Side airbag apparatus

[Problem] To provide a side airbag apparatus that improves passenger restraining performance and maintains a form at the time of housing.[Solution] A side airbag apparatus 100 includes a frame-side plate portion 114 of a seat 102, and an airbag module 106 attached to the frame-side plate portion 114. The airbag module 106 includes a bracket 112, an inflator 110, an airbag cushion 108, and a soft cover 116 that is wrapped around the bracket 112 and the airbag cushion 108 in a housing form. The bracket 112 includes a through-hole 128 through which a stud bolt 118 extending from the inflator 110 passes, and a hook 130 provided at predetermined location on the front side of the frame-side plate portion 114. The soft cover 116 includes a bolt anchoring hole 120 to which the stud bolt 118 is hooked, and a hook anchoring hole 122 to which the hook 130 of the bracket 112 is hooked.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Japan Patent Application No. 2019-101304 filed on May 30, 2019 and Japan Application No. 2020-040148 filed on Mar. 9, 2020, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a side airbag apparatus mounted on a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Airbag devices have generally become standard equipment in vehicles in recent years. An airbag device is a safety device that is actuated in the event of an emergency such as a vehicle collision to receive and protect a passenger by inflating and deploying a bag-shaped airbag cushion with gas pressure.

There are various types of airbag devices depending on the installation site and application. For example, a front airbag device is provided at the center of a steering wheel to protect the driver from a collision in the front-back direction. In addition, to protect the passenger from an impact from a vehicle width direction due to a side surface collision or the like, a curtain airbag device is provided near a ceiling above a side window, and a side airbag apparatus is provided at a side portion of the seat.

The airbag cushion of a typical airbag device is in a wound or folded housing form and is housed in each portion of a vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to a cover member106that encloses an airbag cushion by the applicant of the present application. Patent Document 1 describes a side airbag apparatus in which a cushion member106is wrapped by a cover member114and placed at a side portion of a backrest of a vehicle seat. The cover member114is formed from a nonwoven fabric or the like, and is configured so that one part thereof breaks due to inflation and deployment of the cushion member106.

RELATED ART DOCUMENTS

Patent Documents

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

Currently, further improvement in the passenger restraining performance of the airbag cushion is demanded on a side airbag apparatus. Improving the passenger restraining performance includes, for example, measures such as ensuring a portion that becomes some kind of support for the airbag cushion. However, the airbag cushion of the side airbag apparatus is often provided at the end of the backrest of the vehicle seat, and in many cases, only a soft member made from a urethane material, or the like exists on the side opposite to the passenger. In addition, as in the cover member114of Patent Document 1 described above, there is also a need for a device for maintaining the housing form of the airbag cushion.

In light of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a side airbag apparatus that improves the passenger restraining performance and maintains a form at the time of housing.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to solve the problem described above, a representative configuration of a side airbag apparatus according to the present invention is a side airbag apparatus including a frame-side plate portion along a side surface of a backrest of an internal frame of a vehicle seat, and an airbag module attached to the frame-side plate portion, where the airbag module includes a bracket attached to a center side in a width direction of the backrest of the frame-side plate portion and extended to a front side of the frame-side plate portion, an inflator fixed to the center side of the bracket, an airbag cushion wound or folded to a predetermined housing form, and fixed to a center side of the bracket along with the inflator, and a soft cover that is wrapped around the bracket and the airbag cushion in the housing form and is breakable at an inflation pressure of the airbag cushion, the bracket includes a through-hole through which a stud bolt extending from the inflator passes, and a hook provided at predetermined location on a front side of the frame-side plate portion, and the soft cover includes a bolt anchoring hole to which the stud bolt passed through the bracket is hooked, and a hook anchoring hole to which the hook of the bracket is hooked.

The airbag cushion described above is arranged on the center side with respect to the frame-side plate portion and the bracket of the vehicle seat. Thus, with the configuration described above, the airbag cushion can easily obtain a reaction force from the bracket when restraining the passenger, and the passenger restraining performance of the airbag cushion can be improved. In addition, in the configuration described above, the soft cover can be easily wrapped around the bracket and the airbag cushion using the stud bolt of the inflator and the hook of the bracket. Thus, the housing form of the airbag cushion can be suitably held not only during the traveling of the vehicle but also before the assembly of the airbag module to the vehicle.

The soft cover described above may have a frangible portion that is breakable at the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion. The soft cover can suitably open the airbag cushion when the frangible portion is broken.

The plurality of hook anchoring holes may be formed side by side in a row, and the frangible portion of the soft cover may be provided in a region between two adjacently formed hook anchoring holes. With this configuration, the soft cover can suitably open the airbag cushion.

The bracket may include a base that lies along the frame-side plate portion and to which the inflator and the airbag cushion are fixed, and a reaction force plate that is extended from the base toward an outer side in a width direction of the backrest across the front edge of the frame-side plate portion, and further bent and extended toward the front side, the through-hole may be provided in the base, and the hook may be provided on the reaction force plate.

According to the configuration described above, with the arrangement of the reaction force plate on the bracket, the airbag cushion can efficiently obtain a reaction force from the bracket.

The bracket described above may have a predetermined rigidity that is harder than the airbag cushion and the soft cover. The bracket thus can suitably support the airbag cushion at the time of inflation and deployment.

In order to solve the problem described above, another representative configuration of a side airbag apparatus according to the present invention is a side airbag apparatus including a frame-side plate portion along a side surface of a backrest of an internal frame of a vehicle seat, and an airbag module attached to the frame-side plate portion, where the airbag module includes a bracket attached to a center side in a width direction of the backrest of the frame-side plate portion and extended to a front side of the frame-side plate portion, an inflator fixed to the center side of the bracket, an airbag cushion wound or folded to a predetermined housing form, and fixed to a center side of the bracket along with the inflator, and a soft cover that is wrapped around the bracket and the airbag cushion in the housing form, the bracket includes a through-hole through which a stud bolt extending from the inflator passes, and a predetermined insertion hole provided at a location on a front side of the frame-side plate portion, and the soft cover includes a bolt anchoring hole to which the stud bolt passed through the bracket is hooked, and a hook that is hooked on the insertion hole of the bracket.

The airbag cushion described above is arranged on the center side with respect to the frame-side plate portion and the bracket of the vehicle seat. Thus, in the configuration described above as well, the airbag cushion can easily obtain a reaction force from the bracket when restraining the passenger, and the passenger restraining performance of the airbag cushion can be improved. In addition, in the configuration described above, the soft cover includes a bolt anchoring hole and a hook, and can be easily wrapped around the bracket and the airbag cushion. Thus, the housing form of the airbag cushion can be suitably held not only during the traveling of the vehicle but also before the assembly of the airbag module to the vehicle.

In the soft cover, the hook may deform upon receiving an inflation pressure of the airbag cushion, and fall out from the insertion hole of the bracket. With this configuration, the soft cover can suitably open the airbag cushion at the time of inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion.

The soft cover described above may have a frangible portion that is breakable at the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion. The soft cover can suitably open the airbag cushion when the frangible portion is broken.

The bracket may include a base that lies along the frame-side plate portion and to which the inflator and the airbag cushion are fixed, and a reaction force plate that is extended from the base toward an outer side in a width direction of the backrest across the front edge of the frame-side plate portion, and further bent and extended toward the front side, the through-hole may be provided in the base, and the insertion hole may be provided in the reaction force plate.

In the configuration described above as well, with the arrangement of the reaction force plate on the bracket, the airbag cushion can efficiently obtain a reaction force from the bracket.

The hook preferably has a predetermined rigidity that is harder than main body of the soft cover and softer than the bracket. The hook thereby deforms upon receiving a force of a certain extent by the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion, and suitably falls off from the insertion hole.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, a side airbag apparatus that improves passenger restraining performance and maintains a form at the time of housing can be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. The dimensions, materials, other specific numerical values, etc. indicated in such embodiments are mere exemplifications for ease of understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise noted. Note that in the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially identical functions and configurations are labeled with identical symbols to omit redundant descriptions along with the illustration of elements not directly related to the present invention.

FIGS. 1A and 1Bare views illustrating an example of a side airbag apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 1Aillustrates the condition at the time of actuation of the airbag cushion.FIG. 1Aillustrates, from a right side in the vehicle width direction on the front side of the vehicle, a side airbag apparatus100and a seat102of the vehicle in which the side airbag apparatus100is applied. Furthermore, the front-back direction with respect to the seat102is appropriately indicated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Back), respectively, the left-right is indicated by arrows L (Left) and R (Right), respectively, and the up-down direction is indicated by arrows U (up) and D (down), respectively.

InFIG. 1A, the epidermis or sheet pad (e.g., urethane material) of the backrest of the seat102is omitted, and only the internal frame104is illustrated. The internal frame104is a member that becomes a skeleton incorporated in the backrest. Note that the seat102is assumed to be disposed on the left side of the front row. However, the side airbag apparatus100can be installed on any seat of the front column, the back row, and on either left or right sides of the vehicle. Furthermore, the seat102is normally directed toward the front side of the vehicle, but it is also assumed that the seat102may be rotated to be directed toward the back side. Thus, the directions illustrated by the arrows in the drawings are not intended to be limited to the front, back, left, and right directions relative to the vehicle, and the direction of the front surface may be the “front” and the direction of the back side may be the “back” when viewed from the passenger regularly seated on the seat102. Similarly, the direction of the right hand of the passenger at this time is “right” and the left hand direction is “left”. Furthermore, the direction toward the head is “up”, and the direction toward the leg is “down” with respect to the center of the body of the passenger at this time.

The side airbag apparatus100restrains the passenger seated on the seat102from the side using the airbag cushion108at the time of an emergency, such as in the event of an impact on a vehicle. The airbag cushion108is a bag-shaped member that receives the passenger, and is formed by overlapping a plurality of base cloths configuring the surface and sewing or adhering the same, by spinning and weaving using an OPW (One-Piece Woven), and the like.

An inflator110is a gas generating device, and is operated upon receiving an operation signal transmitted from a vehicle side at the time of occurrence of an impact to supply gas to the interior of the airbag cushion108. In the present embodiment, a cylinder type (cylindrical) is adopted for the inflator110. The inflator110is incorporated on the back side of the interior of the airbag cushion108with the longitudinal direction facing the up-down direction.

Exemplary currently prevailing inflators include: a type which is filled with a gas generating agent and burns the agent to generate gas; a type which is filled with compressed gas and supply gas without generating heat; or a hybrid type which utilizes both combustion gas and compressed gas; etc. Any type can be used for the inflator110.

FIG. 1Bis a view illustrating the condition before the actuation of the airbag cushion108ofFIG. 1A. The airbag cushion108before actuation is wound or folded to a housing form, and is incorporated in the backrest of the seat. Here, the airbag cushion108is unitized with the inflator110and the bracket112described below, and forms an airbag module106.

The airbag module106is assembled to a frame-side plate portion114of the internal frame104. The frame-side plate portion114is a portion of the internal frame104along the left and right side surfaces of the backrest. A pair of frame-side plate portions114are provided on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction. In the present embodiment, the airbag module106is assembled to the frame-side plate portion114on the left side in the vehicle width direction. Note that the airbag module106can be assembled to the frame-side plate portion on the right side in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the airbag module106can be installed on a side portion (near side) on the door side close to the collision place of the seat102and a side portion (far side) on the vehicle interior side distant from the collision place.

The airbag module106also includes a soft cover116that covers the airbag cushion108in a housing form. The soft cover116is configured from a nonwoven fabric or the like, wrapped around the bracket112and the airbag cushion108in a housing form, and broken at the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion108to release the airbag cushion108.

FIGS. 2A and 2Bare views showing the airbag cushion108of each state ofFIGS. 1A and 1Bfrom the side of the seat102.FIG. 2Aillustrates the airbag cushion108at the time of actuation ofFIG. 1A. As illustrated inFIG. 2A, the airbag cushion108of the present embodiment is inflated and deployed from the frame-side plate portion114toward the front side thereof.

In the present embodiment, the bracket112is attached to the frame-side plate portion114along with the airbag cushion108and the inflator110. The bracket112is a member made of resin having a rigidity of a certain extent that is harder than the airbag cushion108and the soft cover116, and supports the airbag cushion108at the time of inflation and deployment. The bracket112has a longitudinal shape along the up-down direction of the frame-side plate portion114, and supports the airbag cushion108from outer side in the width direction of the seat102. The bracket112is extended further toward the front side than the frame-side plate portion114to broadly support the airbag cushion108.

FIG. 2Billustrates the airbag cushion108in a housing form ofFIG. 1B. The airbag cushion108in the housing form has a vertically long shape along the bracket112and has the soft cover116wrapped on the outer side.

FIGS. 3A and 3Bare perspective views of the side airbag apparatus100ofFIG. 2B.FIG. 3Ashows the side airbag apparatus100ofFIG. 2Bfrom the upper side of the left back side of the seat. In the present embodiment, the airbag module106including the bracket112is attached to the center side in the width direction of the backrest of the frame-side plate portion114.

FIG. 3Bis a view in which the airbag module106is separated from the frame-side plate portion114ofFIG. 3A. Two stud bolts118included in the inflator110are protruded out from the airbag module106. The stud bolt118is provided at two locations separated in the longitudinal direction of the main body of the inflator110. The inflator110is extended to pass through the airbag cushion108(seeFIG. 2A) and the bracket112and is fastened to the frame-side plate portion114.

FIG. 4is a view in which the soft cover116is separated from the bracket112ofFIG. 3B. The soft cover116is a member for holding the airbag cushion108(seeFIG. 2B) in a housing form on the bracket112. The soft cover116is configured from a nonwoven fabric or the like and is used by being hooked to the stud bolt118and the hook130of the bracket112. The soft cover116has a flexibility of a certain extent that is softer than the bracket112, and can deform following the shape of the airbag cushion108and the shape of the interior of the seat102(seeFIG. 1A). The soft cover116is wrapped to cover the entire airbag cushion108, but may also be configured to cover only a portion of the airbag cushion108.

The soft cover116includes a bolt anchoring hole120to which the stud bolt118passed through the bracket112is hooked, and a plurality of hook anchoring holes122to which a plurality of hooks130provided on the bracket112are hooked. The plurality of hook anchoring holes122are formed side by side in a row.

The soft cover116has a frangible portion117that is breakable at the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion108. The frangible portion117is a discontinued line lined to a broken line form, and is provided to bisect the soft cover116along the longitudinal direction of the bracket112(seeFIG. 3B). The soft cover116can suitably open the airbag cushion108when the frangible portion117is broken. Note that the frangible portion117can be realized as a configuration in which the discontinued lines are lined to a nick form or a configuration in which small slits (through-holes) are lined.

As described above, the bracket112is a part that supports the airbag cushion108at the time of inflation and deployment having a rigidity of a certain extent that is harder than the airbag cushion108and the soft cover116. For example, the bracket112may be formed using a resin for the material. Note that the bracket112can be formed containing not only a resin but also a metal, and a configuration having an appropriate rigidity can be suitably embodied with any material.

The bracket112includes a base124to which the inflator110(seeFIG. 2B) and the airbag cushion108are fixed, and a reaction force plate126that applies a reaction force at the time of inflation of the airbag cushion108. The base124is formed to a planar shape along the frame-side plate portion114, and is formed with a through-hole128through which the stud bolt118passes. The reaction force plate126is bent from the front side of the base124to extend in the vehicle width direction toward the outer side of the vehicle, and is further bent to extend toward the front side. The presence of the reaction force plate126allows the airbag cushion108to push the reaction force plate126and inflate and deploy efficiently toward the front side of the vehicle.

The plurality of hooks130that hook the soft cover116are provided along the front edge132at a location on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the reaction force plate126, which is a location on the front side of the frame-side plate portion114, of the bracket112.

The soft cover116can be easily wrapped around the bracket112and the airbag cushion108(seeFIG. 2B) using two stud bolts118passed through the base124and a plurality of hooks130on the front edge132of the reaction force plate126. Wrapping the soft cover116allows the housing form of the airbag cushion108to be suitably held not only during the traveling of the vehicle but also before the assembly of the airbag module106to the vehicle.

FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A of the airbag module106before the actuation ofFIG. 2B. As illustrated inFIG. 5, the bracket112is attached to the center side in the width direction of the backrest103with respect to the frame-side plate portion114. The main body of the inflator110and the airbag cushion108are provided on the center side with respect to the bracket112. The stud bolt118is passed through the airbag cushion108, the bracket112, and the frame-side plate portion114from the main body of the inflator110.

The frangible portion117of the soft cover116is provided to be located in front of the airbag cushion108in a state in which the airbag module106is attached to the frame-side plate portion114. When the airbag cushion108is inflated and deployed toward the front side from the frame-side plate portion114, the frangible portion117can be efficiently broken as the frangible portion117is located in front of the airbag cushion108.

The reaction force plate126of the bracket112is extended from the base124toward the outer side in the width direction of the backrest103across the front edge134of the frame-side plate portion114and further bent and extended toward the front side. Thus, when the passenger comes into contact, the airbag cushion108efficiently obtains a reaction force from the reaction force plate126on the opposite side, thus suitably absorbing the passenger's load and more fully restraining the passenger.

The reaction force plate126is formed to engage with the frame-side plate portion114. For example, the front edge134of the frame-side plate portion114is bent toward the center side in the width direction of the backrest103. In the reaction force plate126of the bracket112, a recess136is formed along the front edge134of the frame-side plate portion114. The recess136has a shape of once being bent from the front side of the base124toward the center side in the width direction of the backrest103, crossing the front edge134of the frame-side plate portion114, and then being bent toward the outer side in the width direction. Furthermore, the reaction force plate126is extended toward the outer side in the width direction across the front edge134of the frame-side plate portion114, and further bent and extended toward the front side of the vehicle therefrom.

The bracket112is engaged with the front edge of the frame-side plate portion114by the recess136. According to such a configuration, the bracket112prevents positional shift with respect to the frame-side plate portion114and is able to support the airbag cushion108without losing the posture at the time of inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion108. Furthermore, the reaction force plate126can efficiently apply a reaction force from the back side and the side to the inflating and deploying airbag cushion108by a portion extending in the vehicle width direction and a portion extending toward the front side of the vehicle.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in addition to the housing form of the airbag cushion108being suitably held by the soft cover116, the passenger restraining performance of the airbag cushion108can be improved as the airbag cushion108can easily obtain a reaction force from the bracket112when restraining the passenger.

Note that while the soft cover116has been described as using a nonwoven fabric for the material, the soft cover116can be realized by other materials. For example, the soft cover116can be realized by a heal welding fabric or a material same as the base fabric of the airbag cushion108. Furthermore, when heat welding fabric is used as a material, it is possible to form a single soft cover116by heat welding the edges of the plurality of end materials. In this case, since the edges of the airbag cushion108peel off by the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion108, the edges can be used as a frangible portion.

MODIFIED EXAMPLES

FIG. 6is a view illustrating a first modified example (soft cover140) of the soft cover116ofFIG. 4. In the following description, the same components as described above are denoted with the same reference symbols, and the descriptions thereof will be omitted. Moreover, the components having the same names as the components described above shall have the same configurations and functions unless even when denoted with different reference symbols.

In the soft cover140shown inFIG. 6, a frangible portion142is formed in each of the narrow regions between two adjacently formed hook anchoring holes122. The frangible portion142may also be broken by the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion108(seeFIG. 5, etc.). The soft cover160may also suitably open the airbag cushion108when the frangible portion142is broken at the time of inflation of the airbag cushion108.

FIG. 7is a view illustrating a modified example of each of the bracket112and the soft cover116inFIG. 4. The soft cover200of the second modified example illustrated inFIG. 7includes a plurality of hooks202on the front edge side. The bracket204includes a plurality of insertion holes206along the front edge132of the reaction force plate126. In addition to the stud bolts118, the soft cover200can be easily wrapped around the bracket204and the airbag cushion108by hooking the plurality of hooks202to the insertion holes206of the bracket204.

The hook202of the soft cover200may be set to have a rigidity deformable with a force of a certain extent that is harder than the main body of the soft cover200and softer than the bracket204. With this configuration, the soft cover200can release the airbag cushion108as the hook202deforms and falls out of the insertion hole206by the inflation pressure of the airbag cushion108.

Note that, in the soft cover200as well, the frangible portion117described with respect to the soft cover116can be implemented. As the soft cover200breaks the frangible portion117, the airbag cushion108can be opened without the hook202falling out of the insertion hole206of the bracket204.

As such, the housing form of the airbag cushion108can be suitably held by the bracket112and the soft cover200not only during the traveling of the vehicle but also before the assembly of the airbag module106to the vehicle.

A preferred example of the present invention was described above while referring the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiment described above is a preferred example of the present invention, and other embodiments may be implemented or performed by various methods. In particular, unless described otherwise in the specification of the present application, the invention is not restricted to a shape, a size, configurational disposition, and the like of parts illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, expressions and terms used in the specification of the present application are used for providing the description, and thus the invention is not limited thereto, unless particularly described otherwise.

Therefore, it is obvious that a person with ordinary skill in the art can conceive various changed examples or modified examples within a scope described in the scope of the claims, which is understood to naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be used in an airbag device mounted on a vehicle.

REFERENCE NUMERALS