JPH06107101A - Air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently absorb a shock at the time of an occupant making contact with an air bag lid by adding an extremely simple means. CONSTITUTION:In an air bag device consisting of an air bag module 5 installed in an instrument panel 3 of a vehicle and an air bag lid 6 connected to the upper part of the air bag module 5 through an hinge 18 and actuated to open at the time of expansion, a shock alleviating means 18a extending over the overall width in the vehicle width direction on the internal surface of the air bag lid 6 is provided on the hinge 18.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag device, and more particularly to an airbag device for a passenger seat mounted in an instrument panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an airbag device for protecting an occupant in a passenger seat of a vehicle is mounted inside an instrument panel located in front of the occupant. The airbag device includes an airbag module configured by accommodating an airbag, an ignition device, and the like in an airbag case, and an opening formed in an instrument panel to be opened when the airbag is deployed. It consists of an air bag lid to cover.

In the above airbag device, when the vehicle is suddenly decelerated by a predetermined value or more, the acceleration sensor operates to deploy the airbag in the airbag module in front of the occupant to protect the occupant. ing.

However, even if the vehicle is decelerated at a deceleration rate lower than the deceleration rate at which the airbag system operates, the occupant may come into contact with the air bag grid.
In consideration of such a case, if the airbag module is arranged at the back of the instrument panel to prevent interference, a large space is required in terms of layout.

Therefore, a large number of notches, which are open to the passenger side, are formed on both side walls of the airbag case in the vehicle width direction to serve as a deformation promoting portion, and when the passenger touches the instrument panel (or the air bag grid), the instrument is installed. It has been proposed that the deformation of the instrument panel (or the air bag grid) is not hindered, and the airbag module can be arranged close to the inner surface of the instrument panel (for example, JP-A-2-155855). (See gazette).

[0006]

However, in the case of forming a large number of notches on both side walls of the airbag case in the vehicle width direction as in the above-mentioned known example, it is necessary to form a large number of notches as the deformation promoting portion. However, the number of processing steps increases, and it takes time to select the shape of the notch and the material of the airbag case.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to effectively absorb a shock when an occupant is in contact with an air bag grid by adding an extremely simple means. It is what

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the invention, as means for solving the above-mentioned problems, an air bag module mounted in an instrument panel of a vehicle,
An air bag device comprising an air bag grid which is connected to an upper part of the air bag module via a hinge and is opened when deployed, wherein the hinge has a shock absorbing means on the inner surface of the air bag grid over the entire width in the vehicle width direction. Is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, as a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, in the airbag apparatus according to the first aspect, the shock absorbing means is a lid-side mounting portion of the hinge.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, as means for solving the above-mentioned problems, in the airbag apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the attachment portion of the hinge to the airbag module is provided with the impact absorbing means. It has a narrow width extending from the center.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the following actions can be obtained by the above means.

That is, even when the vehicle is decelerated at a smaller deceleration than that for actuating the airbag device, the occupant may come into contact with the airbag bag grid. In that case, when the airbag bag grid is deformed, the airbag module and The kinetic energy of the occupant is absorbed by the shock absorbing action of the shock absorbing means before the interference.

According to the invention of claim 2, the following effects can be obtained by the above means.

That is, since the shock absorbing means and the hinge can be integrally formed, the number of parts can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the following effects can be obtained by the above means.

That is, the shock load cushioning effect when the occupant is in contact with the end portion of the air bag grid in the vehicle width direction is improved, and the resistance during the opening operation of the air bag grid is reduced.

[0017]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the airbag module mounted in the instrument panel of the vehicle and the upper portion of the airbag module are connected to each other via a hinge, and the airbag module is opened during deployment. In the airbag device including an airbag bag, the hinge is provided with shock absorbing means over the entire width in the vehicle width direction on the inner surface of the airbag bag, and the vehicle is decelerated at a smaller deceleration than operating the airbag device. When the occupant comes into contact with the air bag grid, the contact force absorbs the kinetic energy of the occupant before the air bag grid is deformed by the contact force and before it interferes with the airbag module. Just by adding simple means, it is extremely good regardless of the material of the airbag case. A shock absorbing effect is excellent effect that is obtained.

According to the invention of claim 2, in the airbag device according to claim 1, the impact absorbing means and the hinge can be integrally formed by using the impact absorbing means as a lid side mounting portion of the hinge. Since the number of points can be reduced, there is an excellent effect that the cost can be reduced and the assembling workability can be improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the airbag apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the hinge is attached to the airbag module by a narrow width extending from the central portion of the shock absorbing means. The impact load cushioning effect when the occupant comes into contact with the end of the air bag grid in the vehicle width direction is improved, and the resistance during the opening operation of the air bag grid is reduced to ensure the safety of the occupant. In addition to being able to do so, there is an excellent effect that a smooth opening operation of the air bag grid can be secured.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 4, an instrument panel 3 located in front of a passenger seat 2 in a vehicle compartment of a vehicle 1.
An airbag device 4 is mounted inside. As will be described in detail later, the airbag device 4 is composed of an airbag module 5 supported in the instrument panel 3 and an airbag bag 6 that is opened when the airbag module 5 is deployed. The air bag grid 6
Is provided in an opening 7 formed in the instrument panel 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag module 5 is constructed by arranging an airbag 9 and an inflator 10 in an airbag case 8 which is open to the passenger side (in other words, the rear side of the vehicle). The ignition device (not shown) operates in response to a signal from an acceleration sensor (not shown) that detects that the vehicle has suddenly decelerated, and the inflator 10 operates in response to the operation of the ignition device. Bag 9
By expanding and deploying to the occupant side, the occupant is supposed to be protected.

The airbag module 5 is supported by the steering support member 15 via brackets 14 mounted on the mounting legs 12, 12 provided on the bottom surface of the airbag case 8 with bolts 13, 13.

The air bag grid 6 has the opening 7
In the present embodiment, it is made of a hollow synthetic resin molded body.

The air bag grid 6 has one end fixed to the upper surface of the airbag case 8 by a bolt 16 and the other end fixed to the upper part of the air bag grid 6 by a bolt 18 fixed to the air bag via a hinge 18. It is connected to the bag module 5.

In the case of the present embodiment, the hinge 18 is attached to the upper side of the air bag grid 6 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and has a width that extends over substantially the entire width of the air bag grid 6 in the vehicle width direction. Moreover, a lid-side mounting portion 18a having a hat-shaped cross section, and a module extending from the central portion in the vehicle width direction of the lid-side mounting portion 18a toward the airbag module 5 side and narrower than the lid-side mounting portion 18a It is configured by the side mounting portion 18b. In the case of the present embodiment, the lid side mounting portion 18a elastically deforms to act as a shock absorbing means.
The lid-side mounting portion 18a of the hinge 18 may have the same width as the module-side mounting portion 18b, and separate shock absorbing means may be mounted on both sides of the lid-side mounting portion 18a in the vehicle width direction.

On the other hand, the air bag grid 6 and the lower end of the airbag case 8 on the occupant side are connected via a connecting member 19 made of synthetic resin. A notch 20 is formed in the connecting member 19 so as to easily break when the air bag grid 6 is opened.

Further, in this embodiment, on the inner surfaces of both ends of the air bag grid 6 in the vehicle width direction, positioning projections (not shown in the drawing) are provided at both edges of the opening 7 of the instrument panel 3 in the vehicle width direction. ) Is fitted with a plate 21 having positioning holes 22, 22.

With the above-mentioned structure, the following effects can be obtained in the airbag device of this embodiment.

The airbag device 4 has a function of protecting the occupant by operating when the vehicle 1 suddenly decelerates, but even when the vehicle 1 is decelerated at a smaller deceleration than that of operating the airbag device 4, Occupants may come into contact with the air bag grid 6.

In this case, when the air bag grid 6 is deformed, the hinge 1 does not interfere with the air bag case 8.
The kinetic energy of the occupant is absorbed by the shock absorbing action of the lid side mounting portion 18a of No. 8. Therefore, only by adding an extremely simple means, the airbag case 8
An extremely good impact absorbing action can be obtained regardless of the material.

Further, in the case of the present embodiment, since the lid side mounting portion 18a of the hinge 18 is made to act as the shock absorbing means, the hinge and the shock absorbing means can be integrally formed, and the number of parts can be reduced. It is possible to reduce the cost, and the cost and the assembling workability can be improved.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, the module side mounting portion 18b of the hinge 18 is replaced with the lid side mounting portion 18a.
Since it has a narrow width extending from the center portion of the airbag module 5 side to the airbag module 5 side, the impact load cushioning effect when an occupant abuts on the end portion side of the airbag bag 6 in the vehicle width direction is improved and the airbag bag grid is also improved. The resistance at the time of the opening operation of 6 becomes small. Therefore, the safety of the occupant can be surely ensured, and the smooth opening operation of the air bag grid 6 can be ensured.

The invention of the present application is not limited to the configuration of the above-mentioned embodiment, and it goes without saying that the design can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounted state of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a mounted state.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an air bag grid in the airbag apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front perspective view of a vehicle including an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a vehicle, 3 is an instrument panel, 4 is an air bag device, 5 is an air bag module, 6 is an air bag grid, 8 is an air bag case, 9 is an air bag, 18 is a hinge, and 18a is a shock absorbing means (on the lid side). Mounting part), 18b
Is the module side mounting part.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An airbag device comprising an airbag module mounted in an instrument panel of a vehicle, and an airbag bag grid which is connected to an upper portion of the airbag module via a hinge and is opened when deployed. The airbag device is characterized in that the hinge is provided with impact absorbing means over the entire width in the vehicle width direction on the inner surface of the air bag grid. 2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing means is a lid-side mounting portion of the hinge. 3. The portion of the hinge to be attached to the airbag module is narrow in width and extends from the central portion of the impact absorbing means.
Alternatively, the airbag device described in 2.