Occupant protection device

Abstract

A passenger protection device (S) is mounted on a front seat (1) in a vehicle having front and rear seats arranged side by side, and has an airbag (50) formed in a structure that is held by a holding belt portion wound around the waist of a passenger in a folded state, and an inflator (20) formed in a substantially cylindrical shape so as to be arranged on a region on the lower side of the rear surface of a backrest portion (2) of the front seat in such a manner that the axial direction is substantially along the left-right direction. The inflator is covered at least on the rear side by a cover (35) in such a manner that interference with the feet (RF) of a rear passenger (RP) seated on a rear seat arranged on the rear side of the front seat can be prevented.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an occupant protection device that protects the structure of an occupant sitting in a seat. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, as an occupant protection device, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-66425, there exists a structure in which an inflator that supplies inflation gas to an airbag folded and stored around the occupant's waist is disposed in the area below the rear surface of the backrest of the seat where the occupant sits (specifically, in the seat, the area below the rear end).

[0003] However, current occupant protection devices are configured such that the inflator is mounted on the side of the seat with the inflator exposed. Therefore, in vehicles with side-by-side seats, when the inflator is mounted on the front seat, the occupant in the front seat is protected from forward movement by the inflated airbag when an impact force is applied to the vehicle from the front. However, sometimes the inflator comes into contact with the feet of the rear occupant in the rear seat located behind the front seat. There is room for improvement in preventing such contact between the inflator and the rear occupant. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an occupant protection device that can prevent contact between a rear occupant sitting on the rear side of a seat located behind the front seat and the inflator.

[0005] This invention relates to an occupant protection device with the following structure.

[0006] In a vehicle with seats arranged side-by-side, a structure is formed that mounts on the front seat and protects the occupant seated in the front seat.

[0007] The device is configured to have: an airbag formed in a structure that allows it to inflate into a bag-like shape covering the front of the occupant, and is held in a folded state by a retaining strap that wraps around the occupant's waist; and

[0008] The inflator, shaped approximately cylindrical, is positioned on the lower rear surface of the backrest of the front seat, with its axis roughly aligned laterally, and is connected to the airbag in a manner capable of supplying inflation gas to the airbag.

[0009] The inflator covers at least the rear side in a manner that prevents interference with the feet of the rear occupant seated behind the front seat.

[0010] The occupant protection device of the present invention is configured such that, in the front seat, the inflator located in the area below the rear surface of the backrest is covered by a cover at least on the rear side. Therefore, when the occupant (rear occupant) is seated in the rear seat located behind the front seat, even if an impact force from the front acts on the vehicle, direct contact between the inflator and the rear occupant's feet can be reliably prevented.

[0011] Therefore, the occupant protection device of the present invention can prevent contact between the rear occupant sitting on the rear seat located behind the front seat and the inflator.

[0012] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device with the above-mentioned structure, if the cover is designed to be installed on the inflator, then there is no need for an installation unit or installation work to install the cover on the mounting bracket, which can form a simple structure, reduce manufacturing time and cost, and is therefore preferred.

[0013] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device of the above structure, if the cover is configured to also cover the bottom of the inflator, it can also prevent the area on the lower surface of the inflator from contacting the feet of the rear occupant, thus more reliably suppressing contact between the feet of the rear occupant and the inflator, which is preferred.

[0014] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device of the above structure, if the cover is configured to cover the rear side of the mounting bracket used to install the inflator on the seat side, it can also prevent the rear occupant's feet from contacting the mounting bracket, which is preferred.

[0015] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device with the above-mentioned structure, it is preferable that the cover has a structure having the following components:

[0016] A nearly plate-shaped cover body that covers at least the rear of the inflator; and

[0017] The deformation pre-deformation part is disposed between the cover body and the inflator. When an impact force is applied to the cover body, it maintains the shape of the cover body that covers the rear of the inflator and is capable of plastic deformation.

[0018] If the occupant protection device is configured in this way, when the rear occupant's foot comes into contact with the cover body, the energy of the impact force generated by the contact can be absorbed by the plastic deformation of the deformation pre-deformation portion disposed between the cover body and the inflator. Furthermore, the cover body maintains its shape during the plastic deformation of the deformation pre-deformation portion, thus reliably protecting the foot. In addition, regarding the occupant protection device with the above structure, even assuming that the rear occupant's foot contacts the cover body and further moves towards the inflator, energy is absorbed through the plastic deformation of the deformation pre-deformation portion disposed therebetween, thus preventing injury to the foot from the inflator.

[0019] Furthermore, when the occupant protection device is configured in this way, it is preferable to configure the cover to be installed on the inflator using a pre-deformable part. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a seat equipped with an occupant protection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Side view of the seat.

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The front view of the seat shows the seatbelt being worn.

[0023] Figure 4 It means Figure 1 A partially enlarged rear view of the area on the lower side of the seat, showing the state before the inflator is installed.

[0024] Figure 5 It means Figure 1 A partially enlarged rear view of the area on the lower side of the seat.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the inflation unit in the occupant protection device of the embodiment.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a partially enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the area near the inflator in the occupant protection device of the embodiment, and... Figure 6 The VII-VII parts correspond to.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a partially enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the area near the inflator in the occupant protection device of the embodiment, and... Figure 6 The corresponding VIII-VIII parts.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic perspective view of the cover installed on the inflator in the occupant protection device of the embodiment.

[0029] Figure 10 This is a schematic perspective view showing the airbag used in the occupant protection device of the embodiment in a state of single-unit inflation.

[0030] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A rough longitudinal section view of the airbag.

[0031] Figure 12This is a front view of the seat in the fully inflated state of the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0032] Figure 13 This is a side view of the seat in the fully inflated state of the airbag in the occupant protection device of the embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 1-3 As shown, the occupant protection device S of the embodiment is mounted on the vehicle seat 1. Detailed illustrations are omitted, but the vehicle is configured with seats arranged side-by-side, and the occupant protection device S of the embodiment is mounted on the front passenger seat (front seat) of the vehicle. The occupant protection device S is configured to include the following components: a seatbelt 7, which forms a retaining strap portion for holding the airbag 50; the airbag 50; an inflator 20, which supplies inflation gas to the airbag 50; a connecting tube 30, which connects the airbag 50 to the inflator 20; and a cover 35, which covers the rear side of the inflator 20.

[0034] The seat 1 has a backrest 2 and a seat 3. The seat 1 utilizes lower arms 5 extending downward from the left and right ends of the seat 3 (see reference). Figure 4 , 5 The seat 1 is mounted on the side of the vehicle body in a manner that allows it to slide back and forth relative to the vehicle floor (floor panel 4), and a sliding track (not shown). Specifically, the seat 1 is configured to cover the left and right sides of the area below the seat 3 almost without gap using a cover (illustrated in the reference numerals), but on the rear surface side of the seat 3, it is mounted on the side of the vehicle body with a gap between it and the floor panel 4 (see reference 4). Figure 2 , 4 5). The mounting bracket 6 for mounting the air compressor 20 is disposed on the rear end 3a side of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1, extending downward. The mounting bracket 6 is mounted on the lower arm 5 at a specified position not shown, and is disposed in an area roughly along the vertical direction and in the left-right direction as a long strip plate (see reference) on the left half of the seat portion 3, which is the mounting location of the air compressor 20. Figure 4 , 7 8). Mounting holes 6a, which allow the bolts 24b of the mounting bracket 24 for the inflator to be inserted and tightened with the nuts 6b fixed to the periphery, are formed at two locations separated on the left-right side (axial side of the inflator 20) (see reference). Figure 4 , 6 8).

[0035] In this embodiment, the seat belt 7 is mounted on the seat 1 and is configured to include: a belt body 8 for protecting the occupant MP seated in the seat 1; a tab plate 12 mounted on the belt body 8; and a buckle 13 for connecting the tab plate 12. The belt body 8 is secured to an anchoring member 14, namely, one end is secured to a reel (not shown) disposed inside the backrest 2, and the other end is disposed on the left side of the rear end 3a of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 (see reference). Figure 1 , 2 Specifically, the main body 8 is configured to protrude outward from the upper left edge of the backrest 2. In the implementation embodiment, when the occupant MP is not seated, such as... Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the waist belt 10, which serves as the retaining strap portion for the airbag 50, is exposed on the front surface of the backrest 2. More specifically, as... Figure 1 As shown, when the occupant MP is not seated, the waist belt 10 protrudes from the front surface of the backrest 2, roughly along the vertical direction, on the left edge 2a side of the backrest 2. The belt body 8 is structured such that it has a waist belt 10 and a shoulder strap 9 housed within the backrest 2. When the occupant is seated and the tongue plate 12 is connected to the buckle 13, the waist belt 10, which is positioned roughly along the left-right direction between the anchoring member 14 and the buckle 13, restrains the lower body MD (waist MW) of the occupant MP. The shoulder strap 9, which extends from the upper left edge of the backrest 2 and is obliquely positioned to the buckle 13, restrains the upper body MU (from shoulder MS to chest MB) of the occupant MP (see reference). Figure 3 Furthermore, in the embodiment, when the occupant is seated, the lumbar belt 10 positioned in front of the lumbar region MW of the occupant MP seated in the seat 1, and the cover 65 described later, constitute a retaining strap portion for storing and holding the folded airbag 25. In the seat belt 7, a retractor (not shown) disposed within the backrest 2 has a pretensioning mechanism.

[0036] The inflator 20 is disposed on the lower part of the rear surface of the backrest 2 of the seat 1. In this embodiment, it is disposed on the lower part of the rear end 3a side of the seat 3 of the seat 1. The inflator 20 is approximately cylindrical in shape and is mounted on a mounting bracket 6 extending from the lower arm 5 via a bracket 24 disposed on the outer periphery, with the axial direction generally along the left-right direction. The inflator 20 is configured to have a gas discharge section 21 for discharging inflation gas at one end (front end) (left end 20a side in this embodiment). The left end 20a side, where the gas discharge section 21 is disposed, is disposed in a region on the lower left half of the seat 3 such that the left end 20a side, where the gas discharge section 21 is disposed, is substantially aligned with the left end 3b side of the seat 3 of the seat 1. Figure 5Connector 22, which connects lead wire 22a, is connected to the other end (base end) (right end 20b side) of the inflator 20 along its axial direction. The bracket 24 for mounting the inflator 20 to the mounting bracket 6 is structured with the following components: a retaining ring 24a, which is approximately annular in shape and capable of holding the inflator 20; and a bolt 24b protruding from the retaining ring 24a. The retaining ring 24a is a structure that holds the inflator 20 by narrowing its diameter. The bracket 24 is positioned at two locations separated along the axial direction of the inflator 20, each holding the inflator 20 using the retaining ring 24a. The bolt 24b protruding from the retaining ring 24a is inserted into the mounting hole 6a formed in the mounting bracket 6 and secured with a nut 6b, thereby mounting the inflator 20 to the mounting bracket 6 (see reference 6). Figure 6 In one implementation, in order to limit the withdrawal of the seat belt 7's belt body 8 as the airbag 50 inflates, the inflator 20 is configured to start operation after the pretensioning mechanism of the seat belt 7.

[0037] The connecting tube 30, which connects the airbag 50 to the inflator 20, extends from the left end 20a of the inflator 20 in such a curved manner that it covers the gas discharge section 21 of the inflator 20, with the front end 30a located on the left side of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1. (Refer to...) Figure 2 , 5 This is formed by using clamping member 31 to connect the front end 30a to the duct portion 60 of the airbag 50 (see reference). Figure 2 , 5 ).

[0038] To prevent interference with the feet RF of the rear occupant RP (not shown) seated behind seat 1, a cover 35 covering the rear of the inflator 20 is configured to cover the rear of the inflator 20, and in this embodiment, it is made of synthetic resin. Specifically, the cover 35 is made of a soft synthetic resin such as a polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer (TPO). Figures 5-9 As shown, the cover 35 has: a cover body 36; and a deformation pre-determined part 42 (energy absorption deformation pre-determined part), which is disposed between the cover body 36 and the inflator 20.

[0039] In this embodiment, the cover body 36 covers the rear and lower sides of the inflator 20 and is configured to also cover the right side of the inflator 20. Specifically, the cover body 36 is structured to have the following portions: a rear wall portion 37 that covers the rear of the inflator 20; a lower wall portion 38 that extends forward from the lower end of the rear wall portion 37; and a right wall portion 39 (inner wall portion) that extends forward from the right end of the rear wall portion 37 (inner end in the vehicle width direction). The rear wall portion 37 is shaped as an approximately rectangular plate with a relatively large width in the left-right direction, and is set to a size that covers the rear side of the inflator 20 substantially across its entire surface, including the base 30b side of the connecting pipe 30 disposed on the left end 20a side (see reference). Figure 5 , 6 The rear wall portion 37 is configured to extend further in the vertical direction than the inflator 20, covering not only the rear but also a large area in the vertical direction behind the inflator 20. The lower wall portion 38 is configured to extend forward from the lower end of the rear wall portion 37, entering the gap between the inflator 20 and the floor panel 4 disposed below the inflator 20, so that the front end 38a is located near the lower end of the mounting bracket 6, covering the area below the rear of the inflator 20 and the mounting bracket 6 (see reference). Figure 7 , 8 The right wall portion 39 (inner wall portion) is formed to extend forward from the right end of the rear wall portion 37 in a manner that covers the right side of the inflator 20 (the inner side of the base end of the inflator 20) (see reference). Figure 6 ).

[0040] The deformation-predicting part 42 includes: a mounting part 43 disposed in front of the rear wall part 37, which is bent to form an approximately arc-shaped cross-section in a manner that partially covers the outer periphery of the inflator 20; and a connecting wall part 44 disposed substantially in the front-rear direction to connect the mounting part 43 to the rear wall part 37. Figure 7 As shown, the connecting wall portion 44 is formed in two separate upper and lower parts. The mounting portion 43 is formed with an approximately C-shaped cross-section, allowing the inflator 20 to be inserted from the front side, thereby holding the cover 35 to the outer periphery of the inflator 20. In this deformation-predicted portion 42, when the impact force T acts on the rear wall portion 37 (cover body 36) (when in contact with the foot RF), as Figure 7As shown by the double-dotted line, the cover body 36 (specifically, the rear wall portion 37) that covers the rear of the inflator 20 maintains its shape, and the two connecting wall portions 44, 44 that connect the rear wall portion 37 to the mounting portion 43 undergo bending plastic deformation to absorb impact force. This deformation-predetermined portion 42 has a structure that separates from the axial side of the inflator 20 and is arranged in multiple locations along the axial direction. In this embodiment, it is arranged in three locations offset from the bracket 24 on the axial side (see reference). Figure 6 , 9 ).

[0041] The airbag 50 is held in place by the lap belt 10 of the seat belt 7, and the airbag 50 is folded into an elongated shape and covered by a cover 65. Specifically, the airbag 50 is positioned in the area of ​​the lap belt 10 that is covered by the cover 65, overlapping the upper surface of the lap belt 10 when the seat belt 7 is worn (see reference). Figure 3 In other words, the airbag 50 is configured to fold and be stored in the gap between the belt 10 and the cover 65. Additionally, in Figure 1 In the unworn state shown, the airbag 50 is positioned on the back side (backrest 2 side) of the lumbar belt 10 exposed on the front surface of the backrest 2. The cover 65 is made of a flexible seat body, configured such that when the airbag 50 is deployed and inflated, it breaks at a predetermined point, allowing the airbag body 51 of the airbag 50 (described later) to protrude.

[0042] like Figure 10 , 11 As shown, the airbag 50 has: an airbag body 51 that inflates in a manner that can protect the occupant MP; a conduit 60 that is connected to the inflator 20 to allow inflation gas to flow into the airbag body 51; and a mounting part 62 for holding the airbag body 51 with the waist belt 10.

[0043] The airbag body 51 is configured such that, when fully inflated, its shape is approximately a triangular prism with the axis roughly along the left-right direction; when viewed from the left or right sides, its fully inflated shape is approximately a right-angled triangle with a hypotenuse on the front side; and when viewed from the front-rear side, its fully inflated shape is approximately a rectangle with a larger vertical width (see reference). Figure 12 , 13 ).like Figure 10 , 11As shown, the airbag body 51 has: a rear wall portion 53, which is positioned on the occupant MP side (rear side) when fully inflated; a front wall portion 52, which is positioned opposite the rear wall portion 53 in the front-rear direction; a lower wall portion 54, which is positioned on the lower end side when fully inflated; and a left wall portion 55 and a right wall portion 56, which are positioned opposite each other in the left-right direction when fully inflated. The airbag body 51 is structured such that, when fully inflated, while the rear wall portion 53 supports the upper body MU, the lower wall portion 38 abuts against and supports the occupant MP's thigh MT, thereby supporting the occupant MP (see reference). Figure 13 The airbag body 51 has the following structure: a conduit 60 is disposed on the lower surface side of the rear end 54a side of the lower wall portion 54, through which inflation gas from the inflator 20 flows into the interior. In the region on the rear end 54a side of the lower wall portion 54, a connecting hole 58 communicating with the conduit 60 has a circular opening; in this embodiment, two such holes are arranged side-by-side in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the airbag body 51 is connected to the conduit 60 at the periphery of the connecting hole 58.

[0044] The conduit 60 is configured to extend to the left from the airbag body 51, forming an approximately cylindrical shape with an open front end 60a, and connects to the connecting tube 30 extending from the inflator 20. The conduit 60 is structured such that, when the airbag 50 is fully inflated, it is positioned approximately along the left-right direction, roughly along the waistband 10 (see reference). Figure 12 , 13 As described above, the conduit section 60 is structured to connect the front end 60a side to the connecting pipe 30 extending from the inflator 20 using the clamping member 31. Figure 10 , 11 As shown, the airbag body 51 is attached to the mounting portion 62 of the waist belt 10 and sewn to the lower surface of the guide tube portion 60. The mounting portion 62 is formed into an approximately cylindrical shape with openings at both ends, allowing the waist belt 10 to be inserted. Moreover, it is configured such that the waist belt 10 is inserted into the mounting portion 62, thereby connecting the airbag 50 to the waist belt 10 and holding it on the waist belt 10.

[0045] Regarding the occupant protection device S in the embodiment, when the seat belt 7 is installed in the seat 1 of the vehicle and the occupant MP is seated, if the inflator 20 is activated, the inflation gas discharged from the inflator 20 flows into the airbag body 51 through the connecting pipe 30 and the conduit 60. The airbag body 51 of the airbag 50 protrudes forward and upward from the waist belt 10, which serves as the retainer, causing the cover 65 to break, and as... Figure 12 , 13 Complete the expansion as shown.

[0046] Furthermore, the occupant protection device S in the embodiment is configured such that the inflator 20, located in the area below the rear surface of the backrest 2 (specifically, the lower part of the rear end 3a of the seat 3) in the seat 1, is at least covered by a cover 35. Therefore, when the occupant (rear occupant RP) is seated in the rear seat (not shown) located behind the seat 1, even if an impact force from the front acts on the vehicle, direct contact between the inflator 20 and the foot RF of the rear occupant RP can be reliably prevented.

[0047] Therefore, the occupant protection device S of the embodiment can suppress the contact between the rear occupant RP, who is sitting on the rear seat arranged on the rear side of the seat 1, and the inflator 20.

[0048] Furthermore, the occupant protection device S in this embodiment is configured such that the cover 35 is mounted on the inflator 20. Therefore, there is no need for a mounting unit or installation work to mount the cover onto the mounting bracket, resulting in a simple structure that reduces manufacturing time and costs. Specifically, the mounting portion 43 of the occupant protection device S in this embodiment is configured such that the cover 35 is mounted on the inflator 20 in a cross-section approximately C-shaped, allowing for elastic deformation to embed into the outer periphery of the inflator 20. Therefore, by simply moving the cover 35 from the rear side of the inflator 20 mounted on the mounting bracket 6 to the front, the mounting portion 43 can be mounted on the inflator 20, and the installation of the cover 35 onto the inflator 20 is also easy.

[0049] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the cover 35 is configured to also cover the lower part of the inflator 20. Therefore, even if the foot RF (toe) of the rear occupant RP were to enter between the inflator 20 and the vehicle floor panel 4, contact between the lower surface area of ​​the inflator 20 and the foot RF of the rear occupant RP can be prevented. Thus, contact between the foot RF of the rear occupant RP and the inflator can be more reliably suppressed. In addition, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the cover body 36 also has a right wall portion 39 (inner wall portion) that covers the right side of the inflator 20 (the inner side of the base end of the inflator 20), thus reliably preventing contact between the foot RF (toe) of the rear occupant RP and the area near the connector 22 of the inflator 20.

[0050] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device S in the embodiment, the cover 35 is configured to also cover the rear side of the mounting bracket 6 used to mount the inflator 20 on the side of the seat 1, thus also preventing the foot RF of the rear occupant RP from contacting the mounting bracket 6.

[0051] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the cover 35 includes: a cover body 36; and a deformation-predicting portion 42, which is disposed between the cover body 36 and the inflator 20 and is capable of plastic deformation when an impact force is applied to the cover body 36. The deformation-predicting portion 42 is configured to maintain the shape of the cover body 36 covering the rear of the inflator 20 and is capable of plastic deformation (bending plastic deformation). Therefore, when the foot RF of the rear occupant RP contacts the cover body 36, the deformation-predicting portion 42 disposed between the cover body 36 and the inflator 20 (more specifically, the connecting wall portions 44, 44 of the deformation-predicting portion 42) undergoes plastic deformation (see reference). Figure 7 The double-dotted line (referring to the double-dotted line) can absorb the energy of the impact force T generated by the contact. Furthermore, during the plastic deformation of the deformation pre-deformation section 42, the cover body 36 maintains its shape, thus reliably protecting the foot RF. In addition, regarding the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, even if the foot RF of the rear occupant RP contacts the cover body 36 and further moves towards the inflator 20, energy is absorbed through the plastic deformation of the deformation pre-deformation section 42 disposed therein, thus preventing injury to the foot RF from the inflator 20.

[0052] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the cover 35 is a structure that is mounted on the inflator 20 using a deformation-predetermining part 42. Specifically, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the deformation-predetermining part 42 is formed to have the following components: a mounting part 43, which is mounted on the inflator 20; and two connecting wall parts 44, 44, which are arranged approximately along the front-rear direction to connect the mounting part 43 to the rear wall part 37 of the cover body 36, and are a structure in which the connecting wall parts 44, 44 are plastically deformed to absorb energy. That is, the occupant protection device S of the embodiment is configured such that an inflator 20 is installed at the mounting portion 43 located at the front end of the deformation pre-deformation portion 42, causing the portion between the inflator 20 of the deformation pre-deformation portion 42 and the cover body 36 (connecting wall portion 44) to undergo bending plastic deformation. This allows energy absorption while maintaining the mounting portion 43 in the state of being mounted to the inflator 20. Therefore, when an impact force is applied to the cover body 36, the deformation pre-deformation portion 42 can reliably undergo plastic deformation in the area between the inflator 20 and the cover body 36 (connecting wall portion 44). Alternatively, if this is not considered, it can be configured such that the cover portion is mounted to the mounting portion of the inflator, unlike the deformation pre-deformation portion (energy absorption deformation pre-deformation portion).

[0053] Regarding the occupant protection device S in this embodiment, the lap belt 10 of the seat belt 7 is used as the retainer for the airbag 50. However, the retainer for the airbag is not limited to the lap belt. For example, it can also be configured such that a seat belt separate from the seat belt is positioned in front of the occupant's waist while seated, and the seat belt retains the airbag. In addition, regarding the occupant protection device S in this embodiment, the lap belt 10 of the seat belt 7 retains the airbag 50, but the inflator 20 operates with a delay compared to the pretensioning mechanism of the seat belt 7. Therefore, the airbag 50 can be inflated while the occupant MP is stably maintained in a seated position relative to the seat 1 using the seat belt 7, and the occupant MP can be stably protected using the airbag 50 and the seat belt.

[0054] Furthermore, the occupant protection device S in the embodiment is configured such that the seat belt 7 and the inflator 20 are mounted on the seat 1. Therefore, even when the seat 1 is used while moving relative to the vehicle by sliding or rotating significantly in the fore-and-aft direction, the occupant MP sitting in the seat 1 can be reliably protected by the airbag 50.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device (S) in a vehicle having seats arranged side-by-side, configured to be mounted on a front seat (1) and protect an occupant (MP) seated in that front seat. The occupant protection device (S) is configured to have: An airbag (50) is configured to inflate into a bag-like shape covering the front of the occupant, and is held in a folded state by a retaining strap (10) that wraps around the occupant's waist; and An inflator (20), which is formed in an approximately cylindrical shape, is disposed in the region on the lower rear surface of the backrest (2) of the front seat in such a manner that its axial direction is approximately along the left-right direction, and is connected to the airbag in such a manner that it can supply inflatable gas to the airbag, wherein, The inflator is designed to prevent interference with the feet (RF) of the rear occupant (RP) seated on the rear side of the front seat, and is covered at least on the rear side by a cover (35). The cover (35) is formed with the following components: A nearly plate-shaped cover body (36) that covers at least the rear of the inflator (20); and A deformation pre-deformation part (42) is disposed between the cover body and the inflator. When an impact force is applied to the cover body, the deformation pre-deformation part (42) maintains the shape of the cover body covering the rear of the inflator and is capable of plastic deformation.

2. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 1, wherein, The cover (35) is a structure that is installed on the inflator (20) using the deformable pre-determined part (42).

3. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 2, wherein, The deformation-predicting part (42) includes: a mounting part (43) mounted on the inflator (20); and a connecting wall part (44) connecting the mounting part to the cover body. The mounting part is formed in such a way that the front end side opening is formed with a cross section that is approximately C-shaped, and is elastically deformed to be embedded in the outer periphery of the inflator.

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