JP2005178606A - Curtain air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a curtain air bag device capable of keeping high the inner pressure of the curtain air bag for a long time. <P>SOLUTION: When an inflator 3 is actuated, the curtain air bag 1 is deployed downward along a vehicular interior surface. The rear portion of the deploying curtain air bag 1 is guided by a guide rod 5 through a link strap 7. The inflator 3 is inserted in a gas-entrance port 1b of the curtain air bag 1, and united by a fastening member 3d such as a band. A gasket 3c is installed to the inflator 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a curtain airbag device including a curtain airbag (curtain-like airbag) that is deployed along a side surface in a vehicle compartment.

  In an automobile equipped with a curtain airbag device, when the automobile is subjected to a side collision or rolls over, the curtain airbag is directed downward along the side of the vehicle interior (for example, a door or a pillar). And inflates to protect the occupant's head and hold the occupant in the vehicle compartment.

  US Pat. No. 6,237,938 discloses that a C-pillar is provided with a guide member for guiding the rear end portion of a curtain airbag that inflates along the side of the room to the vehicle body along the pillar.

  The guide member of the patent is provided with a box-shaped cross-sectional member called a track, and a slider member called an element disposed in the track and movable in the longitudinal direction of the track, The rear end of the curtain airbag is tied to the element. In order to prevent the rear end portion of the curtain airbag that has moved downward from returning upward, latch portions are provided that are arranged at equal intervals over substantially the entire length of the track.

  Mounting flanges are provided at the upper and lower ends of the track, and each flange is attached to the C pillar by a bolt or a screw.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-270413 describes a structure in which a gas generator is inserted into a gas inlet of a curtain airbag, and is sandwiched by metal fittings from the outer peripheral side to connect them. In this connection structure, gas may leak from the expanded curtain airbag through the interface between the gas inlet and the gas generator, and the internal pressure of the curtain airbag may not be kept high for a long time.
US Pat. No. 6,237,938 JP 2001-270413 A

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a curtain airbag device in which gas leakage from the gas inlet of the curtain airbag is prevented and the internal pressure of the curtain airbag is kept extremely high for a long period of time.

  The curtain airbag device of the present invention has a gas inlet and a curtain airbag that extends downward along the side surface of the vehicle compartment, and a gas that supplies gas into the curtain airbag from the gas inlet. In a curtain airbag device having a generator, an insert made of a gas generator or a duct member connected to the gas generator is inserted into the gas inlet, and a gasket is provided between the insert and the inner surface of the gas inlet. The insertion body is connected to the gas introduction port by being interposed and tightened by a fastening member from the outside of the gas introduction port.

  In the curtain airbag device of the present invention, since a gasket is interposed between the gas inlet and the insert (gas generator or a duct member connected thereto), the interface between the gas inlet and the insert Gas leaks from are prevented. Therefore, the inflated curtain airbag is kept at a high internal pressure for a long time.

  By attaching this gasket to the insert, the workability of assembling the gas inlet and the insert is improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1A is a side view of the curtain airbag when inflated and deployed, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1A, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a gas inlet, and FIG. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the vicinity of the gas inlet, and Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of the interior of the vehicle equipped with the curtain airbag device.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the curtain airbag 1 is arranged along the roof side portion (boundary portion between the ceiling surface and the side surface of the vehicle interior) 2 of the automobile in a state where the curtain airbag 1 is folded in the longitudinal direction. The curtain airbag 1 is inflated by gas from an inflator (gas generator) 3 when the automobile receives a side collision or rolls over, and is directed downward along the side of the vehicle interior such as a door or each pillar. And expand. An ear 1a (see FIG. 1A) is provided at the upper edge of the curtain airbag 1, and the ear 1a is fastened to the roof side 2.

  A gas inlet 1b made of a convex portion extending upward is provided at the longitudinal center of the upper side of the curtain airbag 1. The tip 3a of the inflator 3 is inserted into the gas inlet 1b and bound by a fastening member 3d such as a band. A ring-shaped gasket 3c is attached to the tip 3a. The inflator tip portion 3a with the gasket 3c is inserted into the gas introduction port 1b, and tightened with a fastening member 3d such as a band from the outer peripheral side of the gas introduction port 1b, whereby the gas introduction port 1b and the inflator 3 are airtight and Connected firmly. A nozzle 3b is provided at the tip of the inflator tip 3a. The nozzle 3b is bent in a substantially “<” shape.

  The C-pillar 4 of the automobile is used for guiding the rear end portion of the curtain airbag 1 along the C-pillar 4 when the curtain airbag 1 is inflated downward along the C-pillar 4 toward the vehicle body. A guide rod 5 as a guide member is attached. The guide rod 5 is a rod-like member extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle body along the C pillar 4, and both upper and lower ends are fixed to the C pillar 4 with bolts 6 and the like.

  A connecting band 7 extends from near the lower corner of the rear end of the curtain airbag 1, and a loop portion 7 a on the leading end side of the connecting band 7 is loosely wound around the guide rod 5. The loop portion 7 a is movable up and down along the guide rod 5. A ring may be attached to the tip of the connection band 7 and the ring 7 may be inserted into the guide rod 5.

  In the roof side part 2 above the C pillar 4, when the curtain airbag 1 is deployed, the curtain airbag 1 passes through the upper side of the pillar garnish and is guided to the passenger compartment side. A curtain guide member 10 commonly called a jump base is provided.

  In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, the roof side garnish is provided in the roof side part 2, and the curtain airbag 1 is covered with this roof side garnish.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the curtain airbag 1 includes two sheets 11 and 11 having substantially the same shape, which are formed on two sides facing the vehicle interior side and the vehicle interior, and the sheets 11 and 11 are overlapped with each other. What formed the up-down direction chambers 31-35, the bag chambers 41-44, the horizontal direction chambers 51 and 52, and the non-expandable part 61 and 62 by couple | bonding with the linear coupling parts 12-17 and the annular coupling parts 21-28. It is.

  Each of the linear coupling portions 12 to 18 and each of the annular coupling portions 21 to 28 couples the sheets 11 and 11 in an airtight manner, and even if the internal pressure of the curtain airbag 1 rises to the design upper limit pressure, the sheets 11 and 11 communicate with each other. Is formed by a strong coupling means (for example, stitching with a high-strength sewing thread, adhesion with an adhesive having high adhesive strength, or welding).

  The linear coupling portion 12 extends so as to substantially circulate around the curtain airbag 1. However, on the front end side 1 </ b> F of the curtain airbag 1, the linear coupling portion 12 extends downward in a substantially U shape from the upper edge of the front end side 1 </ b> F. Thus, the non-inflatable portion 61 is formed along the upper edge of the front end side 1F, and the bag chamber 41 is formed at the foremost end.

  The linear coupling portion 12 extends along the edge of the gas inlet 1b of the curtain airbag 1, but is cut off at the rear side of the gas inlet 1b. The gas inlet 1b of the bag 1 is opened rearward.

  The linear coupling portion 13 is disposed slightly forward from the center of the curtain airbag 1. The linear coupling portion 13 is U-shaped, and an inner region thereof is a bag chamber 42. The upper part of the bag chamber 42 communicates with the gas inlet 1b, but the lower part is a dead end.

  A vertical chamber 31 is formed between the linear connecting portion 13 and the peripheral line connecting portion 12 on the curtain airbag front side. The upper portion of the vertical chamber 31 communicates with the gas inlet 1b, and the lower portion communicates with the bag chamber 41 and the lower portion of the vertical chamber 32 described below. In order to restrict the expansion thickness in the vicinity of the lower portion of the vertical chamber 31 from being excessive, an annular coupling portion 21 is provided.

  Near the center of the curtain airbag 1 in the front-rear direction, an inverted U-shaped linear coupling portion 14 is arranged, and an inner region thereof is a bag chamber 43. The lower portion of the bag chamber 43 communicates with the lower portions of the vertical chambers 32 and 33, but the upper portion is a dead end.

  A vertical chamber 32 is formed between the linear coupling portion 14 and the linear coupling portion 13. The upper part of the vertical chamber 32 communicates with the gas inlet 1b.

  A linear coupling portion 15 is disposed slightly behind the center of the curtain airbag 1. The linear coupling portion 15 is circulated in a substantially square shape. The upper side and the lower side of the linear coupling portion 15 are separated from the upper and lower linear coupling portions 12 of the curtain airbag, respectively. An upper lateral chamber 51 and a lower lateral chamber 52 are formed between the joint 15.

  A vertical chamber 33 is formed between the linear coupling portion 15 and the linear coupling portion 14. The upper part of the vertical chamber 33 communicates with the gas inlet 1 b together with the front part of the horizontal chamber 51. The lower portion of the vertical chamber 33 communicates with the lower portion of the bag chamber 43 and the front portion of the lower lateral chamber 52.

  The inside of the linear coupling part 15 is cut off from the gas inlet 1b, and is a non-expanding part 62 that does not expand.

  A linear coupling portion 16 extending in the vertical direction is disposed at the rear portion of the curtain airbag 1, and a substantially L-shaped linear coupling portion 17 is disposed further at the rear portion.

  A vertical chamber 34 is formed between the linear coupling portions 15 and 16, and the upper and lower portions of the vertical chamber 34 communicate with the upper and lower lateral chambers 51 and 52, respectively.

  A vertical chamber 35 is formed between the linear coupling portions 16 and 17, and the upper and lower portions of the vertical chamber 35 communicate with the upper and lower portions of the vertical chamber 34, respectively.

  A bag chamber 44 is formed between the linear coupling portion 17 and the linear coupling portion 12 along the trailing edge 1R of the curtain airbag. The upper portion of the bag chamber 44 communicates with the upper portion of the vertical chamber 35, but the lower portion is a dead end.

  At the end portions of the linear coupling portions 13, 14, 16, and 17, annular coupling portions 22 to 28 are provided for reinforcement. The lower end side of the linear coupling portion 17 is continuous with the linear coupling portion 12.

  The connecting band 7 is located below the vertical chamber 34. The connecting band 7 is formed by extending the sheets 11 and 11 and connecting them together by a linear connecting portion 18.

  When the automobile equipped with the curtain airbag device configured as described above undergoes a side collision or rolls over, the inflator 3 generates gas and the curtain airbag 1 starts to inflate. The curtain airbag 1 pushes open the roof side garnish, is guided by the curtain guide member 10 to the indoor side from the upper end of the pillar garnish, and then deploys downward along the indoor surface of the pillar garnish.

  The rear part of the deployed curtain airbag 1 is guided to the guide rod 5 via the connecting band 7. The connecting band 7 moves downward along the guide rod 5 as the curtain airbag 1 starts to be deployed. At this time, the connecting band 7 moves downward so as to tear the pillar garnish and the weather strip.

  The connecting band 7 follows the curtain airbag 1 and moves downward along the guide rod 5 until the curtain airbag 1 is deployed to the lowest position. Since the curtain airbag 1 is connected to the guide rod 5 through the connecting band 7, the curtain airbag 1 is deployed along the side surface portion of the vehicle compartment.

  In this embodiment, the gasket 3c is interposed between the tip 3a of the inflator 3 and the gas introduction port 1b, and gas is prevented from leaking through the interface between the two. For this reason, the internal pressure of the curtain airbag 1 is kept high for a long time.

  The above embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the present invention may have a configuration other than the above. For example, the number and arrangement of the vertical chambers and the bag chambers, and the position of the gas inlet may be other than those illustrated.

  The present invention can also be applied to a case where a duct member is connected to the gas generator and this duct member is inserted into the gas inlet. In this case, it is preferable to attach the gasket to the duct material.

It is the side view and sectional drawing of a curtain airbag. It is an enlarged view near the gas inlet of a curtain airbag. It is the III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view near a gas inlet. It is a typical side view of a vehicle interior provided with a curtain airbag device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Curtain airbag 1b Gas inlet 2 Roof side part 3 Inflator 3c Gasket 3d Tightening member 4 C pillar 5 Guide rod (guide member)
7 connecting band 10 curtain guide member 12-18 linear coupling part 21-28 annular coupling part 31-35 vertical direction chamber 41-44 bag room 51, 52 lateral direction room 61, 62 non-expanding part

Claims (2)

A curtain airbag having a gas inlet and deploying downward along the side of the vehicle interior;
A curtain airbag device having a gas generator for supplying gas into the curtain airbag from the gas inlet;
An insert consisting of a gas generator or a duct member connected to the gas generator is inserted into the gas inlet,
A gasket is interposed between the insert and the gas inlet inner surface,
A curtain airbag device characterized in that the insert and the gas inlet are connected by being tightened by a fastening member from the outside of the gas inlet. 2. The curtain airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the gasket is attached to the insert.

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