阅读说明：本技术 安全气囊装置 (Airbag device ) 是由 中岛豊 石垣良太 伊藤圭希 于 2019-03-08 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明的目的在于提供一种可以在紧急情况下有效抑制乘员伤害值的安全气囊装置。本发明所涉及的安全气囊装置(100)的代表性的结构为,具备：充气器(118),其设置于车辆上并可供给气体；内袋(112),其利用气体在车辆座椅前方膨胀；外袋(110),其通过充气器(118)或经由内袋(112)被供给气体并包围内袋(112)而膨胀。并且其特征在于,外袋(110)具有使内袋(112)朝向座椅(104)露出的开口部(116),内袋(112)形成为车辆前后方向的长度比车宽方向的长度更长的形状,内袋(112)还具有向座椅侧以凸面从开口部(116)露出的约束部(114)。(The invention aims to provide an airbag device which can effectively restrain the injury value of an occupant in an emergency. A typical structure of an airbag device (100) according to the present invention includes: an inflator (118) that is provided on the vehicle and that can supply gas; an inner bag (112) that is inflated with gas in front of the vehicle seat; an outer bag (110) which is inflated by being supplied with gas by an inflator (118) or via an inner bag (112) and surrounding the inner bag (112). The outer bag (110) has an opening (116) for exposing the inner bag (112) to the seat (104), the inner bag (112) is formed in a shape in which the length in the vehicle front-rear direction is longer than the length in the vehicle width direction, and the inner bag (112) further has a restraining section (114) exposed from the opening (116) in a convex manner toward the seat side.)

1. An airbag device is characterized by comprising:

an inflator provided in a vehicle and capable of supplying gas;

an inner bag that is inflated with the gas in front of the vehicle seat;

an outer bag inflated by the inflator or supplied with the gas via the inner bag and surrounding the inner bag,

the outer bag has an opening portion for exposing the inner bag toward the seat,

the inner bag is shaped such that the length in the vehicle front-rear direction is longer than the length in the vehicle width direction,

the inner bag further includes a restraint portion exposed from the opening portion in a convex surface toward the seat side.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1,

the opening portion of the outer bag is crimped by a predetermined inflation portion of the outer bag on the seat side of the outer bag,

the predetermined expansion portion includes:

an upper expansion part forming an upper edge of the opening part;

a lower expansion part forming a lower edge of the opening part;

a left side expansion part forming a left edge of the opening part;

a right side expanded portion forming a right edge of the opening portion.

3. The airbag device according to claim 2,

the upper inflatable portion may restrain a portion of the forehead to the upper portion of the occupant normally seated in the seat.

4. The airbag device according to claim 2 or 3,

the lower inflation portion can restrain a chest portion of an occupant normally seated on the seat.

5. The airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 4,

the left and right inflatable portions may restrain shoulders and a side head of an occupant normally seated in the seat.

6. The airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 5,

the outer bag has a size capable of restraining the upper body of the occupant in a range from an outermost portion of the left inflatable portion to an outermost portion of the right inflatable portion in the vehicle width direction,

the opening has a dimension in the vehicle width direction capable of accommodating the head portion of the upper body.

7. The airbag device according to any one of claims 3 to 6,

the occupants are adult males and adult females above average physique.

8. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the tension of the base fabric of the constraining portion constituting the inner bag is lower than that of the base fabric of the outer bag.

9. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

the opening has a dimension in the vehicle width direction that is wider than a head width of the occupant and narrower than a shoulder width of the occupant.

10. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

the opening has a dimension in the vehicle width direction smaller than a maximum dimension of the inner bag in the vehicle width direction.

11. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,

the opening is provided in a central region obtained by trisecting the outer bag in the vehicle width direction.

12. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,

the opening has edges on both sides in the vehicle width direction that draw a convex curve toward the other edge when viewed from the rear of the vehicle.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an airbag device for restraining an occupant in an emergency.

Background

Vehicles of recent years are basically equipped with an airbag device. An airbag device is a safety device that operates in an emergency such as a vehicle collision, and uses gas pressure to inflate and expand an airbag cushion, thereby catching and protecting an occupant. The airbag device is variously classified according to the installation position and the use. For example, a front airbag device is provided at the center of a steering wheel of a driver's seat, and a passenger airbag is provided in an instrument panel and a peripheral portion thereof near a front passenger seat, mainly for protecting an occupant of a front seat in a front-rear collision. In order to protect the front and rear occupants from side collision and subsequent rollover (rollover), curtain airbags that inflate and deploy along side windows are provided near the ceiling of the wall portion, and side airbags that inflate and deploy only to the sides of the occupants are provided at the side portions of the seat.

An airbag cushion of each airbag device has an interior divided into a plurality of spaces according to purposes and installation environments. For example, in an occupant protection device (front airbag) described in patent document 1, an airbag cushion is configured to include a central gas bag 1 at the center and a peripheral gas bag 3 around the central gas bag. According to the structure of patent document 1, the restraint surface for restraining the occupant is flat and enlarged, and has a wide area, so that the occupant can be reliably received.

Disclosure of Invention

At present, it is required for an airbag device to take measures against irregular collision and impact, for example, so-called oblique collision in which an impact from an oblique front-rear direction is applied to a vehicle. An occupant in an oblique collision enters an airbag cushion present in the front of a seat at an irregular angle such as an oblique direction. In this case, when the head of the occupant contacts the airbag cushion on the front surface of the seat, the head may rotate about the head as viewed from above. Such rotation of the head is likely to cause an increase in the injury value of the occupant in terms of human body structure, and therefore it is necessary to effectively prevent such a situation.

Problems to be solved by the invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an airbag device capable of effectively suppressing the injury value of an occupant in an emergency.

Means for solving the problems

To solve the above problem, a typical structure of an airbag device according to the present invention includes: an inflator provided in a vehicle and capable of supplying gas; an inner bag that is inflated with gas in front of the vehicle seat; the outer bag is provided with an opening portion for exposing the inner bag to the seat, the inner bag is formed in a shape having a length in the vehicle front-rear direction longer than a length in the vehicle width direction, and the inner bag further has a restraining portion exposed from the opening portion in a convex shape toward the seat side.

The airbag cushion of this airbag device, i.e., the inner bag and the outer bag, are inflated by gas pressure from the same inflator, and the internal pressures of each become equal. However, when the base fabrics of the inner bag and the outer bag are curved, the outer shape of the inner bag is smaller than that of the outer bag, and therefore the inner bag has a smaller radius of curvature than the outer bag at any position of the two positions. The inner bag is long in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a restraining portion at the rear end of the seat side, i.e., the vehicle rear side, is formed in a convex shape. That is, the constraining portion also becomes a portion having a small radius of curvature in the entire region of the inner bag. Therefore, the tether is a portion of the airbag cushion where the tension is particularly low, and the rigidity is also low. In the case of the restraint portion, the occupant can be more softly received, and for example, the rotation of the head portion can be absorbed, so that the injury value of the occupant can be further suppressed.

The opening portion of the outer bag is bordered on the seat side of the outer bag by a predetermined inflation portion of the outer bag, and the predetermined inflation portion may include: an upper expansion part forming an upper edge of the opening part; a lower expansion part forming a lower edge of the opening part; a left side expansion part forming a left edge of the opening part; and a right side expanded portion forming a right edge of the opening portion. If the inflation portion of the outer bag is configured to continuously enclose the exposed inner bag, the occupant can be restrained by the inflation portion of the outer bag together with the inner bag.

The upper inflatable portion may restrain a portion of the forehead of the occupant seated normally in the seat to the upper portion. With this configuration, the occupant can be appropriately protected.

The lower inflatable portion described above may restrain the chest of an occupant seated properly on the seat. With this configuration, the occupant can be appropriately protected.

The left and right inflatable portions described above may restrain the shoulders and the side heads of the occupant normally seated in the seat. With this configuration, the occupant can be appropriately protected.

In the above-described outer bag, the range from the outermost portion of the left inflatable portion to the outermost portion of the right inflatable portion in the vehicle width direction may have a size capable of restraining the upper body of the occupant, and the opening portion may have a size capable of accommodating the head portion of the upper body in the vehicle width direction. According to this configuration, the head of the occupant can be restrained softly with low rigidity by the restraining portion of the inner bag, and the strong and heavy shoulder and chest portions of the body of the occupant can be restrained sufficiently with high rigidity by the outer bag.

The above-mentioned occupants may be adult males and adult females of more than average physique. If the person has such a specific constitution, the person can be sufficiently restrained by the inner bag and the outer bag.

The base fabric constituting the constraining portion of the inner bag has a lower tension than the base fabric constituting the outer bag. According to this structure, the occupant can be received more softly.

In the airbag device, a dimension of the opening in the vehicle width direction may be larger than a head width of the occupant and smaller than a shoulder width of the occupant. According to this configuration, the head of the occupant can be restrained softly with low rigidity by the restraining portion, and the strong and heavy shoulder and chest and the like in the body of the occupant can be restrained sufficiently with high rigidity by the outer bag.

The size of the opening in the vehicle width direction of the airbag device may be smaller than the maximum size of the inner bag in the vehicle width direction. According to this configuration, the portion of the inner bag having the largest dimension in the vehicle width direction is surrounded by the outer bag, and only the restraining portion as the rear end is exposed from the opening portion. Therefore, even if the inner bag receives a load of the occupant, the occupant can be restrained without breaking the posture.

The opening may be provided in a central region obtained by trisecting the outer bag in the vehicle width direction. According to this configuration, the head of the occupant can be restrained by the central restraining portion, and the shoulder, the chest, and the like of the occupant can be restrained by the outer bag.

The edges on both sides of the opening in the vehicle width direction may draw a convex curve toward the other edge when viewed from the rear of the vehicle. In the case of the opening, the opening is less likely to expand in the vehicle width direction, and therefore the restraining portion of the inner bag can be completely surrounded and supported.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an airbag device that can effectively suppress the injury value of an occupant in an emergency.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the airbag cushion in fig. 1(b) when inflated and deployed, as viewed from various directions.

Fig. 3 is a B-B sectional view of the airbag cushion of fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the airbag cushion of fig. 3 from another direction.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first modification of the airbag cushion illustrated in fig. 1(b) and the like.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a second modification of the airbag cushion illustrated in fig. 1(b) and the like.

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings. Dimensions, materials, other specific numerical values, and the like shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description thereof is omitted, and elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from illustration.

(embodiment I)

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an airbag device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1(a) is a diagram illustrating a vehicle before the airbag device 100 is operated. In the other drawings in fig. 1(a), the vehicle front-rear direction is illustrated by arrows f (forward), b (back), the vehicle width direction left-right direction by arrows l (left), r (right), and the vehicle vertical direction by arrows u (up), d (down).

In the present embodiment, the airbag device 100 will be described as a passenger airbag for a front passenger seat (a front right seat 104) in a left-hand barring. Hereinafter, the description will be given assuming the front right seat 104, and thus, for example, the vehicle outside in the vehicle width direction means the vehicle right side, and the vehicle inside in the vehicle width direction means the vehicle left side.

The airbag cushion of the airbag device 100 is hereinafter referred to as an airbag cushion 108 (see fig. 1(b)) which is housed in a housing portion 106 provided on an instrument panel 102. the housing portion 106 is provided in the vehicle front of the seat 104, and houses an inflator 118 as a gas generating device in addition to the airbag cushion 108, see fig. 2 (a).

Fig. 1(b) is a diagram illustrating a vehicle after the airbag device 100 of fig. 1(a) is operated. The airbag cushion 108 is a bag-shaped cushion formed by overlapping a plurality of base cloths constituting a surface thereof and sewing or bonding the base cloths, or by weaving using OPW (One-Piece woven), or the like.

The airbag cushion 108 in the present embodiment is roughly divided into two portions, namely, an outer bag 110 on the outer side and an inner bag 112 on the inner side, i.e., has a double structure. The periphery of the inner bag 112 is surrounded by the outer bag 110 and inflated, but the restraint portion 114 on the vehicle rear side is exposed from the opening 116 of the outer bag 110.

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the airbag cushion 108 in fig. 1(b) at the time of inflation and deployment, from various directions. Fig. 2(a) is a sectional view a-a of the airbag cushion 108 of fig. 1 (b). As illustrated in fig. 2(a), the inner bag 112 is provided in a bag shape separate from the outer bag 110, and is inflated by being surrounded by the outer bag 110 at the front of the vehicle seat 104 (see fig. 1 (b)).

A part of the inflator 118 is inserted into the inner bag 112. The inflator 118 is operated by a detection signal of an impact transmitted from a sensor not shown, and gas is supplied from the inner bag 112. The inner bag 112 and the outer bag 110 are inflated by gas from the inflator 118, and the cover 107 (see fig. 1 a) is ruptured by the inflation pressure thereof, and the cover is inflated and deployed toward the seat 104, thereby restraining the occupant from the front of the vehicle.

The inflator 118 is a disk type (disk type), and is partially inserted into the inner bag 112 and is disposed inside the receiving portion 106 (see fig. 1 a) of the vehicle. There are various types of inflators that are currently in widespread use, such as a type that is filled with a gas generating agent to be burned to generate gas, a type that is filled with compressed gas to supply gas without generating heat, or a hybrid type that utilizes both combustion gas and compressed gas, and the like. Any type of inflator 118 may be used.

An inner vent 122 as a gas passage is provided in the inner bag 112. Gas is exhausted from the inner bag 112 and supplied to the outer bag 110. Therefore, the airbag cushion 108 of the present embodiment has a structure in which the inner bag 112 inflates earlier than the outer bag 110.

The outer bag 110 is a portion where the outer contour of the airbag cushion 108 is formed except for the central inner bag 112. The outer bag 110 is connected to the inner vent 122, supplied with gas through the inner bag 112, and expanded to surround the inner bag 112. The outer bag 110 is provided with an opening 116 that exposes the inner bag 112 toward the seat 104 (see fig. 1 (b)). The outer bag 110 may be inflated and expanded by directly receiving gas supplied from the inflator 118 without passing through the inner bag 112. For example, it may be configured such that the outer bag 110 and the inner bag 112 are integrated in the vicinity of the inflator 118 and gas is supplied from the inflator 118 at the same time.

The restraining portion 114 is exposed from the opening 116, and the restraining portion 114 restrains a head 126 of an occupant 124 (see fig. 4(b) and the like) in the inner bag 112. The airbag cushion 108 mainly restrains the head 126 of the occupant 124 by the restraining portion 114 of the inner bag 112, and restrains the shoulder 128 and the chest 130 of the occupant 124 by the seat-side surface of the outer bag 110.

In the present embodiment, in order to effectively suppress the injury value of the occupant 124 (see fig. 4(b) and the like) in an emergency, the base fabric constituting the restraining portion 114 is configured to have a relatively lower tension than the base fabric constituting the outer bag 110. Hereinafter, the airbag device 100 will be further described centering on the structure of the restraining portion 114.

The inner bag 112 and the outer bag 110 are inflated by receiving gas pressure from the same inflator 118, and therefore the internal pressures thereof are equal to each other. However, when the base fabrics of the inner bag 112 and the outer bag 110 are curved, the outer shape of the inner bag 112 is smaller than that of the outer bag 110, and therefore the inner bag 112 has a smaller radius of curvature than the outer bag 110 at any position of the two positions. Therefore, the inner bag 112 has lower tension and lower rigidity of the base fabric of the inner bag 112 than the outer bag 110.

The length of the inner bag 112 in the vehicle front-rear direction is longer than the length in the vehicle width direction. That is, the inner bag 112 is formed in a shape that is long in the vehicle front-rear direction. The inner bag 112 of fig. 2(a) is a schematic illustration, and the shape thereof when viewed from above the vehicle is close to an ellipse having a major axis in the vehicle front-rear direction. However, the inner bag 112 is not limited as long as it is long in the vehicle front-rear direction, and may be, for example, a shape close to a rectangle or an irregular shape long in the vehicle front-rear direction, and various shapes may be appropriately adopted.

The constraining portion 114 as the rear end of the inner bag 112 is a surface that is convexly curved toward the seat side (lower side in fig. 2 (a)). Since the inner bag 112 is long in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the constraining section 114 is also a portion of the inner bag 112 having the smallest radius of curvature. As a result, the tether 114 becomes a soft portion having a particularly low tension and a particularly low rigidity in the entire airbag cushion 108. Therefore, the restraint portion 114 can more softly catch the occupant 124 (see fig. 4(b) and the like).

In the airbag device 100, the dimension W1 in the vehicle width direction of the opening 116 is smaller than the maximum dimension W2 in the vehicle width direction of the inner bag 112. With this configuration, the portion of the inner bag 112 having the maximum dimension in the vehicle width direction is surrounded by the outer bag 110, and only the restraining portion 114, which is the rear end, is exposed from the opening 116. Therefore, even if a load is applied from the occupant 124 (see fig. 4(b) and the like) to the restraint portion 114, the inner bag 112 can restrain the occupant 124 without changing the posture.

Fig. 2(b) is a front view of the airbag cushion 108 of fig. 2(a) from the rear side (lower side in fig. 2 (a)) of the vehicle. As illustrated in fig. 2(b), the opening 116 is slightly longer in the vehicle vertical direction. Although the opening 116 illustrated in fig. 2(b) is formed in a rounded rectangular shape, the shape of the opening 116 is not limited, and, for example, an opening having a shape close to a circle may be used.

The opening 116 is provided in a central region E2 of three regions E1 to E3 that trisect the outer bag 110 in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, the airbag cushion 108 can restrain the head 126 of the occupant 124 (see fig. 4(b) and the like) by the restraining portion 114, and can restrain the shoulders 128, the chest 130 and the like of the occupant 124 by the outer bag 110.

The opening 116 is bordered by a predetermined inflated portion of the outer bag 110 on the seat 104 side of the outer bag 110. Specifically, the upper edge of the opening 116 is formed by the upper inflatable portion 108a, and the lower edge of the opening 116 is formed by the lower inflatable portion 108 b. The left edge of the opening 116 is formed by the left expansion 108c, and the right edge of the opening 116 is formed by the right expansion 108 d. As described above, the outer bag 110 is configured such that each inflated portion continuously surrounds the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the exposed inner bag 114 on the seat 104 side of the airbag cushion 108, that is, within a range of the airbag cushion 108 that is contactable by an occupant 124 (figure) seated in the seat 104.

Here, a figure assumed by the occupant 124 (see fig. 3) who illustrates the head 126 in fig. 2b will be described. The occupant 124 is exemplified as including any one of the AM50 dummy and the AM95 dummy of hybrid iii (hybrid iii) and the Thor dummy as a manikin for a frontal crash test of an automobile. The AM50 dummy was a model of an average size American adult male, simulating a human model of 175cm in height, 88cm in sitting height, and about 78kg in weight. The AM95 dummy is a American adult male with a large stature and simulates a human body model of a person with the height of 183cm, the sitting height of 94cm and the weight of about 101 kg. The Thor dummy is a human model developed as a successor to the hybrid iii dummy, and is modeled only by average-size men. These mannequins were made according to the standards of NHTSA (national highway Safety Administration).

The inflation portion of the outer bag 110 (see fig. 2(b)) of the present embodiment can restrain the occupant 124 (see fig. 3 and the like) together with the inner bag 114. For example, the upper inflation portion 108a can restrain a portion from the forehead to the upper portion of the head 126 of the occupant 124 normally seated on the seat 104. The lower inflation portion 108b can restrain the chest 130 of the occupant 124 normally seated on the seat 104. The left and right inflatable portions 108c and 108d can restrain the shoulders 128 and the side head of the occupant 124 normally seated on the seat 104. With these configurations, the occupant 124 can be appropriately protected.

In the case of the outer bag 110 shown in fig. 2(b), in addition to an average-sized adult male and a high-sized adult male assumed as the occupant 124, each part of an adult female having an average size or larger may be sufficiently restrained. However, in the case of a small-sized female passenger, the head 140 is restrained only by the inner bag 114 and may not reach the upper inflation portion 108 a. An example of a female with a short stature is AF05 from the aforementioned HybridIII dummy. AF05 is a female model of short stature, simulating a human body model of 145cm height, 79cm sitting height and 45kg weight.

Fig. 3 is a B-B sectional view of the airbag cushion 108 in fig. 1 (B). Fig. 3 also schematically illustrates the airbag cushion 108 and the like, and does not limit the size relationship and the positional relationship of the airbag cushion 108 and the occupant 124.

As described above, the inner bag 112 is formed in a shape that is long in the vehicle front-rear direction. The inner bag 112 has a shape that gradually increases in size in the vehicle vertical direction from the instrument panel 102 toward the seat 104 behind the vehicle when viewed in the vehicle width direction. However, the inner bag 112 is set to have a dimension in the vehicle front-rear direction substantially longer than a dimension in the vehicle vertical direction.

The airbag cushion 108 inflates and deploys filling the space between the occupant 124 of the seat 104 and the instrument panel 102 and windshield 120. This prevents the occupant 124 from colliding with the instrument panel 102 and the like. Further, while preventing the occupant from colliding with the windshield 120, the occupant 124 is also prevented from popping out to the outside of the vehicle.

Here, fig. 3 illustrates a dummy figure as an example of the occupant 124. When the size of the airbag device 100 is defined with reference to the body of the occupant 124, for example, the size may be determined with reference to AM95 of a dummy figure, in which AM95 corresponds to 95% of American male adults (American male) with a high physique and 95% of people with a small physique.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the airbag cushion 108 of fig. 3 from another direction. Fig. 4(a) is a view corresponding to a section C-C of the airbag cushion 108 of fig. 3.

In the present embodiment, the outer bag 110 is set to have a vehicle-width-direction dimension W3 that is in a range from the outermost portion of the left inflatable portion 108c to the outermost portion of the right inflatable portion 108d in the vehicle width direction and that can restrain the upper body of the passenger 124. The width-wise dimension W1 of the opening 116 can accommodate the head 126 of the upper body. In other words, the vehicle width direction dimension W1 of the opening 116 is wider than the width of the head 126 of the occupant 124 and narrower than the width of the shoulders 128 of the occupant 124. With these configurations, the airbag cushion 108 gently restrains the head 126 of the occupant 124 at a low rigidity by the restraining portion 114 of the inner bag 112, while the strong and heavy shoulders 128 and chest 130 and the like in the body of the occupant 124 can be sufficiently restrained at a high rigidity by the outer bag 110.

Fig. 4(b) is a diagram illustrating a situation in which the airbag cushion 108 of fig. 4(a) restrains the occupant 124. Here, a phenomenon when oblique collision is assumed is exemplified. When a collision occurs in a diagonal direction, the occupant 124 enters the airbag cushion 108 with a slight inclination.

As described above, the binding portion 114 of the inner bag 112 is set so that the base cloth has a lower tension than the base cloth of the outer bag 110, and therefore can more gently receive the head 126. The outer bag 110 includes shoulders 128, a chest 130, and the like in addition to the head 126 of the occupant 124, and is widely restrained.

The inner bag 112 and the outer bag 110 are connected by an inner vent 122. Therefore, when the head 126 is restrained by the inner bag 112, the gas can be discharged from the inner bag 112 to be gently received by the head 126, and the gas of the amount can be supplied to the outer bag 110, so that the shoulder 128 and the like can be more sufficiently received.

Here, assuming that only one set of airbag cushion exists in front of the occupant 124, when the head 126 of the occupant 124 moving obliquely contacts the airbag cushion, a difference occurs in movement between the head 126 and the shoulder 128 due to friction between the head 126 and the airbag cushion, and a clockwise rotational force about the neck, that is, a rotational force about the cervical vertebrae as an axis, may be generated in the head 126 with respect to the shoulders 128 or the like as viewed from above the vehicle. When such rotation of the head 126 occurs, the injury value of the occupant 124 tends to rise.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the head 126 of the occupant 124 is configured to be in contact with the restraining portion 114 of the inner bag 112 having low rigidity to be gently restrained. In addition to the restraining part 114, the shoulder 128, the chest 130, and the like, which are strong and heavy in the body, are sufficiently restrained by the outer bag 110 having high rigidity. This minimizes the rotation of the head 126 of the occupant 124 with respect to the shoulders 128, and restricts the movement of the head 126 in accordance with the movement of the shoulders 128. As described above, in the present embodiment, the rotation of the head 126 of the occupant 124 is greatly reduced or eliminated, and the angular velocity of the head 126 is reduced, whereby the injury value of the occupant 124 accompanying the rotation of the head 126 can be suppressed.

According to the configurations of the present embodiment, not only in the case of an oblique collision but also in the case of a collision in the normal vehicle front-rear direction, it is possible to restrain a taller occupant and suppress the injury value and movement of the occupant 124.

In the above description, as an example of the rotation generated in the head 126, referring to fig. 4(b), the clockwise rotation is exemplified. However, in an emergency, for example, the occupant 124 may move diagonally forward in the vehicle interior, and the head 126 may rotate counterclockwise around the neck as viewed from above. With this counterclockwise rotation, the airbag cushion 108 according to the present embodiment can reduce or eliminate, and reduce the angular velocity of the head 126. That is, the airbag device 100 of the present embodiment can produce the same effect on the occupant 124 that moves in any vehicle width direction.

(first modification)

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first modification of the airbag cushion 108 illustrated in fig. 1(b) and the like. Hereinafter, the same components as those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Note that, components having the same names as those of the components already described have the same functions unless otherwise explicitly described, even if different symbols are attached thereto.

In the airbag cushion 200 illustrated in fig. 5(a), the inner base fabric 206, which is a portion of the base fabric constituting the outer bag 202 that constitutes the inside of the opening 116, is inflated so as to protrude toward the seat 104 (see fig. 1 (b)). In particular, the inner base cloth 206 linearly expands along the vehicle vertical direction at the left and right sides of the opening portion 116 in the vehicle width direction.

Fig. 5(b) is a D-D sectional view of fig. 5 (a). The outer bag 202 is roughly divided into an outer base fabric 204 forming an outer surface and an inner base fabric 206 contacting the inner bag 112 at the inner side of the opening 116, as viewed from the center of the inner bag 112 and the like. The outer base cloth 204 is curved and inflated, and an opening 116 is provided in a predetermined range on the seat side. The opening 116 is a boundary between the outer base cloth 204 and the inner base cloth 206, and a part of the inner base cloth 206 is inflated so as to protrude from the opening 116 toward the seat side. The portion protruding from the opening portion 116 of the inner base fabric 206 has a low base fabric tension, and softly catches the occupant 124 (see fig. 5(c)) effectively suppressing the injury value.

Of the outer base cloth 204 and the inner base cloth 206 of the outer bag 202, the inner base cloth 206 existing on the inner side has a smaller radius of curvature than the outer base cloth 204 existing on the outer side when both base cloths are viewed as curved surfaces during inflation. Generally, the pressure and radius of curvature affect the tension of the substrate. Since the outer bag 202 inflates in accordance with the pressure of gas from one inflator 118, the tension of the inner base cloth 206 is lower than that of the outer base cloth 204 in accordance with the magnitude of the radius of curvature. Thus, the outer bag 202 of the present embodiment is configured such that the inner base cloth 206 having low tension protrudes.

Fig. 5(c) is a diagram illustrating a state in which the airbag cushion 200 in fig. 5(b) restrains the occupant 124. In the event of a collision at an angle, the occupant 124 is slightly inclined into the airbag cushion 200. The inner base cloth 206 expanded along the edge of the opening 116 is present slightly laterally offset in the vehicle width direction with respect to the front surface of the seat 104. Therefore, when the occupant 124 moves diagonally from the seat 104, the occupant 124 also contacts the inner base cloth 206. At this time, the inner base cloth 206 not only protrudes to the seat side (lower side in fig. 5(c)), but also is set to have a lower tension than the outer base cloth 204, so that the head 126 can be gently caught even in the vicinity of the side head.

In the airbag cushion 200, the inner bag 112 and the inner base fabric 206 restrain the head 126 of the occupant 124, and the outer base fabric 204 restrains the shoulders 128, the chest 130, and the like of the occupant 124. By these actions, the airbag cushion 200 can restrain the head 126 and the shoulders 128 of the occupant 124 more neatly, while suppressing the rotation of the head 126 with respect to the shoulders 128 by turning left and right and the rotation of the head 126 by tilting up and down and left and right to the minimum. In this way, the airbag cushion 200 can greatly suppress the injury value of the occupant 124.

(second modification)

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a second modification of the airbag cushion 108 illustrated in fig. 1(b) and the like. In the airbag cushion 220, edges 222a, 222b on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the opening portion 222 have a shape that draws a convex curve toward the other edge, respectively, when viewed from the vehicle rear. The opening 222 having the edges 222a, 222b of this shape is less likely to spread in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the opening 222 can sufficiently surround and support the constraining portion of the inner bag 112.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the above embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, and other embodiments may be implemented or executed in various ways. Unless otherwise specified in the present specification, the present invention is not limited to the shapes, sizes, structural arrangements, and the like of the detailed components shown in the drawings. The terms and expressions used in the present specification are for illustrative purposes, and are not limited thereto unless otherwise specified.

Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims and these are also understood to be within the technical scope of the present invention.

Industrial applicability of the invention

The present invention can be used for an airbag device that restrains an occupant in an emergency.

Description of the symbols

E1-E3 DEG A region trisecting the airbag cushion in the vehicle width direction

W1. the dimension of the opening in the vehicle width direction

W2. maximum dimension of inner bag in vehicle width direction

W3. the size of the outer bag in the vehicle width direction

100. airbag device 102. instrument panel

104. seat 106. accommodation part

107 cover 108 airbag cushion

108 a. upper expansion part 108 b. lower expansion part

108 c.left expansion part 108 d.Right expansion part

110. outer bag 112. inner bag

114. bound portion 116. opening portion

118. inflator 120. windshield

122. inner vent 124. occupant

126. head 128. shoulder

130. chest 140. short female head

200 · the airbag cushion of the first modification

202. outer bag 204. outer base cloth

206. inner base fabric 220. airbag cushion of second modification

222. the opening 222 a. the edge of the left side of the opening

222b · edge of the right side of the opening