JP2006168712A - Airbag device for motorcycle, and motorcycle with the same airbag device for motorcycle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an airbag device for a motorcycle for protecting an occupant by an airbag, capable of restricting large-sizing for such collision in which the motorcycle changes its direction to be diagonal to the direction before the collision. <P>SOLUTION: This airbag device 10 for a motorcycle comprises the airbag 11 that is inflated ahead of the occupant D seated on a seat 7 when it is actuated. The airbag 11 is contained ahead of the occupant D in such a way that it is disposed ahead of the body of the occupant D from a waist part W to a head part H of the occupant D seated on the seat 7 ahead of the waist part W to restrain the waist part W of the occupant D that is moved forth when inflation is completed. Also, the airbag device 10 is provided with a support member 27 to support the side of a front surface 11b of the airbag 11 in such a way that the side of a rear surface 27b is covered with the airbag 11 when inflation is competed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an airbag device for a motorcycle that is provided with an airbag that is mounted on a motorcycle and that can protect an occupant at the time of a collision, and a motorcycle that includes the airbag device for the motorcycle.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an airbag apparatus for a motorcycle, a structure in which an inflated airbag is disposed on the front side of an occupant seated on a seat during operation is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). .
JP-A-9-328087 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-261081

  However, in the conventional airbag apparatus for a motorcycle, an airbag that has been completely inflated during operation can be disposed on the front side of an occupant seated in a seat, and the occupant moving forward in the event of a collision can be protected by the airbag. However, there has been room for improvement, for example, in the case where the motorcycle collides with the side surface of a four-wheeled vehicle such as a passenger vehicle moving in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the motorcycle.

  In other words, when a motorcycle collides with the side of a four-wheeled vehicle such as a passenger car that is moving in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, the front wheel moves in the direction of movement of the four-wheeled vehicle as the four-wheeled vehicle moves. As a result, the motorcycle changes its direction from the direction of traveling straight to the oblique direction. At that time, since the inertial force along the traveling direction before the collision acts on the occupant, the airbag covering the front side of the seated occupant is enlarged so as not to remove the occupant from the protection area. It became necessary, and it was difficult to cope with a compact airbag.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device for a motorcycle that can protect an occupant with an airbag that can be prevented from increasing in size.

The airbag apparatus for a motorcycle according to the present invention is an airbag apparatus for a motorcycle in which an inflated airbag is disposed on the front side of an occupant seated on a seat during operation.
When the inflation is completed, on the front side of the upper body from the lumbar part of the occupant seated on the seat to the head, the lap part of the occupant moving to the front side can be constrained and disposed on the front side of the lumbar part. While being stored in the front of the passenger,
The rear surface side is arranged on the front side of the airbag so as to be covered with the airbag when the inflation is completed, and is provided with a support material capable of supporting the front side of the airbag.

  In the airbag apparatus for a motorcycle according to the present invention, an inflated airbag is disposed at least on the front side of the waist part so that the waist part of the occupant moving forward can be restrained during operation. And since the inflated airbag is supported by the support material on the front side, movement to the front side is restricted, and the direction of the motorcycle changes from the direction before the collision to the oblique direction at the time of the collision, Even if the occupant starts moving diagonally forward (the direction of travel of the motorcycle before the collision) in the direction that intersects the direction of the motorcycle after the collision, the occupant remains in the state where the front side is supported by the support material. By the airbag, the waist is immediately restrained, kinetic energy is absorbed, and the moving speed is reduced. And since the airbag which produces such an effect | action may be a magnitude | size which can restrain a passenger | crew's waist | hip | lumbar part, it becomes possible to suppress a enlargement as much as possible and to comprise compactly.

  In the airbag device of the present invention, the inflated airbag is not a collision that changes the direction from the direction before the collision at the time of the collision to an oblique direction but also the collision that does not change the direction of the traveling direction of the motorcycle. However, at least the occupant's lower back can be restrained.

  Therefore, in the airbag apparatus for a motorcycle according to the present invention, it is possible to protect the occupant with the airbag capable of suppressing an increase in size.

  The support material may be projected in advance from the vehicle body side when the motorcycle is running. However, before the airbag device is activated, the support material is stored on the vehicle body side so as not to protrude from the area on the front side of the occupant. In addition, if it is arranged so as to protrude upward so that the front side of the airbag can be supported during operation, a wide space can be secured on the front side of the occupant before the operation, preferable.

  Moreover, it is desirable that the airbag be connected to at least the upper side of the support material so as to prevent the displacement of the support material from the rear side position.

  In such a configuration, even if the kinetic energy in the moving direction of the occupant at the time of the collision is large, the inflated airbag can be stably supported by the support member and can absorb the kinetic energy of the occupant.

  And before the operation, the airbag is housed on the vehicle body side so as not to protrude from the area on the front side of the occupant, and is connected to the upper side of the support material so that the support material is pulled to the airbag when inflated. If it is arranged so as to protrude upward from the storage part, the protruding operation of the support material can be performed by the airbag, and it is not necessary to separately provide a drive means for the support material.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. An airbag device 10 according to an embodiment is mounted on a motorcycle 1 as shown in FIG. 1, and the motorcycle 1 is an occupant. A step 6 for placing the foot F of the occupant D is disposed between the seat 7 on which D is seated and the handle 5 in front of the seat 7, and the airbag device 10 is disposed near the front end of the seat 7. Yes.

  Note that the front-rear and left-right directions in the specification and the like of the present application are based on the motorcycle 1 at the time of forward movement, and coincide with the front-rear, left-right directions of the occupant D seated on the motorcycle 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the airbag device 10 stores and holds the airbag 11, the inflator 19 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 11, and the folded airbag 11, and also holds the inflator 19. The case 23 and the support member 27 that supports the front surface 11b side of the inflated airbag 11 on the rear surface 27b side are configured.

  The case 23 is made of a box-shaped sheet metal having an upper opening, and includes a rectangular plate-shaped bottom wall portion 24 and a substantially rectangular tube-shaped peripheral wall portion 25 that extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 24. It is configured. The bottom wall portion 24 is formed with a circular opening 24a into which the main body portion 20 of the inflator 19 is inserted from below. The case 23 is provided with a connection bracket (not shown). The connection bracket is connected and fixed to the bracket 4 extending from the frame 3 on the body (vehicle body) 2 side of the motorcycle 1, so that the airbag 11 and the inflator 19 are connected. In the case of the embodiment, the case 23 is disposed in the vicinity of the left and right knees KL and KR (see FIG. 6) of the seated occupant D near the front end of the seat 7, and is connected and fixed to the body 2 side. ing.

  The inflator 19 includes a columnar main body 20 having a plurality of gas discharge ports 20a on the upper side, and a flange 21 that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the main body 20, and the flange 21 is a case. 23 is fixed to the lower surface side of the bottom wall portion 24.

  An annular retainer 17 disposed at the periphery of the opening 11a of the airbag 11 includes a plurality of bolts (not shown), and these bolts are connected to the periphery of the opening 11a of the airbag 11, the case bottom wall portion 24, and The flange portion 21 is fixed to the case bottom wall portion 24 together with the airbag 11 by passing through the flange portion 21 and fastening with a nut.

  The inflator 19 is electrically connected to a control circuit (not shown) mounted on the motorcycle 1 by a lead wire (not shown), and when the shock is applied to the motorcycle 1, the control circuit detects a predetermined detected shock. A signal from the detection sensor is input and an operation signal is output to the inflator 19.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the airbag 11 is configured to have a shape including a neck portion 12 on the lower side and a head portion 13 disposed above the neck portion 12 as a shape when the inflation is completed. When the airbag 11 protrudes from the case 23 which is a storage part and completes the inflation, the neck 12 is disposed between the left and right thighs LL and LR of the occupant D seated on the seat 7 and 12 a is positioned slightly above the thighs LL and LR, and the head 13 is arranged near the upper part in the vicinity of the thighs LL and LR. The head 13 has a lateral width X1 (see FIG. 3) within a range in which the waist portion W of the occupant D can be constrained and in the riding posture of the occupant D seated on the seat 7. It is set as a dimension that does not interfere with the left and right arm portions A, and is set as a maximum dimension that does not interfere with the arm portion A in the embodiment. In the case of the embodiment, as a result, the width dimension X1 of the head 13 is set to be substantially equal to the width dimension in the left-right direction of the waist W of the occupant D. Further, the neck portion 12 is set so that the width dimension X2 in the left-right direction (see FIG. 3) is smaller than the dimension between the left and right thighs LL and LR of the occupant D. Further, the rear surface 11c side of the airbag 11 at the time of completion of the inflation is configured to be displaced forward and inclined toward the bottom wall portion 24 side of the case 23 at the site of the neck portion 12.

  The airbag 11 is formed with a circular opening 11a for allowing the inflation gas to flow into the lower end surface (the lower end surface of the neck portion 12) when the inflation is completed, and the periphery of the opening 11a has already been described. In this manner, the retainer 17 is pressed and fixed to the case bottom wall portion 24.

  Further, the airbag 11 and the upper portion 27a of the support member 27 are provided on the front surface 11b of the airbag 11 so as to prevent displacement (mainly displacement in the horizontal direction) of the airbag 11 from the rear side position of the support member 27. A plurality of annular connecting members 15 for connecting the sides are attached.

  In the case of the embodiment, the support member 27 is an inverted U-shaped integral pipe including a horizontal bar portion 28 extending in the left-right direction and vertical bar portions 29 and 29 extending downward from the left and right ends of the horizontal bar portion 28. It is formed from material. In this support member 27, vertical bar portions 29 and 29 are held by guide sleeves 31 so as to be vertically movable. The guide sleeve 31 is fixed to a bracket (not shown) extending from the frame 3 on the body 2 side. The connecting member 15 is attached to the vicinity of the left and right ends of the horizontal bar portion 28 and the upper end of the vertical rod portions 29 and 29 in the upper portion 27 a of the support member 27, and the upper portion 27 a of the support member 27 is connected to the airbag 11. It is connected. Then, when the airbag 11 flows in the inflation gas and protrudes upward from the case 23, the support member 27 is pulled by the airbag 11 and protrudes upward.

  The support member 27 has a width dimension X3 (see FIG. 3) in the left-right direction substantially equal to the width dimension X2 of the neck 12 of the airbag 11 that has been inflated, so that both knee portions KL · It is configured to be able to protrude upward from between the vicinity of KR. Moreover, the arrangement position of the upper part 27a at the time of completion of the upward projection of the support member 27 can support the front side of the head 13 of the airbag 11 that has been inflated, and the rear side 27b side is covered by the head 13. Position.

  Further, since the support member 27 and the airbag 11 are covered with the cover 8 constituting the front end side of the seat 7 in the stored state, the cover 8 is pushed open when protruding upward. Projecting upward.

  In the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, when the airbag device 10 is activated by colliding with another four-wheeled vehicle during traveling, the support member 27 and the airbag 11 push the cover 8 open and move upward. Inflated in an area close to the occupant D between the vicinity of the left and right thighs LL and LR on the front side of the lumbar part W and near the upper side thereof so that the lumbar part W of the occupant D that protrudes and moves forward can be restrained The air bag 11 is arranged. Since the inflated airbag 11 is supported by the support member 27 on the front surface 11b side, movement to the front side is restricted, and the motorcycle 1 is directed obliquely from the direction before the collision at the time of the collision. Even if the occupant D starts to move diagonally forward (the traveling direction of the motorcycle 1 before the collision) in the direction intersecting the direction of the motorcycle 1 after the collision (see FIG. 6), the occupant D The waist 13 is restrained by the head portion 13 of the airbag 11 in a state where the front surface 11b side is supported by the support member 27, the kinetic energy is absorbed, and the moving speed is reduced. And since the airbag 11 which produces such an effect | action may be the magnitude | size which can restrain the passenger | crew's D waist | hip | lumbar part W, it becomes possible to suppress a enlargement as much as possible and to comprise compactly.

  In the embodiment, the support member 27 is covered with the cover 8 and stored on the vehicle body 1 side so as not to protrude from the region on the front side of the occupant D before the operation of the airbag device 10. 10, the front surface 11b of the airbag 11 is disposed so as to protrude upward in a supportable manner. Therefore, the airbag device 10 is preferable because a wide space can be secured on the front side of the occupant D in a state before the operation.

  Further, in the airbag 11 of the embodiment, the plurality of connecting members 15 are connected to at least the upper portion 27a side of the supporting member 27 so as to prevent the displacement of the supporting member 27 from the rear side position. Yes. Therefore, even if the kinetic energy in the moving direction of the occupant D at the time of the collision is large, the inflated airbag 11 is stably supported by the support member 27 and can absorb the kinetic energy of the occupant D.

  Note that the support member 27 is not formed from an inverted U-shaped pipe member having an integrated structure that can be reduced in weight as in the embodiment, but is formed by connecting a plurality of rigid rods such as a pipe member. Or may be formed from a plate material such as metal, and the connection between the airbag 11 and the upper portion 27a of the support member 27 may be performed using an adhesive without using the connection member 15. Alternatively, they may be connected using a sewing means, a rivet, a bolt or the like.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment, the airbag 11 is housed on the vehicle body 2 side so as not to protrude from the region on the front side of the occupant D and is connected to the upper portion 27a side of the support member 27 before the operation. 27 is arranged such that it is pulled by the airbag 11 when inflated and protrudes upward from the case 23 as a storage part. For this reason, the protruding operation of the support member 27 can be performed by the airbag 11, and it is not necessary to provide a driving means for the support member 27 separately. Of course, if this point is not taken into consideration, the support member 27 may be configured to protrude by a separately provided drive means / mechanism.

  Furthermore, in the case of the embodiment, a case is shown in which the support member 27 is stored near the front end of the seat 7 so as not to protrude into the region on the front side of the seated occupant D before the operation of the airbag device 10. However, the support material may be projected in advance from the vehicle body side when the motorcycle is running. That is, for example, when the occupant D is seated on the seat 7 before traveling as in the airbag apparatus 10A mounted on the motorcycle 1A shown in FIG. A support member 27 </ b> A made of an inverted U-shaped pipe member provided with two extending vertical bar portions 29 and 29 is pulled upward from the vicinity of the front end of the seat 7. The airbag 11A accommodated in the case 23A, which is folded between the vertical bars 29 and 29 of the support member 27A, can be restrained from the waist W of the occupant D moving forward. It is arranged near the front side of. An inflator (not shown) capable of supplying inflation gas to the airbag 11A is disposed in the case 23A.

  During operation of the airbag apparatus 10A, inflation gas from an inflator (not shown) in the case 23A flows into the folded airbag 11A, so that the airbag 11A is inserted between the vertical bar portions 29 and 29. Since it expand | swells to back side and is arrange | positioned in the front side of the waist part W vicinity, the passenger | crew's D waist part W moving forward will be restrained. Even in this case, the motorcycle 1A changes its direction from the pre-collision direction to the oblique direction at the time of the collision, and the occupant D moves diagonally forward (the motorcycle before the collision) in a direction intersecting the direction of the motorcycle 1A after the collision. Even if the movement starts in the direction of travel of 1A), the occupant D is restrained in the waist W by the airbag 11A supported by the support member 27A directly on the front surface 11b side or with the case 23A interposed therebetween. The kinetic energy is absorbed and the moving speed is reduced.

  Further, in the embodiment, the case where the airbag 11 and the support member 27 are stored near the front end of the seat 7 is shown, but at the time of operation, the waist portion of the occupant who moves forward with the front side supported by the support member can be restrained. In addition, the airbag and the support member may be housed on the body 2 side on the front side of the seat 7 as long as the airbag and the support member are disposed on the front side of the waist portion of the occupant.

1 is a side view of a motorcycle equipped with a motorcycle airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a general | schematic fragmentary sectional view along the front-back direction of the airbag apparatus of embodiment. It is the schematic explanatory drawing which looked at the airbag apparatus of embodiment from the front side. It is a schematic side view explaining the time of the action | operation of the airbag apparatus of embodiment. It is a schematic perspective view explaining the completion of the operation of the airbag device of the embodiment. It is a schematic plan view explaining the time of operation completion of the airbag device of the embodiment. It is a figure explaining the usage condition of the airbag apparatus which shows the modification of embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1.1A ... motorcycle,
2 ... (Body) Body,
7 ... Sheet
10.10A ... Airbag device,
11.11A ... Airbag,
11b ... (front of the airbag),
27.27A ... support material,
27a ... upper part (of support material),
27b ... (on the back)
D ... Crew,
W ... Waist.

Claims (5)

In an airbag apparatus for a motorcycle that, when activated, arranges an inflated airbag on the front side of an occupant seated on a seat,
The airbag is arranged on the front side of the lumbar part so that the occupant's waist part moving to the front side can be restrained on the front side of the upper body from the lumbar part of the occupant seated on the seat to the head when the inflation is completed. , Stored in the front side of the occupant,
The rear surface side is arranged on the front side of the airbag so as to be covered with the airbag when the inflation is completed, and is provided with a support material capable of supporting the front side of the airbag. An airbag device for a motorcycle.   Before the operation, the support member is housed on the vehicle body side so as not to protrude from the region on the front side of the occupant, and is disposed so as to protrude upward so that the front side of the airbag can be supported during operation. The airbag apparatus for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the airbag apparatus is a motorcycle.   The said airbag is connected with the at least upper part side of the said support material so that position shift from the back side position of the said support material can be prevented, and is arrange | positioned. The airbag apparatus for motorcycles described in 1. The airbag is housed on the vehicle body side so as not to protrude from the area on the front side of the occupant before operation, and is connected to the upper side of the support member
The airbag apparatus for a motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the support member is arranged so as to be pulled by the airbag when inflated and protrude upward from the storage portion.   A motorcycle on which the airbag apparatus for a motorcycle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is mounted.

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