Occupant protection device

Abstract

To provide an occupant protection device capable of suppressing twisting of a conduit pipe part of an airbag and preventing a decrease in occupant restraint performance by a lap belt part.SOLUTION: An occupant protection device 10 includes: an airbag 30 which has a bag main body part 30a that receives an occupant and a conduit pipe part 30b that guides inflation gas to the bag main body part 30a and allows the inflation gas to flow into the bag main body part 30a and is attached to a lap belt part 13; and a restraint belt 60 which is disposed between the lap belt part 13 and the conduit pipe part 30b to restrict twisting of the conduit pipe part 30b. The restraint belt 60 includes: two plate-shaped parts 60a that have higher rigidity than the conduit pipe part 30b and are arranged at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt part 13; and a connection part 60b that is disposed between and connects the two plate-shaped parts 60a and has lower rigidity than the two plate-shaped parts 60a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an occupant protection device that protects an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an occupant protection device for protecting an occupant, a configuration in which a seat belt for restraining the occupant to the seat is provided is widely known. Further, in Patent Document 1, a configuration is described in which an airbag is provided in a lap belt portion that restrains the occupant's waist in the seat belt, and the occupant is received and protected by the airbag.

[0003] The airbag described in Patent Document 1 includes a bag body portion that expands by being supplied with inflation gas to receive the occupant, and a conduit portion that is connected to an inflater and guides the inflation gas discharged from the inflater to the bag body portion to allow the inflation gas to flow into the bag body portion. The conduit portion is formed of a material that is difficult to twist, thereby suppressing the conduit portion from being twisted and making it difficult for the inflation gas to flow.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, when twisting is suppressed by forming the conduit portion of a material that is difficult to twist as in the configuration of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the lap belt portion to which the conduit portion is attached becomes difficult to bend due to the rigidity of the conduit portion. In that case, it becomes difficult for the lap belt portion to follow along the occupant's waist, a gap is formed between the lap belt portion and the occupant's waist, and there is a possibility that the restraining performance of the occupant by the lap belt portion decreases.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an occupant protection device that can suppress twisting of a conduit portion of an airbag and suppress a decrease in the restraint performance of an occupant by a lap belt portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A typical configuration of an occupant protection device according to the present invention for solving the above problems is an occupant protection device for protecting an occupant sitting on a seat, comprising a seat belt having a lap belt portion configured to restrain the waist of the occupant sitting on the seat, an inflater that discharges inflation gas, an airbag attached to the lap belt portion, the airbag including a bag body portion that inflates by being supplied with the inflation gas and receives the occupant, and a conduit portion connected to the inflater and guiding the inflation gas discharged from the inflater to the bag body portion to allow the inflation gas to flow into the bag body portion. The occupant protection device further includes a restricting member disposed between the lap belt portion and the conduit portion for restricting twisting of the conduit portion. The restricting member includes a plate-like first plate portion having higher rigidity than the conduit portion, a plate-like second plate portion having higher rigidity than the conduit portion and disposed at a position different from that of the first plate portion in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion, and a connecting portion disposed between the first plate portion and the second plate portion in the longitudinal direction and connecting the first plate portion and the second plate portion, the connecting portion being configured to have lower rigidity than the first plate portion and the second plate portion.

[0008] According to the present invention, in an occupant protection device, it is possible to suppress twisting of a conduit portion of an airbag and suppress a decrease in the restraint performance of an occupant by a lap belt portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, the occupant protection device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described below are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those, unless otherwise specifically described. Also, in the following description, the left-right direction means the left direction and the right direction of the seat 1 on which the occupant protection device 10 is mounted, specifically, the left direction and the right direction as seen from the occupant M sitting on the seat 1. The front-rear direction means the front direction and the rear direction of the seat 1, specifically, the front direction and the rear direction as seen from the occupant M sitting on the seat 1. The up-down direction means the upward and downward directions in the vertical direction.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat 1 on which the occupant protection device 10 is mounted. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the seat 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the seat 1, and shows, in a two-dot chain line, the occupant M sitting on the seat 1 and wearing the seat belt 11 and the inflated airbag 30 of the occupant protection device 10. FIG. 4 is a left side view of the seat 1 with the airbag 30 inflated, and shows, in a two-dot chain line, the occupant M sitting on the seat 1 and wearing the seat belt 11.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the occupant protection device 10 is mounted on the seat 1 of the vehicle and protects the occupant M sitting on the seat 1. The occupant protection device 10 includes a seat belt 11, a bag assembly 29 including an airbag 30, and an inflater 24 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 30. The seat 1 includes a backrest portion 2 and a seat portion 5.

[0013] The seat belt 11 is a belt-like member that restrains the occupant M to the seat 1. The seat belt 11 is configured to be extendable from a winding mechanism 15 provided inside the vicinity of the upper left edge of the backrest portion 2. The lower end portion of the seat belt 11 is a fixed end fixed to an anchor member 17 provided on the left side of the seat portion 5. Also, a tongue 20 is provided at an intermediate portion of the seat belt 11. The tongue 20 is fastened to a buckle 19 provided on the right side of the seat portion 5 of the seat 1. The state where the occupant M is seated on the seat 1 and the tongue 20 is fastened to the buckle 19 is the state where the seat belt 11 is worn by the occupant M.

[0014] The seat belt 11 in the state of being worn by the occupant M extends from the tongue 20 toward the winding mechanism 15 side, is disposed on the front side of the upper body MU of the occupant M, and has a shoulder belt portion 12 that is a portion for restraining the upper body MU of the occupant M, and extends from the tongue 20 toward the anchor member 17 side, is disposed on the front side of the waist MW of the occupant M, and has a lap belt portion 13 that is a portion for restraining the waist MW. That is, the lap belt portion 13 is configured to restrain the waist MW of the occupant M. Note that the occupant M can release the fastening state of the tongue 20 with respect to the buckle 19 by pressing an unillustrated release button provided on the buckle 19 and remove the tongue 20 from the buckle 19.

[0015] The take-up mechanism 15 has a pretensioner mechanism 16 configured to stop the pulling out of the seat belt 11 in case of a sudden pulling out of the seat belt 11, and to wind up the pulled-out seat belt 11 in case of a vehicle collision or the like. The pretensioner mechanism 16 rotates the shaft around which the seat belt 11 is wound by operating a built-in gas generator to instantaneously wind up the seat belt 11.

[0016] The inflator 24 is composed of an inflator main body 25 that discharges inflation gas and a pipe portion 26 that guides the inflation gas discharged from the inflator main body 25 to the airbag 30. The inflator main body 25 is attached to a seat frame 4 that supports the seat portion 5 of the seat 1. The pipe portion 26 extends from the inflator main body 25 and has a shape bent in a substantially L shape along the side surface from the bottom surface of the seat portion 5.

[0017] The bag assembly 29 is composed of an airbag 30 including a bag main body portion 30a and a conduit portion 30b, a bag connecting portion 52 that connects the airbag 30 and the lap belt portion 13, a regulating belt 60 (regulating member) shown in FIG. 5 that regulates the twisting of the conduit portion 30b, and an airbag cover 59. The bag main body portion 30a is housed inside the airbag cover 59 in a folded state at a stage before the inflation gas is supplied from the inflator 24. The conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 is connected to the pipe portion 26 of the inflator 24, takes in the inflation gas discharged from the inflator 24, and guides it to the bag main body portion 30a. The base end portion 30b2 of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 and the pipe portion 26 of the inflator 24 are connected by being fastened with a clamp 27. The detailed configuration of each member constituting the bag assembly 29 will be described later.

[0018] Next, the protection operation of the occupant protection device 10 for the occupant M will be described. First, when the vehicle collides, the pretensioner mechanism 16 of the winding mechanism 15 operates, and the seat belt 11 worn by the occupant M is wound up to stabilize the seating posture of the occupant M on the seat 1. As a result, the lap belt portion 13 of the seat belt 11 is drawn toward the tongue 20 side, and the shoulder belt portion 12 continuous from the lap belt portion 13 is drawn toward the shoulder side of the occupant M.

[0019] Next, the inflator 24 operates, and the inflation gas is supplied from the inflator main body 25 to the bag main body portion 30a of the airbag 30 via the pipe portion 26 and the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30. As a result, the bag main body portion 30a expands. Thereafter, the upper body MU of the occupant M that moves forward due to the impact of the vehicle collision is received by the bag main body portion 30a. In this way, the occupant protection device 10 protects the occupant M.

[0020] Next, each member constituting the airbag assembly 29 will be described. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the airbag assembly 29 cut along the A-A cross section shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the airbag assembly 29 with the airbag 30 inflated, viewed from below, and the airbag cover 59 is omitted. FIG. 7 is a front view (FIG. 7A), a plan view (FIG. 7B), and a perspective view (FIG. 7C) of the restraint belt 60.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the airbag 30 includes a bag main body portion 30a that expands by being supplied with inflation gas and receives the occupant M, and a conduit portion 30b that is connected to the pipe portion 26 of the inflator 24 and guides the inflation gas discharged from the inflator 24 to the inlet 30a3a of the bag main body portion 30a to allow the inflation gas to flow into the bag main body portion 30a. The bag main body portion 30a and the conduit portion 30b are each formed of a base fabric for the bag, which is a woven fabric formed by plain weaving or the like of polyester fibers, and are connected by being sewn together.

[0022] When inflated, the airbag main body 30a is arranged to face the occupant M directly in front of the occupant M, and includes a rear wall portion 30a1 that contacts the upper body MU of the forward-moving occupant M and receives the upper body MU, a front wall portion 30a2 arranged on the front side opposite to the rear wall portion 30a1, a lower wall portion 30a3 arranged on the lower side and supported by the thighs of the occupant M, and left and right wall portions 30a4 and 30a5 respectively arranged on the left and right. Two inlets 30a3a, which are openings for allowing the inflation gas in the conduit portion 30b to flow in, are provided in the lower wall portion 30a3 of the airbag main body 30a.

[0023] The conduit portion 30b is a cylindrical member that is respectively connected to the pipe portion 26 of the inflator 24 and the airbag main body 30a and extends along the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13. The conduit portion 30b has a communication port 30b1 that communicates with the inlet 30a3a of the airbag main body 30a. The inflation gas inside the conduit portion 30b flows into the inside of the airbag main body 30a via the communication port 30b1 and the inlet 30a3a.

[0024] The airbag connecting portion 52 (holding member) is a member that connects the airbag 30, the lap belt portion 13, and the restricting belt 60, and is formed of the same material as the base fabric for the airbag that forms the airbag 30. The upper surface of the airbag connecting portion 52 and the lower surface of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 are sewn and connected. The airbag connecting portion 52 is provided with a lap belt insertion portion 52a through which the lap belt portion 13 is inserted and a restricting belt insertion portion 52b through which the restricting belt 60 is inserted. The lap belt insertion portion 52a is a through-hole that penetrates in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13. The restricting belt insertion portion 52b is a cylindrical portion that extends along the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are sealed by sewing the base fabrics that constitute the airbag connecting portion 52. By inserting the lap belt portion 13 into the lap belt insertion portion 52a and inserting the restricting belt 60 into the restricting belt insertion portion 52b, the lap belt portion 13 and the restricting belt 60 are integrally held by the airbag connecting portion 52. Note that the longitudinal direction, the thickness direction, and the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction of the lap belt portion 13 and the restricting belt 60 are the same direction respectively.

[0025] As described above, the lap belt portion 13 is inserted into the lap belt insertion portion 52a, and the upper surface of the bag connection portion 52 is sewn to the lower surface of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30, whereby the airbag 30 is attached to the lap belt portion 13 via the bag connection portion 52. Further, in the thickness direction of the lap belt portion 13, the restriction belt insertion portion 52b is disposed on the airbag 30 side with respect to the lap belt insertion portion 52a. Therefore, the restriction belt 60 is inserted into the restriction belt insertion portion 52b, and the upper surface of the bag connection portion 52 is sewn to the lower surface of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30, whereby the restriction belt 60 is disposed at a position between the lap belt portion 13 and the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30. In this way, the restriction belt 60 is attached to the conduit portion 30b via the bag connection portion 52, and the conduit portion 30b is supported by the restriction belt 60.

[0026] The airbag cover 59 is a cylindrical member attached to the lap belt portion 13, and houses the entire bag body portion 30a of the airbag 30 in a folded state, a part of the conduit portion 30b, the entire bag connection portion 52, and a part of the lap belt portion 13 inside the cylinder. Here, since the entire restriction belt 60 is housed inside the bag connection portion 52, it can be said that the airbag cover 59 houses the entire restriction belt 60 inside the cylinder. The airbag cover 59 receives pressure from the bag body portion 30a when the bag body portion 30a expands, breaks, and forms an opening, and the bag body portion 30a is fed out from this opening.

[0027] The regulation belt 60 is a member that supports the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 and suppresses the twisting of the conduit portion 30b. As shown in FIG. 7, the regulation belt 60 includes a plurality of plate-like portions 60a arranged along the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13, and a connecting portion 60b disposed between two adjacent plate-like portions 60a in the longitudinal direction and connecting the two adjacent plate-like portions 60a. In the present embodiment, the regulation belt 60 is made of resin, and the plate-like portion 60a and the connecting portion 60b are integrally formed. Among these plurality of plate-like portions 60a, one plate-like portion 60a is an example of the first plate-like portion, and the plate-like portion 60a disposed adjacent to the plate-like portion 60a in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13 is an example of the second plate-like portion. These first plate-like portion and second plate-like portion are arranged at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13.

[0028] When viewed from the front (the thickness direction of the lap belt portion 13), the plate-like portion 60a has a rectangular shape with a side 60a1 along the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13 as the short side and a side 60a2 along the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction of the lap belt portion 13 as the long side. The rectangular shape referred to here includes, in addition to a normal rectangle, a shape in which the four vertices 60a3 of the rectangle are chamfered as in the present embodiment. The rigidity of the plate-like portion 60a is set higher than the rigidity of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 and the lap belt portion 13.

[0029] The connecting portion 60b connects the two adjacent plate-like portions 60a by being integrally formed with the two adjacent plate-like portions 60a in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13. The thickness L1 of the connecting portion 60b is set thinner than the thickness L2 of the plate-like portion 60a, and the plate-like portion 60a and the connecting portion 60b are formed of the same material. Thereby, the rigidity of the connecting portion 60b is configured to be lower than the rigidity of the plate-like portion 60a.

[0030] With the restriction belt 60 configured as described above disposed between the wrap belt portion 13 and the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30, the following effects are achieved. That is, when the conduit portion 30b is twisted such that its front and back are reversed when the seat belt 11 is worn, it becomes difficult for the inflation gas to flow through the conduit portion 30b when the occupant protection device 10 is activated. Therefore, it is desirable to suppress the twisting of the conduit portion 30b. However, if the conduit portion 30b is simply formed of a material that is difficult to twist, the wrap belt portion 13 to which the conduit portion 30b is attached becomes difficult to bend, and there is a risk that the wrap belt portion 13 will not easily follow along the occupant's waist. In that case, a gap is likely to form between the wrap belt portion 13 and the waist portion MW of the occupant M, and there is a risk that the restraint performance of the occupant M by the wrap belt portion 13 will decrease or the wearability of the wrap belt portion 13 will deteriorate.

[0031] On the other hand, in the occupant protection device 10 of the present embodiment, since the restriction belt 60 having the plate-like portion 60a with higher rigidity than the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 is provided at the above position, the rigidity of the plate-like portion 60a makes it difficult for the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 to twist so that its front and back are reversed. Further, the restriction belt 60 has a connecting portion 60b with lower rigidity than the plate-like portion 60a between two plate-like portions 60a arranged at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13. Therefore, the connecting portion 60b bends and functions like a joint, making it easier for the restriction belt 60 to bend along the waist portion MW of the occupant M, and suppressing the restriction belt 60 from making the wrap belt portion 13 difficult to bend. Accordingly, since it becomes difficult for a gap to form between the wrap belt portion 13 and the waist portion MW of the occupant M, a decrease in the restraint performance of the occupant M by the wrap belt portion 13 and a deterioration in the wearability of the wrap belt portion 13 are suppressed.

[0032] Therefore, according to the occupant protection device 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the twisting of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 and to suppress a decrease in the restraint performance of the occupant M by the wrap belt portion 13.

[0033] Also, when viewed from the thickness direction of the lap belt portion 13, the plate-shaped portion 60a of the regulating belt 60 has a rectangular shape with a side 60a1 along the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13 as the short side and a side 60a2 along the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction as the long side. Therefore, it is easy to ensure the strength against the twist that reverses the front and back of the regulating belt 60. Also, it becomes easy to arrange a large number of plate-shaped portions 60a along the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13, and it also becomes easy to increase the number of connecting portions 60b. As a result, the regulating belt 60 can easily bend along the waist portion MW of the occupant M. As a result, the effect of suppressing the twist of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 and the effect of suppressing the reduction in the restraint performance of the occupant M by the lap belt portion 13 can be improved. Note that if this point is not considered, the shape of the plate-shaped portion 60a is not limited to a rectangle, and may be other polygons, circles, or the like.

[0034] In addition, in this embodiment, although the regulating belt 60 having twelve plate-shaped portions 60a and eleven connecting portions 60b is exemplified, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the number of the plate-shaped portions 60a and the connecting portions 60b is arbitrary as long as there are two or more plate-shaped portions 60a and one or more connecting portions 60b, and can be appropriately set according to the length in the longitudinal direction of the regulating belt 60 and the like. However, it is preferable that the number of these is large because, as described above, it becomes easier to align the regulating belt 60 and the lap belt portion 13 along the waist portion MW of the occupant M.

[0035] Also, in this embodiment, although the configuration in which the plate-shaped portion 60a and the connecting portion 60b are formed of the same material and their rigidity is changed by changing their thickness is described, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, if the rigidity of the connecting portion 60b is configured to be lower than the rigidity of the plate-shaped portion 60a, the method of adjusting the rigidity is not limited to that of this embodiment. For example, the connecting portion 60b may be formed of a material having a lower rigidity than the plate-shaped portion 60a, and both may be fixed with screws or the like. However, it is preferable to form the plate-shaped portion 60a and the connecting portion 60b of the same material as in this embodiment and adjust the rigidity by changing the shape because it becomes easy to simply manufacture the regulating belt 60.

[0036] (Second Embodiment) Next, the occupant protection device 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. For parts that overlap with the description of the first embodiment, the same drawings are used, or the description is simplified or omitted using the same reference numerals.

[0037] The occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment differs from the configuration of the first embodiment only in that a restraint belt 90 is provided instead of the restraint belt 60 of the first embodiment. That is, the configuration of the occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the structure of the restraint belt 60. Note that the storage portion of the restraint belt 90 is also the restraint belt insertion portion 52b of the bag connection portion 52, similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, also in this embodiment, the restraint belt 90 is disposed between the lap belt portion 13 and the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30, supports the conduit portion 30b, and restricts the twisting of the conduit portion 30b. Further, the longitudinal direction, the thickness direction, and the width direction orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction of the lap belt portion 13 and the restraint belt 90 are the same directions, respectively.

[0038] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bag assembly 29 with the airbag 30 inflated, viewed from below, with the airbag cover 59 omitted. FIG. 9 is a front view (FIG. 9A), a plan view (FIG. 9B), and an exploded perspective view (FIG. 9C) of the restraint belt 90.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the regulating belt 90 (regulating member) includes a plurality of plate-shaped inner members 90a arranged at the center in the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction of the wrap belt portion 13, and a plurality of plate-shaped outer members 90b arranged on both sides of the inner member 90a in the width direction of the wrap belt portion 13. That is, the plurality of inner members 90a and the plurality of outer members 90b are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13. In the present embodiment, the inner member 90a and the outer member 90b are formed of a metal such as aluminum, and their rigidity is configured to be higher than that of the wrap belt portion 13 and the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30. In the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13, the center positions C1 and C2 of the inner member 90a and the outer member 90b are arranged offset, and the center positions C2 of the two outer members 90b arranged on both sides of one inner member 90a are arranged to coincide.

[0040] Pin holes 90a1 penetrating in the width direction of the wrap belt portion 13 are formed at one end and the other end of the inner member 90a in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13. Similarly, pin holes 90b1 penetrating in the width direction of the wrap belt portion 13 are formed at one end and the other end of the outer member 90b in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13. The pin holes 90a1 and 90b1 are arranged at the same position in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13 and the holes communicate with each other. By inserting a pin 90c into these pin holes 90a1 and 90b1, the inner member 90a and the outer member 90b are connected. Note that a C-shaped C-ring 90d is inserted into the pin hole 90a1 of the inner member 90a before the insertion of the pin 90c.

[0041] With the above connection configuration, the inner member 90a and the outer member 90b are configured to be rotatable about the pin 90c. Specifically, the outer member 90b and the inner member 90a are each configured to be rotatable so as to move relative to each other. Also, among the two adjacent inner members 90a in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13, one inner member 90a is configured to be rotatable in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction with respect to the other inner member 90a. Also, among the two adjacent outer members 90b in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13, one outer member 90b is configured to be rotatable in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction with respect to the other outer member 90b.

[0042] That is, among the plurality of intermediate members 90a, one intermediate member 90a is an example of the first plate-like portion, and the intermediate member 90a arranged adjacent to the intermediate member 90a in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13 is an example of the second plate-like portion. Further, among the plurality of outer members 90b, one outer member 90b is an example of the first plate-like portion, and the outer member 90b arranged adjacent to the outer member 90b in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13 is an example of the second plate-like portion. Viewed differently, the outer member 90b is a connecting member that connects two adjacent intermediate members 90a in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13 and holds these intermediate members 90a so that one intermediate member 90a can rotate relative to the other intermediate member 90a. Similarly, the intermediate member 90a is a connecting member that connects two adjacent outer members 90b in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13 and holds these outer members 90b so that one outer member 90b can rotate relative to the other outer member 90b.

[0043] With such a configuration, the following effects are achieved. That is, since the restraint belt 90 having the intermediate member 90a and the outer member 90b with higher rigidity than the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 is provided at the above position, the rigidity of the intermediate member 90a and the outer member 90b makes it difficult for the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 to be twisted so that its front and back are reversed.

[0044] Further, the restraint belt 90 is configured such that one of the two adjacent intermediate members 90a in the longitudinal direction of the wrap belt portion 13 can rotate relative to the other intermediate member 90a in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. Similarly, one of the two adjacent outer members 90b in the longitudinal direction is configured to be rotatable relative to the other outer member 90b in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. Therefore, these rotating portions of the intermediate member 90a and the outer member 90b function like joints, making it easier for the restraint belt 90 to bend along the waist MW of the occupant M, and suppressing the restraint belt 90 from making it difficult for the wrap belt portion 13 to bend. Therefore, since it is difficult to form a gap between the wrap belt portion 13 and the waist MW of the occupant M, it is suppressed that the restraint performance of the occupant M by the wrap belt portion 13 decreases and the wearing comfort of the wrap belt portion 13 deteriorates.

[0045] Therefore, according to the occupant protection device 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the twisting of the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 and to suppress a decrease in the restraint performance of the occupant M by the lap belt portion 13.

[0046] Note that the number of the intermediate members 90a and the outer members 90b constituting the regulating belt 90 is not limited to the number shown in FIG. 9, and can be appropriately set according to the longitudinal length of the regulating belt 90 or the like. However, it is preferable that the number of these members is large because it becomes easier to align the regulating belt 90 and the lap belt portion 13 around the waist MW of the occupant M.

[0047] In addition, in the present embodiment, although the configuration in which the regulating belt 90 includes the intermediate member 90a and the outer member 90b has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, one intermediate member 90a according to the present embodiment and two outer members 90b disposed on both sides thereof may be integrated into one plate-like member 90x.

[0048] In this configuration, the member 90x has three pin holes 90x1, 90x2, and 90x3 that penetrate in the width direction of the lap belt portion 13. Note that the pin holes 90x2 and 90x3 do not necessarily need to penetrate, and may have bottoms on the end faces in the width direction of the regulating belt 90. Two members 90x adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13 are connected as follows. That is, the members 90x are arranged at positions where the pin hole 90x1 (first hole portion) of one member 90x communicates with the pin holes 90x2 and 90x3 (second hole portion) of the other member 90x, and the pin 90h (shaft member) is inserted through the communicating pin holes 90x1 to 90x3 to be connected. Note that a C-shaped C-ring 90g is inserted into the pin hole 90x1 before the insertion of the pin 90h.

[0049] With such a configuration, of the two piece members 90x adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13, one piece member 90x is configured to be rotatable about the pin 90h with respect to the other piece member 90x in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion 13. That is, the one piece member 90x is an example of the first plate-like portion, and the other piece member 90x is an example of the second plate-like portion. Even with such a configuration, the same effects as described above can be obtained by the same mechanism as described above.

[0050] In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, although the configuration of housing the restricting belts 60 and 90 in the bag connecting portion 52 has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, as long as the restricting belts 60 and 90 are disposed between the lap belt portion 13 and the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30, the restricting belts 60 and 90 can be housed in other members such as the airbag cover 59, and the same effects as described above can be obtained.

[0051] In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, although the configuration in which the restricting belts 60 and 90 partially support the conduit portion 30b of the airbag 30 has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, even if the lengths of the restricting belts 60 and 90 and their housing portions are extended so that the restricting belts 60 and 90 support substantially the entire area of the conduit portion 30b, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

[0052] In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, although the occupant protection device 10 has been described by exemplifying the so-called three-point seat belt 11 including the shoulder belt portion 12 and the lap belt portion 13, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, even if the present invention is applied to a so-called two-point seat belt 11 that includes only the lap belt portion 13 and does not include the shoulder belt portion 12, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0053] 1... Seat, 10... Occupant protection device, 11... Seat belt, 13... Lap belt portion, 24... Inflator, 30... Airbag, 30a... Bag main body portion, 30b... Duct portion, 52... Bag connection portion (holding member), 60... Restraining belt (restraining member), 60a... Plate-like portion, 60a1... Side (short side), 60a2... Side (long side), 60b... Connection portion, 90... Restraining belt (restraining member), 90a... Intermediate member (first plate-like portion, second plate-like portion, connecting member), 90b... Outer member (first plate-like portion, second plate-like portion, connecting member), 90h... Pin (shaft member), 90x... Member (first plate-like portion, second plate-like portion), M... Occupant, MW... Waist

Claims

1. An occupant protection device for protecting an occupant sitting on a seat, comprising: a seat belt having a lap belt portion configured to restrain the waist of an occupant sitting on the seat; an inflater for discharging inflation gas; an airbag attached to the lap belt portion, the airbag including a bag body portion that inflates by being supplied with the inflation gas to receive the occupant, and a conduit portion connected to the inflater and guiding the inflation gas discharged from the inflater to the bag body portion to allow the inflation gas to flow into the bag body portion; a regulating member disposed between the lap belt portion and the conduit portion for regulating the twist of the conduit portion; characterized by comprising: wherein the regulating member comprises a plate-shaped first plate portion having higher rigidity than the conduit portion; a plate-shaped second plate portion having higher rigidity than the conduit portion, the second plate portion being disposed at a position different from that of the first plate portion in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion; a connecting portion disposed between the first plate portion and the second plate portion in the longitudinal direction for connecting the first plate portion and the second plate portion, the connecting portion being configured to have lower rigidity than the first plate portion and the second plate portion; and an occupant protection device characterized by comprising the above.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the connecting portion is thinner than the thicknesses of the first plate portion and the second plate portion.

3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein when viewed from the thickness direction of the lap belt portion, the first plate portion and the second plate portion are rectangular with a side along the longitudinal direction being a short side and a side along a direction orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction being a long side.

4. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a holding member for integrally holding the lap belt portion and the regulating member, the holding member being connected to the conduit portion.

5. An occupant protection device for protecting an occupant sitting on a seat, comprising: a seat belt having a lap belt portion configured to restrain the waist of an occupant sitting on the seat; an inflater for discharging inflation gas; An airbag attached to the lap belt portion, comprising a bag body portion that expands by the supply of the inflation gas and receives an occupant, and a conduit portion that is connected to the inflator and guides the inflation gas discharged from the inflator to the bag body portion to allow the inflation gas to flow into the bag body portion. A regulating member disposed between the lap belt portion and the conduit portion to regulate the twisting of the conduit portion. Comprising: The regulating member is: A plate-shaped first plate portion having higher rigidity than the conduit portion. A plate-shaped second plate portion having higher rigidity than the conduit portion, which is disposed adjacent to the first plate portion in the longitudinal direction of the lap belt portion and is configured to be rotatable with respect to the first plate portion in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. An occupant protection device characterized by comprising the above.

6. The regulating member further comprises a connecting member that connects the first plate portion and the second plate portion and holds the second plate portion so that the second plate portion is rotatable with respect to the first plate portion. The occupant protection device according to claim 5.

7. The regulating member has a shaft member inserted through a first hole formed in the first plate portion and a second hole formed in the second plate portion. The occupant protection device according to claim 5, wherein the second plate portion is configured to be rotatable about the shaft member with respect to the first plate portion.

8. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, further comprising a holding member that integrally holds the lap belt portion and the regulating member, and the holding member is connected to the conduit portion.

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