Side airbag, side airbag apparatus, and motor vehicle seat

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1(
a) and 1(b) are schematic side views illustrating an automobile seat provided with a side airbag apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an entire structure in a condition where the side airbag of an embodiment according to the present invention is inflated and deployed, and a partially enlarged view in the vicinity of a chamber connecting portion.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an entire structure of a sleeve provided in an inflator.

FIGS. 4(
a) and 4(b) are perspective views illustrating an entire structure of a heat cloth.

FIGS. 5(
a) to 5(f) are views explaining the way how to fold the side airbag when the same is housed in a casing.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the casing showing a condition where the folded side airbag is housed in the casing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinbelow, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1(
a) and 1(b) are schematic side views illustrating an automobile seat provided with the side airbag apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 1(a) illustrates the side airbag apparatus in a default state and FIG. 1(b) illustrates the side airbag apparatus in an inflated state.

In FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), an occupant 12 is seated on a seat 10. The seat 10 (motor vehicle seat) includes a seating portion 10A, and a seat back portion 10B is protruding upward from the seating portion 10A. A head rest 10C is attached at a top portion of the seat back portion 10B.

The seat 10 is provided with a side airbag apparatus 14 in the seat back portion 10B for limiting a movement of an upper body of the occupant 12 in the event of side collision, rollover or the like. The side airbag apparatus 14 is provided with a side airbag 16 inflating and deploying in a space between a side wall portion of the automobile body (not shown, positioned at a front side of the paper surface in FIG. 1) and the occupant 12 seated on the seat 10. The side airbag apparatus 14 is also provided with, for example, a resin-made casing 18 in which the side airbag 16 is housed in a folded condition. The side airbag apparatus 14 is further provided with an inflator 20 (refer to FIG. 3 or the like described later) for supplying the gas for inflating and deploying the side air bag 16. The inflator 20 is ignited by an inflator control circuit (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1(a), in a default or standby state, the side airbag 16 is housed in a seat back portion 10B of the seat 10 in a condition of being folded into the casing 18. On the other hand, for example, in a side collision or the like of the automobile, the inflator 20 of the side airbag apparatus 14 is ignited by the aforementioned inflator control circuit (not shown). As shown in FIG. 1(b), the side airbag 16 is expanded and protrudes from the seat 10 (while breaking a stitch line, not shown, in a fabric on the front surface of the seat back portion 10B and a fabric on a side surface of the seat back portion 10B facing a vehicle body side wall portion in the present embodiment). The side airbag 16 is deployed in a space between the vehicle body side wall portion of the automobile and the occupant 12.

The side airbag 16 is formed of a first bag portion 16A positioned upside, and a second bag portion 16B positioned downside. The first bag portion 16A protects a chest portion of the occupant 12 and absorbs an impact, and the second bag portion 16B limits a movement of a waist portion of the occupant 12 in the lateral direction of the vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an entire structure of the side airbag 16 in an inflated and deployed condition, and showing a partially enlarged view in the vicinity of a chamber connecting portion as well.

In FIG. 2, the side airbag 16 is formed to be a bag-shaped body in which a first panel 22A and a second panel 22B (not shown in FIG. 2) formed into approximately the same shape are stitched and therefore joined along an entire periphery of an outer edge portion. Numeral 24 in FIG. 2 denotes the stitching-and-joining portion. The stitching-and-joining portions are stitched in a reduplicated manner entirely at a portion along the outer edge portion of the bag-shaped body. (Incidentally, it is not always necessary to be duplicated but also a single stitch may be applicable.) The first panel 22A is disposed at one side (for example, an occupant side) in a vehicle width direction, and the second panel 22B is disposed at the other side (for example, a side wall side of the vehicle body) in the vehicle width direction. Incidentally, FIG. 2 is a side view looking from one side in the vehicle width direction, and only the first panel 22A is illustrated.

An inside of the side airbag 16 is partitioned into two chambers including a first chamber 28A formed from an upside to a tip end side in an inflating direction (right side in FIG. 2), and a second chamber 28B formed from a base end side of the inflating direction (left side in FIG. 2) to a downside. The first chamber 28A and the second chamber 28B are partitioned by a stitching-and-joining portion 24a provided toward the inner periphery side. However, the first chamber 28A and the second chamber 28B are connected at a chamber connecting portion 28C provided at the base end side of the inflating direction (left side in FIG. 2). The first chamber 28A and the second chamber 28B having been constructed as mentioned above is provided in the aforementioned first bag portion 16A and a second bag portion 16B, respectively.

The chamber connecting portion 28C is formed between a circular stitching portion 24b having approximately a circular shape, provided at a tip end portion of the stitching-and-joining portion 24a, and a circular stitching portion 24c having approximately a circular shape, provided at the base end side of the side airbag 16 (left side in FIG. 2). A sleeve 40 is fit into a fitting portion 70, which is a portion where top portions of the respective circular stitching portions 24b and 24c are opposed (refer to a partially enlarged view in FIG. 2). Currently, the top portion of the circular stitching portion 24c at the fitting portion 70 side is provided to position inside (right side, i.e. fitting portion 70 side in FIG. 2) of a sealing member portion 30 described later.

Therefore, it is set in such a way that an inner diameter L1 of the fitting portion 70 is approximately equal to an outer diameter L2 of the sleeve 40 (refer to the partially enlarged view in FIG. 2). Consequently, the sleeve 40 can be firmly attached to the fitting portion 70 by interference fit, and a good airtightness of a clearance between an outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 40 and an inner peripheral surface of the fitting portion 70 can be secured (In detail, although a heat cloth 56, described later, intervenes between the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 40 and the inner peripheral surface of the fitting portion 70, a thickness of the heat cloth 56 made of a base cloth is small, and therefore the description is omitted here.)

Further, by providing a circular stitching portion at both sides (or one side may be applicable) of the fitting portion 70 as in the present embodiment, a construction can be formed to have an inner diameter of the circular stitching portion at the top portion to be approximately identical to the outer diameter of the sleeve 40. Therefore, the friction when inserted can be reduced, and an attaching property of the sleeve 40 to the fitting portion can be improved in comparison to a case where a fitting portion is formed in such a way that both sides thereof are stitched into a straight line shape, the inner diameter thereof is approximately identical to the outer diameter of the sleeve 40, and the sleeve 40 is inserted into the fitting portion.

The sleeve 40 inserted into the aforementioned fitting portion 70 is provided on the side of a convex portion 20a that discharges the gas of the inflator 20. The sleeve 40 is provided with a flowing amount distributing function for distributing the gas blown out from the convex portion 20a into the first and second chambers 28A and 28B at a predetermined flowing amount ratio (described later in detail).

In the stitching-and-joining portion 24, at a portion constituting an outer edge of the second chamber 28B (namely, a portion starting from a base end side of the chamber connecting portion 28C of the inflating direction to a tip end of the stitching-and-joining portion 24a which extends toward an inner periphery side, while running to the downside of the side airbag 16), a sealing member portion 30 formed from an appropriate sealing material such as silicone rubber or the like is provided along the stitching-and-joining portion 24 so as to seal the stitching-and-joining portion 24. The sealing member portion 30 is provided to be wider than the reduplicated stitching-and-joining portions 24 so that both the stitching-and-joining portions 24 provided in the reduplicated manner can be sealed (refer to the partially enlarged view in FIG. 2). Therefore, the airtightness of the second bag portion 16B having the second chamber 28B can be improved, and the pressure in the second bag portion 16B for limiting the movement of the waist portion of the occupant 12 can be secured at relatively high pressure for relatively long time.

The side airbag 16 (in detail, the first bag 16A) is provided with a concave portion 34 having approximately arc shape at a position corresponding to an elbow portion 12a of the occupant 12 (refer to FIG. 1), at a bag outer edge portion 32 at a tip end side of the inflating direction thereof (right side in FIG. 2). The concave portion 34 is formed like a bag shape by stitching and joining the first and second panels 22A and 22B previously cut, so that a concave portion is formed at a position corresponding to the outer edge portion.

Incidentally, in the first panel 22A, a slit (passing-through hole) 72 is provided for inserting the inflator 20 and the sleeve 40 into the side airbag 16. In addition, a cover member (first cover member) 36 for covering the slit 72 from one side (downside in FIG. 2), and a cover member (second cover member) 38 for covering the slit 72 from the other side (upside in FIG. 2) are respectively provided. These cover members 36 and 38 are constructed with a part of appropriate filler cloth that is integrally provided by stitching work at a front face of the first panel 22A. The airtightness of the side airbag 16 can be improved by folding the covering members 36 and 38 and covering the slit 72, after inserting the inflator 20 and the sleeve 40 through the aforementioned slit 72.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an entire structure of the aforementioned sleeve 40 that is provided in the inflator 20.

In FIG. 3, the sleeve 40 is a cylinder member having a squeezing portion 40a at one side (left side in FIG. 3, i.e., the second chamber 28B side), and a tongue piece portion 40b for hooking the sleeve 40 on the inflator 20, at the other side (right side in FIG. 3, i.e., first chamber 28A side). On the other hand, the inflator 20 has the convex portion 20a at one side thereof (left side in FIG. 3, i.e., the second chamber 28B side). A plurality of blowing-out holes 42 for blowing out the gas is provided in the convex portion 20a. The inflator 20 is supported by a clip 46 having a bolt 44, and the inflator 20 is fixed to the casing 18 by fastening the bolt 44 on the casing 18.

In the tongue piece portion 40b of the sleeve 40, a hole 48 is provided for the bolt 44 of the clip 46 to be inserted. By the bolt 44 being inserted into the hole 48, the sleeve 40 is hooked in a condition of covering one side (left side in FIG. 3, i.e., the second chamber 28B side) of the inflator 20. Incidentally, an inner diameter of the sleeve 40 is formed to be greater than an outer diameter of the inflator 20. A clearance of a flow path (indicated by an arrow 50 in FIG. 3) where the blown out gas flows toward a first chamber 28A side is secured between an inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 40 and an outer peripheral surface of the inflator 20.

Further, an opening 52 is provided in the squeezing portion 40a of the sleeve 40. A bore diameter of the opening 52 is set to a previously calculated appropriate value so as for the blown out gas of the inflator 20 to be distributed to the first chamber 28A of the first bag portion 16A and the second chamber 28B of the second bag 16B at an appropriate flowing amount ratio. This is for the first bag portion 16A and the second bag portion 16B constituting the side airbag 16 to perform a desired deploying behavior, or for the pressures in the first bag portion 16A and the second bag portion 16B to become desired values, respectively. Therefore, the gas blown out from the inflator 20 is controlled to a predetermined flowing amount that is previously set, and supplied to the second chamber 28B side. (The flow path is indicated by an arrow 54 in FIG. 3.)

The sleeve 40 having the aforementioned construction is attached to the chamber connecting portion 28C in a condition of being covered with the heat cloth 56. FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are perspective views illustrating an entire structure of the heat cloth 56, in which FIG. 4(a) illustrates a state of a halfway of inflation and deployment of the side airbag 16, and FIG. 4(b) illustrates a state after completion of the inflation and deployment.

In FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the heat cloth 56 is a cylindrical base cloth having an opening 58 at one side (left side in FIG. 4(a), i.e., the second chamber 28B side) and a tongue piece portion 56a for hooking the heat cloth 56 on the inflator 20 at the other side (right side in FIG. 4(a), i.e., the first chamber 28A side). A length of the heat cloth 56 in a cylinder axis direction is configured to be longer than that of the sleeve 40. A hole 60 for the bolt 44 of the clip 46 to be passed through is provided in the tongue piece portion 56a. By the bolt 44 passing through the hole 60, the heat cloth 56 is hooked on one side of the inflator 20 (left side in FIG. 4(a), i.e., the second chamber 28B side) in a condition of covering the sleeve 40.

As shown in FIG. 4(a), in a halfway of inflation and deployment of the side airbag 16, the heat cloth 56 is brought to a fully stretched condition by the gas blown out from the inflator 20 via the opening 52 of the sleeve 40. The gas is supplied into the second chamber 28B from the opening 58 at a tip end of one side of the heat cloth 56 as indicated by an arrow 62 in FIG. 4(a). Therefore, the high temperature gas blown out from the inflator 20 toward the chamber 28B side is suppressed to blow out from the opening 52 of the squeezing portion 40a of the sleeve 40 to a surrounding area and to directly hit the first and second panels 22A and 22B. This reduces a deterioration of the base cloth and stitches due to the high temperature gas.

FIG. 4(
b) illustrates a condition after the inflation and deployment of the side airbag 16 is complete. In general, the pressure of a portion for limiting the waist portion is set to be greater than that of a portion of the chest portion in a side airbag having a plurality of portions for respectively restraining a chest portion and a waist portion of an occupant as in the present embodiment in light of improvement of safety. Accordingly, it is preferable to prevent the gas from blowing back to the chest portion side from the waist portion side after completing the inflation and deployment of the airbag. In the present embodiment, when the gas is about to blow back from the second chamber 28B side to the first chamber 28A side via the chamber connecting portion 28C after the inflation and deployment of the side airbag 16 are completed, the opening 52 of the sleeve 40 is obstructed by that the heat cloth 56 is folded, as shown in FIG. 4(b). Therefore, the gas is suppressed to blow back from the second chamber 28B to the first chamber 28A, and the pressure in the second bag portion 16B can be kept at relatively high pressure for relatively long time.

FIGS. 5(
a) to 5(f) are views explaining the way how to fold back the side airbag 16 when being housed in the casing 18, described earlier. Incidentally, a condition of the side airbag 16 looking from the second panel 22B side is shown here.

Firstly, the so-called “inward folding” is performed in which the above-described bag outer edge portion 32 at a tip end side of the inflating direction (downside in FIG. 5(a)) is folded toward an inside in a manner so as to fold into a space between the first panel 22A and the second panel 22B, from a condition that the side bag 16 is flatly spread (a condition shown in FIG. 5(a)). Therefore, an inward-folded portion 68 is formed as shown in the drawings. Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the inward folding is performed only for the first bag portion 16A. By performing the inward folding, the tip end side of the inflating direction (downside in FIG. 5) of the side airbag 16 is formed to be approximately flat shape (a condition shown in FIG. 5(b)).

Then, the so-called “roll-folding” is performed in which the side airbag 16 is folded while being rolled up into a roll shape from the tip end side (downside in FIG. 5(b)) toward a base end side (upside in FIG. 5(b)) of the inflating direction of the approximately flatly shaped side airbag 16 (a condition shown in FIG. 5(c)). Therefore, a roll-shaped folded portion 66 is formed as shown in the drawing. A diameter of the roll and a number of performing the roll-folding at this moment are approximately set corresponding to a size of the airbag, a size of the casing where the airbag is housed, or the like. However, in the present embodiment, for example, a first roll width is set to be 23 mm, and the number of folding times is set to be 3 times.

Next, as for the rest part of the base end side of the side airbag 16 in the inflating direction (upside in FIGS. 5(a)-5(f)), a so-called “accordion-fold” is performed in which the rest part of the base end side of the side airbag 16 is folded in an accordion-like manner by alternatively performing a mountain-fold and a valley-fold. Therefore, an accordion-like folded portion 64 is formed as shown in the drawing. As a result, the side airbag 16 is folded into a rod-shape (a condition shown in FIG. 5(d)). Thereafter, the rod-shaped side airbag 16 is folded toward one side (downside in the drawing here) so as to reduce a size in a length direction (a condition shown in FIG. 5(e)), and further, the folded portion is entirely folded toward the other side (upside in the drawing here). Therefore, a double folded-back portion 80 is formed (a condition shown in FIG. 5(f)). In this condition, the side airbag 16 is housed in the casing 18.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a case 18 illustrating a condition in which the side airbag 16 being folded in a manner as described above is housed in the casing 18.

As shown in FIG. 6, by fastening the bolt 44, provided in the above-described clip 46, to the casing 18, the inflator 20 is fixed to the casing 18. Further, an end portion of the base end side of the inflating direction of the side airbag 16 (upside in FIG. 6) is fixed by being sandwiched between the clip 46 and the casing 18. Furthermore, as described above, the side airbag 16 is provided with the accordion-like folded portion 64, which is folded in the accordion-like folding at the base end side in the inflating direction, the roll-shaped folded portion 66 which is folded in the roll-folding at the tip end side in the inflating direction (downside in FIG. 6), and the inward-folded portion 68 at the tip end side in the inflating direction in which the bag outer edge portion 32 at the tip end side in the inflating direction is folded in a manner so as to be pressed into inside of the bag. In thus described condition, the side airbag 16 is housed in the casing 18.

In the automobile where the side airbag apparatus 14 having the construction described above is mounted, various types of sensors are provided for detecting the occurrence (or prediction for the occurrence) of the collision (including the side collision or the like) of the automobile or the rollover thereof, when the same occurs. Moreover, in an emergency of the side collision or the like, these sensors detect the emergency, and an inflator control circuit starts an initiator of an inflator 12 based on a detecting signal from these sensors. Therefore, the inflator 20 is started, and the gas for inflating the airbag is blown out. The side airbag 16 is inflated and deployed in a space between the side wall portion of the automobile body and the occupant 12.

According to the side airbag apparatus 14 of the present embodiment having a construction and performing an operation explained above, a below mentioned advantage is obtained.

That is, in the present embodiment, the side airbag 16 is provided with the accordion-like folded portion 64, which is folded in the accordion-like shape when being housed, at the base end side in the inflating direction, and is provided with the roll-shaped folded portion 66, which is folded in the roll-shape when being housed, at the tip end side in the inflating direction. Therefore, a deploying speed of the side airbag 16 can be increased since the side airbag 16 is folded into the accordion-like shape at the base end side in the inflating direction where an obstacle such as an arm or the like of the occupant 12 does not exist. In addition, it is hardly affected by the obstacle such as the arm or the like of the occupant 12 since the side airbag 16 is folded into the roll shape at the tip end side in the inflating direction where there is a possibility that the obstacle can exists. Thus, since both improvements of the deploying speed and suppression for the influence of the obstacle can be achieved, a deploying property of the side airbag 16 can be improved. Further, by providing the side airbag 16 with the accordion-like folded portion 64 and the roll-shaped folded portion 66, the side airbag 16 can be folded into a fully compact size when being housed in the casing 18. Accordingly, a housing property can be improved.

Furthermore, the present embodiment is specifically constructed such that the inward folding can be performed for the bag outer edge portion 32 at the tip end side in the inflating direction, and that the inward-folded portion 68 is provided at the tip end side in the inflating direction. Therefore, the roll-shaped folding operation at the tip end side in the inflating direction can be performed in a condition where the bag outer edge portion 32 at the tip end side in the inflating direction is formed to be approximately flat shape. Accordingly, a folding property of the side airbag 16 can be improved. As a result, the side airbag 16 can be designed to be even more compact size when being housed.

In addition, since the gas-flow path in the inward-folded portion 68 is not narrowed by the folding operation in general, a resistance is small. Further, the inward-folded portion 68 has a property in which the deploying speed during inflation and deployment is high. Therefore, the airbag can be designed to be even more compact size when being housed, while keeping a favorable deploying speed by performing the accordion-like folding and the roll-folding upon forming the bag outer edge portion 32 into the inward folding as in the present embodiment.

Furthermore, the present embodiment is specifically constructed such that the base end side in the inflating direction of the side airbag 16 is folded into the accordion-like shape, and the tip end side in the inflating direction thereof is folded into the roll shape. Therefore, the side airbag 16 is folded into approximately rod-shape. Thereafter, an end portion of the rod-shaped side airbag 16 is folded toward one side, and the folded portion is further folded toward the other side. Therefore, a double folded portion 80 is formed. Therefore, a size in a length direction of the side airbag 16 being folded into approximately rod-shape can be reduced. Therefore, the side airbag 16 when being housed can be further made small. The portion folded toward one side is further folded toward the other side. Therefore, the resistance of the side airbag 16 when being inflated and deployed can be reduced in comparison to a case where the side airbag 16 is continuously folded toward one side (or the other side). Accordingly, while keeping a favorable deploying property, the airbag can be designed to be further compact size when being housed as mentioned above.

Furthermore, the present embodiment is specifically constructed such that an inside of the side airbag 16 is partitioned into the first chamber 28A and the second chamber 28B. Further, the present embodiment is constructed such that the side airbag 16 is provided with the first bag portion 16A having the first chamber 28A for protecting the chest portion of the occupant 12, and the second bag portion 16B having the second chamber 28B for limiting the movement of the waist portion of the occupant 12. Therefore, in the side collision, the rollover or the like of the motor vehicle, the impact can be absorbed by receiving the chest portion of the occupant 12 by means of the first bag portion 16A, and the movement of the waist portion of the occupant 12 in the side direction of the vehicle body can be limited by means of the second bag portion 16B. This results in improved safety.

Moreover, the present embodiment is specifically constructed such that the first bag portion 16A and the second bag portion 16B are connected at the base end side in the inflating direction. Therefore, a flip-flopping of the airbag in inflation and deployment can be suppressed in comparison to the airbag having a construction, in which, for example, a plurality of bag portions is separated.

Further, the present embodiment is specifically constructed such that the slit 72 for inserting the inflator 20 that supplies the gas for inflation and deployment, into the inside of the bag is provided in the first panel 22A, and that the cover member 36 for covering the slit 72 from outside the bag, which is disposed at a lower side of the slit 72, and a cover member 38 for covering the slit 72 from outside the bag, which is disposed at an upper side of the slit 72 are provided in the first panel 22A. Therefore, the slit 72 is covered with the cover member 36, which is disposed at the lower side of the slit 72, from the downside, and the slit 72 is covered with the cover member 38, which is disposed at the upper side of the slit 72, from the upside, after the inflator 20 is inserted into the side airbag 16 via the slit 72. Thus, since the slit 72 is covered with two of the cover members 36 and 38 from both sides, a favorable airtightness of the side air bag 16 can be achieved.

Incidentally, in the above-described embodiments, although the side airbag, in which the inside of the airbag is constructed with two bag portions by being partitioned into two chambers, is explained above as an example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. That is, for example, the present invention may be applied to a side airbag constructed as a single bag, in which an inside of the bag is not partitioned, or a side airbag constructed with three or more bag portions, in which an inside of the airbag is partitioned into three or more chambers.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, as mentioned above, although the side airbag 16 is constructed by stitching and joining the first panel 22A and the second panel 22B, the present invention is not limited to the above described embodiment. For example, the side airbag 16 may be constructed by other joining device such as, hollow weave or the like other than joining the first panel 22A and the second panel 22B.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, although the present invention is illustrated by applying the invention to a so-called seat-mount type side airbag apparatus that is mounted in the seat back 10B of the seat 10, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the present invention may be applied to, for example, a so-called door-mount type side airbag apparatus that is mounted on an automobile door.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-161745 filed on Jun. 12, 2006 is incorporated as a reference.

While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative, and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Side airbag, side airbag apparatus, and motor vehicle seat

Information

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Date Filed

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Inventors

Original Assignees

CPC

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Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)