JPH09226496A - Air bag module for front passenger seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag module, which is molded easily and is provided with an excellent assembling property, by combining simple structure casings together by which a damping function basically provided for an instrument panel and air bag cover is sufficiently drawn out and a shock from an occupant can be absorbed effectively. SOLUTION: An air bag module 1 is provided with a case upper 2 storing an air bag which is inflated in case of a collision so as to protect an occupant, a case lower 4 storing an inflator 5 inflating the air bag, and a cover fixed in a fixing part 2K in a side wall of the case upper 2. The side wall of the case upper 2 is divided into a plurality of pieces, and the end parts of the divided side wall are fastened to one another 10, 11, so that a weak shock working on the air bag module 1 can be damped.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air bag module suitable for being stored in an instrument panel such as a passenger seat and used for protecting an occupant in an automobile or the like. The airbag module can be used not only for the passenger seat, but also for an airbag device arranged in a door, a rear seat, or the like, or an airbag device for a driver's seat.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a passenger airbag device that is housed and used in an instrument panel of this type, when the vehicle suddenly decelerates at a predetermined value or more, the airbag in the airbag module is activated by the operation of an acceleration sensor. Will deploy to the occupant side to protect the occupant, but the occupant may collide with the instrument panel due to deceleration to the extent that the acceleration sensor does not operate. There is a safety standard for occupant protection against such a slight impact, and it is defined to have a predetermined cushioning function. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-127322. In addition, various improvements have been made for that purpose, such as forming the side surface of a metal airbag case so as to be easily deformed and absorbing a shock. For example, FIG.
In the passenger airbag apparatus as in (A), in which the case upper for storing the inflator and the case upper 32 for storing the airbag are separately formed,
A large number of holes 3 are formed in the case upper 32 as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-127324 shown in FIG. 6B.
There has also been proposed a device which facilitates deformation by forming 3 to relax and absorb impact.

Further, the actual Kaihei 5-94027 shown in FIG.
The one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. JP-A-2003-163242 is one in which an air bag device in which the upper openings of air bag accommodating bodies 62, 64 accommodating an air bag 74 and an inflator 65 are closed by a cover 73 is attached to a vehicle body beam by a bracket 76 or the like. In the second embodiment, a rear vertical wall of the airbag container 62 is formed with a wavy portion 72 in which the ridges of the peaks and valleys are oriented in the horizontal direction, and the wavy portion 72 absorbs an impact from an occupant.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional example as shown in FIG. 6, the case upper 32 is formed by bending one metal plate into a quadrangular shape, and the case upper 32 is The case upper 32 as a whole has high strength with respect to the impact direction and is not easily deformed, and a bellows-like body for impact absorption, which will be described later, is formed on the side wall of a single metal plate,
It was extremely difficult to form the case upper by bending it into a square shape. Further, in the one shown in FIG. 7, the air bag housing 62 is formed in an integral cylindrical quadrangle as in the above-described example, and a wavy portion should be formed in a part thereof. Involved a very difficult task. Moreover, in such a conventional case upper, it is necessary to form a square box shape for accommodating the air bag, and after bending one metal plate into a square shape, the butting portion is spot-welded or the like. It was welded to form a rigid structure. Therefore, even if the instrument panel or airbag cover cushions the occupant against minor impacts, the rigidity of the metal case upper to which these instrument panel and airbag cover are fixed does not increase. If it was too high to be deformed, it was not possible to exert a sufficient occupant protection function.

Therefore, the present invention solves various problems in the above-mentioned conventional airbag module for a passenger seat, is easy to mold and is excellent in assemblability, and has a sufficient cushioning function originally possessed by the instrument panel and the airbag cover. (EN) Provided is an airbag module for a passenger seat, which is combined with a casing having a simple structure that can be pulled out to effectively absorb an impact from an occupant.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided a case upper for accommodating an airbag for expanding and protecting an occupant in a collision, a case lower for accommodating an inflator for expanding the airbag, and the case. In a passenger-side airbag module having a cover fixed to a fixed portion of a side wall of an upper, by dividing the side wall of the case upper into a plurality of parts and tightening end portions of the divided side walls, It is characterized in that it is configured so as to buffer a light impact acting on the airbag module. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the end portions of the divided side walls are tightened by supporting at one point. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the cover is made of a thermoplastic elastomer material, and the leg portions of the cover are fixed to a fixing portion of a side wall of the case upper by a caulking portion. In the present invention, the case upper has two flat side walls closest to the occupant and other side walls.
It is characterized by being divided. Further, the present invention is characterized in that, among the divided side walls, a buckling structure for impact absorption is formed on at least a flat side wall closest to an occupant. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the end portions between the divided side walls have a predetermined play and are tightened by a single point support, and these are means for solving the problem. is there.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an airbag module metal fitting, and FIG. 2 corresponds to a cross section taken along the line AA of FIG. It shows a state in which a bag, a cover and the like are installed. As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag module 1
Is an airbag 14 installed in an opening provided in the front surface of the instrument panel 15 and folded into an appropriate shape.
A case lower 2 made of metal or the like, a case lower 4 made of metal or the like for accommodating and mounting the inflator 5 through its insertion hole 4H, and a cover 13 fixed to the case upper 2. 2 and case lower 4
And the case lower 4 are integrally fixed by fixing bolts 17 and 18 through a partition wall 3 having a large number of gas holes 3H.
Is firmly fixed to the support member of the vehicle body (not shown) by the mounting bracket 16. First to first in the case upper 2
A caulking portion 2K is formed on each upper end portion of the fourth side walls 2A to 2D, and the leg portions 13A to 13D (B and D are not shown) of the cover 13 are connected by caulking or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, in an airbag module metal fitting for storing an airbag (not shown), the side wall of the case upper 2 for storing the airbag is divided into a plurality of pieces, preferably as shown in FIG. Is divided into a first flat-plate-shaped side wall 2A and other second to fourth side walls 2B to 2D, and the other side walls 2B to 2D are integrally formed in a U shape in a plan view. The other side walls 2B to 2D and the flat plate-shaped side wall 2A are bolt holes 6A formed in bent pieces 6 formed at both ends of the other side walls 2B to 2D.
7A and a bolt hole 8 formed at both ends of the flat side wall 2A
Tightening bolts or rivets 1 inserted in A and 9A
The end portions between the side walls divided by 0 and 11 are preferably tightened by single point support.
In addition, a shock absorbing buckling structure may be formed on the flat plate-shaped side wall 2A in such a manner that a shock from a direction from an occupant is easily absorbed and deformed. In addition, the form of fastening the base of the airbag 14 to the case upper 2 and the partition 3 can be appropriately adopted, and also the form of fastening between the side walls 2A to 2D of the case upper 2 and the legs 13A to 13D of the cover 13 can be adopted. It can be appropriately adopted and may be fastened by a fastening tool such as a fastening bolt / nut or a rivet.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the other second opposing second flat plate side wall 2A closest to the occupant in the first embodiment is used. ~ 4 side walls 2B-2D are each further divided into three side walls 2B, 2C and 2D.
Therefore, the third side wall 2C arranged opposite to the first flat plate side wall 2A has a flat plate shape like the first side wall, and bolt holes 8B and 9B are formed at both ends thereof. To be done. On the other hand, the two ends of each of the second and fourth side walls 2B and 2D arranged orthogonally to each other between the first and third side walls 2A and 2C are bent in parallel with the first and third side walls 2A and 2C. Bent pieces 7, 7, 6, 6 are formed,
These bent pieces have bolt holes 7A, 7B, 6A and 6B.
Are drilled respectively. And these bolt holes
7A and 9A, 7B and 9B, 8B and 6B, 6A and 8A are tightened by tightening bolts 10 and 11 by single point support. Further, among the side walls thus divided and formed, the impact absorbing buckling structure 12 may be formed on at least the first flat plate-shaped side wall 2A closest to the occupant. It should be noted that the impact absorbing buckling structure 12 may not be appropriately formed on the other second to fourth side walls as necessary.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the end portions between the divided side walls, for example, the end portions between the first side wall 2A and the fourth side wall 2D. For tightening by single-point support with the bolt 10 in Fig. 4, either bolt hole 6A or 8A is formed laterally as shown in Fig. 4 (A), or bolt holes are formed as shown in Fig. 4 (B). The bolt holes are formed obliquely in a long shape, or the projections and depressions 6C that engage with the projections and depressions of the other flat plate-shaped side wall 2A are provided to form the bolt holes in a vertically long shape. He had some play. Thereby, bolt 1
In a direction orthogonal to the length direction of 0, the first side wall 2A
The fourth side wall 2D and the fourth side wall 2D can be relatively deformed and moved when an impact is applied.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the end portions between the divided side walls, for example, the end portions between the first side wall 2A and the fourth side wall 2D are connected. In the example shown in FIG. 5 (A), as the tightening by the single point support by the bolt 10 in the above, the bent piece 6 of the fourth side wall 2D and the first side wall 2A are used.
By setting a slight gap L between the bolt 10 and
It has a certain amount of play in the length direction. Thereby, in the length direction of the bolt 10, the first side wall 2A
The fourth side wall 2D and the fourth side wall 2D can be relatively deformed and moved when an impact is applied. In the example shown in FIG. 5B, the bent piece 6 of the fourth side wall 2D and the first side wall 2A are provided in order to allow the bolt 10 to have a predetermined play in the longitudinal direction.
An elastic washer 19 such as rubber that is easily deformed is interposed between the and.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the airbag module according to the present invention is an airbag device arranged in a passenger seat, a door, a rear seat or the like, and further an airbag for a driver's seat. It is also adopted in the device, and within the scope of the present invention, the shape of the instrument panel in which the airbag module is installed, the shape of the cover, the thickness, the folded shape of the airbag, the legs of the cover and the case upper. The form of the fixing part, the form of fixing the case upper and the case lower, the case upper and the case lower, the shape of the partition wall, the material, the shape of the bent piece of the side wall, the shape of the buckling structure, the number,
Form of single-point support by tightening bolts between divided side walls,
It goes without saying that the inflator can be attached to the case lower as appropriate. Also, regarding the airbag cover fixed to the fixed part of the case upper,
In addition to the type in which the cover itself forms a part of the instrument panel as a lid, the airbag cover as an airbag module is separately installed on the vehicle body side inside the instrument panel and installed separately. It may be.

[0013]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the side wall of the case upper is divided into a plurality of parts, and the end portions of the divided side walls are tightened to act on the airbag module. Since it is configured to absorb the light impact that occurs, it is possible to easily form a buckling structure for impact absorption on the side wall of the case upper, and when the impact from the occupant is received, the buckling structure is divided. Since the side walls can be easily deformed and moved to each other to effectively absorb the impact, the molding is easy and the assemblability is excellent, and the cushioning function originally possessed by the instrument panel and the airbag cover is sufficiently drawn out and the occupant can be ridden. Provided is an airbag module for a passenger seat, which is combined with a casing having a simple structure capable of effectively absorbing a shock from a vehicle. Further, if the case upper for accommodating the airbag is divided into a flat side wall closest to the occupant and the other side wall, the flat side wall arranged at the position where the impact from the occupant is first received is the other side wall. Even if the other side wall is relatively rigid and has a high strength, the flat side wall closest to the occupant is effectively deformed and moved by impacting the occupant even if the other side wall is relatively rigid and strong. To relieve.
Further, in the divided side walls, if the impact absorbing buckling structure is formed at least on the flat plate-like side wall closest to the occupant, the buckling structure on the flat plate can be formed by extremely easy processing. Not only can be performed, but more effectively due to the synergistic effect of tightening at the one-point support for the other divided side wall in the flat side wall and the existence of the buckling structure that is easily deformed. It is possible to protect the occupant from impact by promoting the deformation of the flat side wall. Further, if the end portions between the divided side walls have a predetermined play and are tightened by a single point support, these divided and tightened parts are formed into a box shape to form an airbag storage case. While maintaining a predetermined strength, when an impact from an occupant is received, relative movement due to deformation between the side walls is further enabled, and the impact on the occupant can be reduced more effectively. is there.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention and is an exploded perspective view of an airbag module fitting.

2 is a view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, corresponding to a cross section taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, and showing a state in which an airbag, a cover and the like are installed.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the airbag module fitting of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of essential parts of a third embodiment of an airbag module fitting of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of essential parts of a fourth embodiment of an airbag module fitting of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a first conventional example of an airbag module fitting.

FIG. 7 is a cut perspective view of a second conventional example of an airbag module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air bag module 2 Case upper 2A-2D 1st-4th side wall 3 Partition wall 3H Gas hole 4 Case lower 5 Inflator 6,7 Bending piece 6A-9B Bolt hole 10 Tightening bolt 11 Tightening bolt 12 Buckling structure 13 Cover 14 Air Bag 15 Instrument panel 16 Mounting bracket 17 Fixing bolt 18 Fixing bolt 19 Elastic washer

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A case upper for accommodating an airbag that expands to protect an occupant during a collision, a case lower for accommodating an inflator for inflating the airbag, and a case upper portion fixed to a fixing portion of a side wall of the case upper. In the passenger-side airbag module having a cover, the side wall of the case upper is divided into a plurality of pieces, and the end portions of the divided side walls are tightened to absorb a light impact acting on the airbag module. An air bag module for a passenger seat, which is characterized in that 2. The airbag module for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the end portions of the divided side walls are tightened by supporting at one point. 3. The assistant according to claim 1, wherein the cover is made of a thermoplastic elastomer material, and leg portions of the cover are fixed to a fixing portion of a side wall of the case upper by a crimping portion. Airbag module for seats. 4. The airbag module for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the case upper is divided into two, a flat side wall closest to the occupant and another side wall. 5. The passenger seat air according to claim 1, wherein a buckling structure for impact absorption is formed on at least the flat side wall closest to the occupant in the divided side walls. Bag module. 6. The passenger seat air according to claim 1, wherein the end portions between the divided side walls have a predetermined play and are tightened by a single point support. Bag module.