airbag device, when an impact is applied to the body side portion, the airbag inflates forward through the space between the occupant and the body side portion. Although the occupant moves to the impact location (body side portion) side with the impact, the occupant is received by the inflated airbag. In this case, when receiving, a pressing force is applied by the occupant, and even if the airbag tries to rotate toward the impact location with the rear end portion that is the fixing location as a fulcrum, the rotation is restricted by the body side portion.

  Furthermore, in recent years, it has been considered to protect at least the head of an occupant seated in a seat far from the impact location (body side portion) with an airbag device. Nevertheless, this type of airbag device has not been developed as well as the side airbag device. Therefore, it is conceivable to apply the configuration of the side airbag device to the latter type of airbag device. In that case, the rear end portion of the airbag is fixed to the occupant sideward and rearward near the impact location (body side portion). When an impact is applied to the body side portion, the airbag device inflates the airbag forward at least on the side of the head of the occupant and moves to the impact location (body side portion) side in accordance with the impact. It is intended to receive at least the head of the occupant.

In addition, as a prior art document concerning this invention, the following patent document 1 is mentioned. This will be described later.
JP 2006-8105 A

  However, the seat that is far from the impact location (body side portion) is used as a reference, and on the impact location side, unlike the side airbag device, a member that restricts the rotation of the airbag, such as the body side portion. Does not exist. Therefore, when the occupant's head moves to the impact location side in response to an impact caused by a side collision, the airbag is pushed by the head, and the airbag moves toward the impact location with the rear end portion, which is a fixed location, as a fulcrum. There is a risk of rotation. When such rotation occurs, it is difficult for the airbag to sufficiently exert the function of receiving the head of the occupant, and the head may slip through the airbag.

  Such a problem can also occur in a vehicle in which three or more seats are juxtaposed. In this case, the seats other than the seat closest to the impact location of the vehicle when an impact is applied from one side to the other side in the side-by-side direction of the seats are applicable to the airbag device. In addition, the above problem can occur in a vehicle in which a plurality of seats are arranged in parallel so as to face a direction different from the front-rear direction of the vehicle, for example, the vehicle width direction when the occupant is seated. In this case, when an impact is applied to the vehicle from the front or the rear, the impact is an impact directed from one side to the other in the side-by-side direction.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 1 describes a side airbag device that is intended to improve the protection performance of the head at the time of an impact from an oblique front to a vehicle. In the side airbag device, an airbag including an airbag main body portion and an airbag protruding portion is employed. The airbag main body portion is a portion corresponding to the airbag in the general side airbag device described above, and is inflated between the body side portion of the vehicle and a portion from the chest of the occupant to the head. The airbag protruding portion is inflated so as to protrude forward from the occupant's face from the airbag body. For this reason, even if there is an approaching object due to an impact from the front side of the vehicle, an inflated airbag is interposed between the head of the occupant and the approaching object, and contact with the approaching object of the head is caused by air. Stopped by the bag.

  However, the thing of patent document 1 protects the passenger | crew's head when the impact is added from the diagonally front for the passenger | crew who is seated in the seat near the impact location as a subject of protection. It is an object. Because of these protection targets and purposes, the side head of the occupant seated in the seat far from the impact location moves to the impact location side, and the airbag (airbag body portion) receiving the head. ) Is not assumed to rotate to the impact location side with the rear end as a fulcrum. In particular, as described above, since the occupant seated in the seat near the impact location is to be protected, as described above, the rotation of the airbag (airbag main body) is regulated by the body side portion in the vicinity thereof. . Therefore, in the thing of patent document 1 in which such assumption is not made, it sits in the seat far from an impact location, and it receives and protects the head of the crew member who moves to the impact location side according to an impact. difficult.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to reliably receive and protect the head of an occupant even if the head of the occupant moves to the impact location side in response to the impact. It is in providing the airbag apparatus which can be performed.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to a vehicle having a plurality of seats arranged side by side when an impact is applied from one side to the other side of the side by side. An airbag device that is applied to other seats other than the seat closest to the location, is seated on the other seat, and receives at least the head of an occupant moving to the impact location side with the impact by the airbag. The airbag has one end fixed to the rear side of the location on the impact location side of the occupant and inflates toward the front of at least the location on the impact location side of the occupant in response to the impact. A first inflating portion that is bent with respect to the first inflating portion and connected to the other end of the first inflating portion, and the first inflating portion moves toward the impact location. Before being pressed by the head From the other end portion of the first inflating portion, in the vicinity of the front of the head, the inflating portion is inflated to the side opposite to the impact location, and the first inflating portion is pressed by the head moving to the impact location side and A gist is provided with a second inflating part that moves to the vicinity of the side of the impact part of the head when rotating to the impact part side with one end as a fulcrum.

  Here, the “front” is a direction in which the occupant seated in the seat faces and is not necessarily the traveling direction of the vehicle. Further, the “rear” is a direction opposite to the “front”, that is, a direction opposite to a direction in which the occupant is facing.

  According to the above configuration, when an impact is applied to the vehicle from one side to the other side of the seat side-by-side direction, the airbag of the airbag device applied to the other seat expands as follows. First, the first inflatable part, one end of which is fixed to the rear of the location on the occupant's impact location side, expands toward the front of the location on the occupant's impact location side. Further, the second inflating portion inflates from the other end of the first inflating portion to the opposite side of the impact location in the vicinity of the front of the occupant's head.

  On the other hand, the head of the occupant moves to the impact location side with the impact. When the first inflating portion is pressed by the moving head, the first inflating portion rotates toward the impact location with one end thereof as a fulcrum. However, with the rotation of the first inflating part, the second inflating part moves to the vicinity of the side of the head at the impact location, receives the head moving to the impact location, and protects it from the impact. As a result, it is difficult for the head to slip through the airbag, and a reduction in the restraining performance of the airbag due to slipping is suppressed.

  Here, before the first inflated portion rotates, the end of the second inflating portion opposite to the first inflating portion is the other seat according to the invention described in claim 2. It is desirable to be located on the side farther from the first expansion portion than the central portion in the width direction. This is because when the end of the second inflating portion on the side far from the first inflating portion is located on the side closer to the first inflating portion than the central portion or the central portion, the first inflating portion with respect to the second expanding portion. The length between the end on the near side and the end on the far side is not sufficiently long. As a result, when the second inflating portion moves to the side of the impact location side of the head, the head that moves to the impact location side cannot be reliably received by the second inflating portion, and the head is in the second position. This is because there is a risk of slipping through the expanding portion.

  Moreover, the said other end part of the said 1st expansion | swelling part before rotating to the said impact location side by making the said one end part into a fulcrum is located in the diagonally forward vicinity of the said passenger | crew's face like the invention of Claim 3. It is desirable to do. This is because, for one thing, the second inflatable part connected to the other end of the first inflatable part can be inflated in the vicinity of the front of the occupant's head. In addition, the rotation radius of the first inflating portion is shortened to reduce the amount of movement of the second inflating portion, and the second inflating portion can be quickly moved to the vicinity of the side of the head in response to an impact. .

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect of the present invention, the first and second inflating portions are bridged between the first inflating portion and the second inflating portion. A tether that restricts an angle between the second inflating portion and the first inflating portion from expanding before the movement of the second inflating portion by tension when moving along with the rotation of the second inflating portion. The gist.

  According to said structure, when a 1st expansion part is pressed by the head which moves to the impact location side, and the 1st expansion part rotates to an impact location side by using one end part as a fulcrum, the rotation will be 2nd through a tether. It is transmitted to the expansion part. The tether restricts the angle formed by the first inflating part of the second inflating part from expanding before the movement of the second inflating part by tensioning. Therefore, the second inflating part can be reliably moved to the vicinity of the side of the head on the impact location side with the rotation of the first inflating part.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the fourth aspect, the tether is a center between the end portion on the side closer to the first inflatable portion and the end portion on the far side with respect to the second inflatable portion. The gist is that it is connected to a portion closer to the first expansion portion than the portion.

  The tether that is stretched and tensioned between the first inflating part and the second inflating part is located in the vicinity of the head when the occupant's head is protected by the airbag. Especially, the connection part with the 2nd expansion part of a tether is located in the diagonally forward vicinity of a face. However, by connecting the tether to the above-mentioned portion of the second inflating portion, the tether has a connecting portion with the second inflating portion as compared with the case where the tether is connected to the side farther from the first inflating portion than the central portion. Move diagonally away from the face. Therefore, when the head is protected by the airbag, it is possible to make it difficult to touch the vicinity of the connecting portion of the tether with the second inflating portion on the head (face).

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the tether has the other end portion than a central portion between the one end portion and the other end portion of the first inflating portion. The gist is that it is connected to the first inflatable portion at a location close to.

  The tether that is stretched and tensioned between the first inflating part and the second inflating part is located in the vicinity of the head when the occupant's head is protected by the airbag. Especially, the connection part with the 1st expansion | swelling part of a tether is located in the side vicinity of a head. However, by connecting the tether to the location of the first inflating portion, the connecting portion of the tether with the first inflating portion is connected to the head (side) than when the tether is connected to the one end side of the center portion. Head away from the head). Therefore, when the head is protected by the airbag, it is possible to make it difficult to touch the head (side) of the connecting portion of the tether with the first inflatable portion.

  The angle formed by the first inflating part of the second inflating part regulated by the tether is desirably set to any value in the range of 45 ° to 90 °, as in the seventh aspect of the invention. This is because when the angle is smaller than 45 °, the space sandwiched between the first inflating portion and the second inflating portion becomes excessively narrow, and when the head moves to the impact location side due to the impact, the space This is because they may not be able to enter. Further, when the angle is larger than 90 °, when the second inflating part moves to the side of the impact part side of the head, the head that moves to the impact part side is reliably received by the second inflating part. This is because the head may slip through the airbag (second inflatable portion).

  The invention according to an eighth aspect is the invention according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the airbag is accommodated inside the other seat before inflating, and the first inflating portion. The above-mentioned one end portion is fixed to the same seat.

  According to the above configuration, since the internal space of the seat is used for accommodating and fixing the airbag, there is no need to separately prepare a space for accommodating and fixing the airbag at a location different from the seat. I'm sorry. Moreover, it becomes possible to fix easily the one end part of a 1st expansion | swelling part by setting it as a fixing location using hard members, such as a seat frame in a seat.

  According to the airbag device of the present invention, even if the occupant's head moves to the impact location side in response to an impact, the head can be reliably received and protected.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in at least one of FIGS. 1 to 3, a pair of seats (front seats) 12 and 13 are arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval in the vehicle width direction at the front portion in the passenger compartment 11 of the vehicle. ing. Each of the seats 12 and 13 includes a seat portion 14 disposed substantially horizontally, a backrest portion 15 disposed on the rear side of the seat portion 14, and a headrest 16 disposed on the backrest portion 15. I have. A center console 17 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is provided at the front portion of the vehicle compartment 11 and in the center in the vehicle width direction. The center console 17 is provided with operation parts such as a shift lever and a side brake lever, and is provided with a storage space for a cup holder, an ashtray, an accessory case and the like. A rear portion 17R of the center console 17 is located between the two seats 12 and 13. The rear portion 17R of the center console 17 is slightly higher than the seat portion 14 of each seat 12, 13 (see FIG. 2).

  With respect to a vehicle in which a pair of seats 12 and 13 are arranged side by side as described above, the side-by-side collision causes the seats 12 and 13 to be arranged side by side (vehicle width direction) as indicated by solid arrows and two-dot chain arrows. There is a case in which an impact is applied from one side to the other side. When such an impact is applied, the body side portions 18 and 19 that have received the impact are deformed inward of the vehicle compartment 11 (the other body side portions 19 and 18 side). Here, the body side parts 18 and 19 refer to members disposed on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle. For example, the body side parts 18 and 19 corresponding to the front seat include a front door, a center pillar ( B pillar). In addition, due to the impact, an inertial force toward the impact location (body side portions 18 and 19) acts on the occupant P1 seated on the seat 12 and the occupant P2 seated on the seat 13. Due to this inertial force, the occupants P1 and P2 seated in any of the seats 12 and 13 tend to move relative to the impact location side (hereinafter simply referred to as “movement”).

  In the passenger compartment 11, a seat belt device for restraining the passengers P1, P2 seated in the seats 12, 13 is provided for each of the seats 12, 13, but in FIGS. The illustration of the seat belt device is omitted.

  The passengers P1 and P2 who are seated on the seats 12 and 13 on the side close to the impact location and move to the impact location side due to the impact may come into contact with the body side portions 18 and 19 which are deformed into the vehicle compartment 11 due to a side collision. However, the passengers P1 and P2 are protected by a so-called side airbag device 20. The side airbag device 20 is provided in each of the pair of seats 12 and 13 because there is a possibility that an impact is applied to the vehicle from both the juxtaposed direction of the seats 12 and 13. Each side airbag device 20 has the same configuration as an airbag device 30 described later. That is, each side airbag device 20 includes an airbag 21 and an inflator 22, and these airbag 21 and inflator 22 are side portions 25 on the side close to the body side portions 18 and 19 with respect to the seats 12 and 13. Is housed in. The inflator 22 is disposed at the rear end portion in the airbag 21, and the inflator 22 is fastened to the seat frame 24 in each seat 12, 13 together with the rear end portion of the airbag 21.

  When a side impact is applied to the body side portions 18 and 19 due to a side collision, in the side airbag device 20 installed in the seats 12 and 13 on the side close to the impact location, the inflation gas is supplied from the inflator 22 to the airbag. 21 is supplied. The inflation gas causes the airbag 21 to inflate forward through the space between the occupants P1 and P2 seated on the seats 12 and 13 and the body side portions 18 and 19, and to the impact location side due to the impact. Receiving the moving passengers P1, P2. At the time of receiving, even if the airbag 21 tries to rotate toward the impact location with its fixed end (rear end) as a fulcrum by the pressing force accompanying the movement of the passengers P1 and P2, the rotation is performed by the body side portions 18 and 19. Be regulated.

  The passengers P1 and P2 who are seated on the seats 12 and 13 on the side far from the impact location and move to the impact location side are protected by the airbag device 30 of the present embodiment. Here, the occupants P1 and P2 seated on the seats 12 and 13 far from the impact location have also been described as moving toward the impact location due to inertial force, but the rear portion 17R of the center console 17 is The above movement of the waist of the passengers P1, P2 is restricted. On the other hand, as for the upper part (upper body Pu) of the occupant P1, P2 that has taken the sitting posture, there is nothing that regulates the movement to the impact location side. Therefore, after the lumbar parts of the passengers P1 and P2 hit the center console 17, the upper body Pu of the passengers P1 and P2 is inclined so that the upper part Pu approaches the impact part, and further, the head Ph is on the upper part. Tilt to approach. Due to these inclinations, the head Ph approaches the impact location, and there is a risk that it contacts the adjacent seats 12 and 13 (impact location side) and the body side portions 18 and 19 that are deformed into the vehicle compartment 11 by the impact. The airbag device 30 of the present embodiment receives the head Ph displaced to the impact location side and protects it from contact with the seats 12, 13 and the like on the adjacent side (impact location side). Since there is a possibility that an impact may be applied to the vehicle from both the juxtaposed direction of the seats 12 and 13, the airbag device 30 is provided in each of the pair of seats 12 and 13.

  Each airbag device 30 includes an airbag 31 and an inflator 38 as an inflation fluid generation source. The airbag 31 is accommodated in the upper part of the side part 32 on the side far from the body side parts 18 and 19 with respect to the backrest part 15 of the seats 12 and 13 in a folded and compact state. This location is the rear upper part of the location that becomes the impact location side from the occupants P1 and P2 seated on the seats 12 and 13.

  2 to 4 schematically show the airbag 31 in a state where the inflation gas is filled and expanded and inflated. As shown in at least one of these FIGS. 2 to 4, the airbag 31 is made of a material that has high strength and is flexible and can be easily folded, such as polyester yarn and polyamide yarn. The formed woven cloth or the like is used as a base cloth, and the peripheral edge of the base cloth is sewn with a sewing thread. Inside the airbag 31 in the expanded and inflated state, a vertically long seam 33 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) is sewn with a sewing thread at the opposite portions of the airbag 31 in the vehicle width direction. It is formed by doing. With the seam 33, the airbag 31 is partitioned into a first inflatable portion 34 and a second inflatable portion 37. The first inflatable portion 34 and the second inflatable portion 37 are in the airbag 31 and communicate with each other in the upper portion 31U and the lower portion 31L from the seam 33 (see FIG. 3).

  The first inflating part 34 includes two inflating parts, a longitudinal inflating part 35 and a lateral inflating part 36 (see FIG. 3). The vertical expansion portion 35 is a portion that expands substantially upward after coming out of the accommodation location in the backrest portion 15 and passing through the vicinity of the side of the head Ph on the impact location side. The width W in the front-rear direction of the vertical expansion portion 35 is set to a relatively small value so as not to contact the shoulder portions Ps of the occupants P1, P2 during expansion. The lateral expansion part 36 is a part that expands from the upper part of the front end of the vertical expansion part 35 substantially forward.

  The second expansion portion 37 is connected to the other end portion (front end portion) 34 </ b> B of the first expansion portion 34 while being bent with respect to the first expansion portion 34. Before the first inflating part 34 is pressed by the head Ph moving to the impact location side, the second inflating part 37 is moved from the other end part (front end part) 34B of the first inflating part 34 to the head Ph. In the vicinity of the front, the air expands toward the side away from the impact location. When the first inflating portion 34 is pressed by the head Ph moving to the impact location side and rotates to the impact location side using the one end portion (rear end portion) 34A as a fulcrum, Along with the rotation, the head moves toward the side near the impact location of the head Ph (see FIG. 6).

  The inflator 38 has a vertically long cylindrical shape, and is disposed in one end portion (rear end portion) in the airbag 31, more specifically, in the vertical inflating portion 35 of the first inflating portion 34. There are a plurality of types of inflators 38 because of the difference in the generation mode of the expansion gas as the expansion fluid. Here, an inflator 38 called a pyrotype is used. A gas generating agent (not shown) that generates an expansion gas is accommodated in the inflator 38. The inflator 38 is connected to a harness (not shown) serving as a control signal application wiring to the inflator 38.

  As the inflator 38, a type different from the pyro type may be used. Such types include stored gas types in which the bulkhead of a high-pressure gas cylinder filled with high-pressure gas is ruptured with explosives and the like, and a hybrid type in which both a pyro type and a stored gas type are combined. Can be mentioned.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a bolt 39 extends from the inflator 38 in a direction (leftward in FIG. 4) perpendicular to the axis of the inflator 38, and the bolt 39 is connected to one end (rear end) of the airbag 31. Part) 34A and the seat frame 24. Further, the nut 40 is screwed onto the bolt 39, whereby the inflator 38 is fastened to the seat frame 24 together with one end portion (rear end portion) 34A of the airbag 31.

  Since the airbag 31 is fixed to the seat frame 24 only at one end portion (rear end portion) 34A as described above, a force is applied from the side to the airbag 31, particularly the first inflating portion 34. In this case, the airbag 31 tends to rotate toward the impact location with the one end (rear end) 34A, which is the fixed end, as a fulcrum. Here, the pressing force by the head Ph moving to the impact location side due to the side collision is the force applied to the airbag 31 from the side.

  In the airbag 31, before the first inflating portion 34 rotates toward the impact location side with the one end portion (rear end portion) 34 </ b> A as a fulcrum, the end of the second inflating portion 37 opposite to the first inflating portion 34. The part 37B is located on the side farther from the first inflating part 34 than the central part C1 in the width direction of the seats 12 and 13. In the airbag 31, the other end portion (front end portion) 34 </ b> B of the first inflatable portion 34 is moved before the first inflatable portion 34 rotates toward the impact location with the one end portion (rear end portion) 34 </ b> A as a fulcrum. It is located in the diagonally forward vicinity of the face Pf of the occupants P1, P2.

  A belt-like tether 41 is bridged between the first inflating part 34 and the second inflating part 37. One end 41A of the tether 41 is sewn on the surface opposite to the impact location of the first inflatable portion 34, and the other end 41B is sewn on the rear surface of the second inflatable portion 37. ing. Here, if the angle between the second inflating portion 37 and the first inflating portion 34 is “α”, the tether 41 is moved before the second inflating portion 37 moves with the rotation of the first inflating portion 34. It is provided to restrict the angle α from expanding. The angle α is preferably set to any value in the range of 45 ° to 90 °, and is set to 90 ° in the present embodiment.

  One end portion 41A of the tether 41 has the same other end portion (front end portion) as compared to the central portion C2 between one end portion (rear end portion) 34A and the other end portion (front end portion) 34B of the first expansion portion 34. It is connected to the first inflating portion 34 at a location near 34B. Further, the other end portion 41B of the tether 41 has the same first expansion as the second expansion portion 37 than the center portion C3 between the end portion 37A closer to the first expansion portion 34 and the far end portion 37B. It is connected to a portion on the side of the part 34.

  The side airbag device 20 and the airbag device 30 described above further include impact sensors 45 and 46 and a control device 47 as common components (see FIG. 3). The impact sensors 45 and 46 are composed of acceleration sensors or the like, and are provided on the body side portions 18 and 19 (see FIG. 2) of the vehicle, and detect impacts applied to the body side portions 18 and 19 from the side. The control device 47 controls the operation of the inflators 22 and 38 based on detection signals from the impact sensors 45 and 46.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
Under the situation where occupants P1 and P2 are seated on both seats 12 and 13, respectively, the vehicle is impacted from one side to the other in the direction in which the seats 12 and 13 are juxtaposed (vehicle width direction) due to a side collision May be added. Here, it is assumed that an impact is applied to one of the body side portions 18 as shown by solid line arrows in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4. In this way, when an impact due to a side collision is applied to one body side portion 18, the body side portion 18 tends to be deformed inwardly of the passenger compartment 11 (the other body side portion 19 side).

  In addition, due to the impact, an inertial force toward the impact location side (the body side portion 18 side) acts on the occupants P1 and P2 seated on the seats 12 and 13, respectively. Due to this inertial force, each occupant P1, P2 tends to move to the impact location side (the body side portion 18 side) as shown by an arrow A in FIG.

  On the other hand, when it is detected by the impact sensor 45 that an impact of a predetermined value or more has been applied to the body side portion 18, from the control device 47, the inflator 22 of the side airbag device 20 and the airbag device 30 are detected based on the detection signal. A command signal for operating them is output to the inflator 38 (see FIG. 3). In response to the command signal, inflation gas is supplied from the inflators 22 and 38 to the corresponding airbags 21 and 31, and the airbags 21 and 31 are inflated and deployed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the occupant P <b> 1 sitting on the impact location side seat 12 and moving to the impact location side is received by the airbag 21 of the side airbag device 20 described above. Further, an inflated airbag 21 is interposed between the body side portion 18 deformed into the passenger compartment 11 due to a side collision and the occupant P1, and it is the air that the occupant P1 comes into contact with the body side portion 18. It is suppressed by the bag 21.

Further, in the airbag device 30 provided in the seat 13 on the side far from the impact location, the airbag 31 is inflated and deployed as follows by the supply of the inflation gas.
First, as shown in FIG. 4, the first inflating portion 34 having one end portion (rear end portion) 34A fixed in the vicinity of the rear side of the location that is closer to the impact location (right side in FIG. 4) than the occupant P2 And expands and expands upward (see FIG. 3) and forward (downward in FIG. 4) in the vicinity of the side of the impact location. Further, the second inflating portion 37 is deployed from the other end portion (front end portion) 34B of the first inflating portion 34 to the opposite side (left side in FIG. 4) from the impact location in the vicinity of the front of the head Ph of the occupant P2. Inflate.

  On the other hand, the head Ph of the occupant P2 moves to the impact location side as described above with the impact. The tether 41 that is tensioned between the first inflatable portion 34 and the second inflatable portion 37 is positioned in the vicinity of the head portion Ph when the airbag 31 protects the head portion Ph of the occupant P2. Especially, the connection part (end part 41B) with the 2nd expansion part 37 of the tether 41 is located in the diagonally forward vicinity of the face Pf. However, the end portion 41 </ b> B is connected to the second inflating portion 37 at a location closer to the first inflating portion 34 than the central portion C <b> 3. Therefore, compared with the case where the same end portion 41B is connected to a location farther from the first inflating portion 34 than the central portion C3, a portion near the end portion 41B in the tether 41 is moved away from the face Pf.

  Moreover, the connection part (end part 41A) with the 1st expansion | swelling part 34 of the tether 41 is located in the side vicinity by the side of an impact location about the head Ph. However, the end portion 41A is connected to the first inflatable portion 34 at a position closer to the other end portion (front end portion) 34B than the central portion C2. Therefore, the portion near the end portion 41A in the tether 41 is further away from the head Ph obliquely forward than when the tether 41 is connected to a location closer to the one end portion (rear end portion) 34A than the central portion C2.

  Then, the head Ph moving as described above tends to enter the space S (see FIG. 4) sandwiched between the first inflating part 34 and the second inflating part 37. Here, as described above, the angle α between the second expansion portion 37 and the first expansion portion 34 is regulated by the tether 41. However, if the angle α is smaller than 45 °, the space S becomes excessively narrow. When the head Ph moves to the impact location side due to the impact, it may be difficult to enter the space S. However, in the present embodiment, the angle α is set to any value in the range of 45 ° to 90 °. Therefore, the space S has an appropriate size, and the head Ph that moves to the impact location side with an impact is likely to enter the space S.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the first inflating portion 34 is pressed toward the impact location by the head Ph, the first inflating portion 34 has one end that is its fixed end, as indicated by an arrow B. (Rear end) 34A is about to be rotated toward the impact location side as a fulcrum. The rotation of the first inflating part 34 is transmitted to the second inflating part 37 through the tether 41. The second inflating portion 37 to which the rotation is transmitted is pulled toward the first inflating portion 34 by the tether 41, and tries to rotate toward the head Ph as indicated by an arrow C with its own end 37A as a fulcrum. Further, when the tether 41 is tensioned, the angle α formed with the first expansion portion 34 of the second expansion portion 37 becomes the angle α formed with the first expansion portion 34 of the second expansion portion 37 before movement. Regulate expanding more than As shown in FIG. 6, the first inflating portion 34 rotates, and the second inflating portion 37 moves with the end portion 37 </ b> A as a fulcrum, and moves to the side of the impact location side of the head Ph. The head Ph moving to the location side is received. Further, the airbag 31 in an inflated state is interposed between the body side portion 18 deformed into the vehicle compartment 11 due to a side collision and the head Ph of the occupant P2.

  If the angle α is greater than 90 °, the head Ph that moves to the impact location side is moved to the second expansion portion 37 when the second expansion portion 37 moves to the side of the impact location of the head Ph. Therefore, there is a possibility that the head Ph may slip through the airbag 31 (second inflating portion 37). However, in the present embodiment, since the angle α is set to any value in the range of 45 ° to 90 ° as described above, the head Ph that moves to the impact location side is the second inflating portion 37. Is surely received.

  Here, before the first inflated portion 34 in the inflated state rotates, if the end portion 37B of the second inflating portion 37 is positioned closer to the first inflating portion 34 than the central portion C1 or the central portion C1. The length between the end portion 37A and the end portion 37B of the second expansion portion 37 is not sufficiently long. As a result, when the second inflating portion 37 moves to the side of the impact location side of the head Ph, the head Ph moving to the impact location side cannot be reliably received by the second inflating portion 37, and the head The portion Ph may slip through the airbag 31 (second inflatable portion 37).

  However, in the present embodiment, before the first inflating portion 34 rotates, the end portion 37B of the second inflating portion 37 is located on the side farther from the first inflating portion 34 than the central portion C1 of the seat 13. (See FIG. 4). Therefore, compared with the case where the end portion 37B of the second inflating portion 37 is located on the side closer to the first inflating portion 34 than the central portion C1 or the central portion C1, the end portion 37A of the second inflating portion 37 and The length between the end portions 37B becomes sufficiently long. As a result, when the second inflating portion 37 moves to the side of the impact location side of the head Ph (see FIG. 6), the head Ph moving to the impact location side is reliably received by the second inflating portion 37. .

  Further, if the other end portion (front end portion) 34B of the first inflating portion 34 before rotating toward the impact location side with the one end portion (rear end portion) 34A as a fulcrum is far away from the face Pf of the occupant P2. The second inflating portion 37 connected to the other end portion (front end portion) 34B is not inflated near the front of the head Ph of the occupant P2. The rotation radius of the first inflating part 34 becomes longer, the amount of movement of the second inflating part 37 decreases, and it takes time for the second inflating part 37 to move to the vicinity of the side of the head Ph. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the other end portion (front end portion) 34B of the first inflating portion 34 before rotating toward the impact location side with the one end portion (rear end portion) 34A as a fulcrum is oblique to the face Pf of the occupant P2. It is located near the front (see FIG. 4). Therefore, the second inflating portion 37 is inflated in the vicinity of the front of the head Ph of the occupant P2. In addition, the rotation radius of the first inflating portion 34 is shortened, the amount of movement of the second inflating portion 37 is reduced, and the second inflating portion 37 is quickly moved to the lateral vicinity of the head Ph.

According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) As the airbag 31 of the airbag device 30, the airbag 31 includes a first inflating portion 34 and a second inflating portion 37. One end portion (rear end portion) 34A of the first inflating portion 34 is fixed to the rear of the location on the impact location side of the occupants P1, P2. In response to the impact, the first inflating portion 34 is inflated upward and forward of the location on the impact location side of the occupants P1, P2. The second inflating portion 37 is connected to the other end portion (front end portion) 34 </ b> B of the first inflating portion 34 while being bent with respect to the first inflating portion 34. And before the 1st expansion part 34 is pressed by the head Ph which moves to the impact location side, the 2nd expansion part 37 is moved from the other end part (front end part) 34B of the 1st expansion part 34 to the head. In the vicinity of the front of the portion Ph, the portion is expanded to the opposite side of the impact location (see FIG. 4). Further, when the first inflating part 34 is pressed by the head Ph moving to the impact location side and rotates toward the impact location side with one end portion (rear end portion) 34A as a fulcrum, the second inflating portion 37 is accompanied with the rotation. Is moved to the vicinity of the side of the impact location of the head Ph (see FIG. 6).

  Therefore, even if the head Ph moves to the impact location side in response to the impact and the first inflating portion 34 rotates toward the impact location side with the one end portion (rear end portion) 34A serving as a fulcrum, the head Ph is expanded in the second direction. By reliably receiving the portion 37, the head Ph can be prevented from slipping through the airbag 31 (first inflatable portion 34), and the head Ph can be protected from impact.

  (2) Before the first inflated portion 34 in the inflated state rotates, the end 37B on the opposite side of the second inflating portion 37 from the first inflating portion 34 is moved from the central portion C1 in the width direction of the seat 13. Is also positioned on the side far from the first inflating portion 34 (see FIG. 4). Therefore, the second inflatable portion 37 can be made sufficiently long to reliably receive the head Ph, and the head Ph can be reliably prevented from slipping through the airbag 31 (second inflatable portion 37). .

  (3) The other end portion (front end portion) 34B of the first inflating portion 34 before rotating to the impact location side with the one end portion (rear end portion) 34A as a fulcrum is positioned obliquely in front of the face Pf. (See FIG. 4). For this reason, the second inflating part 37 can be inflated in the vicinity of the front of the head Ph, and further, the second inflating part 37 can be quickly moved to the vicinity of the side of the head Ph on the impact location side. The head Ph can be protected early.

  (4) The tether 41 is bridged between the surface of the first inflating portion 34 opposite to the impact location and the rear surface of the second inflating portion 37 (see FIG. 4). Therefore, with the rotation of the first inflatable portion 34, the second inflatable portion 37 can be reliably moved to the vicinity of the side of the head Ph on the impact location side.

  (5) The first inflating portion 41B of the tether 41 is located more than the center portion C3 between the end portion 37A closer to the first inflating portion 34 and the end portion 37B farther from the second inflating portion 37. It connects with the part which becomes 34 side (refer FIG. 4). For this reason, when protecting the head Ph with the airbag 31, it is possible to make it difficult to touch the vicinity of the end 41B of the tether 41 to the head Ph (face Pf).

  (6) The other end portion (front end) of the end portion 41A of the tether 41 is more than the center portion C2 between the one end portion (rear end portion) 34A and the other end portion (front end portion) 34B of the first inflating portion 34. (Part) It has connected with the location near 34B (refer to Drawing 4). Therefore, when the head Ph is protected by the airbag 31, it is possible to make it difficult to touch the vicinity of the end 41A of the tether 41 with the head Ph (side head).

  (7) The angle α formed with the first inflating portion 34 of the second inflating portion 37 is regulated by the tether 41 to 90 ° which is a value in the range of 45 ° to 90 ° (see FIG. 4). For this reason, the space S sandwiched between the first inflatable portion 34 and the second inflatable portion 37 is secured, and when the head Ph moves to the impact location side due to an impact, the space S can be surely entered. it can. Further, when the second inflating portion 37 moves to the side of the impact location of the head Ph, the head Ph moving toward the impact location is reliably received by the second inflating portion 37, and the head Ph is an airbag. It is possible to suppress slipping through 31 (second expansion portion 37).

  (8) The airbag 31 is accommodated in the backrest 15 and fixed to the seat frame 24 in the backrest 15 at one end (rear end) 34A of the first inflatable section 34 (see FIG. 4). . Therefore, it is not necessary to separately prepare a space for housing and fixing the airbag 31 in a place different from the seat 13. Further, by using the seat frame 24, which is a hard member in the seat 13, as a fixing location for the airbag 31 and the inflator 38, one end portion (rear end portion) 34A of the first inflating portion 34 is easily fixed. can do.

Note that the present invention can be embodied in another embodiment described below.
<About the first inflatable portion 34>
The first inflatable portion 34 having one end portion (rear end portion) 34A fixed to the rear side of the location on the impact location side of the occupants P1, P2 is the location on the impact location side of the occupants P1, P2 in response to the impact. What is necessary is just to expand | swell toward the front of. Therefore, unlike the said embodiment, the 1st expansion | swelling part 34 may expand | swell only forward rather than expanding upwards.

  -Even if the external shape at the time of expansion of the first inflatable portion 34 is changed to an external shape different from the above-described embodiment, for example, an external shape that can protect a wide portion from the shoulder Ps to the waist of the occupants P1, P2. Good. The point is that the outer shape of the passengers P1 and P2 may be any member that can receive at least a part including the head Ph among the parts that move to the impact part side with an impact.

  -About the 1st expansion | swelling part 34 of an expansion | swelling state, the length from the one end part (rear end part) 34A to the other end part (front end part) 34B is adjacent to the one end part (rear end part) 34A (close to an impact location). You may set longer than the distance to the backrest part 15 of the side) seat. If it does in this way, rotation of the 1st expansion part 34 of an inflated state will stop when the said 1st expansion part 34 contacts the backrest part 15 of an adjacent seat. Further rotation of the first inflatable portion 34 is restricted by the backrest portion 15. Therefore, overrotation of the first inflating part 34 can be suppressed.

<Regarding the location of the airbag 31>
The above embodiment is based on the condition that the airbag 31 is “behind the location on the impact location side of the passengers P1 and P2 and the location where the position does not change when the airbag 31 is deployed and inflated”. You may accommodate in a different location. This location may be a location different from the backrest 15 in the seats 12 and 13 or a location different from the seats 12 and 13.

<Expansion fluid generation source and expansion fluid>
The airbag 31 may be inflated with a different type of inflation fluid from the inflation gas. In this case, a source different from the inflator 38 is used as the inflation fluid generation source for supplying the inflation fluid to the airbag 31.

<About the application object of the airbag apparatus 30>
The airbag device 30 may be applied to the rear seat, or may be applied to both the front seat and the rear seat. When applied to the rear seat, the body side portion corresponding to the rear seat is the rear portion of the side door (rear door), the C pillar, the front portion of the tire house, the rear quarter, and the like.

  -The airbag apparatus 30 of this invention is applicable also to the vehicle in which three or more seats were arranged in parallel by the vehicle width direction. In this case, the airbag device 30 is applied to other seats other than the seat closest to the impact location of the vehicle when an impact is applied to the vehicle from one side of the side-by-side direction of the seat to the other side.

  The airbag device 30 according to the present invention is also applied to a vehicle in which a seat is arranged so as to face a direction different from the front-rear direction of the vehicle, for example, an orthogonal direction (vehicle width direction) when the passengers P1, P2 are seated. Applicable. In this case, when an impact is applied to the vehicle from the front or the rear, the impact is an impact directed from one side to the other in the side-by-side direction.

In one embodiment which materialized the present invention, a partial plane sectional view showing a pair of seats arranged side by side, a side airbag device and an airbag device with which each seat was equipped. Similarly a front sectional view. In one embodiment, the side view which shows a seat and the airbag apparatus with which the seat was equipped. The partial top view of an airbag apparatus and a seat. The partial top view explaining the effect | action which protects a passenger | crew's head with an airbag apparatus. Similarly, the fragmentary top view explaining the effect | action which protects a passenger | crew's head with an airbag apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12,13 ... Seat, 30 ... Airbag apparatus, 31 ... Airbag, 34 ... 1st expansion part, 34A ... One end part, 34B ... Other end part, 37 ... 2nd expansion part, 37A, 37B ... End part, 41 ... tether, C1, C2, C3 ... central part, P1, P2 ... occupant, Pf ... face, Ph ... head, α ... horn.

Claims (8)

This applies to other seats except for the seat closest to the impact point of the vehicle when a shock is applied from one side to the other side of the vehicle in which multiple seats are installed side by side. An airbag device that receives at least the head of an occupant who is seated on the vehicle and moves toward the impact location with the impact,
The airbag is
One end portion is fixed to the rear of the location on the impact location side of the occupant, and in response to the impact, the first expansion portion expands toward the front of at least the location on the impact location side of the occupant;
An inflatable portion that is bent with respect to the first inflatable portion and is connected to the other end of the first inflatable portion, and the first inflatable portion is pressed by the head that moves toward the impact location. Before the head, the other end portion of the first inflating portion expands to the opposite side of the front of the head, and the first inflating portion moves toward the impact portion. And a second inflating part that moves to the vicinity of the side of the impact part of the head when the head is rotated to the impact part side with the one end as a fulcrum. Air bag device. Before the first inflating portion rotates, the end of the second inflating portion on the side opposite to the first inflating portion is more than the central portion in the width direction of the other seat. The airbag apparatus of Claim 1 located in the side far from a part. The airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the other end portion of the first inflating portion before rotating toward the impact location side with the one end portion as a fulcrum is located in the vicinity of the front of the occupant's face obliquely. The second inflating portion is stretched between the first inflating portion and the second inflating portion, and is tensioned when the second inflating portion moves as the first inflating portion rotates. The airbag apparatus of Claim 2 or 3 further equipped with the tether which controls that the angle | corner which makes with a 1st expansion part expands rather than the movement of the said 2nd expansion part. The tether is connected to a location that is closer to the first expansion portion than a central portion between an end portion closer to the first expansion portion and an end portion farther from the second expansion portion. Item 5. The airbag device according to Item 4. The said tether is connected with the said 1st expansion | swelling part in the location near the said other end part rather than the center part between the said one end part and the said other end part of the said 1st expansion | swelling part. 5. The airbag device according to 5. The air according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein an angle between the second inflating part and the first inflating part is regulated by the tether to any value in a range of 45 ° to 90 °. Bag device. The airbag according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the airbag is housed inside the other seat before being inflated and fixed to the seat at the one end of the first inflating portion. Airbag device.

Images