Occupant restraint device for vehicle

Abstract

To provide an occupant restraint device for a vehicle which can effectively restrain an occupant with an expanded and extended center air bag regardless of a longitudinal position of a vehicle seat.SOLUTION: An occupant restraint device 10 for a vehicle includes a center air bag 24 comprising: an inflator 22 which is arranged in a vehicle seat 12 to jet gas when being activated; a main chamber 26 which is arranged at a side part of a seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 12 at an inner side in a vehicle width direction and expands / extends to the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat 12 through supplying inside of the main chamber with gas; and a sub chamber 28 which is arranged in the main chamber 26 and expands and extends to contact with a rear face of the seat back 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant restraint device. [Background technology]

[0002] A vehicle occupant restraint system in which the lower end of a far side airbag (center airbag) is deployed between the occupant's waist and the console box to restrain the occupant from moving inward in the vehicle width direction has been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-081958 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-108740 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if the lower end of the inflated center airbag does not sufficiently overlap the console box in a side view, in other words, in the case of a small occupant, if the vehicle seat is in a forward position where the front end face of the side of the seat back is located forward of the front face of the console box, it is difficult for the center airbag to obtain sufficient reaction force from the console box when the inflated center airbag restrains the occupant.

[0005] Therefore, an occupant who moves inward in the vehicle width direction due to the inertial force caused by a side collision of the vehicle may rotate (fall down) inward in the vehicle width direction together with the center airbag around the part to which the inflator of the center airbag is connected in a plan view. In other words, it may become difficult to effectively restrain the occupant with the inflated and deployed center airbag. Thus, there is still room for improvement in a configuration that allows the inflated and deployed center airbag to effectively restrain the occupant regardless of the front-rear position of the vehicle seat (even when the vehicle seat is in the forward position).

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle occupant restraint device that can effectively restrain an occupant with an inflated and deployed center airbag regardless of the fore-aft position of the vehicle seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle occupant restraint device according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises an inflator that is provided in a vehicle seat and ejects gas when activated, a center airbag having a main chamber that is provided on the inner side of a seat back of the vehicle seat in the vehicle width direction and that inflates and deploys toward the inner side of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat in the vehicle width direction when the gas is supplied thereto, and a sub-chamber that is provided in the main chamber and inflates and deploys so as to contact the rear surface of the seat back.

[0008] According to the invention described in claim 1, in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the inflator is activated and gas ejected from the inflator is supplied to the inside of a center airbag (main chamber and sub-chamber) provided on the inner side of the seat back of the vehicle seat in the vehicle width direction. As a result, at least the main chamber of the center airbag is inflated and deployed toward the inner side of the vehicle width direction of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat. Note that "in the event of a side collision of the vehicle" includes not only when a side collision of the vehicle is detected, but also when a side collision of the vehicle is predicted.

[0009] For example, if the occupant sitting in the vehicle seat is small, the vehicle seat may take a forward position in which the front end face of the side of the seat back is located further forward than the front face of the console box in a side view. In this case, the inflated and deployed center airbag has difficulty receiving a reaction force from the console box.

[0010] However, since the center airbag has a sub-chamber provided in the main chamber, and the sub-chamber inflates and deploys to contact the rear surface of the seatback, even if the occupant moves inward in the vehicle width direction due to the inertial force caused by a side collision of the vehicle and presses the main chamber of the center airbag inward in the vehicle width direction, the main chamber can receive a reaction force from the seatback via the sub-chamber.

[0011] In other words, the sub-chamber prevents the main chamber of the center airbag from rotating (falling down) inward in the vehicle width direction around the part where the inflator is connected in a plan view. Therefore, the occupant is effectively restrained by the inflated center airbag (at least the main chamber) regardless of the front-rear position of the vehicle seat. Effect of the Invention

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, the inflated and deployed center airbag can effectively restrain an occupant regardless of the fore-aft position of the vehicle seat. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an inflated and deployed state of the center airbag according to the embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic side view showing an inflated and deployed state of a center airbag according to the present embodiment; [Diagram 3] Fig. 3(A) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Fig. 2. Fig. 3(B) is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing the internal structure of the center airbag according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the arrow UP shown in each drawing indicates the upward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat, the arrow FR indicates the forward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat, and the arrow RH indicates the rightward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat. Therefore, in the following description, when the directions of up / down, front / rear, and left / right are described without special mention, they refer to up / down, front / rear, and left / right of the vehicle and the vehicle seat. In addition, the left / right direction is synonymous with the vehicle width direction and the seat width direction.

[0015] 1, 2, and 3(A), a vehicle seat 12 constituting a vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to this embodiment has a seat cushion 14 on which an occupant P sits (supporting the buttocks and thighs of the occupant P), a seat back 16 supporting the back of the occupant P, and a headrest 18 supporting the head of the occupant P. The occupant P is restrained in this vehicle seat 12 by a seat belt device (not shown).

[0016] Incidentally, the "occupant P" is, for example, a small occupant equivalent to AF05 (5th percentile of adult American women) of the WorldSID (World Side Impact Dummy). The vehicle seat 12 is, for example, a right-side front seat configured to be movable in the front-rear direction by a known electric mechanism, and the vehicle equipped with the vehicle seat 12 in the passenger compartment is, for example, a right-hand drive vehicle. In other words, the vehicle seat 12 is a driver's seat.

[0017] A console box (not shown) is provided on the vehicle interior floor (not shown) on the vehicle width direction inner side (center in the vehicle width direction) of the vehicle seat 12. The console box is a rectangular hollow box with the longitudinal direction in a plan view, and has an opening at the top and is configured to be openable and closable by a lid.

[0018] The position of the vehicle seat 12 where the front end surface 16A (see FIG. 2) located at the forefront of the side portion (side support portion) of the seat back 16 is located forward of the flat front wall of the console box in a side view is defined as the foremost position. In this embodiment, in the case of a small occupant P, the vehicle seat 12 takes the foremost position.

[0019] 1 to 3, a center airbag device 20 that deploys toward the inside in the vehicle width direction of an occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 is provided on the left side (hereinafter referred to as the "left side"), which is the side on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of a seat back 16 of a vehicle seat 12. The center airbag device 20 includes an inflator 22 embedded in the left side of the seat back 16, and a center airbag 24 to which gas ejected from the inflator 22 is supplied via a flow straightening cloth 23.

[0020] The inflator 22 is a cylinder-type gas generating device formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, with its axial direction being a direction (substantially vertical direction) along side frames (not shown) that form the framework of both the left and right sides of the seat back 16. The inflator 22 is activated when a side collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted (hereinafter referred to as "at the time of a side collision"), and is capable of instantly supplying gas to the inside of the center airbag 24 via the flow straightening cloth 23.

[0021] The center airbag 24 inflates and deploys when gas ejected from the inflator 22 is supplied to the inside through the straightening cloth 23, and has a main chamber 26 that covers at least the buttocks to the head of an occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 in a side view, and a sub-chamber 28 that is approximately L-shaped in a plan view and inflates and deploys from slightly below approximately the vertical center of the main chamber 26 so that a part of it (the rear part) comes into contact with the rear surface of the seat back 16.

[0022] The main chamber 26 has an upper wall that bulges upward in a generally arc shape in a side view, and is configured to be large enough to restrain at least the buttocks, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and left side of the head of the occupant P, which is on the inside in the vehicle width direction. The main chamber 26 is formed into a single bag shape by sewing the outer peripheral edges of two pieces of base fabric together.

[0023] The flow straightening cloth 23 is provided inside the main chamber 26 and distributes the gas ejected from the inflator 22 to the upper and lower sides. To be more specific, the front side of the flow straightening cloth 23 has an axial direction that is substantially in the up-down direction, is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a closed upper end, and at least the ejection port side of the inflator 22 is inserted into the inside of the flow straightening cloth 23 from the lower side.

[0024] The rear side of the flow regulating cloth 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape with the axial direction being approximately in the vertical direction, and has an upper opening 23A and a lower opening 23B. Therefore, the flow regulating cloth 23 is capable of blowing out the gas ejected from the inflator 22 upward and downward inside the main chamber 26 (see FIG. 3(B)). The lower opening 23B of the flow regulating cloth 23 is connected in communication with the sub-chamber 28, and the gas ejected from the lower opening 23B is supplied to the inside of the sub-chamber 28.

[0025] The sub-chamber 28 is formed in a substantially circular shape in a cross-sectional view along the up-down direction, and a front-rear extending portion 28A extending in the front-rear direction is provided inside the main chamber 26. A vent hole 28H having a substantially circular shape in a plan view is formed in the front upper wall of this front-rear extending portion 28A, and gas supplied to the inside of the sub-chamber 28 from the lower opening 23B of the flow straightening cloth 23 is supplied from the vent hole 28H to the inside of the main chamber 26 (see FIG. 3(B)). Therefore, the sub-chamber 28 is configured to complete inflation and deployment slightly earlier than the main chamber 26 (shape rigidity is ensured).

[0026] In addition, the width extension portion 28B, which extends inward in the seat width direction continuously from the rear end of the front-to-rear extension portion 28A of the sub-chamber 28, protrudes a predetermined length inward in the seat width direction from the inner wall 26A (see Figure 3(A)) located on the inner side in the seat width direction of the main chamber 26 (for example, up to approximately half the length of the seat back 16 in the seat width direction in a plan view), and the front wall 28F of the width extension portion 28B, which is approximately arc-shaped in a side view, contacts (abuts) the rear surface (back surface) 16B of the seat back 16.

[0027] Next, the operation of the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to this embodiment configured as above will be described.

[0028] In the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the inflator 22 is activated, and gas ejected from the inflator 22 is instantly supplied to the inside of the center airbag 24 (the main chamber 26 and the sub-chamber 28) through the flow straightening cloth 23. Then, the internal pressure (inflation pressure) of the center airbag 24, which begins to inflate due to the supply of gas, breaks the skin from the lower part to the upper part of the left side part of the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 12.

[0029] That is, the center airbag 24 inflates and deploys, and the main chamber 26 inflates and deploys toward the left side (inner side in the vehicle width direction) of at least the buttocks, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and head of the occupant P. As a result, in a side view, at least the left side of the occupant P from the buttocks to the head is covered from the left side by the main chamber 26. Therefore, in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, at least the left side of the occupant P from the buttocks to the head can be restrained by the main chamber 26.

[0030] Here, for example, when the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 is small in stature, the vehicle seat 12 takes the frontmost position. Therefore, when the occupant P is restrained by the main chamber 26 of the inflated and deployed center airbag 24, the main chamber 26 has difficulty receiving a sufficient reaction force from the console box.

[0031] However, the center airbag 24 completes inflation and deployment into a generally "L" shape in plan view slightly earlier than the completion of inflation and deployment of the main chamber 26, and has a sub-chamber 28 in which a front wall 28F of a widthwise extending portion 28B extending inward in the seat width direction contacts (abuts) the rear surface 16B of the seatback 16. Therefore, the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 can obtain a reaction force from the seatback 16 via the sub-chamber 28, which has a sufficient shape rigidity.

[0032] More specifically, during a side collision of the vehicle, the occupant P moves inward in the vehicle width direction due to inertial force, and presses the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 inward in the vehicle width direction. Then, the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 tries to rotate inward in the vehicle width direction around the portion (the front side of the flow straightening cloth 23) to which the inflator 22 is connected in a plan view.

[0033] However, when the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 is pressed inward in the vehicle width direction, the widthwise extending portion 28B of the sub-chamber 28 of the center airbag 24 presses the rear surface 16B of the seatback 16 forward (to prevent rotation), and the main chamber 26 can effectively obtain a reaction force from the seatback 16 via the sub-chamber 28. Therefore, the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 is prevented from rotating (falling down) inward in the vehicle width direction around the portion to which the inflator 22 is connected in a plan view.

[0034] In addition, even if the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 tries to rotate rearward around the portion where the inflator 22 is connected in a side view, the width extension portion 28B of the sub-chamber 28 similarly presses the rear surface 16B of the seat back 16 forward (stopping the rotation), so the main chamber 26 can effectively obtain a reaction force from the seat back 16 via the sub-chamber 28. Therefore, the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 is also prevented from rotating rearward around the portion where the inflator 22 is connected in a side view.

[0035] Thus, according to the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 of this embodiment, even if the vehicle seat 12 is in the forward-most position (regardless of the fore-aft position of the vehicle seat 12), the inflated and deployed center airbag 24 (the front-to-rear extending portions 28A of the main chamber 26 and the sub-chamber 28) can effectively restrain the occupant P (sufficient restraint performance for the occupant P can be ensured).

[0036] Although the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings, the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the one shown in the drawings, and the design can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present invention. For example, the vehicle to which this embodiment is applied may be a vehicle that does not have a console box in the passenger compartment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10 Vehicle occupant restraint system 12 Vehicle seats 16 Seat back 22 Inflator 24 Center airbag 26 Main Chamber 28 Sub-chamber P Crew

Claims

[Claim 1] An inflator that is provided in a vehicle seat and ejects gas when activated; a center airbag including: a main chamber that is provided on an inner side of a seat back of the vehicle seat in a vehicle width direction and that inflates and deploys toward an inner side of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat in a vehicle width direction when the gas is supplied thereto; and a sub-chamber that is provided in the main chamber and that inflates and deploys so as to come into contact with a rear surface of the seat back; A vehicle occupant restraint device comprising:

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