Patent Description:
Side airbag devices are known to prevent an occupant, in a lateral collision of a vehicle, from moving to an inner side in a vehicle width direction and coming into contact with an occupant in the next seat.

For example, <CIT> discloses a vehicle occupant restraint system that can effectively restrict movement of an airbag to an inner side in a vehicle width direction during restraint of an occupant. This vehicle occupant restraint system is described to have the sub bag abutted against the console box to restrict the main bag from moving to the inner side in the vehicle width direction when the main bag receives the occupant, thereby restricting movement of the occupant.

<CIT> discloses an airbag to assist in keeping an occupant in the correct position during a lateral collision of a vehicle.

Another document is <CIT>, which relates to an airbag for a vehicle safety system of a motor vehicle, wherein the airbag has at least two opposing fabric layers forming the outer walls, wherein a first fabric layer is longer than a second fabric layer, and wherein the fabric layers are connected to one another at the peripheral edge in such a way that a locking geometry is formed on the airbag in its inflated state, so that the airbag can be supported on a vehicle contour in the inflated state.

The sub bag in the vehicle occupant restraint system disclosed in <CIT> is abutted against a corner of the console box. The main bag and the sub bag therefore would pivot about the corner of the console box until the top surface of the console box and the sub bag are abutted against each other. It would therefore take some time for the system to stop the movement of the occupant to the inner side in the vehicle width direction, resulting in a large amount of occupant movement.

An airbag of a conventional side airbag device also tends to inflate and deploy at a shifted position relative to the corner of the console box when the airbag swings due to rapid inflation and deployment, possibly failing to restrict movement of the occupant to the inner side in the vehicle width direction in an early stage. For example, the airbag disclosed in <CIT> Alcan be improved by resolving this issue.

The present invention was made in response to the above issue, and aims to provide a side airbag device capable of restricting movement of an occupant to an inner side in a vehicle width direction in an early stage.

According to the present invention, a vehicle comprising a vehicle seat, a console box provided at an inner side in a vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle seat and a side airbag device with the features of claim <NUM> is provided.

The present invention can provide vehicle with a side airbag device capable of restricting movement of an occupant to an inner side in a vehicle width direction.

The side airbag device of a vehicle according an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.

The directions herein are described relative to a vehicle unless otherwise mentioned. For example, the "front side" indicates a side based on the forward direction of the vehicle; the "rear side" indicates a side based on the backward direction of the vehicle; the "upper side" indicates a side based on the upward direction of the vehicle; and the "lateral side" indicates a side based on the inward direction of a vehicle width direction. The arrow FR, the arrow UP, the arrow IN, and the arrow OUT drawn in the figures as appropriate respectively indicate the forward direction of the vehicle, the upward direction of the vehicle, the inward direction of the vehicle width direction, and the outward direction of the vehicle width direction. The members placed inside a vehicle seat are illustrated in see-through figures of the vehicle seat.

<FIG> is a schematic side view of a side airbag device of an embodiment before inflation and deployment of an airbag. <FIG> is a schematic front view of the side airbag device of the embodiment before inflation and deployment of the airbag.

As shown in <FIG>, a side airbag device <NUM> is mounted on a lateral portion (lateral portion on an inner side in a vehicle width direction) of a seatback (backrest) <NUM> of a vehicle seat <NUM>.

The vehicle seat <NUM> may be a driver's seat or a passenger seat of a vehicle, for example.

The side airbag device <NUM> includes an inflator <NUM> and an airbag <NUM>.

The inflator <NUM> is provided inside the airbag <NUM>. Specifically, the whole inflator <NUM> is provided inside the airbag <NUM>. The inflator <NUM> is a cylindrical (columnar) gas-generating device, and is provided along the extending direction (height direction) of the seatback <NUM>. A pair of bolts 10A and 10B protrudes from upper and lower portions of the inflator <NUM>, and this pair of bolts 10A and 10B penetrates the airbag <NUM>. The bolts 10A and 10B fix the inflator <NUM> to the lateral portion (e.g., side frame) of the seatback <NUM>.

The inflator <NUM> is activated in a lateral collision of the vehicle. Specifically, first, when an impact sensor mounted on the vehicle detects the lateral collision of the vehicle, the sensor transmits a signal to an electronic control unit (ECU) and the ECU calculates and determines the collision level. If the determined collision level corresponds to a level at which the side airbag <NUM> should be inflated, the inflator <NUM> is ignited to generate a gas by a chemical reaction due to combustion. The gas generated in the inflator <NUM> is then introduced into the airbag <NUM>.

The inflator <NUM> may be of any type, and may be a pyrotechnic inflator which utilizes a gas generated by combusting a gas-generating agent, a stored gas inflator utilizing a compressed gas, or a hybrid inflator utilizing a gas mixture of a gas generated by combusting a gas-generating agent and a compressed gas, for example.

The airbag <NUM> houses the inflator <NUM>. The airbag <NUM> before inflation and deployment is mounted in a folded state on the lateral portion of the vehicle seat <NUM>, which is the lateral portion of the seatback <NUM> herein, via the inflator <NUM>, and is stored together with a cushion pad while being covered with the outer layer of the seatback <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a deployed state of the airbag in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the airbag <NUM> has a bag shape. The airbag <NUM> is formed into a three-dimensional bag shape by joining the peripheries of base fabric pieces together. Specifically, the airbag <NUM> shown in <FIG> is prepared by joining the peripheries of a non-occupant side base fabric piece 20A on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, an occupant side base fabric piece 20B on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, middle base fabric pieces 20C on the front and rear sides in the vehicle, and base fabric pieces 20D on the upper and lower sides in the vehicle. As is clear from comparison with the later-described <FIG> and <FIG>, the non-occupant side base fabric 20A is partly bended along the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM>. The middle base fabric pieces 20C each have a shape extending along the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM> in a front-rear view of the vehicle.

Of the base fabric pieces of the airbag <NUM> on the front and rear sides in the vehicle, the base fabric piece on the front side in the vehicle preferably has a shape extending along the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM> in a front-rear view of the vehicle. <FIG> is a schematic perspective view showing another example of the deployed state of the airbag in <FIG>. Of the middle fabric pieces 20C of the airbag <NUM> shown in <FIG> on the front and rear sides in the vehicle, the base fabric piece on the front side in the vehicle has a shape extending along the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM> in a front-rear view of the vehicle. The airbag <NUM> as shown in <FIG> can have a more reduced volume than the airbag <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

The occupant side base fabric piece 20B of the airbag <NUM> is provided with an inflator insertion opening 20P through which the inflator <NUM> is inserted into the airbag <NUM>. <FIG> each show a case where the inflator insertion opening 20P has a slit shape. There are bolt holes above and below the inflator insertion opening 20P, which allow the pair of bolts 10A and 10B to protrude out of the airbag <NUM> from the bolt holes after the whole inflator <NUM> is inserted into the airbag <NUM> through the inflator insertion opening 20P. Then, the airbag <NUM> in a folded state is mounted on the lateral portion of the seatback <NUM> via the inflator <NUM>, so that the inflator insertion opening 20P comes opposite the seatback <NUM>. Thereby, the inflator insertion opening 20P is closed by the seatback <NUM> in inflation and deployment of the airbag <NUM>, preventing leakage of a gas from the airbag <NUM>.

The base fabric pieces used in the airbag <NUM> may be pieces of cloth formed by weaving yarn such as yarn of nylon <NUM> or yarn of polyethylene terephthalate. In order to improve the heat resistance and the airtightness, the surfaces of the base fabric pieces may be coated with an inorganic substance such as silicon.

The joining in formation of the base fabric pieces may be performed by any technique, such as sewing, bonding, welding, or any combination thereof.

In the present embodiment, a world side impact dummy (World-SID) <NUM> is seated in the vehicle seat <NUM>. The sitting position of the world side impact dummy <NUM> is in conformity with the side impact test (ECE R95) used in Japan and Europe or the side impact test (FMVSS214) used in the U. at present. The position and size of an airbag <NUM> in an inflated and deployed state are determined in accordance with the positions of parts such as a torso <NUM>, a hip <NUM>, a head <NUM>, and an arm <NUM> of the world side impact dummy <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The world side impact dummy <NUM> is hereinafter referred to as the "occupant <NUM>".

The vehicle sidewall <NUM> may be any vehicle part placed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the occupant <NUM> seated in the vehicle seat <NUM> (the side opposing the console box <NUM>), and collectively refers to parts such as side doors, pillars, and side windows.

The console box <NUM> is provided on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle seat <NUM>. For example, the console box <NUM> is provided in the central portion in the vehicle width direction between the driver's seat and the passenger seat. The console box <NUM> may function as an armrest that supports the arm <NUM> on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the occupant <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic side view of the side airbag device of a vehicle according to the embodiment in an early stage of occupant restraint by the airbag. <FIG> is a schematic front view of the side airbag device of the embodiment in the early stage of occupant restraint by the airbag.

When a vehicle has a lateral collision with an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle), specifically, when an obstacle collides with a vehicle sidewall opposing a vehicle sidewall <NUM> in the vehicle width direction (when the vehicle seat <NUM> is the driver's seat, the vehicle body portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the passenger seat) and the inflator <NUM> is activated, the gas generated by the inflator <NUM> is introduced into the airbag <NUM> and the airbag <NUM> inflates while unfolded. The force applied from the inflated airbag <NUM> then tears open the outer layer of the seatback <NUM>. Thereby, as shown in <FIG>, the airbag <NUM> inflates and deploys in a space above the console box <NUM> and beside the occupant <NUM> seated in the vehicle seat <NUM> to protect the lateral portion of the occupant <NUM>. The airbag <NUM> configured to inflate and deploy in this manner is also referred to as a far-side airbag.

In a lateral collision of the vehicle, the occupant <NUM> seated in the vehicle seat <NUM> leans, while moving, toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction with the hip <NUM> at the center. Meanwhile, in the lateral collision of the vehicle, the airbag <NUM> inflates and deploys to have a torso protection portion <NUM>, a support portion <NUM>, and a hip protection portion <NUM>. When the airbag <NUM> inflates and deploys, the torso protection portion <NUM> inflates and deploys in a space beside the torso <NUM> of the occupant <NUM> to come into contact with the torso <NUM>. The support portion <NUM> is provided on the console box <NUM> side of the torso protection portion <NUM> and inflates and deploys to come into contact with the top surface of the console box <NUM>. The hip protection portion <NUM> inflates and deploys between the hip <NUM> of the occupant <NUM> and the lateral portion of the console box <NUM>.

In the inflated and deployed state of the airbag <NUM>, the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM> preferably extend along the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM>, respectively, in a front-rear view of the vehicle. For example, in the airbag <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, in a front-rear view of the vehicle, the middle base fabric piece 20C has a shape extending along the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM>, and thus the support portion <NUM> inflates and deploys along the top surface of the console box <NUM> while keeping in contact with the top surface of the console box <NUM>. The hip protection portion <NUM> inflates and deploys along the side surface of the console box <NUM> while keeping in contact with the side surface of the console box <NUM> in a front-rear view of the vehicle.

The support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM> are defined by a continuous chamber. The expression "parts (here, the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM>) of the airbag <NUM> are defined by a continuous chamber" means that no wall partitioning the chamber is provided at the boundary between the parts of the airbag <NUM> or these parts are not formed using a plurality of bags. With the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM> defined by a continuous chamber, occurrence of a motion such as distortion between the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM> can be prevented as compared to, for example, the case where the hip protection portion <NUM> is formed by joining bag-shaped sub bags. As a result, the airbag <NUM> readily inflates and deploys at the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM>, restraining the occupant <NUM> in an early stage.

<FIG> is a schematic side view of the side airbag device of the embodiment in a late stage of occupant restraint by the airbag. <FIG> is a schematic front view of the side airbag device of the embodiment in the late stage of occupant restraint by the airbag. <FIG> is a schematic top view showing a cross section of the vicinity of an inflator in the side airbag device in <FIG>.

As the occupant <NUM> further moves to the inner side in the vehicle width direction, as shown in <FIG>, the hip protection portion <NUM> is pressed between the hip <NUM> of the occupant <NUM> and the lateral portion of the console box <NUM>. When the hip protection portion <NUM> is pressed, the inner pressure of the support portion <NUM> defined by a chamber continuous to the hip protection portion <NUM> increases. Since the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM> are defined by a continuous chamber, the inner pressure of the support portion <NUM> easily increases when the hip protection portion <NUM> is pressed.

Meanwhile, the torso protection portion <NUM> leans toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction when it comes into contact with the torso <NUM> of the occupant <NUM> leaning toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction. When the torso protection portion <NUM> leans toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction, the support portion <NUM> is immediately pushed onto the top surface of the console box <NUM>, which generates a reaction force from the top surface of the console box <NUM>. At this time, the inner pressure of the support portion <NUM> is high as described above, so that the magnitude of reaction force from the top surface of the console box <NUM> is large. Thus, when this large magnitude of reaction force is applied to the torso protection portion <NUM> via the support portion <NUM>, the force of the torso protection portion <NUM> moving back to the position in the early stage of occupant restraint (to the outer side in the vehicle width direction) works intensely. As a result, the occupant <NUM> is restricted from moving to the inner side in the vehicle width direction in an early stage.

Also, as described above, since the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM> inflate and deploy along the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM>, respectively, in a front-rear view of the vehicle, the airbag <NUM> has a stable deployment behavior without pivoting about the corner of the console box <NUM>. Such a stable deployment behavior of the airbag <NUM> also contributes to restriction of movement of the occupant <NUM> to the inner side in the vehicle width direction in an early stage.

In the inflated and deployed state of the airbag <NUM>, a portion of the support portion <NUM> and a portion of the hip protection portion <NUM> respectively opposing the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM> are preferably defined by a continuous single base fabric piece. For example, in the airbag <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, the portion of the support portion <NUM> and the portion of the hip protection portion <NUM> respectively opposing the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM> in an inflated and deployed state are defined by the continuous single base fabric piece 20A. With the portion of the support portion <NUM> and the portion of the hip protection portion <NUM> respectively opposing the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM> in the inflated and deployed state being defined by a continuous single base fabric piece, the airbag <NUM> inflates and deploys to have a round shape with large inflation diameters at the portion of the support portion <NUM> and the portion of the hip protection portion <NUM> respectively opposing the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM>. Thus, the magnitude of reaction force from the top surface and side surface of the console box <NUM> in the inflated and deployed state increases. As a result, the airbag <NUM> (torso protection portion <NUM>) exerts a larger magnitude of restraint force to prevent the occupant <NUM> from moving to the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Also, such inflation and deployment of the airbag <NUM> allow the support portion <NUM> and the hip protection portion <NUM> to come into contact with the console box <NUM> in an early stage.

In an inflated and deployed state, the support portion <NUM> is preferably pushed onto half or more of the top surface of the console box <NUM> in a front-rear view of the vehicle, more preferably onto the entire top surface of the console box <NUM> in a front-rear view of the vehicle as shown in <FIG>. When the support portion <NUM> is pushed onto half or more of the top surface of the console box <NUM> in an inflated and deployed state, the magnitude of reaction force from the top surface of the console box <NUM> further increases. As a result, the airbag <NUM> (torso protection portion <NUM>) has a larger magnitude of restraint force to prevent the occupant <NUM> from moving to the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

Preferably, the torso protection portion <NUM>, the support portion <NUM>, and the hip protection portion <NUM> are defined by a continuous chamber, and in an inflated and deployed state, there is no depression on a portion between an upper end of the torso protection portion <NUM> and an end on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the support portion <NUM> in a front-rear view of the vehicle as shown in <FIG>. Such a structure prevents the airbag <NUM> from bending between the torso protection portion <NUM> and the support portion <NUM> when the airbag <NUM> receives the occupant <NUM>. As a result, the airbag <NUM> can stably receive the occupant <NUM>.

The airbag <NUM> may further include a head protection portion <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The head protection portion <NUM> is provided on the upper side of the torso protection portion <NUM> and configured to protect the head <NUM> of the occupant <NUM>. With the head protection portion <NUM>, the airbag <NUM> can receive the whole body of the occupant <NUM>. As a result, the airbag <NUM> can efficiently restrict movement of the occupant <NUM> to the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

The inflator <NUM> is housed in the airbag <NUM>, and is positioned from above to below the support portion <NUM>, more specifically from the torso protection portion <NUM> to the hip protection portion <NUM>, in a side view of the vehicle as shown in <FIG>. Also, the bolts 10A and 10B of the inflator <NUM> are positioned above and below the support portion <NUM>, respectively. This means that the position where the gas is generated and the support portion <NUM> are relatively close to each other. Thus, when the airbag <NUM> inflates and deploys in response to the gas generated by the inflator <NUM>, the gas pressure near the support portion <NUM> during inflation and deployment of the airbag <NUM> is maintained high, which secures self-supportability of the airbag <NUM> owing to the support portion <NUM>. The torso protection portion <NUM>, the support portion <NUM>, and the hip protection portion <NUM> therefore do not easily swing even when the airbag <NUM> swings due to rapid inflation and deployment. As a result, the inflation and deployment position of the airbag <NUM> relative to the corner of the console box <NUM> is not easily shifted, so that the airbag <NUM> has a stable deployment behavior. Thereby, the airbag <NUM> restricts movement of the occupant <NUM> to the inner side in the vehicle width direction in an early stage.

The airbag <NUM> is, as shown in <FIG>, mounted on the lateral portion of the vehicle seat <NUM>, which is the lateral portion of the seatback <NUM> herein, via the inflator <NUM>. With the inflator <NUM> and the airbag <NUM> mounted in the above manner, the torso protection portion <NUM>, the support portion <NUM>, and the hip protection portion <NUM> are fixed to the lateral portion of the vehicle seat <NUM>, which is the lateral portion of the seatback <NUM> herein, via the inflator <NUM>. This further restricts swinging of the support portion <NUM> near the fixed inflator <NUM> in the inflated and deployed state of the airbag <NUM>. As a result, the inflation and deployment position of the airbag <NUM> relative to the corner of the console box <NUM> is not easily shifted, so that the airbag <NUM> has a stable deployment behavior. Thereby, the airbag <NUM> restricts movement of the occupant <NUM> to the inner side in the vehicle width direction in an early stage.

Meanwhile, when the airbag <NUM> receives the occupant <NUM> moving to the inner side in the vehicle width direction, the hip protection portion <NUM> inflated and deployed between the hip <NUM> of the occupant <NUM> and the lateral portion of the console box <NUM> may be dragged out from the position. However, since the hip protection portion <NUM> is fixed to the lateral portion of the vehicle seat <NUM>, which is the lateral portion of the seatback <NUM> herein, as described above, the hip protection portion <NUM> is not easily dragged out and can stably protect the hip <NUM> of the occupant <NUM>.

The airbag <NUM> inflated and deployed in response to the gas generated from the inflator <NUM> inflates into a shape as round as possible with its inner pressure. Thus, in the airbag <NUM> with the middle base fabric piece 20C on the front side in the vehicle as shown in <FIG>, the portion with the largest size in the vehicle width direction in an inflated and deployed state is positioned on the front side in the vehicle. Thereby, the airbag <NUM> can more stably protect the occupant <NUM> by surrounding the occupant <NUM> between the portion of the airbag <NUM> with the largest size in the vehicle width direction and the seatback <NUM>.

The other components of the side airbag device <NUM> to be used may be similar to components of conventionally known side airbag devices as appropriate.

The above embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Each of the features in the embodiment may appropriately be deleted, supplemented, modified, and/or combined within the scope as defined by the claims.

Claim 1:
A vehicle comprising a vehicle seat (<NUM>), a console box (<NUM>) provided at an inner side in a vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle seat (<NUM>), and a side airbag device (<NUM>), the side airbag device (<NUM>) comprising:
an inflator (<NUM>) configured to generate a gas, and
a bag-shaped airbag (<NUM>) inflatable and deployable in a space above the console box (<NUM>) and beside an occupant (<NUM>) seated in the vehicle seat (<NUM>) in response to the gas upon activation of the inflator (<NUM>) to protect a lateral portion of the occupant (<NUM>),
the airbag including a torso protection portion (<NUM>) inflatable and deployable in a space beside a torso of the occupant (<NUM>), a support portion (<NUM>) provided on a console box side of the torso protection portion (<NUM>), and configured to be pushed onto a top surface of the console box (<NUM>) in an inflated and deployed state, and a hip protection portion (<NUM>) inflatable and deployable between a hip (<NUM>) of the occupant (<NUM>) and a lateral portion of the console box (<NUM>),
the support portion (<NUM>) and the hip protection portion (<NUM>) being defined by a continuous chamber,
the inflator (<NUM>) being positioned from above to below the support portion (<NUM>) in a side view of the vehicle,
the airbag (<NUM>) being mounted on a lateral portion of the vehicle seat (<NUM>) via the inflator (<NUM>),
characterized in that
in an inflated and deployed state, the support portion (<NUM>) and the hip protection portion (<NUM>) extend along a top surface and a side surface of the console box (<NUM>), respectively, in a front-rear view of the vehicle, and a portion of the support portion (<NUM>) and a portion of the hip protection portion (<NUM>), respectively, opposing the top surface and side surface of the console box (<NUM>), is defined by a continuous single base fabric piece,
wherein the airbag (<NUM>) is prepared by joining the peripheries of a non-occupant side base fabric piece (20A) on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, an occupant side base fabric piece (20B) on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, middle base fabric pieces (20C) on the front and rear sides in the vehicle, and base fabric pieces (20D) on the upper and lower sides in the vehicle, and
wherein at least the middle fabric piece (20C) on a front side in the vehicle has a shape extending along the top surface and side surface of the console box (<NUM>) in a front-rear view of the vehicle.