JP2019116276A - Side air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress jumping-out in front of a development area when the lower part of an air bag body develops and expands.SOLUTION: An air bag body 41 constituting the outer shell part of an air bag 40 is provided with: a long overlapping part 107 formed by stacking a plurality of vertically extending components in the thickness direction thereof. The overlapping part 107 is provided with: a first overlapping part 107a constituting the lower part thereof; and a second overlapping part 107b which constitutes a part above the first overlapping part 107a and in which a gas generator 30 is arranged. When the air bag body 41 takes the form of being housed, the first overlapping part 107a is provided with: a plurality bent parts 114 to 116 arranged in the longitudinal direction thereof. At least the downstream bent part 116 on the most downstream side is disposed behind the second overlapping part 107b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

  According to the present invention, when an impact is applied to the vehicle from the side of the vehicle seat, the airbag is deployed and inflated on the side of the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat to protect the occupant. The present invention relates to an airbag device.

  A side airbag device is widely known as a device for protecting an occupant seated on a vehicle seat when an impact is applied to the vehicle from the side of the vehicle seat due to a side collision or the like. The side airbag device includes an airbag body that constitutes an outer shell portion of the airbag, and a gas generator disposed in the airbag body. The air bag body is folded to form a storage form, and is stored together with the gas generator in the seat back of the vehicle seat.

  In this side airbag device, when an impact is applied from the side to a member (body side portion) that constitutes a side portion of the vehicle, for example, a side door, inflation gas is supplied from the gas generator to the airbag body. , The airbag body is deployed and inflated. The airbag body jumps out of the vehicle seat in a state where a part is left in the seat back. Thereafter, the air bag body is deployed and inflated in a predetermined deployment area between the occupant and the body side portion. The airbag main body restrains the occupant and relieves the side impact transmitted to the occupant through the body side portion.

  As one mode of the above-mentioned side air bag device, there is a thing described in patent documents 1, for example. In this side air bag device, in order to make the air bag body into the storage form, the air bag body is in a flat state (non-inflated and expanded state) without being filled with the inflation gas. By folding the air bag body from the front to the rear, an elongated overlapping portion in the vertical direction is formed on the air bag body. The overlapping portion includes a plurality of components extending in the vertical direction, and these components are overlapped in the thickness direction.

  The overlapping portion includes a first overlapping portion that constitutes the lower portion thereof, and a second overlapping portion that constitutes an upper portion than the first overlapping portion and in which a gas generator is disposed. The first overlapping portion is disposed on the rear side of the second overlapping portion by being folded back.

Therefore, the airbag body in the storage mode is expanded and inflated in a mode different from the case where the first overlapping portion is disposed on the front side of the second overlapping portion.
That is, in the side airbag device in which the first overlapping portion is disposed in front of the second overlapping portion, the inflation gas flows in the order of the second overlapping portion and the first overlapping portion. The first overlapping portion pivots forward with the boundary between the first overlapping portion and the second overlapping portion as a fulcrum. At this time, the first overlapping portion is pushed forward by the expanding second overlapping portion, and the rotation of the first overlapping portion forward is strengthened. Along with the rotation, the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously deployed and expanded forward, and jump out more forward than the deployment area. If there is an obstacle on the deployment path of the air bag body, the lower part of the air bag body may strongly press the obstacle.

  On the other hand, in the side airbag device described in Patent Document 1, the first overlapping portion pivots on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion with the boundary portion with the second overlapping portion as a fulcrum. Do. Although the second overlapping portion expands, the first overlapping portion positioned behind the second overlapping portion is not pushed forward. With the rotation, the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion expand and expand first behind and below the second overlapping portion, and then expand and expand forward of the second overlapping portion . The plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously deployed and inflated forward, and are prevented from jumping forward beyond the deployment region. Therefore, even if there is an obstacle on the deployment path of the air bag body, the lower part of the air bag body is prevented from strongly pressing the obstacle.

JP, 2008-87632, A

  However, in the side airbag device described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when the airbag main body having a large dimension in the vertical direction is used, along with that, the first overlapping in the overlapping portion in the storage mode is performed. The mating section also gets longer. Therefore, the long first overlapping portion pivots with the boundary portion with the second overlapping portion as a fulcrum. Along with this, expansion and expansion of the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are performed. Therefore, in the process of expanding and expanding forward, the components of the first overlapping portion may jump out further than the above-mentioned expansion area. The above-mentioned effect which suppresses that the lower part of an air bag main part presses an obstacle strongly is hard to say that it is large enough.

  In particular, in the side air bag device described in Patent Document 1, the air bag main body is divided into at least an upper expansion chamber and a lower expansion chamber, and the expansion gas is preferentially supplied to the lower expansion chamber. There is. The inflation gas is preferentially supplied to the first overlapping portion forming the lower portion of the overlapping portion with respect to the overlapping portion of the air bag main body. Therefore, the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously deployed and expanded forward and easily jump out in front of the deployment area. Therefore, suppressing this jumping out phenomenon is useful in reducing the impact applied to the obstacle.

Such problems can occur not only in vehicles but in common with vehicles provided with side airbag devices.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is a side air that can suppress jumping ahead of a deployment area when the lower portion of the airbag body is deployed and inflated. It is in providing a bag apparatus.

  A side airbag device that solves the above problems is stored in a storage form in a storage portion provided on the side of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat, and generates gas in response to an impact applied from the side of the same vehicle seat. An air bag body which is deployed and inflated in the lateral deployment area of the same occupant by the inflation gas supplied from the air conditioner, and at least a part of the inside of the airbag body is the same as the upper inflation chamber It is divided into a lower expansion chamber located on the lower side of the expansion chamber, and the inflation gas from the gas generator is preferentially supplied to the lower expansion chamber than the upper expansion chamber in the air bag body. A side air bag apparatus provided with an inner tube leading to the upper expansion chamber and the lower expansion chamber, the air bag main body having a plurality of constituent parts extending in the vertical direction in the thickness direction of the air bag main body Overlapping A long overlapping portion, the first overlapping portion constituting the lower portion, the upper portion constituting the first overlapping portion, and the gas generator And a second overlapping portion disposed, and in the storage mode, the first overlapping portion includes a plurality of bending portions disposed along the length direction, and among the plurality of bending portions The upstream bending portion and the intermediate bending portion in the flow direction of the expansion gas are disposed on the lower front side of the second overlapping portion, and the downstream bending portion is disposed on the lower rear side of the second overlapping portion A fold line set at the boundary between the upstream bending portion and the middle bending portion is disposed on the upper side of the upper lateral coupling portion extending in the front-rear direction in the lateral partition.

  According to the above configuration, when an impact is applied to the vehicle from the side of the vehicle seat due to a side collision or the like, the gas generator generates expansion gas. The inflation gas flows in the order of the second overlapping portion and the first overlapping portion in the overlapping portion of the air bag main body which adopts the storage mode. In the first overlapping portion, the expansion gas first flows in the bending portion adjacent to the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas with respect to the second overlapping portion. Subsequently, the expansion gas flows through the downstream bent portion in the flow direction.

  The bending portion adjacent to the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas with respect to the second overlapping portion tends to pivot with the boundary portion with the second overlapping portion as a fulcrum. Further, the bending portion not adjacent to the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas with respect to the second overlapping portion tries to pivot around the boundary portion with the bending portion adjacent to the upstream side in the same flow direction as a fulcrum . The plurality of constituent parts in each bending portion tend to unfold and expand with the rotation.

  Here, among the plurality of bent portions in the first overlapping portion, at least the most downstream bent portion in the flow direction of the expansion gas is located on the rear side of the second overlapping portion. Therefore, when the bending portion located on the rear side of the second overlapping portion is adjacent to the second overlapping portion on the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas, a boundary portion with the second overlapping portion And pivot on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion. Further, when the bending portion located on the rear side of the second overlapping portion is not adjacent to the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas with respect to the second overlapping portion, the bending portion adjacent on the upstream side in the same flow direction It tries to turn on the back side and the lower side of the 2nd superposition part by making a boundary part with a part into a fulcrum.

  The plurality of components in the bending portion located on the rear side of the second overlapping portion unfold and expand on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion along with the rotation, and subsequently the second overlapping portion Deploy and expand forward on the front side of the part.

  Therefore, the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion expand and expand only in front of the second overlapping portion without expanding and expanding on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion. In comparison, the force of forward deployment and expansion of the component weakens. As a result, it is suppressed that the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously deployed and expanded forward and pop out more forward than the deployment area.

  Further, in the case where the first overlapping portion is long but has only one bent portion and is rotated with the boundary portion with the second overlapping portion as a fulcrum, the constituent portion in the bent portion is the second overlapping portion There is a risk that the rear side and the lower side of the second overlap portion may expand and expand without expanding and expanding a sufficient amount. On the other hand, in the case where the first overlapping portion has a plurality of bending portions, the plurality of short bending portions rotate as described above, so that the plurality of constituent portions for each bending portion is the second overlapping portion After expanding and expanding a large amount on the rear side and the lower side of the second side, it deploys and expands on the front side of the second overlapping portion. Therefore, even if the overlapping portion is long and the first overlapping portion is long accordingly, the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously expanded and expanded forward and are further forward than the expansion region. It is suppressed from jumping out.

  In the side air bag device, the gas generator includes an elongated inflator extending in the vertical direction, and the inflator has a gas injection portion for injecting an inflation gas at its lower end portion, and the inner The tube preferably extends in the vertical direction, and is in the form of a cylinder whose upper and lower ends are open and surrounds the inflator.

  According to the above configuration, when an impact is applied from the side of the vehicle seat, the gas for inflation is generated from the gas ejection portion of the inflator. The inflation gas is divided into an upward flow and a downward flow by flowing along the inner wall of the inner tube.

  Here, the gas injection part is provided at the lower end of the inflator. Further, the portion of the inflator above the gas injection portion tends to prevent the inflation gas from flowing upward. Therefore, the expansion gas jetted from the gas jetting portion flows downward more than upward, and is preferentially supplied to the lower expansion chamber than the upper rear expansion chamber. When the lower portion of the air bag body is deployed and inflated, it tends to jump forward than the deployment area.

  Therefore, arranging at least the most downstream bent portion in the flow direction of the expansion gas behind the second overlapping portion means that the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously deployed and expanded forward. In particular, it is effective in suppressing the frontward jumping of the deployment area.

  In the side air bag device, it is preferable that a check valve for restricting the flow of the inflation gas from the lower inflation chamber to the upper inflation chamber is further provided in the airbag main body.

  According to the above configuration, the check valve allows the expansion gas to flow from the upper expansion chamber to the lower expansion chamber, but restricts the flow from the lower expansion chamber to the upper expansion chamber. Therefore, the internal pressure of the lower expansion chamber is increased, and the lower portion of the air bag main body is easily expanded and inflated forward.

  However, due to the expansion gas flowing in the order of the second overlapping portion and the first overlapping portion, in the first overlapping portion, the plurality of bending portions rotate as described above, and accordingly, the plurality of bending portions The components of are deployed and inflated.

  Therefore, compared with those in which the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion expand and expand only on the front side of the second overlapping portion without expanding and expanding on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion. The force of forward expansion and expansion of the component weakens. As a result, it is suppressed that the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously deployed and expanded forward and pop out more forward than the deployment area.

  In the side airbag device, the upper expansion chamber is positioned on the front side of the upper rear expansion chamber to which the expansion gas from the gas generator is supplied by the vertical partition having a communicating portion, and on the front side of the upper rear expansion chamber. Preferably, it is divided into an upper front expansion chamber to which expansion gas supplied via the communication portion is supplied.

  According to the above configuration, in the upper expansion chamber of the air bag body, the expansion gas from the gas generator is first supplied to the upper rear expansion chamber. The upper and lower expansion chambers expand and expand in the rear half of the expansion area by the expansion gas. A portion of the expansion gas supplied to the upper and rear expansion chambers is supplied to the upper front expansion chamber through the communication portion of the vertical partition. Due to the inflation gas, the upper front expansion chamber is delayed from the upper back expansion chamber to start expansion and expansion.

  On the other hand, the rotation of the plurality of bending portions in the first overlapping portion described above, and the expansion and expansion of the plurality of constituent portions in each bending portion associated therewith are susceptible to the expansion and expansion of the upper expansion chamber. . The first overlapping portion constituting the lower portion of the overlapping portion constitutes at least a part of the lower expansion chamber by expanding and expanding. This is because the lower expansion chamber is adjacent to the upper expansion chamber via the lateral partition.

  As described above, in the upper expansion chamber, first, expansion and expansion of the upper and rear expansion chambers are started, and later, expansion and expansion of the upper front expansion chamber are started. Therefore, the forward movement of the rotation of the plurality of bending portions in the first overlapping portion and the accompanying expansion and expansion of the plurality of constituent portions for each bending portion is performed in the second half of the expansion region. It is constrained by the upper and lower expansion chamber. Therefore, as compared with the case where the upper expansion chamber is not divided by the vertical partition and is constituted by a single chamber, the plurality of components in the first overlapping portion are vigorously expanded and expanded forward and expanded. Jumping forward beyond the region is further suppressed.

  According to the side airbag device, when the lower portion of the airbag main body expands and inflates, it can be suppressed from jumping forward beyond the expansion area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a figure which shows one Embodiment embodied in the side airbag apparatus for vehicles, and is a side view which shows the vehicle seat provided with the same apparatus with a passenger | crew. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In one Embodiment, the plane sectional view which shows the positional relationship of a vehicle seat, an airbag, a passenger | crew, and a body side part. In one embodiment, a partial plan sectional view showing the internal structure of the side portion on the outside of the vehicle in the seat back in which the air bag module is incorporated. In one embodiment, a side view of an airbag module in which the airbag body is in a non-inflated and deployed state. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing an internal structure of the air bag module of FIG. 4 together with a passenger. The disassembled perspective view shown in the state which each component of the airbag was expand | deployed in one Embodiment. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 4; 9A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9a-9a in FIG. 4, and FIG. 9B is a partial cross-sectional view showing the internal state of the lower portion of the airbag when the lateral partition is tensioned from the state of FIG. (A) is a side view which shows an airbag module with a folding line before an air bag main part is folded in one embodiment, (b) is a 10b-10b line sectional view in Drawing 10 (a). (A) is a side view which shows an airbag module with a folding line in the middle of which an air bag main part is folded in one embodiment, and (b) is an 11b-11b line sectional view in Drawing 11 (a). (A) is a side view which shows the airbag module in the middle of which the airbag main body is folded in one embodiment, (b) is a 12b-12b line sectional view in Drawing 12 (a). In one embodiment, a side view showing an airbag module in the process of folding the airbag body. In one embodiment, a side view showing an airbag module in which the airbag body is folded and stored. FIG. 4 is a partial plan cross-sectional view showing a state in which the airbag main body of FIG. 3 has a part thereof left in a seat back, popping out from a vehicle seat, and being deployed and inflated. (A) is a side view showing the airbag module with the deployment area before the airbag body is deployed and inflated in one embodiment, (b) is a partial side view showing a part of FIG. 16 (a) in an enlarged manner Figure. (A) is a side view showing an airbag module with an airbag body deployed and inflated in one embodiment, and (b) is a partial side view showing a part of FIG. 17 (a) in an enlarged manner Figure. (A) is a side view showing an air bag module in the middle of expansion and expansion of the air bag body in one embodiment, and (b) is a partial side view showing a part of FIG. 18 (a) in an enlarged manner Figure. (A), (b) is a side view which shows the air bag module in the middle of an air bag main part expanding and inflating in one embodiment with an expansion field. (A) is a side view showing the airbag module with the deployment area before the airbag body is deployed and inflated in the modification, and (b) is a partial side view showing an enlarged part of FIG. . FIG. 21 (a) is a side view showing the airbag module with the deployment area before the airbag body is deployed and inflated in a modification, and FIG. 21 (b) is a partial side view showing an enlarged part of FIG. .

Hereinafter, an embodiment embodied in a side airbag device for a vehicle will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the following description, the forward direction of the vehicle will be described as the front, and the reverse direction of the vehicle will be described as the rear. Further, with the central portion in the width direction (vehicle width direction) of the vehicle as a reference, the side closer to the central portion is referred to as “inward side”, and the side away from the central portion is referred to as “exterior side”. In each of the drawings, "inside of vehicle" is described as "inside", and "outside of vehicle" is described as "outside". In addition, it is assumed that an occupant having the same physical constitution as a dummy for a collision test is seated on the vehicle seat. This dummy is, for example, AM50 (a model that covers 50% of US adult males) of the International Uniformity Side Impact Dummy (WorldSID).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a vehicle seat 12 is disposed as a vehicle seat in the vicinity of the inside of the body side portion 11 in a vehicle 10 as a vehicle. Here, the body side portion 11 refers to a vehicle structural member disposed on the side of the vehicle 10, and mainly corresponds to a door, a pillar, and the like. For example, the body side portion 11 corresponding to the front seat is a front door, a center pillar (B-pillar) or the like. The body side portion 11 corresponding to the rear seat is a rear portion of a side door (rear door), a C pillar, a front portion of a tire house, a rear quota, and the like.

  The vehicle seat 12 includes a seat cushion 13 and a seat back 14 which is configured to rise from the rear side of the seat cushion 13 and to be adjustable in inclination angle. The vehicle seat 12 is disposed in the vehicle compartment with the seatback 14 facing forward. The width direction of the vehicle seat 12 disposed in this manner coincides with the vehicle width direction.

Next, the internal structure of the side portion outside the vehicle in the seat back 14 will be described.
Inside the seat back 14, a seat frame that forms the framework is disposed. As shown in FIG. 3, a part of the seat frame is disposed on an outer side portion in the seat back 14, and this portion (hereinafter referred to as “side frame portion 15”) is formed by bending a metal plate or the like. It is formed by A seat pad 16 made of an elastic material such as urethane foam is disposed on the front side of the seat frame including the side frame portion 15. Further, on the rear side of the seat frame, a hard backboard 17 formed of a synthetic resin or the like is disposed. Although the seat pad 16 is covered with a skin, the skin is not shown in FIG. The same applies to FIG. 15 described later.

  A storage portion 18 is provided in the vicinity of the outer side of the side frame portion 15 in the seat pad 16. The storage module 18 incorporates an airbag module ABM which is a main part of the side airbag apparatus.

  A slit 19 extends diagonally forward and outward from the corner of the storage portion 18. A portion between the front corner portion 16c of the seat pad 16 and the slit 19 (a portion surrounded by a dashed-dotted line frame in FIG. 3) constitutes a portion 21 to be fractured by the airbag main body 41 described later. doing.

  The air bag module ABM includes a gas generator 30 and an air bag 40 as main components. Further, the outer shell portion of the air bag 40 is constituted by the air bag body 41. Next, each of these components will be described.

<Gas generator 30>
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gas generator 30 includes an inflator 31 and a retainer 32 that covers the inflator 31. Here, as the inflator 31, a type called a pyro type is employed. The inflator 31 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a gas generating agent (not shown) for generating an inflation gas is accommodated in its inside. The inflator 31 has a gas injection part 31a at its lower end. The gas ejection portion 31 a is formed to have a smaller diameter than other portions of the inflator 31. Further, a harness (not shown) serving as an input wiring of an operation signal to the inflator 31 is connected to an upper end portion of the inflator 31.

  As the inflator 31, a type (hybrid type) is used in which the partition wall of a high-pressure gas cylinder filled with high-pressure gas is broken by a gunpowder or the like instead of the pyrotype using the gas generating agent. It may be done.

  On the other hand, the retainer 32 functions as a diffuser for controlling the direction in which the inflation gas is jetted, and is a member having a function of fastening the inflator 31 to the side frame portion 15 together with the air bag body 41. Most of the retainer 32 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by bending a plate material such as a metal plate.

  A pair of bolts 33 is fixed to the retainer 32 as a locking member for attaching the retainer 32 to the side frame portion 15. The gas generator 30 may be one in which the inflator 31 and the retainer 32 are integrated.

<Airbag body 41>
FIG. 4 shows the air bag module ABM in a state in which the air bag main body 41 is expanded flatly without being filled with an inflation gas (hereinafter referred to as “non-inflated expanded state”). 5 shows the airbag module ABM together with the occupant P, in which the airbag main body 41 of FIG. 4 is cut at the central portion in the vehicle width direction, in order to show the internal structure of the airbag module ABM. Further, FIG. 6 shows each component of the airbag 40 including the airbag body 41 in a developed state.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the air bag body 41 folds one piece of cloth (also called base cloth, panel cloth, etc.) in half along the fold line 42 and overlaps in the vehicle width direction, It is formed by joining the overlapped portions. Here, in order to distinguish the two overlapped portions of the airbag main body 41, the one located on the vehicle inner side is referred to as a main body cloth portion 43, and the one located on the vehicle outer side is referred to as a main body cloth portion 44.

  When the air bag body 41 is deployed and inflated between the vehicle seat 12 and the body side portion 11, the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 cover many portions of the upper body of the occupant P (from the waist PP to the shoulder PS) Of the shape and size that can occupy the area corresponding to This region is referred to as a deployment region Z1 (see FIG. 16A) of the airbag main body 41.

  In the present embodiment, the cloth piece is folded in half so that the fold line 42 is located at the rear end of the airbag body 41, but the fold line 42 is the other end of the airbag body 41, for example, the front end The piece of cloth may be folded in half so as to be positioned at a portion, an upper end portion, a lower end portion or the like. In addition, the airbag main body 41 may be composed of two pieces of cloth divided along the fold line 42. Furthermore, the airbag main body 41 may be composed of three or more pieces of cloth.

  As both main body cloth parts 43 and 44, materials having high strength and flexibility and being easily foldable, such as woven fabrics formed using polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, etc., are suitable. .

  The above-mentioned connection of the two main body cloths 43, 44 is made at the peripheral joint 45 provided at their peripheral edge. In the present embodiment, the peripheral edge coupling portion 45 is formed by sewing (stitching with a sewing thread) a portion of the peripheral edge portions of both main body cloth portions 43 and 44 excluding the rear end portion (portion near the folding line 42) and the like. It is done. As described above, the point at which the connection is sewn is the same for various connection portions described later. The various joints include the upper horizontal joint 54, the lower horizontal joint 55, the front longitudinal joints 63 and 74, the rear upper longitudinal joint 64, the rear lower longitudinal joint 65, the front inclined joint 82, and the rear inclined joint 83, boxed joints 92, 94, and so on.

  Regarding the above-mentioned sewing, in FIGS. 4, 5, 10 (a) and 11 (a), a sewing portion is expressed by three line types. The first type of line is a line in which a thick line of a fixed length is intermittently displayed side by side, and this shows a state in which the thread is viewed from the side (see the peripheral joint 45 in FIG. 4 and the like) . The second line type is a line in which thin lines of a fixed length (longer than a general broken line) are intermittently arranged and expressed, which is, for example, located at the back of a piece of cloth and directly visible. There is no (hidden) state of the sewing thread (see the front longitudinal coupling portion 63 etc. in FIG. 4). The third type of line is a line in which points are arranged at regular intervals and expressed, and this shows a cross section of the thread on the plane passing through the sewing portion (see the peripheral joint 45 etc. in FIG. 5).

In addition, the peripheral edge coupling portion 45 may be formed by means different from the above-mentioned sewing using the suture, for example, adhesion using an adhesive. This point is the same for the various coupling portions.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a slit 46 extending in a direction perpendicular to the folding line 42 is formed at the rear end of the half-folded airbag main body 41 and in the middle in the vertical direction. Upper portions of the two main body cloth portions 43 and 44 above the slit 46 constitute an inner fold portion 47 which is inserted into the other portion of the airbag main body 41 in a state of being folded inward. The upper end portion of the inward folding portion 47 is joined (co-stitched) to another portion of both the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 by a part of the peripheral edge joining portion 45. Moreover, the slit 46 is opened with the formation of the inward folding part 47, and the insertion port 48 of the gas generator 30 is formed.

  A space between the main body cloths 43 and 44 and surrounded by the peripheral joint 45 is a side of the upper part of the occupant P (portion from the waist PP to the shoulder PS) by the inflation gas. By expanding and expanding, the expansion portion 49 is used to restrain the same portion to protect it from impact.

  In the expansion portion 49, a horizontal partition 50, a vertical partition 60, and an inner tube 70 are provided. Among these members, the horizontal partition 50 and the vertical partition 60 have the same configuration as that generally called a tether.

<Horizontal partition 50>
As shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 (a), the horizontal partition 50 is a fold line extending in the vertical direction of one horizontally long piece of cloth made of the same material as the airbag main body 41. It is formed by folding it in half along 51 and overlapping in the vehicle width direction, and bridging the overlapped portion between the lower portions of both main body cloth portions 43 and 44 in the air bag main body 41. The horizontal partition 50 may be formed of two pieces of cloth divided along the fold line 51. In order to distinguish the two overlapped portions of the lateral partition 50, a portion located on the vehicle inner side is called a fabric portion 52, and one located on the vehicle outer side is called a fabric portion 53.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, each of the fabric portions 52, 53 in the half-folded lateral partition 50 has a substantially downwardly extending extension 52a, 53a at its rear portion. The half-folded horizontal partition 50 is disposed between the main body cloths 43 and 44 in a state in which the fold line 51 of the half 50 is aligned with the fold line 42 of the airbag main body 41. Each of the fabric portions 52, 53 of the half-folded lateral partition 50 is provided with an upper lateral joint 54 provided to extend substantially in the front-rear direction along the upper edge thereof among the main fabric portions 43, 44. It is bound to an adjacent one. That is, the cloth portion 52 is coupled to the main body cloth portion 43, and the cloth portion 53 is coupled to the main body cloth portion 44.

  The two fabric portions 52, 53 of the folded half section 50 are connected to each other by a lower lateral joint 55 provided to extend substantially in the front-rear direction along their lower peripheral edge. Further, the front end portions of both the fabric portions 52 and 53 of the half-folded horizontal partition 50 are joined (co-stitched) to lower end portions of the front ends of the main body fabric portions 43 and 44 by a part of the peripheral joint 45.

  A space below the lateral partition 50 in the inflating portion 49 is a lower inflation chamber 101 which is deployed and inflated on the side of the waist PP of the upper body of the occupant P (see FIG. 5). Moreover, the space above the horizontal partition 50 is an upper expansion chamber.

<Vertical partition 60>
As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8, the vertical partition 60 includes a pair of cloth pieces 61 and 62 made of the same material as the airbag main body 41. When the air bag main body 41 is in the non-inflated and deployed state, the two cloth pieces 61 and 62 are overlapped in the vehicle width direction. At this time, the upper portions of the respective pieces of cloth 61 and 62 are inclined so as to be positioned forward in the upper side. The upper end portions of the cloth pieces 61 and 62 are joined (co-stitched) to the upper end portions of the front ends of the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 by a part of the above-described peripheral edge joint 45.

  The lower portions of the respective pieces of cloth 61 and 62 of the vertical partition 60 are superimposed on the two cloths 52 and 53 of the horizontal partition 50. The lower end portions of the cloth pieces 61 and 62 of the vertical partition 60 are joined (co-stitched) to both the cloth portions 52 and 53 of the horizontal partition 50 by the lower horizontal joint 55 described above.

The two cloth pieces 61 and 62 are connected to each other by a front longitudinal coupling portion 63 provided to extend substantially vertically along their front edges.
Each of the cloth pieces 61 and 62 is provided so as to extend substantially in the vertical direction along the rear edge of the main body of the airbag main body 41 by the upper longitudinal joint 64 at a portion not overlapping the horizontal partition 50. The fabric parts 43 and 44 are connected to the adjacent ones (see FIG. 7). That is, the cloth piece 61 is coupled to the main body cloth portion 43, and the cloth piece 62 is coupled to the main body cloth portion 44. Further, at the portion overlapping each of the horizontal partition portions 50, the respective cloth pieces 61 and 62 are provided so as to extend substantially in the vertical direction along the respective rear edge portions, and the same horizontal partition portion 50 is provided by the lower vertical joint portion 65. Only the adjacent ones of the fabric portions 52, 53 of the two (see FIG. 8). That is, the cloth piece 61 is coupled to the cloth portion 52, and the cloth piece 62 is coupled to the cloth portion 53.

  A space on the rear side of the vertical partition 60 in the upper expansion chamber constitutes an upper rear expansion chamber 103. The gas generator 30 is disposed at the rear end in the upper rear expansion chamber 103, but the details will be described later. The upper / rear expansion chamber 103 is supplied with inflation gas from the gas generator 30, and is deployed and inflated on the side of the rear half of the chest PT and the side of the shoulder PS in the upper body of the occupant P ( See Figure 5).

  In the upper expansion chamber, a space on the front side of the vertical partition 60 constitutes an upper front expansion chamber 102. The upper front expansion chamber 102 is supplied with inflation gas via the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the vertical partition 60, and is deployed and expanded laterally of the front half of the chest PT in the upper body of the occupant P (see FIG. 5).

  In the vertical partition 60, a communication portion 66 is formed, which connects the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the upper front expansion chamber 102. In the present embodiment, the communication portion 66 is configured by a hole opened in each of the cloth pieces 61 and 62 (see FIG. 6).

Note that a plurality of communication portions 66 may be provided for each of the cloth pieces 61 and 62. In addition, the communication portion 66 may be provided only on one side of both the cloth pieces 61 and 62.
<Inner tube 70>
The inner tube 70 is disposed at the rear in the non-inflated and deployed air bag body 41 and below the insertion port 48. For forming the inner tube 70, a single piece of cloth made of the same material as that of the air bag body 41 is used. As this piece of cloth, that in which the silicone resin was coated on the surface may be used.

  The inner tube 70 is formed by folding the above-mentioned piece of cloth in half along a folding line 71 set at the central portion thereof, overlapping in the vehicle width direction, and joining the overlapped portions in a tubular shape. ing. The inner tube 70 may be made of two pieces of cloth divided along the folding line 71. In order to distinguish the two overlapped portions of the inner tube 70, a portion located on the vehicle inner side is called a cloth portion 72, and one located on the vehicle outer side is called a cloth portion 73.

  Each of the fabric portions 72, 73 in the double-folded inner tube 70 has, at its lower portion, extension portions 72a, 73a extending substantially downward. Both extension parts 72a and 73a have substantially the same shape as the extension parts 52a and 53a in the above-described horizontal partition 50.

  The inner tube 70 folded in half as described above has the folding lines 71 aligned with the folding lines 42 and 51 between the fabric portions 52 and 53 of the lateral partition 50 and both body cloths of the airbag main body 41 43 and 44 are arranged. The inner tube 70 is connected to the air bag main body 41 and the lateral partition 50 by a connecting portion (not shown) provided along the fold line 71. In addition, the inner tubes 70 folded in half are connected to each other by front longitudinal joints 74 provided to extend in the vertical direction along the front edge.

  Then, most of the gas generator 30 is in a posture extending substantially in the vertical direction, and is accommodated at the rear end portion in the air bag main body 41. The lower half of the gas generator 30 is accommodated in the upper portion of the inner tube 70 and at the rear end. The upper portion of the gas generator 30 passes through the insertion port 48 and is exposed to the outside of the air bag body 41. The bolt 33 of the retainer 32 is inserted through the cloth portion 72 on the inner side of the inner tube 70 and the main body cloth portion 43 on the inner side of the air bag main body 41. The gas generator 30 is locked in a state of being positioned with respect to the airbag main body 41 and the inner tube 70 by such insertion. In this state, the gas ejection portion 31 a at the lower end of the inflator 31 is located at the rear of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and at a position close to the lower expansion chamber 101.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the horizontal partition 50 and the inner tube 70 are provided with an opening 80 and a check valve 81. The opening 80 is for communicating the lower expansion chamber 101 with the upper rear expansion chamber 103. The lower horizontal joint 55 in the horizontal partition 50 is disconnected at the rear of the horizontal partition 50, more specifically, at the boundary with the extension 52a, 53a. In other words, in the portion straddling the folding line 51, the lower horizontal joint portion 55 for joining the cloth portions 52 and 53 is not provided. As described above, the opening 80 is configured by the portion where the lower horizontal coupling portion 55 is not provided, the portion where the coupling is released, and the corresponding portion of the inner tube 70.

  The check valve 81 is a valve that controls the flow of the expansion gas at the opening 80, and allows the flow (inflow) of the expansion gas from the upper rear expansion chamber 103 to the lower expansion chamber 101, but the reverse Regulate the distribution (spill) of

  The front edges of the two extensions 52a and 53a in the half-folded lateral partition 50 and the front edges of the two extensions 72a and 73a in the two-fold inner tube 70 are the front edges thereof. Are connected to one another by means of forward inclined joints 82 provided along the. The upper end portion of the front inclined coupling portion 82 is connected to the rear end portion of the lower horizontal coupling portion 55.

  Further, the rear portions of the both extending portions 52a and 53a in the half-folded horizontal partition 50 and the rear portions of the both extending portions 72a and 73a in the half-folded inner tube 70 are along the rear edges thereof. Are connected to one another by means of inclined connections 83. The front inclined joint 82 and the rear inclined joint 83 are both inclined so as to be lower toward the front.

  Further, the extension portions 52a, 53a, 72a, 73a and the portions on the rear side of the rear inclined coupling portion 83 are joined to the lower end portions of the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 by a part of the peripheral joint portion 45 Joint sewing).

In each of the extension portions 52a, 53a, 72a, 73a, a portion surrounded by the opening 80, the front inclination joint portion 82, and the rear inclination joint portion 83 constitutes the valve body portion 84 of the check valve 81. .
Then, the check valve 81 allows the flow of the inflation gas by separating one of the both inboard and outboard valve body portions 84 from the other. The operation mode of the check valve 81 at this time is called "open valve". Further, the check valve 81 restricts the flow of the expansion gas when the both inboard and outboard valve body portions 84 contact with each other in at least a part of them. The operation mode of the check valve 81 at this time is called "closing valve".

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the air bag body 41 is provided with exhaust holes (also called vent holes) 91, 93 for discharging the inflation gas of the inflation portion 49.
<Exhaust holes 91, 93>
The peripheral bonding portion 45 is formed with a pair of end portions 45 a separated from each other by releasing the connection of the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 at the front end portion of the upper front expansion chamber 102. The air bag main body 41 is provided with a pair of surrounding joint portions 92 which connect the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 in a state of surrounding each terminal portion 45 a. A portion between the two main body cloth portions 43 and 44 and sandwiched by the both-surrounding joint portion 92 does not have a function of coupling the peripheral portions of both the main body cloth portions 43 and 44. At this point, the inside and the outside of the upper front expansion chamber 102 are communicated with each other, and an exhaust hole 91 for discharging the expansion gas in the upper front expansion chamber 102 to the outside is formed.

  The peripheral bonding portion 45 is formed with a pair of end portions 45 b separated from each other by releasing the connection of the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 at the front lower portion of the lower expansion chamber 101. The air bag main body 41 is provided with a pair of surrounding joint portions 94 which connect the main body cloth portions 43 and 44 in a state of surrounding each of the end portions 45 b. A portion between the two main body cloth portions 43 and 44 and sandwiched by the both-enclosed bonding portion 94 causes the inside and the outside of the lower expansion chamber 101 to communicate with each other, and the expansion gas in the lower expansion chamber 101 is made to the outside. The exhaust hole 93 for making it discharge | emit is comprised.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 3, in the airbag module ABM having the gas generator 30 and the airbag 40 as main components, the airbag main body 41 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) in the non-inflated and deployed state is folded. Thus, the compact form as shown in FIG. 14 (hereinafter referred to as the “form for storage”) is provided. This is to make the air bag module ABM suitable for storage with respect to the limited-sized storage portion 18 of the seat back 14.

  This storage mode is obtained by performing the first folding on the airbag body 41 in the non-inflated and deployed state, and then performing the second folding and the third folding. Next, each fold will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14. When specifying the fold direction, it is assumed that the airbag 40 is attached to the vehicle seat 12. Words such as "before", "after", "above", "below", "in" and "out" are used. Further, in FIGS. 10A, 11A, 12A, 13 and 14, the airbag module ABM is illustrated in a state in which the folding line 42 is in the posture extending in the vertical direction. There is.

<First fold>
The first folding is a folding mode in which the air bag body 41 in the non-inflated and deployed state is folded from the front toward the rear. The first fold is a bellows fold performed for the bag rear portion 41r which is a portion near the portion surrounding the gas generator 30 in the airbag main body 41, and a bag front portion adjacent to the front side of the bag rear portion 41r. It consists of roll folding performed for 41f. The bag rear portion 41r includes a portion (rear portion) of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and a portion (rear portion) of the lower expansion chamber 101, and a portion (upper portion) of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 in the bag front portion 41f. And a large portion of the upper front expansion chamber 102 and a portion of the lower expansion chamber 101.

  At the time of bellows folding, as shown in FIG. 10A, a plurality of fold lines 105 are set parallel to the fold line 42 with respect to the bag rear portion 41r. The distance between the adjacent fold lines 105 is the width of the fold in the accordion fold. Then, as shown in FIG. 10B, a part (rear part) of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and a part (rear part) of the lower expansion chamber 101 are folded along the folding lines 105 in a bellows shape. In other words, the bag rear portion 41r is folded from the front toward the rear while alternately changing the folding direction by a constant width (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 10B).

  At the time of roll folding, a plurality of fold lines 106 are set parallel to the fold line 42 with respect to the bag front portion 41 f as shown in FIG. The bag front portion 41f is sequentially spirally folded along the fold line 106 from the front toward the rear (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 11B). In other words, the bag front 41f is repeatedly folded in the same direction.

  The portion between the folding lines 105 adjacent to each other in the bag rear portion 41r and the portion between the folding lines 106 adjacent to each other in the bag front portion 41f are portions that are to become the components 108 of the overlapping portion 107 described later.

  As a result, as shown in FIGS. 12 (a) and 12 (b), the bag rear portion 41r folded by the accordion fold is disposed in front of the gas generator 30, and the bag front portion 41f folded by the roll fold is a bag. It is disposed on the front side of the rear portion 41r.

  In addition, the implementation order of the said bellows fold and roll folding is not specifically limited, For example, you may implement simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. Then, the airbag main body 41 which has passed the first folding (bellows folding, roll folding), as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, has an intermediate form which is small in size in the front-rear direction and elongated in the vertical direction. Become.

  The intermediate-type airbag body 41 includes a long overlapping portion 107. The overlapping unit 107 includes a plurality of components 108 extending in the vertical direction. The plurality of components 108 are overlapped in their thickness direction.

  Further, the overlapping portion 107 is a first overlapping portion 107a constituting the lower portion thereof, and a second overlapping portion 107b constituting an upper portion than the first overlapping portion 107a and in which the gas generator 30 is disposed. And have. The first overlapping portion 107a constitutes many parts of the lower expansion chamber 101 when expanded and inflated. The second overlapping portion 107b constitutes many parts of the upper expansion chamber when deployed and expanded.

<Second fold>
The second folding is a folding mode in which the first overlapping portion 107 a is folded in the overlapping portion 107. More specifically, at the boundary between the first overlapping portion 107a and the second overlapping portion 107b, the elongated overlapping portion 107 is in the direction (vehicle width direction) orthogonal to the folding line 42. An extending fold line 111 is set.

  As indicated by an arrow in FIG. 12A, the first overlapping portion 107a is folded back and upward with the folding line 111 as a fulcrum. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, a folding line 112 is a first overlapping portion 107a that is folded back and extends in a direction (vehicle width direction) orthogonal to the folding line 42 at two places separated from each other in the vertical direction. , 113 are set. The first overlapping portion 107a is folded forward and downward with the fold line 112 as a fulcrum, and is folded back and upward with the fold line 113 as a fulcrum. By these folding, as shown in FIG. 14, a plurality of bending portions are formed in the first overlapping portion 107 a along the length direction.

  In the first overlapping portion 107a, the expansion gas first flows in the bending portion adjacent to the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas with respect to the second overlapping portion 107b. Thereafter, the expansion gas flows sequentially through the remaining two bends on the downstream side in the flow direction. In order to distinguish these bends, the one located most upstream in the flow direction is called the upstream bend 114, the one located most downstream is called the downstream bend 116, and the upstream bend 114 and the downstream bend A portion located between 116 is referred to as an intermediate bending portion 115.

  Among the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116, the upstream bending portion 114 is disposed adjacent to the lower front of the second overlapping portion 107b, and the intermediate bending portion 115 is disposed adjacent to the upstream bending portion 114, The downstream bending portion 116 is disposed adjacent to the rear side of the lower portion of the second overlapping portion 107b.

By the folding at the two places, the dimension in the vertical direction of the first overlapping portion 107a is reduced.
<Third fold>
The third folding is a folding mode in which the upper portion of the second overlapping portion 107b is folded forward or backward. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, a fold line 117 extending in a direction (vehicle width direction) orthogonal to the fold line 42 is set at a portion above the gas generator 30 of at least the second stack portion 107 b. Be done. Then, a portion above the folding line 117 of the second overlapping portion 107b is folded back and downward with the folding line 117 as a fulcrum as shown by an arrow in FIG.

  In the first folding stage (intermediate form), the overlapping portion 107 in the vertical direction is formed in many parts of the airbag main body 41, but the second folding and the third folding are performed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, the air bag body 41 is small in size both in the front-rear direction and in the vertical direction, and has a storage configuration suitable for storage even for the narrow storage portion 18.

The third folding may be performed substantially simultaneously with the second folding, may be performed before the second folding, or may be performed after the second folding.
Thereafter, the air bag main body 41 in the storage mode is held in the storage mode by a holding means such as a binding tape (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the air bag module ABM in which the air bag main body 41 is configured to be stored is stored in the storage portion 18. A bolt 33 which extends from the gas generator 30 and is inserted through the inner fabric portion 72 of the inner tube 70 and the main body fabric portion 43 inside the air bag body 41 into the side frame portion 15 from the outer side of the vehicle The nuts 35 are respectively tightened to the bolts 33 from the inside of the vehicle. By these tightenings, the gas generator 30 is fixed to the side frame portion 15 together with the rear end portion of the air bag body 41 and the inner tube 70.

The gas generator 30 may be fixed to the side frame portion 15 by a member different from the bolt 33 and the nut 35 described above.
As shown in FIG. 1, the side airbag device includes an impact sensor 121 and a control device 122 in addition to the above-described airbag module ABM. The impact sensor 121 is an acceleration sensor or the like, and is provided in the body side portion 11 (see FIG. 2) or the like of the vehicle 10 to detect an impact applied to the body side portion 11 from the side. The controller 122 controls the operation of the gas generator 30 based on the detection signal from the impact sensor 121.

  Further, the vehicle 10 is provided with a seat belt device for restraining the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 12 on the vehicle seat 12, but the illustration of the seat belt device is shown in FIG. It is omitted.

Next, the operation of the side airbag device of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when it is not detected by the impact sensor 121 that an impact is applied laterally to the body side portion 11, the control device 122 causes the gas generator 30 to operate. The actuation signal is not output and the expansion gas is not ejected. As shown in FIG. 3, the airbag main body 41 continues to be stored in the storage portion 18 in the storage mode.

  On the other hand, when the vehicle 10 is traveling or the like, an impact equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied to the body side portion 11 due to a side collision or the like, and this is detected by the impact sensor 121. An activation signal for operating the generator 30 is output. The inflation gas is ejected from the gas ejection portion 31 a of the inflator 31 in response to the actuation signal. The expelled inflation gas is distributed by the inner tube 70 between upward and downward.

  Here, the gas ejection portion 31 a is provided at the lower end portion of the inflator 31. Further, the portion of the inflator 31 above the gas ejection portion 31a is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the gas ejection portion 31a, and prevents the inflation gas from flowing upward. Therefore, the expansion gas jetted from the gas jet unit 31a flows downward more than upward. The inflation gas distributed upward is supplied to the upper rear expansion chamber 103 from the upper end of the inner tube 70. The internal pressure of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 is increased by the expansion gas, and the upper rear expansion chamber 103 starts expansion.

  In addition, the inflation gas distributed downward is supplied to the check valve 81. During a period in which the expansion gas is supplied to the check valve 81, a force is generated in the inboard and outboard both valve body portions 84 in an attempt to make it cylindrical. The check valve 81 is opened by this force. Therefore, the inflation gas flows between the valve bodies 84 on the vehicle inner side and the vehicle outer side and flows into the lower expansion chamber 101. The internal pressure of the lower expansion chamber 101 is increased by the expansion gas, and the lower expansion chamber 101 starts expansion.

  As the supply of the expansion gas from the gas generator 30 continues, the internal pressures of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the lower expansion chamber 101 rise. However, since the lower expansion chamber 101 is supplied with a larger amount of expansion gas than the upper rear expansion chamber 103, the inner pressure of the lower expansion chamber 101 becomes higher than the inner pressure of the upper rear expansion chamber 103. As the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the lower expansion chamber 101 expand, the vertical partition 60 and the horizontal partition 50 are pulled to both sides in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 9B).

  In the upper expansion chamber, as the expansion of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 proceeds, part of the expansion gas in the upper rear expansion chamber 103 flows out to the upper front expansion chamber 102 through the communication portion 66, and is delayed to the upper rear expansion chamber 103. The upper front expansion chamber 102 starts expansion.

  The respective expansions of the lower expansion chamber 101, the upper rear expansion chamber 103, and the upper front expansion chamber 102 are performed with the release of the folded state in the reverse order of the folding order. Thus, the seat pad 16 of the seat back 14 is pressed by the airbag main body 41 that expands and inflates, and the seat pad 16 is broken at the portion 21 to be broken (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 15, the airbag main body 41 jumps forward from the seat back 14 through the broken portion in a state where a part of the air bag main body 41 is left in the storage portion 18.

  The air bag main body 41 to which the inflation gas is supplied also after that is, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIGS. 1 and 2, the body side portion 11 and the upper body of the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 12. Expand between the front while eliminating the folded state.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the lower inflation chamber 101 with the highest internal pressure is deployed and inflated on the side of the waist PP, which is the portion of the upper part of the occupant P with the highest impact resistance. The upper-and-lower expansion chamber 103, which has a higher internal pressure next to the lower expansion chamber 101, deploys and expands on the side of the shoulder PS with higher impact resistance than the front half of the chest PT and the side of the rear half of the chest PT. . The upper front expansion chamber 102 whose internal pressure is lower than the upper rear expansion chamber 103 is deployed and expanded on the side of the anterior half of the chest PT whose impact resistance is lower than that of the shoulder PS and the posterior half of the chest PT.

  The upper body (the waist PP, the shoulder PS, and the chest PT) of the occupant P is pressed by the lower expansion chamber 101, the upper rear expansion chamber 103, and the upper front expansion chamber 102, which are expanded with the pressure distribution conforming to the impact resistance. Restrained. As a result, the impact from the side transmitted through the body side portion 11 is mitigated by the lower expansion chamber 101, the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the upper front expansion chamber 102, thereby protecting the waist PP, the shoulder PS and the chest PT. .

  Further, in the case where the upper expansion chamber is constituted by a single chamber, the upper expansion chamber is rapidly deployed and expanded forward at a stretch. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the upper expansion chamber is expanded and expanded forward in two steps in the order of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the upper front expansion chamber 102. Therefore, even if there is an obstacle in front of the air bag body 41, the phenomenon in which the obstacle is strongly pressed as the air bag body 41 is deployed is suppressed.

  When the injection of the inflation gas from the inflator 31 stops and the inflation gas in the lower inflation chamber 101 tries to flow to the upper rear expansion chamber 103 side, both the valve body on the vehicle inside and the vehicle outside in the check valve 81 The portions 84 are pressed by the high pressure in the lower expansion chamber 101 and contact each other. The check valve 81 is closed, and the expansion gas in the lower expansion chamber 101 flows (backflows) into the upper rear expansion chamber 103 through the space between the valve members 84 on the vehicle inner side and the vehicle outer side. It is regulated. Therefore, it is suppressed that the internal pressure of the lower expansion chamber 101 raised to an internal pressure (internal pressure higher than the upper rear expansion chamber 103) suitable for protecting the lower back portion PP of the occupant P decreases due to backflow.

  The surplus expansion gas in the lower expansion chamber 101 is exhausted to the outside through the exhaust hole 93. Further, the excess expansion gas in the upper front expansion chamber 102 is exhausted to the outside through the exhaust hole 91. Due to these discharges, when the occupant P is restrained by the air bag main body 41, the internal pressures of the lower expansion chamber 101 and the upper expansion chamber respectively decrease, and the upper body of the occupant P is pressed with an appropriate pressing force.

  The restraint and protection of the occupant P by the air bag body 41 and the basic pressure suppression of the obstacle are performed as described above. In the present embodiment, since the folding mode of the air bag body 41 is further devised, the characteristic folding can be eliminated. Along with that, various actions described below, including suppression of pressing on obstacles, are performed.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 (a) and 16 (b), the inflation gas jetted from the gas jetting unit 31a of the inflator 31 is secondly generated by the superposition unit 107 of the air bag main body 41 adopting the storage form. It flows in order of the superposition part 107b and the 1st superposition part 107a. In the first overlapping portion 107a, the expansion gas flows first in the upstream bending portion 114 adjacent to the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas with respect to the second overlapping portion 107b. Subsequently, the expansion gas flows through the intermediate bending portion 115 adjacent to the upstream bending portion 114 on the downstream side in the flow direction. Then, the expansion gas flows in the downstream bending portion 116 downstream of the intermediate bending portion 115.

  In the present embodiment, among the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 in the first overlapping portion 107a, two bending portions (upstream bending portion 114 and middle bending portion 115) are located on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b. Among these two bent portions, the upstream bent portion 114 adjacent to the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas with respect to the second overlapping portion 107b is a boundary portion (folding line 111) with the second overlapping portion 107b. Is pivoted forward and downward on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b. Further, the intermediate bending portion 115 adjacent to the upstream bending portion 114 on the downstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas has a boundary portion (folding line 112) with the upstream bending portion 114 as a fulcrum in the second overlapping portion 107b. It tries to turn to the front upper side at the front side. The plurality of component parts 108 in each of the upstream bending part 114 and the middle bending part 115 tend to be deployed and expanded forward on the front side of the second overlapping part 107 b with the rotation.

  However, among the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 in the first overlapping portion 107a, the downstream bending portion 116 located behind the second overlapping portion 107b is located on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b. It is located downstream of the upstream bending portion 114 and the middle bending portion 115 in the flow direction of the expansion gas. The expansion gas reaches the downstream bend 116 after passing through the upstream bend 114 and the middle bend 115. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, the downstream bending portion 116 is an upstream bending portion 114 which is a bending portion on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b until the expansion gas reaches. And prevent the intermediate bending portion 115 from pivoting forward.

  Therefore, the bending portion (upstream bending portion 114) located on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b among the plurality of components 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a without blocking the rotation of the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116. Compared with the case where the plurality of components 108 in the middle bending portion 115 expand and expand forward, the momentum of the forward expansion and expansion of the component 108 is weakened.

  Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the momentum of the forward and downward turning of the upstream bending portion 114 is weakened, and the momentum of the forward and upward turning of the middle bending portion 115 is Be weakened. Further, the momentum of the expansion and the expansion of the plurality of components 108 performed on the premise of the rotation of the bending portion (upstream bending portion 114, middle bending portion 115) is also weakened.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 18 (a) and 18 (b), when the upstream bending portion 114 and the middle bending portion 115 rotate, and the expansion gas reaches the downstream bending portion 116, the downstream bending portion 116 Is pivoted on the rear side or the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107b with the boundary portion (folding line 113) with the intermediate bending portion 115 as a fulcrum.

  As shown in FIGS. 19 (a) and 19 (b), with the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 whose rotations have advanced as described above, the plurality of constituent portions 108 are rotated as the respective bending portions 114 to 116 rotate. , And expand and expand on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107b, and then expand and expand on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b.

  However, as described above, the momentum of forward deployment and inflation of the plurality of components 108 is reduced. Therefore, the plurality of components 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a are expanded forward only in front of the second overlapping portion 107b without expanding and expanding behind or under the second overlapping portion 107b. The force of forward deployment and inflation of the component 108 is weaker than that of the inflatable one.

  Also, in the case where the first overlapping portion 107a is long but has only one bending portion and is rotated with the boundary portion with the second overlapping portion 107b as a fulcrum (Patent Document 1), the bending portion 114- There is a possibility that the component 108 of the component 116 may be deployed and expanded to the front side of the second stacked unit 107 b without being sufficiently deployed and expanded to the rear side and the lower side of the second stacked unit 107 b.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment in which the first overlapping portion 107a includes the plurality of bent portions 114 to 116, the plurality of short bent portions 114 to 116 rotate as described above. After the plurality of components 108 for each of the bent portions 114 to 116 expand and expand by a large amount on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107 b, the front side of the second overlapping portion 107 b expands toward the front And expand.

  By the way, the rotation of the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 in the first overlapping portion 107a and the accompanying expansion and expansion of the plurality of constituent portions 108 for each of the bending portions 114 to 116 are the expansion and expansion of the upper expansion chamber. Affected by The first overlapping portion 107a constituting the lower part of the overlapping portion 107 constitutes most of the lower expansion chamber 101 by expanding and expanding. This is because the lower expansion chamber 101 is adjacent to the upper expansion chamber via the lateral partition 50.

  As described above, in the upper expansion chamber, the expansion and expansion of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 is first started. The upper rear expansion chamber 103 expands and expands in the second half of the expansion area Z1. Then, the expansion and expansion of the upper front expansion chamber 102 are started later than the start of the expansion and expansion of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 (FIG. 19 (b)). Therefore, the forward movement of the rotation of the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 in the first overlapping portion 107 a and the accompanying expansion and expansion of the plurality of constituent portions 108 for each of the bending portions 114 to 116 is: It is constrained by the upper and lower expansion chamber 103 which is deployed and expanded (Fig. 19 (a)).

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The air bag main body 41 constituting the outer shell portion of the air bag 40 includes the long overlapping portion 107 in which a plurality of constituent portions 108 extending in the vertical direction are overlapped in their thickness direction. The overlapping portion 107 includes a first overlapping portion 107a constituting a lower portion thereof, and a second overlapping portion 107b constituting an upper portion than the first overlapping portion 107a and in which the gas generator 30 is disposed. (FIGS. 12A and 12B). When the air bag body 41 adopts the storage mode, the first overlapping portion 107a includes a plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 along the length direction. The downstream bending portion 116 most downstream in the flow direction of the expansion gas is disposed on the rear side of the second overlapping portion 107 b (FIG. 14).

  Therefore, even if the overlapping portion 107 of the airbag body 41 is long and the first overlapping portion 107a is long accordingly, the plurality of components 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a vigorously forward It is possible to suppress expansion and expansion and jumping ahead of the expanded area Z1.

  (2) In the storage mode, the upstream bending portion 114 which is a bending portion different from the downstream bending portion 116 most downstream in the flow direction of the expansion gas among the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 in the first overlapping portion 107a The middle bending portion 115 is disposed on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b (FIG. 14).

  Therefore, the downstream bending portion 116 can weaken the momentum of the forward and downward turning of the upstream bending portion 114 and can weaken the momentum of the middle and bending portion 115 forward and upward. In addition, it is possible to weaken the momentum of the expansion and the expansion of the plurality of components 108 performed on the assumption that the upstream bending portion 114 and the middle bending portion 115 rotate.

  As a result, among the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 in the first overlapping portion 107a, the upstream bending portion 114 located on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b and the plurality of constituent portions 108 in the intermediate bending portion 115 vigorously forward It is possible to suppress expansion and expansion into the forward direction beyond the expansion area Z1.

  (3) The gas generator 30 includes a long inflator 31 extending in the vertical direction. The inflator 31 has, at its lower end, a gas injection part 31a for injecting expansion gas. The inner tube 70 extends in the vertical direction, and has a cylindrical shape with open upper and lower ends, and surrounds the gas generator 30 (FIG. 3, FIG. 4).

  Therefore, the expansion gas jetted from the gas jet portion 31 a flows downward more in the inner tube 70 than the upper side, and is supplied preferentially to the lower expansion chamber 101 than the upper rear expansion chamber 103. When the lower portion of the airbag main body 41 is deployed and inflated, the phenomenon of popping out more forward than the deployment area Z1 tends to occur.

  Therefore, to arrange the downstream bending portion 116 most downstream in the flow direction of the expansion gas on the rear side of the second overlapping portion 107b, the plurality of constituent portions 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a vigorously forward It is particularly effective in suppressing deployment and expansion and jumping out beyond the deployment area Z1.

(4) In the air bag main body 41, a check valve 81 is provided which restricts the flow of the inflation gas from the lower inflation chamber 101 to the upper inflation chamber (upper rear inflation chamber 103) (FIG. 5).
Therefore, the internal pressure of the lower inflation chamber 101 corresponding to the first overlapping portion 107a becomes high, and when the lower portion of the airbag main body 41 expands and inflates, the phenomenon of popping out more forward than the expansion area Z1 easily occurs.

  However, in the first overlapping portion 107a, the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 rotate as described above by the expansion gas flowing in the order of the second overlapping portion 107b and the first overlapping portion 107a, and accordingly, , And the plurality of components 108 for each of the bending portions 114 to 116 expand and expand.

  Therefore, the plurality of components 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a expand and expand only on the front side of the second overlapping portion 107b without expanding and expanding on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107b. The force of forward deployment and inflation of the component 108 can be reduced compared to the one. As a result, it can be effectively suppressed that the plurality of component parts 108 in the first overlapping part 107a are vigorously expanded and expanded forward and jump out more forward than the expanded area Z1.

  (5) The upper expansion chamber is located on the front side of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the upper rear expansion chamber 103 to which the expansion gas from the gas generator 30 is supplied by the vertical partition 60 having the communication portion 66, And, it is divided into the upper front expansion chamber 102 to which the gas for expansion via the communication part 66 is supplied (FIG. 5).

  Therefore, the forward movement of the rotation of the plurality of bending portions 114 to 116 in the first overlapping portion 107a and the accompanying expansion and expansion of the plurality of constituent portions 108 in each of the bending portions 114 to 116 It can be restricted by the upper and lower expansion chamber 103 which is expanded and expanded in the second half of the expanded area Z1.

  Therefore, as compared with the case where the upper expansion chamber is not divided by the vertical partition 60 and is configured by a single chamber, the plurality of components 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a vigorously deploy and expand forward. As a result, it is possible to further suppress the forward jumping of the deployment area Z1.

In addition, the said embodiment can also be implemented as a modification which changed this as follows.
<Regarding Storage Unit 18 of Airbag Module ABM>
The storage portion 18 may be provided in the body side portion 11 instead of the seat back 14 of the vehicle seat 12, and the airbag module ABM may be incorporated therein.

<About the expanded portion 49>
The air bag main body 41 may be formed by the expansion portion 49 substantially in its entirety as in the above embodiment, but the expansion gas is not supplied and the air bag main body 41 has a non-inflatable portion which does not expand. It may be one.

<About vertical partition 60>
The vertical partition 60 may have a shape different from that of the above embodiment. In this case, it is desirable that the shape of the vertical partition 60 be changed in accordance with the portion of the upper body of the occupant P that is desired to be restrained and protected by the upper rear expansion chamber 103. For example, the upper portions of the pieces 61 and 62 of the vertical partition 60 may not be inclined, and may be changed in a shape extending substantially in the vertical direction.

  The vertical partition 60 may be omitted. In this case, the upper expansion chamber is not divided but is constituted by a single chamber. Even in this case, since the expansion gas is preferentially supplied to the lower expansion chamber 101 rather than the upper expansion chamber, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained.

<About the first overlapping unit 107a>
-The 1st superposition part 107a may be constituted by many bent parts rather than the above-mentioned embodiment. The added bending portion may be disposed on the front side or the rear side of the second overlapping portion 107b. However, the most downstream bent portion in the flow direction of the expansion gas is disposed on the rear side of the second overlapping portion 107 b.

  As shown in FIGS. 20 (a) and (b) and FIGS. 21 (a) and (b), the first overlapping portion 107a is constituted by two bending portions such as an upstream bending portion 118 and a downstream bending portion 119, Both may be disposed behind the second overlapping portion 107b.

  In the modification shown in FIGS. 20 (a) and 20 (b), the upstream bending portion 118 positioned on the upstream side in the flow direction of the expansion gas in the first overlapping portion 107a is the downstream bending portion 119 positioned on the downstream side 2 and the overlapping unit 107 b.

  In this case, the upstream bending portion 118 pivots rearward and downward on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107b with the boundary portion with the second overlapping portion 107b as a fulcrum. The downstream bending portion 119 tries to pivot rearward and upward on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107 b with the boundary portion with the upstream bending portion 118 as a fulcrum. The plurality of components 108 in each of the upstream bending portion 118 and the downstream bending portion 119 unfold and expand on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107 b along with the rotation, and the second overlapping is subsequently performed. Deploy and expand forward on the front side of the part 107b.

In the modification of FIGS. 21A and 21B, the downstream bending portion 119 of the first overlapping portion 107a is disposed between the upstream bending portion 118 and the second overlapping portion 107b.
In this case, the upstream bending portion 118 pivots rearward and downward on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107 b with the boundary portion with the second overlapping portion 107 b as a fulcrum. The downstream bending portion 119 pivots forward and upward on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107 b with the boundary portion with the upstream bending portion 118 as a fulcrum. The plurality of components 108 in the upstream bending portion 118 and the downstream bending portion 119 unfold and expand on the rear side and the lower side of the second overlapping portion 107 b as the rotation is performed, and subsequently, the second overlapping portion 107 b Deploy and expand forward on the front side of the

  Therefore, in any of the above-described modifications, the plurality of components 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a do not expand and expand behind or below the second overlapping portion 107b. The momentum of the forward deployment and inflation of the component 108 is weaker than that of the deployment and inflation only on the front side. As a result, in these modifications as well, similarly to the above embodiment, the plurality of components 108 in the first overlapping portion 107a is restrained from rapidly expanding and expanding forward and jumping out more forward than the expansion area Z1. can do.

  Note that the first overlapping portion 107a may be configured by more bending portions than each of the above-described modifications. However, the bent portion to be added is disposed on the rear side of the second overlapping portion 107b, similarly to the other bent portions.

<Others>
In the embodiment described above, the vertical partition 60 may be provided with a pressure regulating valve that adjusts the internal pressure of the upper rear expansion chamber 103 and the upper front expansion chamber 102 by adjusting the degree of opening of the communication portion 66.

  -In the vehicle in which the vehicle seat 12 is disposed in a direction in which the seatback 14 faces in a direction different from the front of the vehicle, for example, the side, the side airbag device is a side of the vehicle seat 12 (front and rear of the vehicle The present invention can also be applied to a side airbag device of a type that protects the occupant P from the impact when the vehicle receives an impact from the direction.

The vehicles to which the side airbag device is applied include various industrial vehicles as well as private vehicles.
The side airbag device is also applicable to a vehicle other than a vehicle, for example, an aircraft, a ship, etc., which protects an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat from impact.

  12: Vehicle seat (vehicle seat), 18: storage portion, 30: gas generator, 31: inflator, 31a: gas ejection portion, 41: airbag main body, 50: horizontal partition, 60: vertical partition, 66: communicating portion, 70: inner tube, 81: check valve, 101: lower expansion chamber, 102: upper front expansion chamber, 103: upper rear expansion chamber, 107: overlapping portion, 107a: first overlapping portion, 107b: second overlapping portion, 108: component portion, 114, 118: upstream bending portion, 115: intermediate bending portion, 116, 119: downstream bending portion, P: occupant, Z1: deployment region.

Claims (4)

The expansion gas supplied from the gas generator in response to an impact applied from the side of the passenger seat is stored in a storage form in a housing provided on the side of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat. An air bag body which is deployed and inflated in a lateral deployment area of the occupant;
At least a part of the inside of the air bag body is divided by the lateral division into an upper expansion chamber and a lower expansion chamber located on the lower side of the upper expansion chamber,
In the air bag main body, an inner for introducing the inflation gas from the gas generator to the upper expansion chamber and the lower expansion chamber so as to be preferentially supplied to the lower expansion chamber rather than the upper expansion chamber. A side airbag device provided with a tube, wherein
The air bag body includes a long overlapping portion in which a plurality of components extending in the vertical direction are overlapped in their thickness direction,
The superposition unit includes a first superposition unit constituting the lower part thereof, and a second superposition unit constituting an upper part of the first superposition unit and in which the gas generator is disposed.
In the storage mode, the first overlapping portion includes a plurality of bending portions disposed along the length direction, and an upstream bending portion in the flow direction of the expansion gas among the plurality of bending portions, and An intermediate bending portion is disposed on the lower front side of the second overlapping portion, and a downstream bending portion is disposed on the lower rear side of the second overlapping portion, and the upstream bending portion and the intermediate bending portion A side airbag device, wherein a fold line set in a boundary portion is disposed above an upper lateral coupling portion extending in the front-rear direction in the lateral partition. The gas generator comprises an elongated inflator extending vertically.
The inflator has, at its lower end, a gas injection part for injecting an inflation gas,
The side air bag device according to claim 1, wherein the inner tube extends in the vertical direction, and has a cylindrical shape in which both upper and lower ends are open and surrounds the inflator.   The side airbag device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a check valve that regulates the flow of the inflation gas from the lower inflation chamber to the upper inflation chamber in the airbag body.   The upper expansion chamber is located on the front side of the upper rear expansion chamber to which the expansion gas from the gas generator is supplied by a vertical partition having a communication portion, and the communication portion The side air bag device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the side air bag device is divided into an upper front expansion chamber to which supplied inflation gas is supplied.