Air bag device for automobile

An air bag device for automobile comprising a side air bag member arranged at a vehicle body side portion or a vehicle seat in a folded state, expanded by being supplied with a gas upon a vehicle being impacted from the side or rolling over, and which deploys between a passenger seated on the vehicle seat and the vehicle body side portion, and a head portion protection air bag member which deploys in a curtain shape in a downward direction inside of a vehicle compartment up to a position of overlapping a deploying region of the side air bag member in a vehicle width direction, and which has a shape that fits with the deployed side air bag member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-136823, filed May 23, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air bag device for an automobile, particularly relates to an air bag device for an automobile in consideration of side impact and rolling over of a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

JP-A No. 2000-190807 discloses a constitution of combining a head protection air bag member and a side air bag member as an apparatus of expanding a vehicle passenger binding system. Further, Japanese Patent No. 3520836 discloses a constitution in which an air bag expanded to deploy in a curtain shape at a side portion in a vehicle compartment includes a head protection expansion area constituted substantially by an upper half thereof and an extending expansion area constituted substantially by a lower half thereof and extended to a position lower than a belt line of a door. The head protection expansion area is arranged with an expanding portion having a large thickness and the extending expansion area is arranged with an expanding portion having a thickness smaller than that of the expanding portion having a wide width.

However, according to a related art described in Japanese Patent No. 3520836, the head protection air bag member is not extended to the position lower than the belt line of the door, and interference between the head protection air bag member and the side air bag member is not taken into consideration at all. Further, according to the related art described in Japanese Patent No. 3520836 mentioned above, a combination of the air bag expanded to deploy in the curtain shape and the side air bag member is not taken into consideration at all.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides an air bag device for an automobile.

A first mode of the invention includes a side air bag member arranged in a folded state at a vehicle body side portion or a vehicle seat, which expands by being supplied with a gas upon a vehicle being impacted from the side or rolling over, and which deploys between a passenger seated on the vehicle seat and the vehicle body side portion, and a head portion protection air bag member arranged in a folded state along a roof side rail, which expands by being supplied with a gas upon a vehicle being impacted from the side or rolling over, and which deploys in a curtain shape in a downward direction inside of a vehicle compartment up to a position overlapping a deploying region of the side air bag in a vehicle width direction, and which has a shape that fits with the deployed side air bag member.

According to the first mode of the invention, when the side impact or the rolling over of the vehicle is brought about, the side air bag member deploys between the passenger seated on the vehicle seat and the vehicle body head portion, and the head portion protection air bag member deploys in the curtain shape in the downward direction inside of the vehicle compartment up to the position of overlapping the head portion protection air bag member and the deploying region of the side air bag member in the vehicle width direction. At this occasion, the deployed side air bag member can be fitted to the head portion protection air bag member. Therefore, an interference between the side air bag member and the head portion protection air bag member can be restrained while deploying the head portion protection air bag member to the position of overlapping the deploying region of the side air bag member in the vehicle width direction, thereby, both of side impact and the rolling over of the vehicle can be dealt with.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in reference to the drawings as follows.

First Embodiment

InFIG. 1, an air bag device for automobile10according to the embodiment includes side air bag member12and14and a head protection air bag member16.

The side air bag member12is a bag member arranged in a folded state inside of a door18constituting a side portion of a vehicle body or at a front vehicle seat21constituting an example of a vehicle seat and expands by being supplied with a gas from an inflator, not illustrated, and deployed between a passenger26seated on the front vehicle seat21and the door18in side impact or in rolling over of a vehicle24.

According to the embodiment, an air bag module (not illustrated) constituted by containing, for example, the side air bag member12and an inflator inside of an air bag case is inwardly provided at a side portion on a side of the door of the seat back30of the front vehicle seat21. The inflator is constituted to be operated by receiving an operating current from an air bag ECU, not illustrated, for supplying a gas for expansion to the side air bag member12. The air bag ECU is constituted to make an operating current flow to the inflator when side impact or rolling over of the vehicle24is determined based on a signal from a side impact sensor or a rolling over sensor. Here, at the air bag module, the air bag case need not be provided.

Further, the side air bag member12deploys between the passenger26seated on the front vehicle seat21and the door18by being bulged to inside of a vehicle compartment32from a side portion on a side of a door of the seat back30by being expanded to deploy by receiving supply of the gas from the inflator and opening to break a predetermined portion of the seat back30by a deploying pressure thereof. A deploying region of the side air bag member12is in correspondence with, for example, a height of the chest portion26B (FIG. 2) of the passenger26and is set to be able to cover the chest portion26B from a side direction thereby. Further, an upper portion of the side air bag member12upon deployment reaches, for example, a portion of the vehicle higher than a belt line18L of the door18provided at, for example, a side portion of a vehicle body. The deploying region of the side air bag member12is not limited thereto but the deploying region may be set to be able to cover, for example, from the chest portion26B to the waist portion26W of the passenger26.

Here, the belt line18L refers to a line passing a lower end of a side window50of the vehicle24, that is, an upper end of a door panel. InFIG. 3, the door18includes a door outer panel52on an outer side in a vehicle width direction and a door inner panel54on an inner side in the vehicle width direction as the door panel, however, when heights differs at an upper end of the door outer panel52at an upper end of the door inner panel54, the upper end of the door panel on the side of the vehicle compartment32at which the side air bag member12or the head protection air bag member16deploys, that is, the door inner panel54constitutes a reference. According to the door18of the embodiment, upper portions of the door outer panels52and54are reinforced respectively by, for example, reinforcements56and58. Further, the constitution of the door18is not limited to an illustrated constitution.

On the other hand, as shown byFIG. 1, the side air bag member14is a bag member arranged inside of a door18constituting an example of a side portion of the vehicle body or a rear vehicle seat22constituting an example of a vehicle seat, and deploys between a passenger28seated on the rear vehicle seat22and the door18by being expanded by receiving supply of the gas from the inflator, not illustrated, in side impact or in rolling over of the vehicle24. Further, the rear vehicle seat22is an example of a vehicle seat to the rear of the front vehicle seat21and in a case of a vehicle provided with the vehicle seats by, for example, 3 rows, a side air bag member of a member in correspondence with a vehicle seat of a third row may further be provided.

According to the example, an air bag module (not illustrated) constituted by containing, for example, the side air bag member14and the inflator inside of an air bag case is included at a side portion on a side of the door of a seat back34of the rear vehicle seat22. The inflator is constituted to be operated by receiving an operating current from the air bag ECU, not illustrated, for supplying the gas for expansion to the side air bag member14. The air bag ECU is constituted to make an operating current flow to the inflator when side impact or rolling over of the vehicle24is determined based on a signal from the side impact sensor or the rolling over sensor, not illustrated. Here, at the air bag module, the air bag case need not be provided.

Further, the side air bag member14deploys between the passenger28seated on the rear vehicle seat22and the door18by being bulged to inside of the vehicle compartment32from a side portion on a side of the door of the seat back34by deploying to bulge by receiving supply of the gas from the inflator and opening to break a predetermined portion of the seat back34by a deploying pressure thereof. A deploying region of the side air bag member14is in correspondence with a height of, for example, the chest portion28B of the passenger28and is set to be able to cover the chest portion28B from a side direction thereby. Further, an upper portion of the side air bag member14upon deployment reaches a portion of the vehicle higher than the belt line18L of the door18. Further, the deploying region of the side air bag member14is not limited thereto but may be constituted to be able to cover, for example, from the chest portion28B to the waist portion28W of the passenger28.

The head protection air bag member16is arranged in a folded state along a roof side rail42over, for example, an A pillar36, a B pillar38and a C pillar40and connected with an inflator44at, for example, a rear end portion thereof. Specifically, an upper edge of the head protection air bag member16is formed with attaching pieces46at arbitrary intervals. By fastening to fix the attaching pieces46to the roof side rail42by bolts and nuts (not illustrated), the head portion protection air bag member16is fixed to a side of the body. Further, the head portion protection air bag member16deploys in a curtain shape to a lower side inside of the vehicle compartment up to a position of being overlapped by the deploying regions of the side air bag members12and14in the vehicle width direction by being expanded by receiving supply of the gas in side impact or rolling over of the vehicle24.

Here, the inflator44is constituted to supply the gas for expansion to the head portion protection air bag member16by being operated by receiving an operating current from the air bag ECU, not illustrated. The air bag ECU is constituted to make the operating current flow to the inflator44when side impact or rolling over of the vehicle24is determined based on a signal from a side impact sensor or a rolling over sensor, not illustrated.

InFIG. 1, the head portion protection air bag member16includes a front side expansion portion16F which expands at a side of the head portion26H of the passenger26seated on the front vehicle seat21and a rear side expansion portion16R that expands at a side of the head portion28H of the passenger28seated on the rear vehicle seat22. A position of connecting the inflator44to the head portion protection air bag member16is not limited to the rear end portion of the portion protection air bag member16, but may be, for example, a front end portion or substantially a center portion in a front and rear direction of the vehicle, of the head portion protection air bag member16.

A lower edge portion16L of the head portion protection air bag member16upon deployment is disposed at a portion of the vehicle lower than the belt line18L of the door18. Further, the head portion protection air bag member16is constituted by a shape that fits with respectively the deployed side air bag members12and14.

Specifically, a portion of the head portion protection air bag member16overlapping at least the deploying regions of the side air bag members12and14in the vehicle width direction when the head portion air bag member16deploys is a recessed portion16A comprising a nonexpanding portion in a notch shape. As shown byFIG. 3, the head portion protection air bag member16is constituted as a bag member by bonding outer side base cloth16C constituting an outer side in the vehicle width direction and inner side base cloth16D constituting an inner side in the vehicle width direction upon deployment by, for example, weaving. Further, the head portion protection air bag member16may be constituted by being woven into a bag. The outer base cloth16C of the recessed portion16A is provided with a seam portion16E constituted by seaming together the outer side base cloth16C and the inner side base cloth16D in an edge shape along a contour of the recessed portion16A in a side view of the vehicle (also refer toFIG. 2). Explaining by taking an example of the side air bag member12, as shown byFIG. 3, the seam portion16E is set to be disposed on an outer side in the vehicle width direction of the side air bag member12in deploying the side air bag member12and the head portion protection air bag member16. Although not illustrated, also a positional relationship between the side air bag member14and the seam portion16E is similar thereto. Further, at the recessed portion16A, the outer side base cloth16C and the inner side base cloth16D at portions of the vehicle lower than the seam portion16E are omitted. This is for achieving light-weighted formation, small-sized formation and low cost formation in being folded of the head portion protection air bag member16.

As shown byFIG. 3, an expansion thickness of the side air bag member12in a vehicle width direction is larger than an expansion thickness of, for example, the front side expanding portion16F constituting a general portion of the head protection air bag member16, for example, about twice as much as the expansion thickness of the front side expanding portion16F in consideration of a general side impact mode in which a bumper (not illustrated) of a counter party vehicle is impacted to the vehicle body side portion (door18or the like). Further, an inner pressure of the side air bag member12is higher than an inner pressure of the head protection air bag member16.

Further, the recessed portion16A of the head protection air bag member16is not limited to the nonexpanding portion but may comprise a thin expanding portion, that is, a non-recessed film portion, having an expansion thickness represented by the outer side base cloth16C is less than that of the front side expanding portion16F. Further, although at the recessed portion16A, portions of the outer side base cloth16C and the inner side base cloth16D constituting portions of the vehicle lower than the seam portion16E are omitted, the invention is not limited thereto but the outer side base cloth16C and the inner side base cloth16D may remain in a film-like shape. Because a reaction force to the passenger26is made to be easy to be produced by receiving a load inputted from the passenger26to the side air bag member12by the inner side base cloth16D and the outer side base cloth16C which remain in the recessed portion16A to be transmitted to the vehicle body side portion in side impact or rolling over of the vehicle24. In addition thereto, by comprising the recessed portion16A of the head portion protection air bag member16by the nonexpanding portion or the thin expanding portion, a capacity of the head portion protection air bag member16can be made to be small, thereby, expanding deployment of the head protection air bag member16can be made to be swift.

Further, although in the above-described constitution, the side air bag member12is arranged inside of the door side portion of the seat back30of the front vehicle seat21and the side air bag member14is inwardly provided at the door side portion of the seat back34of the rear vehicle seat22, portions of installing the side air bag members12and14are not limited to the vehicle seats but may be the vehicle body side portions. Here, the vehicle body side portion is not limited to the door18but may be a vehicle compartment side wall portion at which the door18is not provided.

Operation

The embodiment is constituted as described above and an operation thereof will be explained as follows. InFIG. 1, at the air bag device for automobile10, when the air bag ECU determines occurrence of side impact or rolling over of the vehicle24based on the signal from the side impact sensor or the rolling over sensor, ignition currents are made to flow to the inflators inwardly provided respectively at the door side portion of the seat back30of the front vehicle seat21and the door side portion of the seat back34of the rear vehicle seat22. By operating the inflators by the ignition currents, large amounts of the gas are respectively produced from the inflators, and the gas is respectively supplied to the side air bag member12and the side bag member14.

Thereby, the side air bag member12is expanded from inside of the seat back30of the front vehicle seat21to inside of the vehicle compartment32and is expanded to between the passenger26seated on the front vehicle seat21and the door18and the side air bag member14is expanded from inside of the seat back34inside of the seat back22to the vehicle compartment32and deploys between the passenger28seated on the rear vehicle seat22and the door18. By the side air bag member12deployed in this way, impact to, for example, the chest portions26B and28B of the passengers26and28can be absorbed. According to the embodiment, the side air bag member12in correspondence with the front vehicle seat21and the side air bag member14in correspondence with the rear vehicle seat22are provided in this way, and therefore, not only the passenger26seated on the front vehicle seat21but also the passenger28seated on the rear vehicle seat22can similarly be protected.

Further, at this occasion, the ignition current is made to flow also to the inflator44for the head portion protection air bag member16from the air bag ECU. The inflator44is operated by the ignition current to produce a large amount of the gas. By supplying the gas to the head portion protection air bag member16, the head portion protection air bag member16deploys in a curtain shape to a lower side inside of the vehicle compartment up to a position of overlapping the deploying regions of the side air bag members12and14in the vehicle width direction while being brought to between the passenger26seated on the front vehicle seat21and the door18(side window50) and between the passenger28seated on the rear vehicle seat22and the door18(side window50). Thereby, the front side expanding portion16F is brought into a state of expanding at the side of the head portion26H of the passenger26and the rear side expanding portion16R is brought into a state of expanding at the side of the head portion28H of the passenger28, and therefore, impact from, for example, the door18(side window50) to the head portions26H and28H in side impact can be absorbed and rolling over of the vehicle24can be dealt with.

At this occasion, the head portion protection air bag member16deploys in the curtain shape to the lower side inside of the vehicle compartment up to the positions of overlapping the deploying regions of the side air bag members12and14in the vehicle width direction as described above, the head portion protection air bag member16is provided with the recessed portions16A, and therefore, the side air bag members12and14can be respectively fitted to the recessed portions16A. Therefore, an interference between the side air bag member12and the head portion protection air bag member16can be restrained while deploying the head portion protection air bag member16up to the position of overlapping the deploying region of the side air bag member12in the vehicle width direction, thereby, both of side impact and rolling over of the vehicle24can be dealt with.

Further, the recessed portions16A of the head portion protection air bag member16are respectively provided in correspondence with standard deploying regions of the side air bag members12and14, and therefore, even when directions of deploying the side air bag members12and14are varied, the positions of deploying the side air bag members12and14can be restricted to preferable positions by the recessed portions16A. Specifically, even when the side air bag members12and14are going to deploy to portions of the vehicle upward or portions of the vehicle frontward from, for example, the standard deploying positions, the recessed portions16A restrain the deployment, thereby, the side air bag members12and14can deploy to the standard positions. Therefore, a positional relationship between the front vehicle seat side air bag member12and the front vehicle seat passenger26and a positional relationship between the rear vehicle seat side air bag member14and the rear vehicle seat passenger28can respectively made to be brought into pertinent states. Further, thereby, impacts to, for example, the recessed portions26B and28B of the passengers26and28can further efficiently be absorbed.

Further, when the head portion protection air bag member16deploys, the lower edge portion16L of the head portion protection air bag member16is disposed at the portion of the vehicle lower than the belt line18L of the door18, and therefore, when a load to the outer side of the vehicle compartment is inputted to the head portion protection air bag member16, that is, when a load is inputted from the head portion26H of the front vehicle seat passenger26or the head portion28H of the rear vehicle seat passenger28to the head portion protection air bag member16, the load can be received by the door18to produce the reaction force. Therefore, a performance of protecting the passenger particularly in rolling over of the vehicle24can further be promoted.

Further, as shown byFIG. 3, the expansion thickness of the side air bag member12of the front vehicle seat21in the vehicle width direction is larger than the expansion thickness of the front side expansion portion16F of the head portion protection air bag member16, and therefore, in a general side impact mode of impacting a bumper (not illustrated) of a counter party vehicle to the vehicle side portion (door18or the like), the impact to the chest portion26B (FIG. 2) of the passenger26can efficiently be absorbed. The same goes with the side air bag member14(FIG. 1) for the rear vehicle seat22.

Further, although according to the embodiment, the head portion protection air bag member16has a shape that fits with respectively the deployed side air bag members12and14, “that fits with respectively the deployed side air bag members12and14” is not limited to meaning that the head portion protection air bag member16can fit the side air bag members12,14upon deployment without a clearance therebetween. That is, “that fits with respectively the deployed side air bag member12” signifies to construct a constitution of capable of restraining the interference between the side air bag member12and the head portion protection air bag member16such that the side air bag member12and the head portion protection air bag member16can respectively deploy pertinently, and also includes a constitution in which the side air bag members12and14are brought into the recessed portion16A with clearances therebetween. Further, the interference in this case does not include the interference when the position of deploying the side air bag member12is restrained to the preferable position by the head portion protection air bag member16. The same goes with a relationship between the side air bag member14and the head portion protection air bag member16.

Second Embodiment

InFIG. 4throughFIG. 6, in an air bag device for automobile20according to the embodiment, the recessed portion16A of the head portion protection air bag member16is set to be larger than that of the first embodiment in a front and rear direction of the vehicle in consideration of a case in which the front vehicle seat21is constituted to be slidable in the front and rear direction of the vehicle and a position of the front vehicle seat21in the front and rear direction is constituted to be able to adjust in a predetermined range.

As shown byFIG. 5, a front wall portion16B of the recessed portion16A of the head portion protection air bag member16upon deployment is formed to rise from, for example, the lower edge portion16L in a rear direction and in a skewed upper direction of the vehicle in correspondence with a contour of the front portion of the side air bag member12in a side view of the vehicle and continues to an upper wall portion16G of the recessed portion16A by a height in correspondence with an upper end of the side air bag member12. The upper wall portion16G gradually extends in a downward and rearward direction of the vehicle, for example, in correspondence with the counter of the side air bag member12in the side view of the vehicle and continues to the lower edge portion16L at a vicinity of a side of the seat back30.

The other portion is similar to that of the first embodiment, and therefore, the same portions are attached with the same notations in the drawings and an explanation thereof will be omitted.

Operation

The embodiment is constituted as described above and an operation thereof will be explained as follows. First, as shown byFIG. 4, an explanation will be given of a case in which the front and rear position of the vehicle seat21is adjusted to the portion of the vehicle frontward from a middle position indicated by a two-dotted chain line. According to the air bag device for automobile20, when side impact or rolling over of the vehicle24is brought about, similar to the first embodiment, the side air bag member12and the head portion protection air bag member16deploy and the side air bag member12is brought into a state of being fitted to the recessed portion16A of the head portion protection air bag member16. The recessed portion16A extends farther in the front and rear direction of the vehicle than in the first embodiment in consideration of a sliding range of the front vehicle seat21, and therefore, even when the front vehicle seat21is adjusted to the position of the vehicle frontward from the middle position, the side air bag member12can be fitted to the recessed portion16A.

Next, as shown byFIG. 5, an explanation will be given of a case in which the front and rear position of the front vehicle seat21is adjusted to a position of the vehicle to the rear of the middle position indicated by the two-dotted chain line. Also in this case, similarly, the recessed portion16A extends farther in the front and rear direction of the vehicle than the first embodiment, and therefore, even when the front vehicle seat21is adjusted to the position of the vehicle to the rear of the middle position, the side air bag member12can be fitted to the recessed portion16A.

Successively, as shown byFIG. 6, an explanation will be given of a case in which the seat back30of the front vehicle seat21disposed at, for example, the middle position is fallen in an angular position of the vehicle to the rear of a standard angular position indicated by the two-dotted chain line, that is, a case in which an angle of inclination of the seat back30becomes large. In this case, although the side air bag member12is going to deploy in the upper direction of the vehicle more than that of the case in which the seat back30is disposed at the standard angular position, according to the embodiment, the deployment in the upper direction of the vehicle can be restrained by the upper wall portion16G of the recessed portion16A of the head portion protection air bag member16.

Further, the upper wall portion16G gradually extends in the downward and rearward direction of the vehicle, and therefore, even when the angle of inclination of the seat back30is larger and the position of the side air bag member12is moved in the rear direction of the vehicle and in the downward direction of the vehicle, the deployment of the side air bag member12in the upper direction of the vehicle can be restrained.

In this way, according to the air bag device for automobile20, even when the front and rear position of the front vehicle seat21or the angle of inclination of the seat back30is changed, the positional relationship between the side air bag member12and the passenger26can be made to be brought into the pertinent state and the impact to, for example, the chest portion26B of the passenger26in side impact can efficiently be absorbed.

Further, although according to the embodiment, an explanation has been given of the side air bag member12for the front vehicle seat21, a similar side air bag member is applicable also to a vehicle seat to the rear of the front vehicle seat21.

Further, a shape of the recessed portion16A of the head portion protection air bag member16is not limited to the illustrated shape but the height of the upper end of the side air bag member12may be constituted to be constant upon deployment even when the front and rear position of the front vehicle seat21is changed by setting, for example, the upper wall portion16G substantially in parallel with the direction of sliding the front vehicle seat21.