Occupant protection device

Abstract

The occupant protection device (S) is configured in such a manner that an airbag (25) disposed in the region of a leg belt (10) of a seat belt (7) has: an airbag body (26); and a conduit section (35) connected to an inflator (17) disposed in the vicinity of the lower end of the seat section (3) of the seat (1). The airbag is held by the leg belt in a folded state. The catheter portion is disposed substantially along the leg belt in a state of being held by the catheter holding body (45). The catheter holder is formed of a material having flexibility and higher rigidity than the catheter section, is disposed substantially along the catheter section, and fixes both end sides to the seat side and the airbag body side by a seat-side fixing section (52) or an airbag body-side fixing section (48), respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an occupant protection device arranged on a seat of a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Currently, as an occupant protection device installed on a seat, there is a structure as shown in Japanese Patent Gazette No. 7243557, that is, a structure in which an airbag is arranged in the area of ​​the lap belt of the seat belt, and when in operation, the inflated airbag (airbag body) is used to protect the occupant sitting on the seat while wearing the seat belt. In this current occupant protection device, an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the airbag is arranged on the lower end side of the seat portion of the seat. The airbag has: an airbag body that is held by the lap belt and inflated in a manner that can protect the occupant; and a duct portion that is connected to the inflator so that the inflation gas flows into the airbag body.

[0003] In the current occupant protection device, a folded airbag body (folded body) is arranged on the front end side of the conduit portion that is arranged in a manner extending from the inflator and roughly along the lap belt so as to be held by the lap belt. However, in the current occupant protection device, the conduit portion arranged between the folded body and the inflator is formed in a long strip shape by a flexible sheet body made of the same material as the airbag body. Therefore, in a vehicle-mounted state (non-wearing state), etc., it may be twisted together with the lap belt, and there is room for improvement in suppressing the occurrence of such twisting and making it easier to wear. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an occupant protection device that can suppress the occurrence of twisting and the like and can be easily worn.

[0005] The occupant protection device is configured on the seat of the vehicle and has the following components:

[0006] Seat belts;

[0007] an air bag disposed in the seat belt in a region of a lap belt that restrains a waist of an occupant seated in the seat when the seat belt is worn; and

[0008] an inflator disposed near a lower end of a seat portion of the seat and supplying inflation gas to the airbag,

[0009] The airbag is formed into a bag shape composed of a flexible sheet body and has a structure having the following components:

[0010] an airbag body that is held by the lap belt in a folded state and that inflates in a manner capable of protecting the occupant wearing the seat belt; and

[0011] a conduit portion connected to the inflator to allow inflation gas to flow into the airbag body, wherein:

[0012] The duct portion is arranged to extend substantially along the leg belt when held by the duct holding body.

[0013] The duct holding body is formed of a flexible material having higher rigidity than the duct portion, is arranged substantially along the duct portion, and has both ends fixed to the seat side and the airbag body side by seat side fixing portions or airbag body side fixing portions, respectively.

[0014] Regarding the occupant protection device of the present invention, the duct portion extending from the folded airbag body in the airbag and connected to the inflator is a structure held by a duct holder. The duct holder is a structure that is arranged roughly along the duct portion, and has both end sides fixed to the seat side and the airbag body side, and is formed of a material with higher rigidity than the duct portion. Therefore, in a vehicle-mounted state or a non-worn state (a non-seated state of the occupant), the duct holder can be used to reliably suppress the situation in which the area of ​​the duct portion is twisted together with the leg belt. As a result, when wearing, the twisted state of the area of ​​the duct portion does not need to be corrected by the wearer's (occupant's) hands, and the folded body can be easily arranged in an appropriate position relative to the occupant by wearing only the seat belt.

[0015] Therefore, the occupant protection device of the present invention can suppress the occurrence of twisting and can be easily worn.

[0016] In addition, in the occupant protection device of the present invention, the duct portion is held by the duct holding body, so when the inflator is operating, when the inflation gas discharged from the inflator flows into the airbag body through the duct portion, it is possible to suppress the swaying caused by the inflow of the inflation gas in the area of ​​the duct portion, and the configuration position of the inflated airbag body can be quickly stabilized, and the inflated airbag (airbag body) can be used to quickly and stably protect the occupant. In addition, the duct holding body has flexibility, so it can be easily bent in a manner roughly along the lower body of the wearer together with the leg belt and the duct portion, and the touch when worn is also good.

[0017] Furthermore, the occupant protection device of the present invention is preferably configured such that a folded body formed by folding the airbag body is held by the lap belt so as to be displaceably movable relative to the lap belt.

[0018] If the occupant protection device is formed into such a structure, the airbag main body (folded body) can be arranged at an appropriate position relative to the occupant when wearing it. In addition, in the occupant protection device of the above structure, in the vehicle-mounted state (the occupant is not wearing the occupant), the lap belt is arranged approximately along the up-down direction, and the duct portion is held by the duct holding body. Therefore, even if the structure is set so that the folded body can be offset and moved relative to the lap belt, the duct holding body can reliably suppress the duct portion area from being loose relative to the lap belt, and the situation that the airbag main body moves relative to the lap belt and slides due to the occurrence of such looseness can also be suppressed.

[0019] Furthermore, with regard to the occupant protection device of the present invention, preferably, if the catheter retaining body is formed by a substantially cylindrical body that can cover the outer peripheral side of the catheter portion, then when the airbag is inflated, the catheter portion expands within the catheter retaining body, and the inflated catheter portion can be prevented from directly and strongly pressing the occupant's arm, etc.

[0020] Specifically, examples of the substantially cylindrical tube holder used in the occupant protection device of the above structure include a synthetic resin corrugated cylindrical body and a cylindrical body having a structure in which a mesh-like reinforcement layer is arranged all around a rubber elastic body as a base material.

[0021] Furthermore, the occupant protection device of the above structure is preferably configured such that the seat side fixing portion is mounted at a position on the side of the seat portion via the position adjusting portion.

[0022] The position adjustment portion is configured so that the seat-side fixing portion can slide relative to the seat portion in the longitudinal direction of the tube holding body.

[0023] If the occupant protection device is configured in this manner, the seat side fixing portion of the duct holder, i.e., the duct holder's mounting position to the seat side (to the side of the seat portion) can be slid by the position adjusting portion. Therefore, the substantial length dimension of the duct holder (the distance from the airbag body side fixing portion of the duct holder to the position corresponding to the upper surface of the seat portion) when the seat belt is worn can be increased or decreased by the position adjusting portion, and the position of the folded body can be adjusted according to the body shape of the occupant.

[0024] Furthermore, the occupant protection device of the present invention is preferably configured such that a belt loop portion through which a lap belt can be inserted is disposed on the airbag, and the airbag main body side fixing portion is attached to the belt loop portion.

[0025] If the occupant protection device is configured in this manner, the duct holding portion need not be directly attached to the airbag body, and the duct holding portion can be easily attached. In addition, the airtightness of the airbag body can be ensured. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of a seat on which an occupant protection device according to one embodiment of the present invention is mounted.

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Side view of the seat.

[0028] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A partially enlarged side view of the seat showing the vicinity of the configuration location of the inflator and the position adjustment portion.

[0029] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the seat showing the vicinity of the inflator configuration location.

[0030] Figure 5 It is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the airbag used in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment is inflated alone.

[0031] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an airbag.

[0032] Figure 7 It is a schematic perspective view showing one end side of a pipe holding body used in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0033] Figure 8 It is a schematic partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a fixed state of an airbag main body side fixing portion of a catheter holding body and an airbag in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0034] Fig. 9 It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a duct holding body in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0035] Fig.10 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of a catheter holder when the inflation of the airbag is complete in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0036] 11A and 11B are front views (viewed from the left side in a vehicle-mounted state) of a position adjustment unit used in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0037] 12A and 12B are rear views of the position adjustment unit shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B (viewed from the rear in a vehicle-mounted state).

[0038] 13A and 13B are longitudinal sectional views of the position adjustment portion shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B.

[0039] Fig.14It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of a seat-side fixing portion in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0040] 15A, 15B, and 15C are schematic cross-sectional views for explaining a state in which the movable side portion is slidably moved with respect to the slide rail portion.

[0041] Fig.16 This is a front view of a seat in a state where the occupant protection device according to the embodiment is wearing a seat belt.

[0042] Fig.17 This is a side view of a seat in a state where the occupant protection device according to the embodiment is wearing a seat belt.

[0043] Fig.18 This is a front view of a seat in a state where the airbag has completed inflation in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0044] Fig.19 It is a side view of a seat in a state where the airbag in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment has completed inflation.

[0045] Fig. 20 It is a partially enlarged side view of a seat showing a state in which a movable side portion is slid downward in the occupant protection device according to the embodiment.

[0046] Fig.21 It is a schematic perspective view of a catheter holding body according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the occupant protection device S of the embodiment is mounted on a seat 1 of a vehicle. The occupant protection device S includes: a seat belt 7; an airbag 25; an inflator 17 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 25; a duct holder 45 that holds a duct portion 35 described later of the airbag 25; a position adjustment portion 60 that mounts the duct holder 45 on the seat 1 side; and a cover portion 100 that covers the periphery of the airbag 25. The seat 1 includes a backrest portion 2 and a seat portion 3. In the embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the front-back, top-bottom, and left-right directions are consistent with the front-back, top-bottom, and left-right directions relative to the occupant MP sitting on the seat 1.

[0048] In the embodiment, the seat belt 7 is mounted on the seat 1. Figure 1 , 2As shown in FIGS. 1 and 16 , the seat belt 7 includes: a belt body 8 for restraining the occupant MP sitting on the seat 1; a tongue plate 12 mounted on the belt body 8; and a buckle 13 for connecting the tongue plate 12. In the embodiment, the buckle 13 is arranged on the right rear end side of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 (the right side near the boundary between the backrest portion 2 and the seat portion 3) (refer to FIG. Figure 1 , 16 The belt body 8 is configured such that one end is locked to a take-up shaft of a retractor (not shown) disposed in the backrest portion 2, and the other end is locked to an anchor member 14 disposed on the left rear end 3a side of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 (see Figures 1 to 3 ), and can be guided out of the retractor when worn. Specifically, the belt body 8 is configured to be exposed to the outside from the upper left edge of the backrest portion 2. In the embodiment, the belt body 8 is configured as follows: Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , the lap belt 10 for providing the air bag 25 is exposed on the front surface of the backrest 2. Specifically, when the occupant MP is not seated, the lap belt 10 is Figure 1 As shown, on the left edge side of the backrest portion 2, it is exposed on the front surface of the backrest portion 2 roughly along the up-down direction. The belt body 8 has: a lap belt 10; and a shoulder belt 9, which is stored in the backrest portion 2. The belt body 8 is formed as follows. That is, when the occupant is seated and the tongue plate 12 is fastened to the buckle 13, the lap belt 10 is arranged between the anchor part 14 and the buckle 13 in a manner roughly along the left-right direction to restrain the lower body MD (waist) of the occupant MP, and the shoulder belt 9 is extended from the upper left edge side of the backrest portion 2 and is arranged obliquely to the buckle 13 to restrain the upper body MU (from the shoulder to the chest) of the occupant MP (refer to Fig.16 , 17 ) Regarding the seat belt 7, a retractor (not shown) disposed in the backrest portion 2 has a pretensioning mechanism.

[0049] The inflator 17 is disposed in the vicinity of the lower end of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 and is installed on the seat 1 in the embodiment. Figure 2 , 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , the inflator 17 is disposed at a position lower than the seat portion 3 on the back side of the seat 1. The inflator 17 includes: an inflator body 18 of a substantially cylindrical shape, which is disposed so that the axial direction is substantially along the left-right direction; and a connecting pipe portion 19, which extends from the inflator body 18 and is connected to the conduit portion 35 of the airbag 25 (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 4In the embodiment, the inflator body 18 is mounted on the seat frame 4 by a predetermined bracket (reference numeral omitted) in the area on the lower side of the rear surface of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1. The connecting pipe portion 19 extends from the inflator body 18 and is bent, and the front end 19a is arranged to be located on the left side of the seat frame 4. The connecting pipe portion 19 is connected to the front end 37a (left end) of the duct portion 35 of the airbag 25 by the clamp 20 (see FIG. Figure 4 In the embodiment, the inflator body 18 is set to start operation later than the pretensioner of the seat belt 7 in order to restrict the withdrawal of the belt body 8 of the seat belt 7 accompanying the inflation of the airbag 25 .

[0050] The airbag 25 is formed into a bag shape made of a flexible sheet. Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the airbag 25 includes: an airbag body 26 that is inflated in a manner that can protect the occupant MP wearing the seat belt 7; a duct portion 35 that is connected to the inflator 17 so that the inflation gas flows into the airbag body 26; and a belt loop portion 40 that can insert the lap belt 10. In the embodiment, the airbag 25 (the airbag body 26, the duct portion 35, and the belt loop portion 40) is formed of a flexible woven fabric composed of polyester yarns, polyamide yarns, etc.

[0051] The outer shape of the airbag body 26 when fully inflated is configured to be a triangular prism with the axial direction substantially along the left-right direction. Specifically, the fully inflated shape of the airbag body 26 when viewed from the left and right sides is configured to be a right triangle with a hypotenuse on the front side (see FIG. Fig.19 ). In addition, the inflated shape of the airbag body 26 when viewed from the front-rear direction is set to be a substantially rectangular shape with a large vertical width (see Fig.18 ).like Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the airbag body 26 has: a rear wall portion 28, which is arranged on the side of the occupant MP (rear side) when inflation is complete; a front wall portion 27, which is arranged to be opposite to the rear wall portion 28 in the front-rear direction; a lower wall portion 29, which is arranged at the lower end side when inflation is complete; and a left wall portion 30 and a right wall portion 31, which are arranged to be opposite to each other in the left-right direction when inflation is complete. The airbag body 26 is structured such that the upper body MU of the occupant MP is supported by the rear wall portion 28 when inflation is complete. In addition, it is formed such that when the upper body MU is supported by the rear wall portion 28, the lower wall portion 29 is brought into contact with the thigh MT of the occupant MP and supported by the thigh MT, thereby supporting the occupant MP (refer to Fig.19The conduit portion 35 is connected to the lower surface side of the rear end 29a of the lower wall portion 29 of the airbag body 26. The airbag body 26 is structured so that the inflation gas from the inflator 17 flows into the inside through the conduit portion 35. In the area on the rear end 29a side of the lower wall portion 29, the communication hole 33 connected to the conduit portion 35 is opened in a circular shape. In the embodiment, two (refer to Figure 5 ) Furthermore, the airbag body 26 is connected to the duct portion 35 at the peripheral edge of the communication hole 33 .

[0052] In the embodiment, the conduit portion 35 is configured to extend to the left side from the lower surface side of the airbag body 26 and is connected to the inflator 17 (specifically, the connecting pipe portion 19 of the inflator 17). The base side (right end side) of the conduit portion 35 on the airbag body 26 side is closed. The front end side (left end side) of the conduit portion 35 is opened in a manner that can be connected to the connecting pipe portion 19. Specifically, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , the duct portion 35 includes: a wide main body side portion 36 located on the lower surface side of the airbag main body 26; and a connection side portion 37 extending to the left from the airbag main body 26 when the airbag is fully inflated. The connection side portion 37 is formed to have a smaller width than the main body side portion 36. The duct portion 35 is configured to be arranged approximately along the left-right direction in a manner approximately along the lap belt 10 when the airbag 25 is fully inflated (see FIG. 1 ). Fig.18 , 19 As described above, the front end 37a side (left end side) of the connection side portion 37 of the conduit portion 35 is connected to the connection pipe portion 19 of the inflator 17 by the clamp 20 (see Figure 4 In the embodiment, the connection side portion 37 of the catheter portion 35 is held by the catheter holding body 45. In detail, as Figure 4 , 8 As shown in FIGS. 10 and 14 , the connecting side portion 37 is covered on the outer peripheral side by the catheter holding body 45 (inserted into the inside of the catheter holding body 45 ) over substantially the entire length, and is held and arranged in the catheter holding body 45 .

[0053] like Figure 5 , 6 As shown in FIG. 1 , the belt loop 40 is disposed on the lower surface side of the main body side portion 36 of the duct portion 35 (i.e., the area below the airbag body 26). The belt loop 40 is provided in a substantially cylindrical shape disposed substantially in the left-right direction substantially along the lap belt 10 and is configured to allow the lap belt 10 to be inserted. The lap belt 10 is inserted through the belt loop 40, so that the airbag body 26 is held by the lap belt 10.

[0054] In the embodiment, the airbag 25 is structured such that the area of ​​the airbag main body 26 is folded into a long strip shape, and the airbag 25 is held on the lap belt 10 in a state where the folded body 105 formed by folding the airbag main body 26 can be offset and moved relative to the lap belt 10. Specifically, the airbag 25 is folded to form a long strip folded body 105 substantially along the left-right direction. Although the detailed illustration of the folded body 105 is omitted, the airbag main body 26 in a state of being substantially flatly unfolded is folded so as to reduce the width dimension on the front-back direction side by overlapping the front wall portion 27 with the rear wall portion 28 and the lower wall portion 29. The folded body 105 formed by folding the airbag main body 26 in this way is inserted into the belt loop portion 40, and is thus arranged to overlap with the main body side portion 36 of the duct portion 35 on the upper surface side of the lap belt 10 when being worn. The folded body 105 is arranged in the area of ​​the lap belt 10 (see FIG. 1 ), with the main cover 101 of the cover 100, which will be described later, covering the periphery including the belt loop 40 and the lap belt 10. Fig.16 ). In the case of an embodiment, Figure 1 In the non-wearing state shown, the folded body 105 twists the lap belt 10 and is arranged on the left side of the twisted lap belt 10 .

[0055] The catheter holding body 45 that holds the catheter portion 35 is formed of a material that is flexible and has higher rigidity than the catheter portion 35. In the embodiment, the catheter holding body 45 is made of a synthetic resin and is formed of a corrugated cylindrical body that can cover the outer peripheral side of the catheter portion 35. In detail, the catheter holding body 45 has appropriate self-sustaining properties (non-flexibility) when handled alone. In addition, the catheter holding body 45 is formed in a corrugated cylindrical shape and is therefore easy to bend. Specifically, as materials for forming the catheter holding body 45, various thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), olefins, and polyurethanes can be exemplified. In detail, the catheter holding body 45 is configured to cover the outer peripheral side of the area of ​​the connection side portion 37 in the catheter portion 35 over substantially the entire length (see Figure 3 , 4 , 8, 9). The catheter holder 45 is composed of a corrugated cylindrical body having a substantially rectangular cross section, and in the embodiment, is arranged so that the long sides are substantially along the front-back direction (see Figure 1 , 14 ). In more detail, in the embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the catheter holder 45 is set to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connection side portion 37 in the state of complete expansion of the single body. Specifically, the width dimension W1 of the catheter holder 45 on the long side is set to be smaller than the width dimension W2 of the connection side portion 37 in the state of flat expansion (see Figure 6 , 9). Moreover, if Fig. 9 , 14 As shown, the connection side portion 37 is inserted into the catheter holding body 45 in a state of being folded in a manner to reduce the width dimension. In the embodiment, the connection side portion 37 of the catheter portion 35 is configured to expand in a manner to fill the interior of the catheter holding body 45 when the balloon 25 is fully inflated (see Fig.10 ). Moreover, the cross-sectional area of ​​the duct holder 45 is set to a size that does not hinder the rapid expansion of the airbag 25 (airbag body 26) when the inflator 17 is in operation (a size that allows the inflation gas to flow smoothly in the connection side portion 37). In addition, the duct holder 45 is fixed to the seat 1 side and the airbag body 26 side by the seat side fixing portion 52 or the airbag body side fixing portion 48 at both ends (see Figure 3 ).

[0056] In the embodiment, the balloon body side fixing portion 48 is connected to the belt ring portion 40 of the balloon 25. Specifically, the balloon body side fixing portion 48 has a mounting piece 49 protruding rightward from the right end portion 45b of the catheter holding body 45 (see Figure 7 ),like Figure 8 As shown, the attachment piece 49 is overlapped with the region on the left edge 40 a side of the belt ring portion 40 and fastened with a fixing means 50 such as a rivet, thereby being fastened to the belt ring portion 40 and fixed to the airbag body 26 side.

[0057] In the case of implementation, such as Figure 3 As shown, the seat side fixing portion 52 of the duct holding body 45 is arranged at a position closer to the center side than the end portion 45a on the other side (left side) of the duct holding body 45. The seat side fixing portion 52 is fixed to the seat 1 side via the position adjustment portion 60 provided on the seat 1 side. Specifically, the seat side fixing portion 52 has a bracket portion 53 arranged to surround the duct holding body 45 all around the outer peripheral side of the duct side cover 102 described later of the cover portion 100. The seat side fixing portion 52 is fixed to the seat 1 at a position on the side of the seat portion 3 (see FIG. 1 ) by connecting the bracket portion 53 to the movable side portion 75 described later of the position adjustment portion 60. Fig.14 In the embodiment, the left end 45a of the catheter holder 45 is connected to the connection pipe portion 19 of the inflator 17 by the clamp 46 at a position further rearward than the clamp 20 to which the front end 37a of the connection side portion 37 is connected (see Figure 4 ). In addition, the left end portion 45a of the catheter holding body 45 is arranged in a curved manner (see Figure 3 ).

[0058] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, the position adjustment portion 60 is arranged on the side of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 (on the left side in the embodiment). In detail, the position adjustment portion 60 is arranged slightly rearward of the center of the seat portion 3 in the front-rear direction and adjacent to the front side of the duct portion 35 and the duct holding body 45. As shown in FIGS. 11A to 13B, the position adjustment portion 60 has: a slide rail portion 61 fixed to the seat 1 side; and a movable side portion 75 slidably mounted on the slide rail portion 61. As described above, the bracket portion 53 constituting the seat side fixing portion 52 of the duct holding body 45 is connected to the movable side portion 75 (refer to Fig.14 ).

[0059] The slide rail portion 61 is configured to be in the shape of an elongated strip arranged roughly along the up-down direction. In the embodiment, the slide rail portion 61 is arranged along the left side surface of the seat portion 3 so that the width direction side is roughly along the front-back direction, and is arranged slightly inclined relative to the up-down direction so that the upper end side is located in the front. As shown in FIG. 11A to FIG. 13B, the slide rail portion 61 has: an elongated main body portion 62; and an upper mounting portion 71 and a lower mounting portion 72, which are arranged on the upper end 62a side and the lower end 62b side of the main body portion 62 and are respectively mounted on the seat 1 side. The upper mounting portion 71 is omitted from detailed illustration, but is a structure mounted on a specified bracket or the like arranged in the seat portion 3. The lower mounting portion 72 is a structure mounted on the seat frame 4.

[0060] The main body 62 includes: a rail body 64 disposed in an area on the front edge 62c side and an area on the rear edge 62d side; a locking hole 66 that allows a pin body 81, which will be described later, of a locking pin portion 80 formed on the movable side portion 75 to be inserted; and a locking recess 67 that allows the pin body 81 to be inserted. The rail body 64 enables the movable side portion 75 to slide approximately along the length direction of the main body 62. In the embodiment, the rail body 64 is formed to be bent in a manner that floats from an area on the central side of the main body 62 and is approximately parallel to the main body 62 on the front edge 62c side and the rear edge 62d side of the main body 62 (see Fig.14). Each rail body 64 is continuously formed over substantially the entire range of the main body 62 in the up-down direction. The locking hole 66 is formed on the upper end side of the area on the central side of the main body 62 (the area between the rail bodies 64, 64) so ​​as to penetrate the main body 62 (refer to B of FIG. 11 and A and B of FIG. 13). The opening shape of the locking hole 66 is formed into an approximately oblong shape that allows the front end 81a side of the pin body 81 of the locking pin portion 80 to be inserted and slightly expands the width of the longitudinal direction side (up-down direction side) of the rail body 64 (refer to B of FIG. 11). The locking recess 67 is arranged below the locking hole 66 in the area on the central side of the main body 62, and as shown in B of FIG. 13, the pin body 81 of the locking pin portion 80 of the movable side portion 75 that slides relative to the slide rail portion 61 (main body 62) can be inserted and locked. In the case of the embodiment, as shown in A and B of FIG. 13 , three locking recesses 67 are arranged in parallel roughly along the length direction of the rail body 64. In the case of the embodiment, each locking recess 67 is formed into a bottomed shape. In addition, each locking recess 67 is configured so that the outer shape when viewed from the left side is configured to be a substantially oblong shape in which the front end 81a side of the pin body 81 can be inserted and the width dimension on the upper and lower sides of the locking hole portion 66 is set larger (refer to B of FIG. 11 ). In detail, the locking recess 67 is a structure in which the front end 81a side of the pin body 81 is locked in the lower area. On the bottom surface side of the upper area of ​​the locking recess 67, a guide wall portion 67a that can guide the front end 81a of the pin body 81 to the lower area during sliding movement is formed obliquely (refer to A to C of FIG. 15 ). In addition, near the lower end 62b of the main body 62, a stopper piece 69 for restricting the downward movement of the movable side portion 75 is formed to stand upright toward the surface side (the left side surface 75c side) (see A and B in FIG. 13 ).

[0061] The movable side portion 75 is arranged on the left side of the slide rail portion 61. The movable side portion 75 has: a sliding portion 76 that can slide relative to the rail body 64 formed on the slide rail portion 61; a locking pin portion 80 that can be inserted and locked in the locking hole portion 66 or the locking recess 67; an operating portion 85 that can pull the locking pin portion 80 in when pressed down; a holding portion 78 that holds the locking pin portion 80 and the operating portion 85; and a mounting portion 95 for mounting the bracket portion 53 of the seat side fixing portion 52 that constitutes the duct holding body 45 (refer to A of Figures 11 to B of Figures 13). The sliding portions 76, 76 are respectively formed on the front edge 75a side and the rear edge 75b side of the movable side portion 75 so as to surround the outer peripheral side of the rail body 64 in approximately three directions (refer to Fig.14 As shown in FIG. 12 , the sliding portions 76 , 76 are continuously formed over substantially the entire region of the movable side portion 75 in the up-down direction.

[0062] The holding portion 78 is formed between the sliding portions 76, 76 and protrudes from the left side surface 75c of the movable side portion 75 in a substantially box-like shape. The holding portion 78 is configured to accommodate and hold the locking pin portion 80 and to hold an operation body 86 of the operation portion 85 to be slidable in the up-down direction. In the embodiment, the holding portion 78 is disposed in a region of about the upper half of the movable side portion.

[0063] The locking pin portion 80 has a pin body 81 whose outer shape is approximately cylindrical. In addition, the locking pin portion 80 is such that the front end 81a side of the pin body 81 protrudes from the right side surface 75d of the movable side portion 75 to the side (right side) of the slide rail portion 61 when the operating portion 85 is not in operation, and is held by the holding portion 78 (refer to A of FIG. 13, B of FIG. 13, and A to C of FIG. 15). In addition, the locking pin portion 80 has a pressed portion 82 (refer to A to C of FIG. 15) which is pressed by the pressing piece 88 of the operating portion 85 described later when the operating portion 85 is operated. Although the detailed illustration of the pressed portion 82 is omitted, it is formed to protrude in the front and rear sides in a manner substantially orthogonal to the pin body 81 in the area on the side (left end side) of the base 81b of the pin body 81. The pressed portion 82 is configured such that, when the operating body 86 described later of the operating portion 85 is pressed downward, it is pressed toward the left by the pressing piece 88 of the operating body 86. Furthermore, when the operating body 86 is pressed downward, the locking pin portion 80 receives the pressing force acting on the pressed portion 82, and slides and moves toward the left in the holding portion 78 in such a manner that the front end 81a side of the pin body 81 is pulled in (see B of FIG. 15 ).

[0064] The operating part 85 has: an operating body 86, which is used for pressing operation; and a compression coil spring 92 as a preload unit, which is arranged in the holding part 78. The operating body 86 has: a lower pressing plate part 87, which is arranged on the upper end side; and a pressing piece 88, which extends downward from the lower pressing plate part 87 and is used to move the pressed part 82, and is held in the holding part 78 in a manner that can slide and move in the up and down directions. The lower pressing plate part 87 is used for operation when pressing down, and in the case of the embodiment, it is arranged at a position higher than the holding part 78 in the non-operating state. In addition, the lower pressing plate part 87 is formed so that the outer shape is formed into an approximately rectangular plate shape arranged approximately orthogonally to the pressing direction (refer to A of Figures 11 to B of Figures 13). As shown in A of Figure 11, the pressing piece 88 is formed to extend downward from the front and rear ends of the lower pressing plate part 87. At the lower end side of each pressing piece 88, there are arranged: a front end piece 89, which is arranged in a narrow width adjacent to the right side of the pressed portion 82 of the locking pin portion 80 (the front end 81a side of the pin body 81); and a guide piece 90, which is formed in an inclined manner in a manner of expanding and opening from the upper end side of the front end piece 89 (the upper side of the pressed portion 82 when not in operation) (refer to A of Figures 13 and A to C of Figures 15). The guide piece 90 is used to guide the pressed portion 82 to move to the left in a manner resisting the preload force of the compression coil spring 92 when the lower pressing plate portion 87 is pressed down. As shown in A and B of Figures 13, the compression coil spring 92 is arranged in the retaining portion 78 and on the left side of the locking pin portion 80 so as to preload the locking pin portion 80 toward the right (the side of the slide rail portion 61).

[0065] The mounting portion 95 is disposed in the area below the holding portion 78 and has a mounting bolt 95a protruding toward the left in the embodiment (see A in FIG. 12 to B in FIG. 13 ). In the embodiment, the bracket portion 53 constituting the seat side fixing portion 52 is structured as follows, that is, Fig.14 As shown in FIG. 1 , the movable side portion 75 is mounted on the movable side portion 75 using the mounting bolts 95 a and nuts 96 .

[0066] The movable side portion 75 can slide relative to the slide rail portion 61 in the following manner. When the occupant MP (wearer) sitting on the seat 1 holds the movable side portion 75 while wearing the seat belt 7, and presses down the pressing plate portion 87 of the operating body 86 with a finger or the like, the locking pin portion 80 can be moved to the left, and the pin body 81 of the locking pin portion 80 can be pulled into the holding portion 78 with this movement. In addition, the locking state of the pin body 81 with the locking hole portion 66 or the locking recess 67 is released, so that the movable side portion 75 can slide up and down relative to the slide rail portion 61 while maintaining the pressing state of the pressing plate portion 87 (refer to B of FIG. 15 ). After the sliding movement, when the finger or the like is removed from the pressing plate portion 87, the operating body 86 is restored to the position before the operation due to the restoration of the compression coil spring 92, and the pin body 81 of the locking pin portion 80 is also arranged to protrude from the movable side portion 75. As a result, the front end 81a side of the pin body 81 is inserted into the locking hole 66 or the locking recess 67 and locked to the periphery (see C in FIG. 15 ). In the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the movable side portion 75 is slid relative to the slide rail portion 61, so that the position of the seat side fixing portion 52 (bracket portion 53) of the duct holder 45 can be moved up and down relative to the seat portion 3. That is, the movable side portion 75 is slid relative to the slide rail portion 61, so that the substantial length of the duct holder 45 (the distance from the airbag body side fixing portion 48 of the duct holder 45 to the position corresponding to the left edge side of the upper surface 3b of the seat portion 3) can be changed. In the embodiment, a total of four locking holes 66 and four locking recesses 67 are arranged, so that the position of the movable side portion 75 can be changed in four stages. That is, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the substantial length of the duct holder 45 can be changed in four stages.

[0067] Regarding the cover portion 100 that covers the periphery of the airbag 25, in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figures 1 to 3 As shown, it has a main cover 101 configured to cover the folded body 105 and a duct side cover 102 configured to cover the duct portion 35. The cover portion 100 is made of a flexible sheet body, specifically, a sheet body such as synthetic leather, fabric, etc.

[0068] Specifically, the main cover 101 is configured to cover the outer peripheral side of the folded body 105 and the main body side portion 36 of the duct portion 35 substantially over the entire area, including the belt loop portion 40 and a portion of the leg belt 10. The main cover 101 is configured to be broken substantially over the entire area on the left and right sides at a predetermined portion when the airbag 25 is inflated, so that the airbag main body 26 can protrude. The duct side cover 102 is arranged to be continuous from the main cover 101, and is formed to cover the outer peripheral side of the duct holding body 45 (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 8 ,14 ). In the case of an implementation mode, if Figures 1 to 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , the duct side cover 102 is formed into a structure that covers the vicinity of the arrangement region of the bracket portion 53 (the seat side fixing portion 52 ) in the duct holding body 45 .

[0069] In the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, when the seat belt 7 is arranged on the seat 1 mounted on the vehicle and the occupant MP is seated, if the inflator 17 is operated, the inflation gas discharged from the inflator 17 flows into the airbag body 26 through the duct portion 35. Then, the airbag body 26 of the airbag 25 breaks the main cover 101 and protrudes forward and upward from the lap belt 10, and as shown in FIG. Fig.18 , 19 When the airbag 25 is fully inflated, the connecting side portion 37 of the duct portion 35 is inflated to fill the interior of the duct holding body 45 (see Fig.10 ).

[0070] In addition, the occupant protection device S of the embodiment is configured such that the duct portion 35 extending from the folded airbag main body 26 (folded body 105) of the airbag 25 and connected to the inflator 17 is held by the duct holding body 45. The duct holding body 45 is configured such that it is arranged substantially along the duct portion 35 (specifically, the connection side portion 37 of the duct portion 35), and both ends are fixed to the seat 1 side and the airbag main body 26 side, and is formed of a material having higher rigidity than the duct portion 35. Therefore, in a non-wearing state (non-seating state of the occupant) such as a vehicle-mounted state, the duct holding body 45 can reliably prevent the region of the duct portion 35 from being twisted together with the lap belt 10. As a result, when wearing, the twisted state of the region of the duct portion 35 (connection side portion 37) can be easily arranged with respect to the occupant MP by wearing only the seat belt 7 without correcting the twisted state of the region of the duct portion 35 (connection side portion 37) by the hand of the wearer (occupant MP).

[0071] Therefore, the occupant protection device S of the embodiment can suppress the occurrence of twisting and the like, and can be easily worn.

[0072] In addition, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the duct portion 35 is held by the duct holding body 45. Therefore, when the inflator 17 is in operation, it is possible to suppress the swaying caused by the inflow of the inflation gas in the region of the duct portion 35 (connection side portion 37) when the inflation gas discharged from the inflator 17 flows into the airbag body 26 via the duct portion 35. Therefore, the configuration position of the inflated airbag body 26 can be quickly stabilized, and the inflated airbag 25 (airbag body 26) can be used to quickly and stably protect the occupant MP. In addition, the duct holding body 45 has flexibility, so it can be easily bent in a manner roughly along the lower body MD of the wearer (occupant MP) together with the leg belt 10 and the duct portion 35, and the touch when worn is also good.

[0073] In addition, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the folded body 105 formed by folding the airbag body 26 is held on the lap belt 10 in a manner that allows it to be displaced relative to the lap belt 10. Therefore, when wearing the airbag body 26 (folded body 105), it is possible to arrange the airbag body 26 (folded body 105) at an appropriate position relative to the occupant MP. In addition, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the lap belt 10 is arranged substantially along the up-down direction in the vehicle-mounted state (the state in which the occupant is not wearing the airbag body). However, the duct portion 35 is held by the duct holding body 45, so even if it is formed into a structure that allows the folded body 105 to be displaced relative to the lap belt 10, the duct holding body 45 can reliably suppress the region of the duct portion 35 from being loose relative to the lap belt 10. In addition, it is also possible to prevent the airbag body 26 from sliding down due to the movement of the folded body 10 relative to the lap belt 10 due to the generation of such looseness. In addition, if this point is not taken into consideration, the airbag body (folded body) can be formed into a structure that is fixed to the lap belt in a manner that prevents it from being displaced.

[0074] In addition, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the duct holder 45 is formed of a substantially cylindrical body capable of covering the outer peripheral side of the duct portion 35 (connection side portion 37), and more specifically, is formed of a corrugated cylindrical body made of synthetic resin. Therefore, when the airbag 25 is inflated, the duct portion 35 (connection side portion 37) is inflated in the duct holder, and it is possible to prevent the inflated duct portion 35 (connection side portion 37) from directly and strongly pressing the arm of the occupant. In particular, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the duct holder 45 is set to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the duct portion 35 in a state where the connection side portion 37 is fully inflated as a single body, and the connection side portion 37 is a structure that is inserted into the duct holder 45 in a folded state. Therefore, the area of ​​the duct portion 35 (specifically, the area of ​​the connection side portion 37) is not large, and can be mounted on the vehicle in a compact state. In addition, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the connection side portion 37 of the duct portion 35 is configured to expand so as to fill the duct holder 45 when the airbag 25 is fully inflated. That is, the outer peripheral side of the area of ​​the connection side portion 37 is covered by the duct holder 45 to form a double tube shape, and the duct holder 45 is configured to reinforce the connection side portion 37. Therefore, the outer diameter dimension (cross-sectional area when inflated) of the duct portion (connection side portion) can be relatively reduced, and the reduction in the amount of base material used can contribute to cost reduction.

[0075] In addition, when a tubular body is used as the catheter holder, it may not be a corrugated tubular body as in the embodiment, and for example, the catheter holder may be a tubular body having a structure in which a mesh-like reinforcement layer is arranged all around the base material of a rubber elastic body. Fig.21 As shown, a structure in which a reinforcing layer 110c composed of a mesh body made of synthetic resin is interposed between base material layers 110a and 110b composed of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, etc. can be exemplified.

[0076] In addition, if the above point is not taken into consideration, the catheter holder may not be formed as a cylindrical body. As the catheter holder, if it is formed of a flexible material having higher rigidity than the catheter portion, although detailed illustration is omitted, it may be formed of, for example, a flexible synthetic resin plate, a synthetic resin, or a metal in a rod-like body (a rod-like body formed by connecting a plurality of connecting rods) that can be bent only in a certain direction.

[0077] When the duct holding body 45 is formed of a substantially cylindrical body capable of covering the outer peripheral side of the duct portion 35 (connection side portion 37) as in the embodiment, if at least one end side of the duct holding body 45 is fixed to the seat side or the airbag main body side, the arrangement position of the duct holding body 45 relative to the duct portion 35 can be stabilized to some extent. Therefore, when the duct holding body is arranged so as to cover the outer peripheral side of the duct portion by using a cylindrical duct holding body, even if at least one end side is fixed to the seat side or the airbag main body side, unlike the embodiment, the duct holding body can reliably suppress the region of the duct portion from twisting together with the lap belt.

[0078] Furthermore, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the seat side fixing portion 52 is a structure installed at a position on the side of the seat portion 3 via the position adjustment portion 60, and the seat side fixing portion 52 can slide relative to the seat portion 3 along the length direction of the catheter retaining body 45 through the position adjustment portion 60. That is, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the seat side fixing portion 52 of the catheter retaining body 45, that is, the catheter retaining body 45 can be slid to the installation position on the seat 1 side (to the side of the seat portion 3) by using the position adjustment portion 60. Therefore, the actual length dimension of the catheter retaining body 45 (the distance from the airbag main body side fixing portion 48 of the catheter retaining body 45 to the position corresponding to the left edge side of the upper surface 3b of the seat portion 3) when the seat belt 7 is worn can be increased or decreased by using the position adjustment portion 60, and the position of the folded body 105 can be adjusted according to the body shape of the occupant. If described in detail, as Fig. 20 As shown in FIG. 1 , if the movable side portion 75 is located at the lower end side of the slide rail portion 61 and the seat side fixing portion 52 is arranged at a position relatively offset downward, the movable side portion 75 is located at the upper end side of the slide rail portion 61 (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 2 , 3 , 17), the substantial length dimension of the duct holding body 45 can be reduced. If the substantial length dimension of the duct holding body 45 is reduced, even when a female or other smaller occupant wears a seat belt, the folded body can be configured so that the center in the length direction is roughly consistent with the center of the left and right sides of the occupant. In addition, in the case where the position of the seat side fixing portion 52 is configured to be offset downward, the seat side fixing portion 52 is configured to be close to the floor surface of the vehicle by the amount of movement, but with respect to the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the duct holding body 45 is formed by a corrugated cylindrical body. Therefore, the portion of the duct holding body 45 that is closer to the end portion 52a side than the seat side fixing portion 52 (the area of ​​the duct holding body 45 that is exposed from the duct side cover 102) can be easily bent (refer to Fig. 20As a result, even if an extra portion is generated in the area of ​​the lower end side of the duct holding body 45 due to the downward movement of the seat side fixing portion 52, such portion can be prevented from protruding significantly between the floor surface, and a relatively compact arrangement can be achieved. In addition, if this point is not taken into consideration, a structure in which the seat side fixing portion of the duct holding body is directly mounted on the seat side without arranging the position adjustment portion.

[0079] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the airbag main body side fixing portion 48 is attached to the belt loop portion 40 provided on the airbag 25 and through which the lap belt 10 can be inserted. Therefore, the duct holder 45 does not need to be directly attached to the airbag main body 26, and the duct holder 45 can be easily attached, and the airtightness of the airbag main body 26 can be ensured. Of course, if this point is not taken into consideration, the airbag main body side fixing portion does not need to be attached to the belt loop portion.

[0080] In addition, regarding the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the seat belt 7 and the inflator 17 are formed to be mounted on the seat 1. Therefore, even when the seat 1 is used in a state where it is moved relative to the vehicle by sliding or rotating in the front-rear direction, the occupant MP sitting on the seat 1 can be reliably protected by the airbag 25. Of course, the occupant protection device of the present invention is not limited to a seat of such a structure, and a seat belt having a retractor provided on the vehicle body side can be mounted on a seat of a type that restrains an occupant. In addition, the inflator can also be formed to be mounted on the vehicle body side.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device (S), which is arranged on a seat (1) of a vehicle, and comprises the following components: Seat belts (7); an air bag (25) arranged in the seat belt in a region of a lap belt (10) for restraining a waist (MW) of a passenger (MP) seated in the seat when the seat belt is worn; and an inflator (17) disposed near the lower end of the seat portion (3) of the seat and supplying inflation gas to the airbag; The airbag is formed into a bag shape composed of a flexible sheet body and has a structure having the following components: an airbag body (26) which is held by the lap belt in a folded state and inflated in a manner capable of protecting the occupant wearing the seat belt; and A conduit portion (35) is connected to the inflator to allow inflation gas to flow into the airbag body, wherein: The duct portion is configured to be substantially along the leg safety belt when held by a duct holding body (45, 110), The duct holding body is formed of a flexible material having higher rigidity than the duct portion, is arranged roughly along the duct portion, and has both ends fixed to the seat side and the airbag body side using a seat side fixing portion (52) or an airbag body side fixing portion (48), respectively.

2. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 1, wherein: The airbag (25) is held by the lap belt in such a manner that a folded body (105) formed by folding the airbag body (26) can be displaced and moved relative to the lap belt.

3. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 1, wherein: The catheter holding body (45, 110) is formed of a substantially cylindrical body capable of covering the outer peripheral side of the catheter portion (35).

4. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 3, wherein: The catheter holding body (45) is formed of a corrugated cylindrical body made of synthetic resin.

5. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 3, wherein: The catheter holder (110) is formed of a cylindrical body having a structure in which a rubber elastic body is used as a base material and a mesh-like reinforcement layer (110c) is arranged over the entire circumference.

6. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 2, wherein: The seat side fixing portion (52) is installed at a position on the side of the seat portion (3) via a position adjusting portion (60). The position adjustment portion is configured so that the seat-side fixing portion can slide relative to the seat portion in the longitudinal direction of the pipe holding body.

7. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 1, wherein: The airbag (25) has a belt loop (40) through which the leg belt (10) can be inserted. The airbag main body side fixing portion (48) is mounted on the belt ring portion.

8. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 1, wherein: The occupant protection device (S) is a structure in which the seat belt (7) and the inflator (17) are mounted on a seat (1).

9. An occupant protection device (S), which is arranged on a seat (1) of a vehicle, and comprises the following components: Seat belts (7); an air bag (25) arranged in the seat belt in a region of a lap belt (10) for restraining a waist (MW) of a passenger (MP) seated in the seat when the seat belt is worn; and an inflator (17) disposed at a position near the lower end of the seat portion (3) of the seat to supply inflation gas to the airbag, The airbag is formed into a bag shape composed of a flexible sheet body and has a structure having the following components: an airbag body (26) which is held by the lap belt in a folded state and inflated in a manner capable of protecting the occupant wearing the seat belt; and A conduit portion (35) is connected to the inflator to allow inflation gas to flow into the airbag body, wherein: The duct portion is configured to be substantially along the leg safety belt when held by a duct holding body (45, 110), The duct holding body is made of a flexible material having higher rigidity than the duct portion, is formed of a substantially cylindrical body capable of covering the outer circumference of the duct portion, and has at least one end fixed to the seat side or the airbag body side.

10. The occupant protection device (S) according to claim 9, wherein: The occupant protection device (S) is a structure in which the seat belt (7) and the inflator (17) are mounted on a seat (1).

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