Side airbag deployment direction control structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9592789-B2
Application number	US-201314412321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2013
Priority date	Jul 25, 2012
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

A side airbag deployment direction control structure includes an airbag module installed at the vehicle width direction outer side of a door-side side frame portion. During inflation and deployment of a side airbag of airbag module, a stitched portion between a front cover and a front side cover of a seat cover ruptures under inflation pressure of the side airbag. This forms an opening for the side airbag to inflate and deploy to the outer side of a seatback. Note that the stitched portion is provided further to the seat width direction inner side than a center of the inflator. Further, a reaction force plate is positioned at the vehicle width direction outer side of the airbag module and includes a side reaction force face of which a front end portion extends further toward the vehicle front side than the airbag module and the door-side side frame portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A side airbag deployment direction control structure comprising:
an airbag module that is installed inside a vehicle width direction outer side side portion of a seatback at a vehicle width direction outer side of a door-side side frame portion of a seatback frame, that is configured to include a side airbag and an inflator, and that inflates and deploys the side airbag toward a vehicle front side with gas from the inflator when a vehicle side-on collision has been detected or predicted;
a rupture portion that, as viewed along a seatback height direction, is provided at a seat cover closer to a seat width direction inner side than a center of the inflator and closer to the seat width direction inner side than a stitched portion between a front side cover and a side cover of a seat cover of the seatback, and that forms an opening to inflate and deploy the side airbag to outside the seatback by rupturing under inflation pressure from the side airbag; and
a reaction force plate installed inside the side portion and fixed at the door-side side frame portion, the reaction force plate being positioned at the vehicle width direction outer side of the airbag module and including a side reaction force face of which a front end portion is disposed closer to the vehicle width direction outer side than the rupture portion, and the front end portion extending closer to the vehicle front side than the airbag module, the door-side side frame portion and the rupture portion.

2. The side airbag deployment direction control structure of claim 1 , wherein the rupture portion is a stitched portion between a front cover and the front side cover of the seat cover.

3. The side airbag deployment direction control structure of claim 1 , wherein the front end portion of the side reaction force face includes a guide face that is angled or curved so as to approach the vehicle width direction inner side on progression toward the vehicle front side, and the guide face is positioned closer to the vehicle front side than the door-side side frame portion.

4. The side airbag deployment direction control structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the side reaction force face is configured by a vehicle width direction inner side face of a vehicle width direction outer side wall of an airbag case that accommodates the side airbag prior to inflation and deployment,
the airbag case includes a bag deployment opening formed at a vehicle width direction inner side portion of a front portion of the airbag case closer to the vehicle front side than the door-side side frame portion, and a door portion which is coupled to a rear end edge of the bag deployment opening through a hinge portion and which closes off the bag deployment opening, and
the side airbag inflates and deploys through the bag deployment opening to outside of the airbag case by the door portion opening toward the vehicle width direction inner side direction under inflation pressure of the side airbag.

5. The side airbag deployment direction control structure of claim 4 , wherein the airbag case is made out of resin, deformation suppressing reinforcement portions are spanned between a front wall and the vehicle width direction outer side wall of the airbag case, and between the vehicle width direction outer side wall and a rear wall of the airbag case.

6. The side airbag deployment direction control structure of claim 1 , wherein the airbag module and the reaction force plate are fixed at the door-side side frame portion through a bracket, which is fixed at the door-side side frame portion, by a stud bolt, which is provided at a gas generation device that is a constituent member of the airbag module, passing through the bracket and through the reaction force plate and being screwed into a nut.

7. The side airbag deployment direction control structure of claim 4 , wherein the airbag module and the airbag case are fixed at the door-side side frame portion through a bracket, which is fixed at the door-side side frame portion, by a stud bolt, which is provided at a gas generation device that is a constituent member of the airbag module, passing through the bracket and through a rear wall of the airbag case and being screwed into a nut.

8. The side airbag deployment direction control structure of claim 6 , wherein:
the bracket is configured by an attachment portion which is fixed at the door-side side frame portion and a module fastening portion which extends from the attachment portion toward the vehicle width direction outer side, and the stud bolt passes through the module fastening portion.

9. The side airbag device deployment direction control structure of claim 1 , wherein:
a front end face of the airbag module projects out closer to the vehicle front side than the door-side side frame portion.

10. The side airbag device deployment direction control structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the reaction force plate includes a fixing wall fixed at the door-side side frame portion through a bracket;
an outside wall extends from a vehicle width direction outer side end portion of the fixing wall toward the vehicle front side; and
the reaction force plate is formed with an L-shaped cross-section profile as viewed along the height direction of the seatback.

11. The side airbag device deployment direction control structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the reaction force plate includes a fixing wall fixed at the door-side side frame portion through a bracket, and an inside wall extending from a vehicle width direction inner side end portion of the fixing wall toward the vehicle front side;
an outside wall extends from a vehicle width direction outer side end portion of the fixing wall toward the vehicle front side; and
the reaction force plate is formed with a J-shaped cross-section profile as viewed along the height direction of the seatback.

12. The side airbag device deployment direction control structure of claim 4 , wherein:
the bag deployment opening is formed such that: (a) a rear wall of the airbag case projects closer to the vehicle width direction inner side than a front wall of the airbag case and (b) the vehicle width direction outer side wall of the airbag case projects closer to the vehicle front side than a vehicle width direction inner side wall of the airbag case.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fujiwara Yusuke

Classifications

• B60R2021/2076

  Removable covers with tear seams · CPC title

• B60R21/2342 Primary

  Tear seams · CPC title

• B60R21/26

  characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow {(arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10)} · CPC title

• B60R2021/161

  characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory · CPC title

• B60R21/23138

  specially adapted for side protection (B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence) · CPC title